Alex has had a run of bad luck in the overall health department lately. This is not to say that overall Alex is not a healthy child, because he is, and we are so blessed because of that. But, daycare will put a strain on any 10-month old’s immune system and this was the first month where we really saw the effects.
Alex had his first ear infection at about 9-months, diagnosed at his well-baby visit in late June. So, good, we caught this one before it became something terrible for him, treated it and I thought we were in the clear. About a week after finishing antibiotic #1, and after two horrific nights of screaming, we took him back to the doctor. He had another ear infection. Ear Infection The Sequel. Ear Infection, Part Deux. This one was a doosy. So bad, in fact, that the medical student who is doing a rotation in our pediatrician’s office, was brought in to see.
We started course #2 of antibiotics (thank goodness for antibiotics, when used appropriately to treat bacterial infections and finished completely, so as not to create SUPERBUGS, thank you very much). After four days of being on the antibiotics, Alex developed a pretty bad rash – little red bumps all over his body and face, and was still running a fever. So, I took him back to the doctor.
We didn’t see our usual pediatrician, who was on vacation (I would love to be on vacation right now), but saw Dr. McMahon instead. Let me first say that I love our pediatrics practice even more having now seen all of the doctors and loving each of them. Dr. McMahon was an angel. Completely understanding of the impacts of a sleepless 10-month old on two working, and already kind of stressed, parents, she paid me a really nice complement about how I seemed to still have everything together.
…Then, she diagnosed Alex’s rash…
“It’s the coxsackie (pron. COKS – SACKY) virus…very common…causes the hand, foot and mouth disease that many older children get.”
And then she looked up at me, and her face changed from friendly angel-doctor to how her face probably looks when she’s about to tell her young children who are giggling over potty humor to cut it out. There I was, completely missing her helpful explanations because I was busy muffling my intense laughter with my hand over my mouth and turning beet red.
Coxsackie.
Hee hee hee.
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