Ok, so this Friday we are leaving for a small mini spring break vacation with friends out of state driving to get there. My daughter caught a cold. She seems to be getting better and better each day. But last night I finally had to give her something, because she would not stop coughing and was trying to sleep even though she was elevated in a chair with daddy. I gave her something for her cough and 10-20 minutes later she was asleep and I didn't hear her cough the rest of the night.
I've been debating since Sunday whether I should take her to the Dr. Not that its that convenient for me, since I work full time and am taking time off for this mini vacation, but would do it if I had to. If it weren't that we were going on vacation I wouldn't even be thinking about it at this point as it seems every day she seems to be getting a little better. I have a feeling if I take her in, they will say, its a cold. But then I have this fear that if I don't get her checked it will be worse while on vacation and miserable for all of us. So, what would you do? Take your chances or get her checked out?
Thanks everyone so far for the responses. To answer a few questions. I did not call the nurses line yet. And my husband can't take her because he is also working. I've called my MIL who is watching her today and she says she's been fine all morning. (She has other grandchildren she watches so she is unable to take her for me either.) But tomorrow, my mom has her. I have decided I'm going to wait until tomorrow. See how she does tonight, and how she is tomorrow morning and if I feel she is getting worse vs better I am going to have my mom take her in for me.
A little background about the sickness, she's been around cousins at my IL's house that have been sick, so I'm sure that is where she picked it up. And as far as I know, they've been just regular colds vs anything more serious like strep or bronchitis.
If she is not running a fever and her coughing can be controlled by all means GO! So many times a trip to the doc is useless.
I would take her.... We took our daughter to Disney in Feb, she slept the way there, we thought that was odd, but when we got there, she didn't want to do anything! I took her to the DR the next morning and it was strep (scarlet fever!).... If she showed a symptom a day earlier, I could have saved a ton of money and stayed home and went a different time.... She didn't want to ANYTHING!!!.... Good Luck! Hope everything works out for you!
I'd take her in and tell them you're leaving town and want to be prepared.
I would take her just for peace of mind for you all, wait a day or two though and see how she is. It would be better to see if it is something or just a cold. If just a cold, you can give her medication to help ease her symptoms.
Argh, I hate it when this happens! Is she running a fever? If there's a fever, I would take her in. It sounds like a cold and if she's getting better, instead of worse - she'll probably be fine by Friday. Even if she's still got a little cough, she will probably feel fine.
If your gut is telling you to take her in, listen. But, worst case- she takes a turn for the worse and you have to find an urgent care. Yeah, that would suck, but there's no way to predict that if she's getting better each day.
* This Christmas, my daughter caught that really nasty stomach flu the day before we were to leave for Iowa to visit our families. Instead of leaving in the morning, we postponed it until afternoon. Usually, when the kids get that virus, it's vomitting for a couple hours, then they are better. My daughter threw up for 16 hours! Unless we cancelled the whole trip, we HAD to leave on that day. My daughter begged us to go, because she would be devastated not being able to see the grandparents, cousins, etc. We set her up in the backseat with towels a barf bucket, etc. I felt so bad for her, but she was determined to go. I was also afraid of the whole family getting it and us being sick while we were there. I warned the parents that we'd keep her away from the kids for awhile, but in the end- she was the only one who got sick and by the time we got to Iowa, she was asleep and woke up just fine( 9+ hour drive). Ah, the joys of parenthood...LOL!
Good luck and have fun!!
Can your husband take her? Or another relative? I just think you would be able to relax knowing for sure what is going on. If it ends up being something contagious your doctor can call in something to a pharmacy out of town if anybody else needs meds while you are away since he will have seen your daughter and knows what is going on.
Depends, exactly what symptoms she has and for how long? Would you rather take her today or Friday/Saturday? Answers to all will determine what you should do.
By the way, I always go with my "mother's intuition" regardless of what other say or how inconvenient it is or isn't.
Did you call the doctor's nurse? I personally would go to make sure it isn't bronchitus. We have had a wave of something and even the athletic moms are getting bronchitus and taking antibiotics. Plus, the clinic we went to on vacation diagnosed her with swine flu and sent us into a scare when she probally did not have it at all. Her own pediatrician and my doctor saw her that same day and said she didn't have it.
Personally? I would take her to the Dr. it could be allergies but it could be just the first Spring Cold - the flowers are coming out in full force since we had such a wet winter - especially you up in Michigan!! Ton of snow!! :)
So the pollen could be affecting her more this year than any other year.
I take my boys to the pediatrician before ANY trip - especially airplane trips....just to make sure they are good to go!
Better to be safe than sorry!!
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