22 mo old with flu--It's lasting a long time and I'm worried

[nukuspot]

My DH got the flu last weekend (fever, chills, cough, aches, runny nose, sore throat)  and then on Monday DD started running a fever of 103.2.  Today is Saturday, so it's been 5 days.  She had the fever for 48 hours and I was worried but let it run it's course, I didn't try to lower it with Tylenol because I thought it would help her get better by her body fighting the virus.  She was very listless while she had the fever but I thought it was normal.  After 2 days as I said, the fever broke.  I guess I was expecting her to feel better after her fever went down (It's a low grade fever now of about 99-100.8.)

However she seemed to be doing worse since.  I brought her to the ped and they said there is no sign of ear infection, or pneumonia or other associated issues and it was probably just the flu.  She is increasingly seeming worse to me each day, so I'm getting scared.  She has a super runny nose, a bad cough, and is increasingly more clingy and listless.  The crying/clingyiness and listlessness are the most scary parts to me.

For the first few days this week she played a little bit each day, but for the last few days she doesn't want to do anything, no reading books, no stickers,no toys, nothing.  If I put her down she cries so we have to take turns holding her all the time.  I gave her Tylenol these last few days because I was afraid she was in pain somewhere but it just seemed to make her even more listless.  I've been continuing to give Tylenol before bed to see if it helps her sleep.  This morning she woke up (after waking up crying all night every 2 hours) and has been sleeping for the last 3 hours.  She barely opened her eyes this morning.  She's really exhausted.  It's scary to see her like this because usually she is the Energizer Bunny, constantly playing and running around non stop.

She's still nursing lots and drinking water but increasingly doesn't want to eat anything.  I got her to eat some mushrooms and raisins yesterday (after offering her all her favorite foods, even ice cream and have her turning them down), she won't eat anything today.  She urinates about once every 6 hours which is much less than usual but the ped says it's OK.  She just pooped this morning for the first time all week since she's been sick and has soft but not totally liquid stool.  I guess that's all the background I can give.  Oh, I now also have the virus.  I do feel really crappy but I can still function. 

I just am scared as to why she isn't getting any better after 5 days?  I brought her back to the ped yesterday again and she rechecked her and said she doesn't see any secondary infection or anything.

Maybe since she is my first LO I just don't know what flu looks like in a toddler.  Can people tell me if this is normal or should I worry?

[nukuspot]

No-one have experience with the flu?  She seems a little better today, I hope it's now on the upswing but could really use some support.

[Momsteader]

Your post probably got buried the first time mama!  The flu even in adults can last 7-10 days.  If she is drinking and nursing (even if she was just nursing) she'll be fine as long as she's still having wet diapers (or going potty if she'd potty learned).

It's rough to see little ones sick :( But, yeah...the flu can be a long one. If she's been to the ped twice in that time and looks good, I'd try not to worry too much. Just hold her, offer food/drink, and nurse. Let her sleep as much as she'd like as that will help heal her too.

If she isn't drinking/nursing and slows output or is extremely lethargic hard to wake to feed, then I'd suggest another check. But, this is probably just a yucky that needs to run it's course the 7-10 days.

[pbjmama]

IMO she needs further evaluation and testing. Your gut is telling you something more is going on and her condition is not improving - she is lethargic. Is there another ped or np in the practice that you could get a second opinion from? I would also be watching closely for another fever.

[Mal85]

If she seems a little better today, I'd wait and see how she feels in the morning before taking her back to the doc. DD got the same thing right around Christmas. She starting running a fever a few days before Christmas, but it went away after a couple of days. Christmas Eve, she was low on energy. Christmas day, she was clingy and tired, but couldn't sleep. She got worse through out that day. She finally passed out on my lap late that night, after being restless and uncomfortable for hours. I got her out of bed at 8 the next morning because she had gone to sleep earlier than normal and it's very unusual for her to sleep that late. She woke up long enough to eat a little toast and drink some water, then passed out for hours. I was waking her several times an hour to make her drink some water. She slept until around lunch time, then ate a little bit and went back to sleep. It was close to 3 in the afternoon before she woke up and stayed awake.

It scared me how long she slept and how listless she was, but the sleep was exactly what she needed. She was so much better after that. It was total, 6 or so days before she started acting like herself again.

[Peony]

When we've had influenza before, it has been over a week, more like a week and a half before most of the symptoms were gone. Still took a some more days for them to be themselves.