I took Anna Marie to the doctor this afternoon. Thankfully, we aren't in the middle of flu season so I didn't have to wait too long. Here is what I was told:
1. She has strep throat. Yep, strep. (Hey, that rhymes!) She's never had strep, not even this past spring when it was going around the home of her former babysitter. She's never had so much as an ear infection (I know, we're blessed). Her list of illnesses up unitl now has been: pink eye, some sort of viral infection that gave her spots, a "flu-like virus", and now strep. That's pretty much it. I was give a prescription for amoxicilin and she has to take it for the next several days.
2. She was behind on her shots. That meant she needed three today. THREE! She had just calmed down from the trauma of getting her finger pricked, and the doctor came in and said she needed three. She fell apart, the poor thing! Got so upset she was hyperventalating. I had to HOLD HER DOWN ON THE TABLE! It was traumatic for both of us, but she got a popsicle out of the deal (from the doctor)>
3. He wants her to see a speech therapist. Now, I know she doesn't speak perfectly, but she's four! I told him we had planned on just waiting for school next fall, and he thinks that if she goes now she won't need one at school. Trouble is, the nearest one is half an hour away! I've really got mixed feelings about this.
She's watching Winnie the Pooh right now, and trying to rest. At least her medicine tasted good enough that she took it freely. The doctor says that after 24 hours of the medicine, she won't be contagious. Maybe she can get to go to James Micheal's birthday party tomorrow night, because she'll have been taking the medicine that long.
The worst part: she keeps reminding me that she tried to get me to take her to the doctor for TWO DAYS! And holding up two fingers, just so I'll know how many days two is. I feel just awful, but I tried to explain to her that I knew she was sick, I was just trying to make sure it was the kind of sick that needed a doctor and not the kind we can fix at home.
At least now we know what's wrong with her, and what can make it right.
4 comments:
My poor girl!
Really, you had no way of knowing how sick she was. She wasn't complaining of a sore throat much, was she? I would never have guessed strep.
I'm not sure how I feel about this speech therapy thing either. I keep seeing improvements in her speech, so it makes me think we could whip her into shape before school begins.
I know. I can't believe how defensive I got when he told me that - like I said, I just figured we'd wait until school started. I know the speech pathologist from Senatobia Elementary, and I was OK with little AM going to see her. Now, he wants us to go to Southaven?!?
No, she really didn't complain of a sore throat. Like you said, we'd never have guessed strep - she never even ran a fever.
Just so ya know...I wouldn't have taken her in either! When I have strep it kills!!! So I expect the kids to tell me they are in extreme pain before I think strep.
Another thing...I would wait for school for the speech help. (It's only a month, for heaven's sake)
A doc once questioned wether Katie was speech delayed. She was 19 mo. I told him all three of her sibs didn't say much til just about then....
She started talking soon after that visit and hasn't stopped since.
You are not a bad mother. It's just hard to diagnose those little ones sometimes!
Thanks for the words of encouragement Donna! She doesn't start school until next year, though. (Her birthday is in October, and the cutoff is September 1). My husband had to take speech therapy in school, and he thinks we should just wait. Even if the money is not an issue, it's a half hour drive, and gas is too expensive right now! We are working with her, and in the past few months have worked on her "sh" sounds and her "th" sounds. It's not like we aren't trying!
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