{{{Nora}}} It's Friday, and it's only a movie. I hope the work stuff gets easier for you, and is better today, than you expect.
We had some hate group come to our dinky little town, a couple of years ago. They somehow got permission to use/rent a room in our library. Our librarian tried to stop it, but it was a first amendment issue. It was complicated by the fact that our library is right next to the Post Office, and anarchist groups (bless 'em) usually follow these hate groups to protest them, but they are also known to make matters even worse when they protest, and will also trash gov't buildings. The whole thing was awful. It was Matt Hale's group the booked the library. The churches and other groups in town organized protests, and other things while the hate group was here, but my town felt dirty for me, for weeks after.
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Oh poor little Annabel, and poor you too, Susan. FWIW, I would have told you to medicate her and call in the morning, too. I hope you two catch some rest.
Here's all I've learned about fevers and sleepless nights:
- A temperature of 101 and above usually indicates a bacterial infection of some sort, but some virus do bring that sort of fever along with them, too.
- Sleepless nights accompanied by a fever are often the work of an ear infection, even if the child has no other symptoms (such as a runny nose). The infection makes the child uncomfortable while lying down. When the child is up, s/he seems fine, because the ear bothers her/him less.
- Children with ear infections usually have a droopy look. I can't define it any more clearly, but if/when your child has one, take a look at his/her face, and you'll see exactly what I mean.
- Teething does not usually cause a high fever. Many doctors will tell you teething does not bring with it a fever or cold symptoms at all. They are wrong. Too many (virtually all) field workers (mothers) disagree with them for them to be right. At the very least, teething somehow makes a child more vulnerable to the common cold.
- If the child's doctor okays it, you can tag team medicate with children's acetometaphen (Tylenol) and children's ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). You administer one, wait a half an hour or hour (according to doctor's directions). If the fever hasn't dropped enough (enough needs to be defined by the doctor) you administer the other.
- Be extra careful not to double or otherwise overdose acetometaphen. A lot of cough and cold medications contain it. Always read the packages thoroughly. Never administer a higher dose, and never exceed the maximum in a 24 hour period. It's hard on the liver.
- A cold drink or popsicle is a pleasant-for-the-child way to help reduce the child's fever.
- Sometimes, when a child has a fever, milk can make him or her vomit. White grape juice is mild on the tummy. Apple juice is good, too.
- Do not bundle up a child with a fever. Even if s/he has the chills from the fever (common), dress and cover her/him lightly and very loosely, so as not to keep in the high body temperature.
- Do not give alcohol rubs to a child with a fever; the fumes are overwhelming.
- Some doctors will tell you to give the child a luke warm bath or to rub down the child with a face cloth to reduce fever. Ask your doctor how to do this, and how high the fever should be before you bother.
- A child who looks and acts mostly well is mostly well, so don't let the thermometer freak you out too much.
- Never be afraid your doctor will think you are stupid for calling. If your gut is telling you to call, even if you can't articulate why this time is different than another illness where you didn't feel compelled to call. We are animals. We pick up things with our senses (smell, in particular) that may not translate into words we can use to define why *this* time is different. Trust your gut, and let the doctor's mother worry about him/her.