Rebecca was downstairs with Joseph and called "Help, help!"
I came down to find Joseph (who had had a fever of 101.4 that morning) lying on his side, foaming at his mouth, purple lips and shaking and making strange noises. I thought, could he just be dehydrated and started to try and give him some water while I dialed 911. The dispatcher told me he was probably having a seizure and told me to put him on his side and the medics would be there shortly. The EMTs said the same thing, they felt like he had had a febrile seizure but wanted to take him to the hospital for testing and to rule out meningitis. Rebecca and I followed the ambulance and spent the next two hours in the emergency room. Joseph had his blood drawn, had an IV to hydrate him and wasn't too happy about the whole thing. But he was a great little boy. It broke Rebecca's heart to watch them draw his blood. I didn't think to tell her not to look, I was busy trying to get him not to look.
Warren left work and joined us. When he got there Joseph said: "Daddy, owie."
Apparently some children get seizures if their fever suddenly spikes. I had been on the phone with the nurse that morning and she said, we usually recommend giving them a fever reducer if it gets to 102. And since it hadn't gotten that high I was still going to wait a little while and watch it. I was under the impression that you shouldn't just try to kill every little fever with tylenol because the fever is trying to fight the infection. I need to talk to my pediatrician and learn more. So now we have been told that since this has happened once the chances are higher that it could happen again. The doctor at the ER said they get a lot of first time febrile seizure patients, but once people learn about it they don't come in the next time.
I'm grateful everything is okay. I'm grateful that Rebecca had the frame of mind to realize something was wrong and let me know. She told me she saw Joseph's leg shaking and thought he was being silly so she went to go look what he was doing, but then she saw that his eyes were closed and he didn't look right so she called for help. I'm grateful we got home as quickly as we did. Does anyone have any experience with these types of seizures?
Anyway, we're just glad we're home and doing well.
10 comments:
Oh my goodness! What a scary experience! I am so glad everything turned out all right!
Poor kid. I am glad to hear everything will be okay.
I haven't experienced it myself, but my friend's little boy has had several febrile seizures. So, do you just wait til the seizure is over? Are you supposed to give Tylenol sooner so he doesn't get so hot? What is the recommended course of action?
Glad he's ok. Rebecca was doing a good job as big sister.
What a scary thing to go through! I'm glad Rebecca was so clear thinking to call you down. I'm happy you all are home and doing well.
Oh gosh. I'm so glad Rebecca was there and thinking clearly enough to get help!! Feel better, little man!
I'm so impressed by Rebecca. What a great big sister.
I'm so glad he's fine - but I'm curious like Mrs. M about what to do if it happens.
Hope you won't have to go through this again.
You sound so extremely calm explaining what happened, I'm impressed. I would've been a basketcase, I'm sure. Thanks for writing about this, it's nice to learn about things like this.
Yikes! That's truly scary - way to be so clear headed. Sorry, I have no experience with this and so no advice but I'll be sure to call you if it ever happens to me:)
Wow, I am glad everything turned out ok. That must have been scary at first when you did not know what was going on. Our prayers our with you guys.
what a tuckered out little boy! so thankful all went as well as it did. good work, rebecca!!
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