This is just a cold, right?

[Loowit]

DS started to not feel well yesterday afternoon.  He won't talk or swallow.  He says his throat hurts (he writes notes).  He is starting to get a stuffy nose today also.  He doesn't have a fever, but he is just laying on the couch, which means he is really feeling sick.  He wants me to call the doctor, but I told him it was just a cold.  When DD heard me she told me that strep throat is going around.  She overheard this at her dance studio from the moms.  Now I am wondering if it could be strep.

 

How do you decide to get your child tested for strep vs. deciding it is just a cold?  My feeling is that without a fever it is not likely he has strep, but he won't swallow anything.  We got him to eat a little ice cream last night, but today he has had nothing.  He even has a bowl to spit out his spit which was DH's idea, but I think is terribly gross.  I am not terribly worried, but there is always that nagging what if in my mind.

[Annie G]

In the past two weeks, dh and I - and several of our friends- have had something that sounds very much like this. For me, my sore throat was because my sinuses were draining down my throat and it was super irritated. After a day, I was so close to going to the doctor, because it felt that bad and I was thinking it might be strep. But I took some OTC antihistamines and by the next day my throat felt much better, but by then it was a full flown cold. 

 

Dh progressed much like I did, but his didn't last as long. Three people we work with have also had similar illnesses, starting with a really sore throat. 

 

Hope it's just a cold, but of course when your kid is suffering, you want to do whatever you can to make it better. 

 

 

 

[trinchick]

My instinct is that if he won't even swallow saliva it warrants a trip to the doctor.

 

BUT, I also think it depends on how he usually deals with illness. If he's generally a trooper but this has him so run down, then DEFINITELY a trip to the doctor is in order. If, however, every cough or cold has him claiming he's the sickest child ever, then maybe wait it out.

 

Having a DD who is a bit of a drama queen makes me question my gut all the time. 

[magnificent_baby]

Normally, with my kids I wait out a sore throat with no fever.

 

BUT if he cannot swallow his spit, you need to have him seen right away. Sounds like there is swelling going on, so please try to get him in somewhere today. 

 

Hopefully it turns out to be nothing, but just in case! 

[Jann in TX]

My dd had a sore throat- trouble swallowing, feeling miserable... NO fever.

She had strep--found out last Thursday feeling better by Sunday with the right meds.

 

 

 

 

[Luanne]

Have you taken a flashlight and looked at his throat?  If he has spots on his throat, he definitely needs to go to the doctor.

[Loowit]

I tried to look at his throat and it looked a bit red, but no spots.  I finally called the advice nurse and she said he needed to be seen so we are taking him in this afternoon.  He normally has a high pain threshold so this this not normal for him.  He doesn't even want to play games on the computer.  I think it is good he has an appointment.  He has started to throw up now too.  Poor kid.

[Cinder]

DS started to not feel well yesterday afternoon.  He won't talk or swallow.  He says his throat hurts (he writes notes).  He is starting to get a stuffy nose today also.  He doesn't have a fever, but he is just laying on the couch, which means he is really feeling sick. 

 

My dd just had a cold like this. She wrote notes too. The sore throat lasted 2.5-3 days. Stuffy nose came next--she's actually still a bit congested--then cough which lasted about a day.

[Mandylubug]

Sounds like strep. Mine never run fevers with it for some reason.

[magnificent_baby]

I tried to look at his throat and it looked a bit red, but no spots.  I finally called the advice nurse and she said he needed to be seen so we are taking him in this afternoon.  He normally has a high pain threshold so this this not normal for him.  He doesn't even want to play games on the computer.  I think it is good he has an appointment.  He has started to throw up now too.  Poor kid.

 

Glad you were able to get him in. He sounds miserable. Hope he gets well quickly!

[texasmama]

When my kids won't swallow, it is almost always strep.

[Loowit]

Thank everyone.  I just got back from the doctor.  The strep test was negative, but they are concerned about his hydration level, so we are trying to get him to drink little bits at a time.  He doesn't seem to keep much down though.  They said it is some sort of virus and to bring him back if he isn't better by Thursday.

[GSOchristie]

When I had hand, foot and mouth last year I couldn't swallow my spit. I also thought I was going to die because it hurt so badly. I didn't have blisters anywhere else, but I guess your doctor would have seen them?