...is the cause of Jethro's prolonged and chesty cough, his rapid breathing, his reduction in milk intake, his temperature, his vomiting, and even his diarrhoea. Yes, THE answer to everything. For older children, the errant virus would manifest as a cold, but for children younger than 24 months, it affects the air passages in the lungs, causing the above.
I took Jethro to the A&E of the Sick Children's Hospital (where Ethan went before for his cut) and the paediatrician explained things rather clearly to me. She said nothing need to be done for Jethro - breathing's not too bad, oxygen level is good, reduction in milk intake not too severe, looks alert - and I just have to ensure he takes his milk, the lower amount is okay for a few days. The doctor explained that the diarrhoea could be caused by the anitbiotics he took earlier on, and also the accumulation of mucus in his stomach which is then passed out as stools. She then told me signs to look out for in his breathing to warrant admission to the hospital and left me with the assurance that he should be alright.
We also found out what the two red patches on his face are - fungal infection. The GP (I went to the GP first before she recommended me to the hospital where they could check his oxygen level) asked me if the red rings were growing larger, and it did, though by then it has stabilised. She gave me some cream to apply for a week and I was to go back for a syrupy medicine if the cream did not clear the infection up.
On another take, Jethro is a 'gorgeous' baby. Well, he has to be considering how the midwives, the nurses in the neonatal unit, the paediatricians and nurses in the sick children's hospital tended to call him that - from birth, to admission to the neonatal unit for his weight loss, to helping me with his attachment during breastfeeding, to the regular weighing at the baby clinic, to the A&E department yesterday. I suppose all babies born in Scotland are gorgeous. It is something that comes readily out of the lips of the medical professionals working with children here. And I don't know its effect on the babies, but it certainly makes one anxious mother feel more comforted ('nothing terribly wrong with your baby, don't fret, and he's 'gorgeous'', they seemed to say). And one nurse was commenting on how well Jethro sang yesterday, when he was coo-ing away while she took his temperature etc. How wonderful it feels to have a baby here.
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3 comments:
sounds pretty serious leh.. well, do hope everyone will recover soon.. Do take care!!
u must hv been worried, esp w the reduced milk intake...when he's that young, everythg's a cause for worry! the red rings shld b nothg to worry abt tho - thk its a ringworm fungal thg (caused by saliva+milk ard the mouth), my kid oso hv, like rings of rashes on the cheeks, PD say v common here...the cream shld do the job!
Jethro does seem to be recovering (fingers crossed as he did too a few days ago before the second fever set in) although his appetite is still not that great. But I think he's taking in enough fluid, so even though feeding him nowadays can be quite frustrating, I am not too worried. Ethan has a sore throat and I wonder when he would recover since he continues to shout and make the loudest noises in spite of our naggings (think all those naggings by our parents, esp father, and our ignoring them, the wheel turns round...).
Thanks XY for all your comments. Really glad to have you share all these with me. Will hang in there. Just writing these out to 'remember' them. ha ha.
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