Monday, February 16, 2009

Baby's gotta breathe

It seems as if our family has been stuck with the kling-on version of the respiratory cold. While some of us are just going in cycles with it (myself), C. and A. are hanging on to it. Last Friday, C. woke up with a fever and wheezing...so I finally decided it was time to go in to visit the pediatrician. Glad I did- Colin not only had ear infections, but also something called viral bronchilitis. Never heard of it, but it has something to do with the airways in the bottom of the lungs being inflamed- which was causing the wheezing. So, I went home with a few prescriptions and a brand new nebulizer. I was a little freaked out- mostly because I always thought nebulizers were for really sick kids...that, and we pay a lot of money for insurance that covers very little. But after a phone call to the family doc, I realized this was a $250 bite we'd have to take so the baby could breathe.
So, this is our Valentine's Day dinner hour and Colin taking his nebulizer treatment. He's actually growing accustomed to them, and will sit for about 11-12 minutes of the 15 minute treatment. The little mask is in the shape of a fish named Mr. Bubbles- which C. doesn't care about, but it has helped A. deal with it. At first he was VERY scared for his little brother.
This may mean that C. will be asthmatic in the future, but we'll just have to wait and see. Apparently, the wheezing is not a good sign. But, hopefully he'll out grow that by adolescence. In the meantime, we need to save some more to get the boys into the addition as quickly as we can. The longer they are in the moldy part of the house, the more sickly they become.
Now that C. is 72 hours into treatment, he's adjusted really well to the neb treatments, and I've noticed that they really are working at helping him breathe. In talking to a lot of friends, I'm also realizing that neb treatments are more common that I had thought. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us!!!

2 comments:

Rach said...

Oh Sandy, I had no idea it was that bad over at your place. Yuck. We will certainly keep you and fam in our prayers.

Liz said...

I hope that Colin feels better soon! Neb treatments are very common when little kids get sick. Grant was on them for a while. He still will wheeze occasionally when he gets sick, but not like the time he needed those.