tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5953392920694352732.post1000959141305729307..comments2023-04-26T06:42:06.117-07:00Comments on The Empathic Pediatrician: Fever -- 8 hot daysDr. Wolffe Nadoolmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10872214677834263346noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5953392920694352732.post-15316609751180276642014-07-08T10:40:56.710-07:002014-07-08T10:40:56.710-07:00My almost 1 year old had a fever and was not himse...My almost 1 year old had a fever and was not himself. He wasn't taking his bottles and had no interest in solids. After 2 doctor visits the pedi decided we should go to the ER. The ER took chest x-rays and said it was pneumonia and they would admit him for overnight observation. Because of insurance we had to be transferred to our hospital which is a children's hospital. Six days later and lots of tests the infectious disease docs were out of theories and decided it could be Kawasaki. Since this was day 8 of the fever they wanted to treat him asap. He was back to his normal self within 6 hours of the start of treatment. They kept him in for 24 hours after then end of treatment for observation. So after 8 days in the hospital (and spending his 1st bday there) it was determined to be Kawasaki. What made it more difficult was because he didn't show all the symptoms. They stated that in a child so young they typically don't show all the symptoms.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5953392920694352732.post-36271341531963191902012-08-16T08:25:12.682-07:002012-08-16T08:25:12.682-07:00They said he didn't have all the symptoms. We ...They said he didn't have all the symptoms. We were told they would have to confer with the cardiologist, pharmacist, and infectious diseases before they could give him the treatment. The reason-a nationwide shortage of the immunoglobulin (IVIG). The good news-they had it at the hospital. The bad news-they had to agree that he needed the liquid gold (as we later referred to it). I told the ER doctor that he had had all of the symptoms except the peeling feet and hands over the last five days and couldn't they be waning on their own? Isn't that what the brochure you gave us said would happen. But if not treated with IVIG he could have irreparable heart damage. I was scared they would deny the treatment and later discover they were wrong when it was too late and the damage was done. I was desperate. I called our pediatrician to ask her to plead our case and explain the symptoms she saw. Several doctors came and looked at him and finally a whole crew of people in white coats came in from infectious diseases. The head doctor said "You know we do not know a lot about Kawasaki's Disease. But what we do know if it is left untreated it could cause heart damage, and I don't think that is a risk we should take. I think we should give him the treatment." I could have hugged and kissed that man! We agreed he needed the treatment and thanked him profusely. They had to defrost(?) and prepare it. It was hooked up in about an hour and when done he was like a new child. He had his appetite back and was sitting up and alert! It was a miracle. I am forever thankful to our wonderful pediatrician Dr. Ogunrinde of Waldorf, MD and her knowledge to be able to correctly diagnose this disease. I am sure it goes undiagnosed a lot. I later understood her statement of do not leave without treatment! She told me that my son was the second time she had seen Kawasaki's in her career. The first was a little girl that she sent to the hospital and they did not treat her and sent home. The girl became sicker and she told the mother to take her back to the hospital and do not leave until she is treated! My son is caucasian (blonde hair blue eyes) with no Asian background. I know that it is more common in Asian boys.<br /> My son had to follow up with a few ultrasounds of his heart and thankfully shows no signs of any damage. And lastly, the day we took him home he developed peeling skin on his hands, the last and only symptom he had not had before. We called the hospital with that info.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5953392920694352732.post-12198729381317360472012-08-16T08:24:16.497-07:002012-08-16T08:24:16.497-07:00My son was diagnosed with Kawasaki's in 2006 a...My son was diagnosed with Kawasaki's in 2006 at 2 years old. We were at the beach on vacation and he started with the fever and I took him to a walk in dr.'s office. He said he had hand foot and mouth. The next day he had a rash all over his abdomen and was vomiting. I took him back and the dr. looked perplexed and ordered an X-ray of his lungs! I called my husband who was packing up the car and we went home and saw his regular pediatrician. She said to finish the antibiotics and keep her updated on the fever. He was irritable and listless and you could not comfort him. It was very scary because he had had infections and fevers before but did not act like he was now. He seemed as though he could hardly walk. I called the doctor each day and she would ask about other symptoms, i.e. pink eyes, peeling skin on hands and feet. On the 5th day of high fevers she told me to bring him in and she said he had the strawberry tongue, pink eyes and he needed bloodwork. He could have Kawasaki's Disease and would need to see a cardiologist! I was trying to understand what she was saying and why would he need a heart doctor if he had a virus! We wound up that evening at Children's Hospital in DC where she sent us and told us they would be expecting our arrival and she had notified infectious diseases. She said do not leave until you get the treatment and I thought that was an odd thing to say. Of course we wouldn't leave without the treatment, that is why we are here. The ER dr. agreed with the diagnosis and ordered the IVIG. We went to a room and waited.....and waited.....and waited. Finally, I told my husband to see where the IVIG was. The shifts had changed and the new ER doctor was questioning the diagnosis!!!!! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com