parents - doublecheck me on standard sick kid stuff

July 23, 2023 1:39 PM

am I forgetting anything?

Teenager came home very sick from camp. Respiratory stuff: terrible congestion, ear pain, headache, coughing, some fever. It's so sad; we were all so looking forward to her homecoming and now it's like this. What can I do? Am I forgetting anything?

I have provided:

* humidifier for room
* lotion type tissues with wastebasket
* sudafed
* Afrin not to exceed 2x/day
* chicken soup is getting made

Historically she has not gotten much if any relief from NSAIDs so I'm not pushing those for the headache but should I? Are any of them better than the others for congestion related pain?

Also what do you think, is it more important to have the window open for ventilation or to have the humidifier going? There is an HVAC filter running in there. It's unpleasantly hot out so I'd rather not open the window but maybe I don't want her rebreathing her exhalations?

posted by fingersandtoes to Health & Fitness (20 answers total)

Best answer: IANAD but I prefer Mucinex to Sudafed. My experience is that Sudafed dries me up when what I want is enough moisture to flush everything out. Also, if this has developed into a sinus infection, she may need antibiotics to recover.

I also stopped getting constant sinus pain and ear problems when I started taking Zyrtec daily, as the inflammation from my allergies was setting me up to have more problems whenever I caught a cold, etc.
posted by Schielisque at 1:48 PM on July 23, 2023 [5 favorites]

COVID test
posted by Windopaene at 1:57 PM on July 23, 2023 [29 favorites]

Don’t overthink this. Your child will be fine. I know it sucks to watch them suffer but fussing will not get them better faster.

For teens, monitor the cell phone sign. If your teen doesn’t use their phone for three days it’s time for the doctor.
posted by shock muppet at 1:58 PM on July 23, 2023 [3 favorites]

Just be careful to get straight Mucinex (guaifenesin) and not one of the combo products that also has cough suppressant and/or decongestant and/or acetaminophen. (You may in fact want to use one of those too, but always better to keep active ingredients separate, IMO, so you can control which she’s getting and when.)
posted by staggernation at 2:18 PM on July 23, 2023 [8 favorites]

Yes to Mucinex and a covid test. (And, if it’s positive, a follow up conversation with her doctor about whether Paxlovid would be appropriate for her. The answer may well be no given her age, but it’s worth talking with an expert who knows her medical history.)

Maybe in addition to the soup, a stock up on anything else that’s a comfort food and/or easy to eat with a sore throat from coughing. Ice cream? Hot tea and a thermos to keep it warm?

It sounds like you’ve got the main bases covered well, though. I hope she feels better soon, and that the rest of you stay healthy!
posted by Stacey at 2:29 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Yes, cracking the window will reduce viral load regardless of what she’s sick with. You and everyone else (and her when she comes out of her room) in a mask - no need to share the misery. Covid test in a couple days if it comes back negative today, one negative early on is not definitive. Pedialyte!
posted by Bottlecap at 2:42 PM on July 23, 2023 [7 favorites]

cough lozenges

hot herbal tea can really temporarily ease throat pain and coughing and may be just comforting.
posted by Jenny'sCricket at 2:53 PM on July 23, 2023

Make sure your teenager stays hydrated (water, Gatorade, diluted juice, herbal teas, broths), which can prevent a visit to the ER for dehydration; and I was told hydration is a key to preventing respiratory stuff like pnuemonia.

Hope she feels better soon!
posted by AnyUsernameWillDo at 2:53 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]

Peace and quiet so she can sleep it off as much as possible. Also, extra pillows to help her sleep with her head somewhat elevated if it helps with the congestion.
posted by cgg at 3:08 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

For the windows: Fresh air can be good for various reasons, and it's important that she's cool and comfortable enough to sleep well but rebreathing her own exhalations is not a thing that will maker her sicker. Other people yes. But she already is sick, & she can't get sick from her own germs.
posted by lesser whistling duck at 3:25 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I’m not a parent, but I’ve been a kid whose parent gave them Afrin for congestion. Just be careful with it. It has PROFOUND rebound effects - the length of time it works gets shorter and shorter, and the periods in between dosages get worse and worse (because original congestion + post-Afrin congestion). The longer you use it, the worse it gets. I ended up feeling like my nasal passages were sealed with cement, and I had to endure 24-48 hours of it before the rebound effect faded. Plus that stuff burns like acid going in.

Nasonex or something similar will have a similar effect without these downsides. You couldn’t pay me to use Afrin these days.
posted by invincible summer at 3:28 PM on July 23, 2023 [10 favorites]

You said "sudafed", but I want you to check the active ingredient is "pseudoephedrine" and NOT phenyl-something. Only the former actually works, the latter does have some reduced effect in about 20% of people but doesn't help make meth so they sell it OTC just to be greedy.

I suggest trying different pain relief drugs. Most are 4-6 hour effect at regular dose so plenty of time to try. I also often add a dose of paracetamol (acetaminophen) with ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin when feeling especially bad. (Don't take ibuprofen and naproxen).
posted by flimflam at 4:07 PM on July 23, 2023 [6 favorites]

Tylenol/acetaminophen isn't an NSAID she may get pain relief and fever relief from that instead, if things like ibuprofen haven't been effective in the past.

Get her some sort of sports electrolyte drink and keep her hydrated.

Personally I would do Afrin or Sudafed but not both.

As a reminder sudafed can keep people awake so taking it at night isn't a good idea.

Out of an abundance of caution and just because she was in a congregate setting -- meningitis is a thing watch out for. Especially if there are stiff neck type symptoms, a high fever that won't go down and gastrointestinal systems like diarrhea or votmiting. Respitory symptoms are less common so it doesn't necessarily sound like she has it, this is just an fyi. It's really rare, but camp could be a risk factor for that especially shared bathrooms and stuff.
posted by AlexiaSky at 4:10 PM on July 23, 2023 [3 favorites]

lying on the opposite side of the affected ear will help drain it
posted by brujita at 4:42 PM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I didn't grow up in a family that used Vick's VapoRub, but I tried during two bouts of COVID and it's really great — both for clearing congestion, and managing pain. Apparently the official use is to spread it on your chest, but when my nose is raw from Kleenex abrasion, VapoRub is the perfect numbing, decongesting moisturizer.
posted by xueexueg at 5:14 PM on July 23, 2023 [5 favorites]

I wouldn't do Afrin -- I would just do salt flushes and Mucinex to wash everything out.

For cough, if the teenager has a hard time sleeping at night, either some honey (ideally a spoon of manuka honey), or Buckley's cough syrup (its truth-in-advertising tagline is "It Tastes Awful. And It Works.") It's a Canadian product I stumbled upon years ago because I was limited by not being able to take medicine containing Dextromethorphan, but now I would freely choose it over any other cough suppressant.

I would also give my teenager zinc, but I know opinions are split on whether it still helps once someone is already sick.
posted by virve at 5:45 PM on July 23, 2023

After one bad cold left my nose raw I switched to fabric handkerchiefs. They are now very well worn and well washed and the softest things when I need to blow my nose. If you don’t have any old soft handkerchiefs around maybe an old T-shirt could be sacrificed and cut into usable squares? It may be even nicer for all the nose blowing than lotion tissues. ❤️
posted by hilaryjade at 6:08 PM on July 23, 2023

I trust you know that for pain, you can alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen every 4 hours. They work on different pathways so they can give more relief in combination than individually.

I’m a little anxious about Tylenol so i might do only a couple of rounds of this, though.
posted by leahwrenn at 8:27 PM on July 23, 2023 [2 favorites]

I also recommend Vix. It's quite strong and I often. felt overwhelmed by its smell when it was placed on my skin (though I was a child when I used it so I was probably more sensitive than I am now). Instead of placing it on the skin, you can put some on a hanky or tissue for your teen to breathe in when they need to.

My family also used Olbas oil in the same way.
posted by wandering zinnia at 4:44 PM on July 24, 2023

I find Afrin to be a miracle worker, but you do have to stop after 3 days of use because of the rebound effects. Agree to perhaps have her checked out for a bacterial infection, which can generate after a viral one with lots of head goop. NSAIDs can also help with inflammation, which can ease sinus pain, so might be worth trying, especially if you're done with Afrin.
posted by LKWorking at 11:13 AM on July 25, 2023