Summer Colds

I breathed a huge sigh of relief when this winter's Cold/Flu season was over. Forest was hit hard his year. After going the first 13 months of his life without a sniffle to speak of, months 14-18 were riddled with both cold and flu viruses and the ear infections that so often follow in their wake. 

When Forest starting running a seemingly symptomless fever last Tuesday I thought perhaps he was finally cutting those two year molars that have had his hands constantly in his mouth for the past 2 months. When the fever went up to 102.5 Thursday morning, still without any symptoms, I feared it was an ear infection once again. It can be so confusing when teething and ear infections have essentially the same exact symptoms: crankiness, fever, refusal to eat or sleep. 

I felt a bit foolish when I brought him in to the doctor last Thursday after day 3 of significant fever and she took a look at his ears, nose, and throat and said they all looked perfectly fine. Hmmmmm. On Friday his fever dropped and his nose started running which leads us to think it was nothing more than a summer cold. 

His ears get really red when he runs a fever.

Forest has not gone a stretch of more than 2 weeks without a visit to the doctor since January and I feel like I am soooo not that Mom who over-reacts about illnesses or injuries, but I'm starting to reevaluate myself! 

And to make this particular doctor's visit not only pointless but counterproductive, while the Doctor was giving me the spiel about how to treat a fever, Forest was playing around under the exam table. He stood up suddenly and whacked his head against the top of the table and instantly started howling and vomitting. The doctor kept on talking away about fevers and I was like 'um...he's vomiting after whacking his head...are you not concerned about this?', to which she responded that vomiting immediately is fine, it's when they continue to vomit hours after that you have to be concerned. But she gave me a pamphlet on head injuries for good measure. 

So basically for the past week we have been home bound and haven't been doing much of anything except having Sesame Street marathons, coloring time and eating popsicles in the backyard.Which is fine, but doesn't give me much time/energy/inspiration for blogging. 

 
I'm crossing my fingers and praying that baby boy stays healthy for a stretch. I read that toddlers can get up to 12 colds per year, each lasting 7-10 days. That's almost a third of the year. I believe it after the past few months! I'm assuming he's picking these colds up at the gym daycare, but really it could be anywhere. I have never been a germophobe but I am starting to be now! It's the total pits to be home bound with an energetic toddler who just wants to go out and play. Here's to a healthy rest of the summer!