JPdad

I'm curious as to what you all have seen over time with the length of exacerbations. Do they get longer/worse over time? What was the longest you have encountered? For us, as soon as the infection was treated we saw a 90% improvement in the first 10 days, then were back to baseline shortly after that. Currently we are almost 6 weeks in, with no reduction in symptoms yet. Is it normal for each episode to get worse? Do symptoms sometimes linger long after the infection has passed?

You might want to consider T&A removal. Sometimes those things get so full of germs you are fighting a never ending battle.

My son had two bouts of pink eye last year, but surprisingly did not flare from it. Most other infections have set him off though. The only advice I can give is to make sure you wash everything! Pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, etc. Once you get pink eye around, it is hard to get rid of. We went through 3 bouts of it in a row last year because as soon as the kids were better they'd go back to day care and get re-infected.

Do they sell L-Lysine in a liquid or chewable tablet? My 5 year old can't take pills.

DS(5) has been flaring for about a month. First he was treated with augmentin for a suspected ear infection which didn't help, then he was given zith for a suspected mycoplasma infection. Finally they actually blood tested him and found a coxsackie B infection. Being that it is a virus, antibiotics don't work. This infection is supposed to be self-limiting to 10-14 days, but we are about 30 days into tics and hyperactivity right now. Ibuprofin isn't helping much. Has anyone had a kid flare from this before or have any suggestions?

The way I have heard it described is that the symptoms we see in our kids are an 'alternate fever response'. Most kids get an infection and the inflammation in their bodies causes them to have a fever. In our kids it causes mood and movement disorders. The Ibuprofin helps reduce the inflammation in the brain the same way it helps to lower a fever. You still need an ABX to kill the infection, but ibuprofin helps reduce the kid's symptoms along the way.

You might want to consider other infections as triggers, and not just strep. My son's first episode started with a bad strep infection. A few months later he got a fever and sore throat, but was negative for strep. His tics ramped up as he was untreated, and once they finally treated him for an ear infection he improved rapidly. Now he has a mycoplasma infection and has tics again. Just realize that strep always the only cause, other infections can also be the culprit.

Well, we are 3 days into Azith and have seen a dramatic reduction in symptoms. The pediatrician decided not to even bother testing for Mycoplasm, and just went ahead and treated for it. I'm going to assume that is what this was since the Augmentin didn't help at all and he's greatly improved now.

I have a friend who's son has Tourettes and they have talked about going on vacation and to amusement parks and how it always brings out his tics. With my son, he was winding down from an exacerbation and we thought he was just about 100%, but then a birthday party came and he had a big spike in symptoms that soon came back down.

I'm pretty much convinced now it is a mycoplasm infection due to his really bad, dry cough and this thing lingering for 3 weeks. We are going to see the pediatrician today. What is the test for mycoplasm? I know that can do a blood test for it, but is there any other way to test for it?

He was checked for that about 2 months ago in blood work, but not recently. Wouldn't the 10 days of Augmentin he had clear that up, or is something else better for mycoP?

Does anyone have recommendations of what to take for a virus?

Mostly the pediatrician who has a limited knowledge base, but also Dr T. I just can't see paying $300 out of pocket for a phone consult every time we have a question.

Strep test was negative. He is on prophylactic Azith every 3 days now, not sure if I should request a full dose of that or something else?

Anyone have any advice for treating a flare up from a common cold? My son started with a sore throat that turned into a runny nose and a nasty cough. He went to the doctor and was negative for strep and ear infections (his usual trigger) but is having a spike in tics and emotional swings. Anyone have treatment ideas? Ibuprofin seems to help a bit, but would any ABX help? Should we just wait it out?

I'm interested in hearing any results from this that you all may have had. Anyone who has started camels milk care to share what results they've seen with it?

We also have noticed that when he uses a computer and plays slow paced games on Disney.com or something he has no tics. If he plays Wii, he goes wild. I can't quite figure out the whole TV thing. Is he just mimicking the characters, interacting with the tv, or is it a tic? It seems to come and go, but always flares up with infections.

My DS(5) has been having some tic like behaviors that only occur while watching tv. He repeats a lot of noises and words that occur in the show, mimics characters movements, and nods in his head in a way as if he is following the show up, down, and side to side. The grunting/echoing of the shows has popped up from time to time before, but often disappears for a long stretch then comes back. We figured it might be infection related, but his latest trip to the doctor found nothing but some slightly irritated sinuses. His usual culprit has been ear infections. Does anyone have experience or info on things like this? We aren't sure if it's a tic, a harmless childhood habit, or a compulsion. Again, he only does this while watching tv. He never repeats, grunts, or head bobs any other times. After playing video games (Nintendo Wii), we have noticed his symptoms get much worse, so we have eliminated video games. Any input would be appreciated.

Wish I could make it, but I'll be out of town. Do you do these often?

You mentioned a farm, does your child maybe have allergies? I know my son sometimes flares in the summer when pollens are bad and we can find no infections.

My son, 5, can't take pills, but we just open the align probiotic capsuls and mix the contents with a drink or food like apple sauce. There is no taste to it and he doesn't notice it's in there.