Tag Archives: sick kids

When a Cold is Not a Cold

Spring fever is spiking in our home.  The last few weeks have been beset with sniffles, sneezes, sore throats and some serious sinus issues. For a long time I thought the aforementioned symptoms were related to the common cold, but a recent trip to the doctor proved otherwise.  The next time you are tempted to self diagnose your child’s runny nose and congestion, consider the other conditions he could be suffering from: Allergies:  Frequent sneezing and itchy, watery eyes, especially during the spring months can be a sign of allergies.  March and April are notorious for having high pollen and … Continue reading →

Stuck in a Bind

It’s the week of finals, so when my son woke up with a high fever last night I was more than a little worried about what the following day would bring. I gave him some medicine and comforted him as best I could until he fell asleep again. We made it through the night only to find that the fever had not subsided this morning. Most daycares are sticklers when it comes to caring for sick children, and for good reason. They can’t have all the other kids getting sick, and our daycare is no exception. Normally I would take … Continue reading →

Gaining Perspective

You know it’s going to be a bad day when you spend 10 minutes standing on your front porch trying to figure out why you can’t get into your home before you realize that repeatedly pushing the unlock button on your car’s smart key isn’t going to open the front door of your house. Yes, it’s been one of those days. Actually, it’s been one of those months. One of those months when you can’t seem to catch a break. One of those months when the war against fatigue has you in the trenches. One of those months when your … Continue reading →

Can You Tell When Your Child is Faking It?

Does your son typically complain of a stomachache on spelling test Fridays? Or do notice that your daughter usually begins hacking up a lung on the Monday following a long weekend spent partying with friends? Unless a child has the obvious symptoms of a bad flu-—high temp, chills, projectile vomiting—-then parents are often left to use their own instincts to weed out the fakers from the truly feverish. In some cases it can be a tricky task. My own daughter has been sick with a bad cold for nearly two weeks. However, this is a child who is so deathly … Continue reading →