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Pneumonia in a 6 year old....

post #1 of 12
10/21/08 at 8:51am
Thread Starter 
DS (6.5) started a fever on Thursday (actually, I think he may have had a fever on Wed as well). Cough started on Saturday. He was feverish and coughing all weekend and when he woke up with a fever again yesterday I took him to the doctor. After an exam and a chest x-ray it was determined he has pneumonia (limited to his right lower lobe). The doctor (a very holistic MD) is pretty sure it's viral (though not certain) and told us to take some colloidal silver, but to call if he got worse or if there was no improvement after 48-hours. Well, this morning his cough is definitely worse and he's starting to get really upset about it. Also, his temperature seems to be a bit higher than it has been (for the time of day -- it's been normal in the morning and then rising to 101 by the end of the day, but today it was 99.5 when he woke).

A few questions:

1) The duration of the fever is freaking me out -- has anyone DC ever had a fever for almost a week??

2) At what point would you cave an give antibiotics? We're almost certain that Ean has leaky gut syndrome --- we have an appointment with a specialist in Jan, but the evidence for it is pretty overwhelming. I worry about giving the ABX, but I also worry about NOT giving them.

3) Anyone have any experience with the colloidal silver?

Thanks!
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post #2 of 12
10/21/08 at 11:58am
Thread Starter 
Anyone?
post #3 of 12
10/21/08 at 1:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindful Mom View Post
DS (6.5) started a fever on Thursday (actually, I think he may have had a fever on Wed as well). Cough started on Saturday. He was feverish and coughing all weekend and when he woke up with a fever again yesterday I took him to the doctor. After an exam and a chest x-ray it was determined he has pneumonia (limited to his right lower lobe). The doctor (a very holistic MD) is pretty sure it's viral (though not certain) and told us to take some colloidal silver, but to call if he got worse or if there was no improvement after 48-hours. Well, this morning his cough is definitely worse and he's starting to get really upset about it. Also, his temperature seems to be a bit higher than it has been (for the time of day -- it's been normal in the morning and then rising to 101 by the end of the day, but today it was 99.5 when he woke).

A few questions:

1) The duration of the fever is freaking me out -- has anyone DC ever had a fever for almost a week?? Yep, with a severe cold, bronchitis, flu or pneumonia, even ear infections. This is a low grade fever for the most part so it's nothing to worry about fevers are good, it means the body is working. I don't treat fevers unless the child is in pain and can't sleep.

2) At what point would you cave an give antibiotics? We're almost certain that Ean has leaky gut syndrome --- we have an appointment with a specialist in Jan, but the evidence for it is pretty overwhelming. I worry about giving the ABX, but I also worry about NOT giving them. Did the doctor prescribe an antibiotic? I'd be taking it personally because pneumonia is nothing to mess around with, though with your child's issues I'd want to be very careful about it, I'm sure his doctor is aware of these special circumstances?

3) Anyone have any experience with the colloidal silver? Nope, I've never given it to my kids or had a suggestion to do so, but I've heard good things about it.

Thanks!
Hope that helps!
post #4 of 12
10/21/08 at 4:13pm
I'd get a second opinion, you really don't want to mess with pneumonia. Maybe a trip to urgent care or even the ER would be in order.
post #5 of 12
10/21/08 at 5:33pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys.

I'm actually not treating the fever at all - I rarely ever do unless sleep is really being significantly affected. I did get some cough syrup with an expectorant today -- but I'm not sure that's making a difference. The doctor specifically said she didn't want to give antibiotics because she thought it was viral, but I'm getting to the edge of my comfort zone for not treating. I have a call in and will probably (hopefully!) hear back from here in a few hours. I think I'm going to ask for the antibiotics and then load him up with probiotics.

FWIW, other than coughing, he's running around like a nut -- so it doesn't seem like he's too miserable. It's the fever that has me freaked out -- it's been between 99.8 and 100.7 all day (and has been like that since Thurs).
post #6 of 12
10/21/08 at 8:22pm
I believe I'd ask about antibiotics again too, pneumonia is nothing to mess with. I've seen cases in otherwise healthy adults that took months to recover from, and although sometimes pneumonia may start out as viral it isn't that uncommon for opportunistic bacteria to take over when the lungs are in a weakened state. So it is entirely possible that your ds had viral pneumonia when the dr. saw him (although it really is impossible to tell without a culture) and it has progressed to a bacterial opportunistic infection. Since you aren't seeing an improvement over this length of time, I'd load him up on probiotics and go ahead with a course of antibiotics. Of course, that's just me and I believe that pneumonia is nothing to mess around with. YMMV of course.

Sending healing vibes your way, hope he feels better soon. The fact that he still feels like playing and is otherwise okay is a good sign.
post #7 of 12
10/21/08 at 10:00pm
Thread Starter 
I called the doctor and she called in some antibiotics --- he just got his first dose. I feel a little like I failed him by not letting this run its course, but the fever went beyond my comfort zone.

Thanks all!!
post #8 of 12
10/22/08 at 9:30am
Thread Starter 
He still has a fever this morning (99.4) -- about 12 hours after the antibiotic. If it is bacterial, how long before the antibiotics should break the fever. If it's viral, how long before the fever goes away??? We're on day 7 of a fever and I'm REALLY freaking out?

Any other DCs with a week-long fever?!?!?
post #9 of 12
10/22/08 at 2:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindful Mom View Post
He still has a fever this morning (99.4) -- about 12 hours after the antibiotic. If it is bacterial, how long before the antibiotics should break the fever. If it's viral, how long before the fever goes away??? We're on day 7 of a fever and I'm REALLY freaking out?

Any other DCs with a week-long fever?!?!?
It can take a LONG time. The lungs are saturated with gook, the body has to work really hard to recover.

My friend's 6 year old had pneumonia this summer and her fevers went on and off for over 2 weeks. Matter of fact she didn't even know she had it for a long time because it was summer and the fevers were low like 99/100.

I wouldn't worry about the fever. Really, unless it starts going up and his breathing deteriorates I'd consider him to be healing.
post #10 of 12
10/22/08 at 2:09pm
It should take a while for the fever to go down, like someone else mentioned- there is a ton of goop in his lungs that needs to clear out. I'm suprised he is running around- I remember getting pnemonia around 6-7 and I distinctly remember how painful it was. Hope he feels better soon
post #11 of 12
10/22/08 at 2:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindful Mom View Post
He still has a fever this morning (99.4) -- about 12 hours after the antibiotic. If it is bacterial, how long before the antibiotics should break the fever. If it's viral, how long before the fever goes away??? We're on day 7 of a fever and I'm REALLY freaking out?

Any other DCs with a week-long fever?!?!?
99.4 technicallly isn't a fever. DD1 had a fever last year for 8 days, between 101-102 (she's 11yo). I didn't give her anything for the fever. She had a sore throat and she used Chloraseptic a few times when it was really bad, and I had her forcing fluids. Because I didn't treat the fever, she rested much more than she would have if I'd reduced it, and on the 9th day, she was fine.

That being said, it wasn't pneumonia. I had pneumonia and it seemed to take forever to get better. Every time I coughed, I thought I'd pass out. I was not however "running around like a nut". His actions would say more to me than the fever. If he's running around like a nut, then he's not that sick, whatever the temperature is. If however he's lethargic and dehydrated and not running much of a fever, I'd be more worried. KWIM?
post #12 of 12
10/22/08 at 9:49pm
I had pneumonia two winters ago and then again last winter. It takes me a good month to get over it once I am diagnosed. Have you ever tried a mustard plaster? This will break up the crap in his lungs so he can cough it up easier.
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