Ears, Nose, and.....Asthma?

Today I took Rykken back to the doctor for his re-check on his ears. I got the appointment moved up a little because Rykken has been running a fever on and off since Friday night and has a horrible...I repeat HORRIBLE cough. Rykken was exposed to RSV two weeks ago at daycare and I have been neurotic about watching every little sniffle and cough. Well the doctor said his ears look worse now than before, so obviously the last antibiotic didn't work, he doesn't have RSV or even a virus for that matter. The congestion is from his ears, and they are claiming the cough and wheezing is asthma. I'm not so convinced, but I'm willing to give the nebulizer treatments a try. Maybe I'm not not convinced because I don't want to be convinced. I think I'm just convinced that once we get his ears drained and cleared that all the symptoms will be cleared up. I just don't want him to have asthma. My little brother and sister both have severe asthma and it is horrible. So, he has been referred to an ENTS to get the tubes done and hopefully we will get in there next week for the consultation. The pediatrician's nurse is taking care of the arrangements and I haven't heard back from her yet about an appointment time, they are trying to get him in as soon as possible. They put him back on an antibiotic, and a strong steroid that he will only take for three days to open up his chest, and then of course the albuterol that will be put in the nebulizer. So I am very relieved that maybe he will start feeling better soon!

It has been a particularly rough week on both of us due to the sickness and on top of everything he is starting to teethe. Poor baby is soaking his shirts with drool, and his hands and around his mouth are raw from the drool and chewing. He has also started refusing the bottle, only drinking about 2 oz a feeding, but still eating his fair share of solids, they don't bother him like the sucking does with the bottle. I was worried about him getting dehydrated and not getting enough nutrients but the pediatrician assured me there is nothing to worry about and he will eat when he gets hungry enough, and of course....he has an empty tummy, hurting ears, a horrible cough, congestion, and hurting gum's....so he is not sleeping. Yay! He hasn't been horrible, but it's just hard re-adjusting to getting up in the middle of night. I have been spoiled for far too long. So he has been on Tylenol for the fever and teething, and then my mom found some all-natural homeopathic teething tablets that dissolve under his tongue that help a TON. They really seem to ease the pain, and of course I give him a damp wash rag to chew on, which he prefers over the teething toys, and that seems to help too. He hasn't had a tooth break through yet, but I can feel them under his gum's...his bottom teeth will be here soon! Another development...Rykken is now maneuvering himself from a sitting position, to a halfway crawling position. He goes from sitting to putting both hands down in front of him and he gets up on one knee. He hasn't quite figured out how to get that other knee up under him. I'm hoping he holds off a teeny bit longer, I still have some baby proofing to do, and I am searching for a good deal on a big play corral for the living room!