On and off my sweet niece keeps getting sick and it will be out of the blue. She will one day have the sniffles and the next day her nose will be running bright green with a fever ranging from 101-104 and this happens almost every few weeks. The drs keep saying it's just a virus but why does she keep getting sick with a high fever. Does anyone have any ideas.
Just to add: ok so for the lady who put the very harsh and rude comment. I put that she was adopted and Chinese because I wasn't sure if any other parents with Adopted Chinese children might have gone through a similar problem because of the malnutrition that some of them recieve before they are adopted and if that might have affected their immune system. So please don't judge me. That is the only reason I subjected it that way. So maybe next you could keep your rude comments to yourself. We have never thought as her as being not part of the family because of where she came from she is my niece and part of my family. I'm sorry but that comment upset me. All I am trying to do is try to help my sister find some answers to why her little peanut keeps getting sick. So any information is valid.
I have 3 kids and between the ages of 3-6 they were and are sick all the time. With preschool or daycare and being around other kids the germies just spread constantly. I dont think there is anything to worry about after a while her immune system will get better and she will wash her hands more and be old enough to know how to keep the germs away.
good luck!
This sounds like normal 4-year-old illness to me -- particularly if she is in day care or exposed to other kids her age a lot. When my (now) 3.5-year-old daughters started daycare, they were sick with fevers at least once a month. Now that they've been there for a couple years, they are rarely sick. Probably her body is just adjusting to new germs, and within a year she will be sick far less often.
Take care,
A.
okay, I know this doesn't answer your question but have her try using pine-sol in her laundry. I have been doing this for 3 years and we've only been sick a couple times in the last three years (my DH used to get bronchotis every year.) and it always lasts less than a week. I used the pine scented one becuase its the only one that says its a disinfectant. No, my laundry doesn't smell like pine-sol. Sounds crazy but it works.
Sounds like it might be sinus infections and/ot allergies to me.
I second that this has been a bad year for illnesses! At least for us. My whole family has had rounds of ear and sinus infections. I have had pneumonia and my DD has had three ear infections since xmas. This is not typical for us - - we eat healthy, don't smoke, drink little, take probiotics and vitamins, and exercise. Sometimes its just the way it goes. We have all been on antibiotics a number of times. Make sure she is doing all the things I mentioned to stay healthy, wash hands regularly and sanitize toys, and when she is sick stay home and rest! Hopefully the sick season is coming to an end soon. She is just building her immune system and being sick is a part of it. The other thing is that my daughter started pre-k and I swear this is just part of what I like to call "The pre-k curse"! Lol...sounds like your niece is at that age and if she has just come here recently it may also make it worse for her until she builds up immunity. Best of luck!
It could be a sinus infection.... sinus infections are hard to get rid of or recur or linger a long time.
Has your Doctor thought of that?
Fever, usually indicated infection.
Or a secondary infection.
Do they prescribe anything for her? Besides doing nothing?
All the best,
Susan
It sounds like her body is just having a hard time fighting the viral infection. She could not have the antibodies she needs yet, or she may keep getting re-infected based upon the environment and who she comes in contact with.
Our daughter (just turned 2) has her 5th ear infection this season. She had tubes last February after her 5th ear infection. Her brother has had 1 ear infection in almost 4 years.
Different kids have different immunities.
Here's a good source of information on the difference between how to detect bacterial vs. viral infections from Duke Health.
http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/advice_from_doct...
i have 3 boys and we kept passing a virus back and forth. my friend tol me to boil our toothbrushes everynight when were sick. guess what, we kept infecting outselves and now everyone is fine
My kids only got sick once this past year (ages 5 and 2 1/2). We use regular chiropractic care and give them Nordic Naturals Nordic Berries Vitamins and Fish Oils.
have they tried antibiotics at all? I know with a virus antibiotics won't work...but obviously she is not getting better. It may be an infection. I hope she gets well soon.
This seems to be a bad year for illnesses. I have been sick numerous times this year and so has my son and husband. I would like to get through one whole month without an illness, but it doesn't seem to be happening this year.
how long has she been here? if a recent move, then she is still getting used to the US. If she has been her for a while, she is getting the same junk that is getting passed around. I have several friends with the same problem - adopted or not.
Also, look into homeopathic remedies. i know Garlic is a natural anti bacterial/microbial - but what kid is going to eat that? do some research on web MD and curezone.com
Also, I have my son on a GREAT OMEGA & Anti oxidant, and he has only gotten sick ONE day in his life (and no antibiotics) , even though he is adopted as a preemie. He can be around sick kids all the time and not catch anything since I give him this omega (not even vitamins).
Let me know if you want more info...
an PS, my niece and nephew are both adopted from Korea!
You have a lot of good advice, but one more possibility could be ear infections, although I am sure the Dr. has been checking her ears each time. My son who is now 2, had 8 ear infections from age 7-16 mos.... pretty much 1 per month. He would spike a high fever, have green constant runny nose, no appetite etc. After a while I knew the signs, would bring him to the Dr. and they would sometimes say, "no ear infection... yet" sure enough the symptoms would persist and I would be back a day or two later and he would have a full blown ear infection. Basically, he had constant fluid in his ears that wasn't draining... each time he was treated, the infection would go away, but the fluid was still there, so the infection would come back every time he got so much as a sniffle. We have since got tubes put in his ears (last summer) and only had a few minor colds this year... it could be that she has fluid in her ears (even without becoming fullblown ear infections) and it is causing her to spike fevers every time she gets a cold because the fluid is stagnant/starting to get infected and not draining properly. Just a thought because when they put the tubes in my son, he had a lot of fluid they had to drain-even though he did not have an infection at the time. Partly as a result of the fluid and ear infections, my son had a speech delay now gets speech therapy and is doing very well. The tubes have definately improved his health and overall wellbeing. Good luck to you. (and don't take that rude comment personally... I knew exactly what you were getting at when you mentioned her background... I work with children who have special needs, some whom were adopted from abroad, and their situations in other countries definately can affect their health and development!)
There is a rare syndrome I think it's abbreviated fapa syndrome. I know two people whose daughter's have it. Like clockwork, every few weeks they get sick out of nowhere. Also, really high fever like you mentioned. I know they both go to specialists. There is really no cure for this except keeping the child comfortable and giving them motrin or tylenol. Doctors aren't sure if it's genetic or not. But, they should really look into this. Hope this helps.
Hello L.:
An idea could be that because the nasal discharge was green, there may be an unaddressed infection, that subsides, then reappears. That is one thought, however, the best way for you/your sister to find out and thoroughly deal with the issue is to schedule a health consultation with a qualified professional.
All the best,
N.
Holistic Healthcare Practitioner
www.WholeCreations.com
Dear L.,
As someone else (sort of) mentioned, this could be a food allergy. Milk protein and lactose intolerance are much more common among people of Asian and African ancestry than among people of European ancestry -- and they can result in congestion, which in turn can result in an infection, with a high fever, etc. I recommend consulting with a naturopathic physician or a holistic nutritionist on this -- these intolerances often fly under the radar of an allergist's "prick test."
Good luck, and congratulations on being a wonderful auntie!
Mira
I'm sorry if this sounds harsh because I know that you are trying to help your sister or brother, and their daughter. Why does it matter that your niece is adopted or that she is Chinese? Really. You could take these words out and it makes no difference to the message. She isn't sick because she's adopted or because she's Chinese. It's not appropriate to refer to her in that way. Simply referring to her as "my niece" would not change anyone's advice so it's not necessary to refer to her adoption - she is her parents' daughter, nor to her cultural heritage because it's not pertinent to the subject being discussed.
Some kids do get repeated viruses. If your niece's parents are not satisfied with the answers that their doctor is giving, they may want to seek out a second opinion or ask for a referral to a specialist.
Updated
My household is half Asain and Caucasain. I would love to say, "no, it doesn't matter;" but it very well might depending on where she is from and where you are. My hubby and MIL are from China and they get sick easily too; however, they are from Southern China and we live in the Northeastern U.S. My son and I hardly get sick and when we do, it doesn't last long. We're like the oxen and they are like the delicate, pretty flowers. Some of our Chinese friends, who are from Northern China or Hong Kong, don't get sick as much. I really think it has to do with the cooler temperatures that our Asian side isn't used to. Hubby and MIL bundle up a lot, even when the temperature is 65, while my son and I sweat. Hubby's matter is compounded by allergies. You might want to have your daughter checked out for allergies, which can cause sinus infections. Then there's the milk problem. MIL can't have milk, because a lot of Chinese are lactose intollerant. Both Hubby and MIL can't eat anything they call "hard," which is whole grains. If they eat brown rice or whole wheat bread, they get heavy stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is why they're always eating that "mushy" short/meduim grained white rice. You might want to start buying your daughter soy milk instead to see if that helps. MIL likes chocolate Silk brand. Meats have to be extremely well done also. All hubby has to have is one little bite of rare prime rib, and he gets sick. Both MIL and hubby can't have anything sour, so there goes my sourkraut! (No grapefruit either.) Keep in mind that not all Asians and Chinese have these problems. It's just that it's hard for Americans with cast iron stomachs to understand. Congrats on your new niece! I'll bet she's really pretty.
