Flying out tomorrow-SICK kid advice needed!!

[heath dog]

I really needed some second and third opinions please. We are supposed to be leaving for WDW tomorrow. Our 10 month old son is sick. It is a cold but we just returned from the urgent care with him. The doc says he has a slight ear infection starting. His temp was 101. We are now starting amoxiciliian.

Does anyone have experience with this? My thought is stay home with him. My DH can't as we are going with a huge group of his family which we were the planners and he needs to be there. I could stay home the whole time or try to get a flight mid week but that might be impossibly expensive.

The doc said at first that he would go but then he said that he wouldn't go and that it wasn't worth it. I asked about damage to the ears in the plane and said that was a myth but I am not so sure.

HELP!

 

[tmfranlk]

I would give him some decongestent and hour or so before the flight and go ahead and go. With the antibiotics he will probably be feeling better in a day or so and happy to be at Disney.

Another options may be to call the airline. Explain the situation and see if they will work with you to rearrange your ticket for a day or two from now. American was willing to do that for my DH once. We had to show a note from the urgent care. I can't promise anything of course, but you never know.

Goood luck on your decision.

 

[mcnuss]

Before I say a word, let me tell you that I feel your pain. My DD came down with something right before a trip once, and I chose to go. It turned out to be scarlet fever. Imagine my horror as I sat there at Urgent Care in FL and this doctor I've never seen before tells me this! Luckily, it's just a form of strep and easily cured by amox, but it is with this as a backdrop that I tell you that I would absolutely not go with a baby with a fever. You should not risk his health nor the health of others. What if he is contagious and he gives this cold (or worse, flu) to another child? What if he gets worse while you're away and you end up at some urgent care place hundreds of miles from home? Not to be the naysayer in this, but unless he goes 24 hours without a fever, you should stay at home. I am sorry.....

Also, the ear thing - not a myth. Maybe they don't explode, but let me tell you, they feel like they are. I flew last year with pneumonia and a double ear infection. Did not know I had either, just thought I had a cold. When we were taking off, I thought my head was blowing up. By the time we landed, I had tears running down my face. We got stuck for 30 mins without a gate assignment, and I put my tray down, put my head on it, and bawled like a baby.

 

[llp479]

I think everytime we've gone to WDW at least one of the kids has been on antibiotics. Why do they always get an ear infection or strep right before we go? The good news is you'll have at least 24 hours in him before you go. That should help to bring down the fever, and he should be feeling better. Bring a bottle for him to drink when you take off and land. That will help with the pressure in his ears.

Good luck!

 

[panfan]

If I was you , I would go!!

We just got back. Were there last week and both DS were sick in bed the whole time. HOWEVER, you know what is wrong and have the amox. already started. you will be ahead of the game.

One year my ds saw a doctor 2nd day into the trip.. guess what ?? ear infection. he was back to HImself the next day!! Good luck!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I think I would go too. You have seen the Dr. and know it's just a cold and the start of an ear infection. You have the antibiotic too. I would ask the Dr about an decongestion medication for the plane and make sure to give him a bottle during take off. I bet he will be fine in a day or two. Your Dr also just saw him so if you need a medication adjustment he can call it into a local pharmacy at WDW. Have a great trip and good luck.


Jordan's mom

 

[JiminyMac]

I hope you guys who tell this lady to go to Diseny World with a sikc kid never complain about anyone bringing their sick kids to school, day care whatever. (or maybe you're the ones who dose 'em up with tylenol and send them or their way?) It's bc people put their vacations above everyone else's that other people's kids end up picking up their viruses and such. Ths is exactly how the whole mess on the cruises started and why it keeps on going.I ho[pe this lady's docter was right and it was just an ear infection starting but what if it wasm't?

Yeah, I know lots of babies have colds this time of year. But to spead them around on purpose is not right or fair to others. JMHO.

 

[Jaime]

My daughter gets ear infections often and amoxiciliian always gives her such a bad diaper rash. So if you do decide to go I would have some cornstarch with me and some kind of cream just in case. I alway apply it as soon as I start giving her the med. Good luck!

 

[mcnuss]

That particular diaper rash is most likely caused by yeast. Our pedi used to recommend mixing 1 part hydrocort with 1 part anti-fungal (basically, the stuff you use for athlete's foot or you-know-what itch). Works like a charm.

 

[cinder1]

I would go also. After being on the antibiotic for 24 hours, your baby is going to feel so much better and will be fine. All 3 of my kids have had plenty of ear infections and they are fine very quickly. And your child can go to school and daycare with an ear infection--they are not contagious. Although the original cold is contagious, the baby is probably past that stage. Our schools allow the kids to be at school as long as their temperature is not above 100 deg!! If every kid stayed home every time they had a cold, they would miss more school than our school district allows. I go by how the child feels and acts. And a 10 month old will be feeling lots better quickly on an antibiotic. I use dimatapp when flying with a congested kid and try to be sure he is nursing or drinking from his bottle during takeoff and landing.

 

[Hawk]

I don't think a 10 month old will have that big of an impact on getting others sick due to his/her illness. Maybe getting the child outside in a warm climate could have some benefits.

Hawk.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by cinder1
I would go also. After being on the antibiotic for 24 hours, your baby is going to feel so much better and will be fine. All 3 of my kids have had plenty of ear infections and they are fine very quickly. And your child can go to school and daycare with an ear infection--they are not contagious. Although the original cold is contagious, the baby is probably past that stage. Our schools allow the kids to be at school as long as their temperature is not above 100 deg!! If every kid stayed home every time they had a cold, they would miss more school than our school district allows. I go by how the child feels and acts. And a 10 month old will be feeling lots better quickly on an antibiotic. I use dimatapp when flying with a congested kid and try to be sure he is nursing or drinking from his bottle during takeoff and landing.

We call parents to come pick up a child if he/she has temperature of 100. They have to be fever free for 24 hours before they can return.

If Iwere in the OPs shoes, I wouldn't take the trip.

 

[Hawk]

Originally posted by cinder1
Our schools allow the kids to be at school as long as their temperature is not above 100 deg!! If every kid stayed home every time they had a cold, they would miss more school than our school district allows.

cinder1:

Remind me never to move to your part of Texas.

Hawk.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Children get 8-10 colds every winter. You simply can not keep them home until they are 100% over every cold. Most kids only run a fever with a cold for the first 24 hours or so, and most often only a low grade (101 is low grade). The fact is the the most contagious part of a cold is the 24 hours before the child has any symptoms!! Parents have to use common sense. You have to look at the temp & how the child is acting. It amazes me that parents will call our school and say that their child has a temp of 100 but is acting just fine. Then why did they take a temp anyway? Temps are just ONE way of deciding if something is going on in your child's body. BTW, we will send a child home anytime his temp is 100.5, but might send a child home with NO fever if he feels terrible. Just taking a temp. after a child has been napping in a warm place can produce a temp of almost 101.
I stand by my encouragment to go and want to add that giving a child yougert, can also reduce the risk of the stomach upset that can sometime led to diaper rashes when on antibiotics.
Every parent must decide what is safe and comfortable for thier child.



Jordan's mom

 

[cinder1]

I agree with Jordan's mom. As for our school district's 100 deg policy, it is the same with all the school districts around here (Dallas/FT Worth) and with most of the peditricians I know. However, I also agree with Jordan's mom--if you think something is up with your kid to the point that you take their temp, you know they are sick. As I said earlier, I go by how the kid feels. Plenty of times, my kids have stayed home with NO fever because they feel lousy, especially as they get older. And don't misunderstand the school's policy either. If the kid feels terrible, they are sent home with or without a temp. But my 6 yr old wanted to stay at school a few weeks ago. She had a 100 deg temp (went to the nurse with a headache). They let her stay because technically she was allowed and she didn't want to go. The next day, much to my DD's dismay, I kept her home even though her temp never went above 100 deg. Colds come on slowly and by the time you are sure the child is sick, they are past the most contagious time of the cold. An ear infection is not contagious and if the baby has been stopped up long enough to have an ear infection, he probably is no longer contagious. You don't get an ear infection as soon as you get a cold (and you can get an ear infection with no cold--allergy, etc).

 

[summerrluvv]

Originally posted by Hawk
cinder1:

Remind me never to move to your part of Texas.

Hawk.

I think that's the rule in most schools.

 

[summerrluvv]

Originally posted by heath dog
I really needed some second and third opinions please. We are supposed to be leaving for WDW tomorrow. Our 10 month old son is sick. It is a cold but we just returned from the urgent care with him. The doc says he has a slight ear infection starting. His temp was 101. We are now starting amoxiciliian.

Does anyone have experience with this? My thought is stay home with him. My DH can't as we are going with a huge group of his family which we were the planners and he needs to be there. I could stay home the whole time or try to get a flight mid week but that might be impossibly expensive.

The doc said at first that he would go but then he said that he wouldn't go and that it wasn't worth it. I asked about damage to the ears in the plane and said that was a myth but I am not so sure.

HELP!

I think the doctor should have told you that your child will be in agonizing pain flying with an ear infection. Sure, it won't do permanent damage, but your child will probably be screaming and making the rest of the passengers miserable.

It's one thing if the child just has a common cold, but with the fever and ear infection, I would postpone my trip by a day or two to see if the infection clears up and the temp goes down.

 

[Hawk]

Originally posted by summerrluvv
I think that's the rule in most schools.

I don't know what planet your from, but in this state if your child is sick you keep them home - not infect the rest of the school population. (Maybe I am from a different planet!) Please tell me that what you say isn't so, but I guess from other posts it is. I wonder if people send their sick children to school because they lack proper daycare or unable to take the time off from work? Unfortunate and risky to others! I agree with Jordan's Mom's opinion.

Hawk.

 

[summerrluvv]

Originally posted by Hawk
I don't know what planet your from, but in this state if your child is sick you keep them home - not infect the rest of the school population. (Maybe I am from a different planet!) Please tell me that what you say isn't so, but I guess from other posts it is. I wonder if people send their sick children to school because they lack proper daycare or unable to take the time off from work? Unfortunate and risky to others! I agree with Jordan's Mom's opinion.

Hawk.

Is it a RULE from the school that if your child has a cold you HAVE to keep him/her home? Doubt it. I suggest you ASK what the policy is for your district. I'm very active on a parents board and this dicussion came up recently and none of the parents across the country (on the board) have children that attend a school that makes you keep your child home if they have a fever of less than 100 or a common cold.

I'm sure you are well aware that even before a person has symptoms of a cold, they are contagious so chances are that illness has already spread before your child even coughed.

Children are allowed a certain number or absences from school every year and if your child goes over that, there are severe consequences, unless they are excused abscenses and not every child will go to the doctor for just a cold. If my child has a cold and a runny nose with no fever and no hacking cough, he goes to school.

Most kids have 8-10 colds a year, and if parents kept them home everytime they had a common cold..they would probably be failing in school.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by JiminyMac
I hope you guys who tell this lady to go to Diseny World with a sikc kid never complain about anyone bringing their sick kids to school, day care whatever. (or maybe you're the ones who dose 'em up with tylenol and send them or their way?) It's bc people put their vacations above everyone else's that other people's kids end up picking up their viruses and such. Ths is exactly how the whole mess on the cruises started and why it keeps on going.I ho[pe this lady's docter was right and it was just an ear infection starting but what if it wasm't?

Yeah, I know lots of babies have colds this time of year. But to spead them around on purpose is not right or fair to others. JMHO.

The baby has an ear infection and they are not contagious. I would go on the trip. If everyone stayed home that had a simple cold then 50% of the population would be house bound at any given time. Since the OP knows about the ear infection and is giving antibiotics the baby should be feeling fine within a day.