sick child ?

Specialties Pediatric

Published

:o Hi everyone. I have a friend that has a 9 year old daughter that is sick. The doctors haven't figured out what is causing her white blood count to be sky high. Her lymph nodes are so swolen that she hasn't been able to eat for 3 days. They gave her an MRI and didn't find anything. I was trying to look for causes under the health forum in AOL but there are so many things to look at. Does anyone have any idea as to what could be causing this? She has had a lot of strep throat infections over the last couple months. The antibiotics aren't working to reduce the swolen lymph nodes and if they don't work soon they will have to be drained. I know you guys aren't Drs but I figured you have probably seen a lot of different conditions.

Of course I am not going to tell her what I hear for fear of scaring her. We aren't very close but I am curious about this.

Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Research,Peds,Neuro,Psych,.

Hmmm..have they tested her for mononucleosis? I don't have any other ideas at this time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Could it be the mumps? My hubby had them this summer and was one miserable camper.:o

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello !

Catlover, I am sorry to hear about your friends child.:o

Isn't there swelling in the parotid glands when a child has the mumps? and would'nt the Dr. have the sense to check for this? Mumps might be the answer.Mumps S&S include moderate fever, malaise and extreme pain in the throat when swallowing (sour foods or juices.) I will pray for the childs' recovery.

Netty

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

Ummmmm, folks do you think we should be attempting to diagnose someone we've never seen for a nonnurse who is not a part of the patient's family. And then if this person goes to the neighbor and lists off all the things the nurses she met here said. Seems like the potential for harm is much greater than helping.

And we don't know the relationship btwn this woman and her neighbor. My mind reels...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Canoehead,

I don't really think that anyone here is attempting to make a diagnosis, just doing some brainstorming. As you know, when a patient has an unusual presentation of an illness it is sometimes helpful to get a lot of input in terms of what the problem MAY be and what testing may be necessary to sort it out. Catlover has indicated that this child is under the care of a physician with on-going treatment planned. Maybe I'm wrong, but this seems like more of a mental exercise than anything. IMO, this is a far cry from having my neighbor show up at my doorstep with a sick kid asking for my "diagnosis", which I can not and would not offer.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Questions to pose to your neighbor, Catlover:

1) Is their health insurance an HMO?

2) How long have they had that doctor as their physician?

3) If they do have an HMO, it is quite possible that that doc is getting money under the table not to diagnose what is really wrong with your neighbor's child??? One must always think this today in lieu of how HMOs work...or don't work???

4) Encourage your neighbor to seek another opinion, and find out what test have already been run on her child, and ASK to view those test for herself, and not just take the doc's verbal explanation as grounds that "all the test they could possibly do" have ACTUALLY been done.

Otherwise, as a neighbor of that woman, I would not offer her anymore explanation than one of encouraging her to seek a different doctor for testing, even if they have to pay out $$ for the testing to be done.

THINGS AREN'T ALL THEY ARE CRACKED UP TO BE IN TODAY'S HMO CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT!!! TRUST YOUR CHILD TO THEM??? WHAT DO YOU THINK??? H_e_l_l NO!!! :confused: :rolleyes: :(

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Rehabilitation.

The kid hasn't been scratched by your cats, has she???

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If it is a viral illness, antibiotics are useless. I would ask about the types of WBC's that are elevated. In other words, I would ask to see the Seg/lymph/eos/mono count in the CBC differential. Are other lymph nodes swollen? Is she with fever still? Is anyone else in the family sick with the same s/s. Is she up to date on her immunizations? Has a mono spot been done? Has she traveled out of the country recently? Does she visit the dentist regularly? And yes, saddly, what type of insurance does she have? If it is the mumps and she has been vaccinated, I would request a copy of the lot number that corresponds with the MMR administered to her at 1 yr. and at 5 yrs. This is what I would do if I were the mom. A lot of illnesses result in swollen lymph nodes and they take a long time to get back to normal. However, instead of more diagnostic procedures if this continues without resolution, I would have the doc refer my child to a hematologist or some other specialist. Just an opinion from another mom who happens to be a nurse. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and makes you realize how little you really know. Speaking for myself, that is!

I hope she's much better by the time you read this. : )

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment