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Child Has Flu Symptoms, Coughing, Sneezing, Thick Mucus And Running Nose. Should I Take Him To Hospital?

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Posted on Fri, 22 Jun 2012
Question: My 5 year old son had an episode of the croup that brought us to the ER on December 16th at 2:30 am. He was treated with a neb and steroid shot in the glute. He was admitted for observation and CBC was done. He was released the following afternoon showing great improvement. The following night he presented a fever of 101.5. The fever remained 101 for the next 24 but dropped to 99 for 5 more days. The third day he started having severe stomach pain. this lasted for about 48 hours and he quit eating aolid food. He also developed flu symptoms, coughing, sneezing, and thick mucus and running nose. Once the fever subsided he was left with runny nose and severe cough. This lasted for 4 more days. On the 8th day he seveloped a rash on his legs and swelling in his knees and ankles. The rash turned out to be a vasculitis. Little bruises all over. Upon his follow up visit for the croup on day 11, he was given another CBC and a UA for suspition of Hochem_Scholein Purpura. His testing came back with Thrombocytosis and Toxic Granulation. His platelets count was 649 and SED was 29. We are now waiting for our follow up on Wednesday. The first bruises are fading but each day there are new ones.
XXXXXXX is my child that gets everything, wierd illnesses that none of my other children come done with. In the past he had a illness that caused him to seep blood from his gumline for 3 days. The doctors said he had hand, foot and mouth although he never presented with the rash on his palms and feet and had no sores in his mouth at all. Also, none of the other children around him came down with it, including my other children in the home. This is just one example of his pasthealth history.

My question is, should I wait until Wednesday to take him back in or should I take him to Children's hospital?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Aparna Kohli (29 hours later)
Hi,
Thanks for posting your query.
Generally speaking, Henoch Schonlein purpura(HSP) is a benign disease in which children usually have a single episode which lasts 3 weeks. The rash typically appears in crops with new crops appearing every few days.
Your son does have signs and symptoms suggestive of HSP
You can comfortably wait until Wednesday to get him examined by a paediatrician. However, it is important to note the following:
1.     Ensure that your son remains adequately hydrated. Give him plenty of fluids and a well balanced, nutritious diet.
2.     Monitor for any abdominal or renal complications:
a.     Abdominal complications would typically present with severe abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness (pain on touching the abdomen), blood in the stools, black colored stools or blood in the vomitus.
b.     Renal complications would typically present with a decrease in the urine output (which means that your son would start passing little or no urine).
3.     Give your son a bland diet preferably.

If your son has any of the above complications, please take him to the emergency room immediately. If there are no complications, you can comfortably wait till Wednesday to get him evaluated.
I hope I have answered your query. Please accept my answer if you have no further follow up queries.

Regards
Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Aparna Kohli

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 983 Questions

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Child Has Flu Symptoms, Coughing, Sneezing, Thick Mucus And Running Nose. Should I Take Him To Hospital?

Hi,
Thanks for posting your query.
Generally speaking, Henoch Schonlein purpura(HSP) is a benign disease in which children usually have a single episode which lasts 3 weeks. The rash typically appears in crops with new crops appearing every few days.
Your son does have signs and symptoms suggestive of HSP
You can comfortably wait until Wednesday to get him examined by a paediatrician. However, it is important to note the following:
1.     Ensure that your son remains adequately hydrated. Give him plenty of fluids and a well balanced, nutritious diet.
2.     Monitor for any abdominal or renal complications:
a.     Abdominal complications would typically present with severe abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness (pain on touching the abdomen), blood in the stools, black colored stools or blood in the vomitus.
b.     Renal complications would typically present with a decrease in the urine output (which means that your son would start passing little or no urine).
3.     Give your son a bland diet preferably.

If your son has any of the above complications, please take him to the emergency room immediately. If there are no complications, you can comfortably wait till Wednesday to get him evaluated.
I hope I have answered your query. Please accept my answer if you have no further follow up queries.

Regards