My 6 Year Old

Hi my name is S.. I work with two people who had the same symptoms and they tested positive for the H1N1 flu. If you have not had her tested yet I guess I would just to be safe.

Does she have any extracurricular activities after school? Perhaps she's feeling sad about something. Maybe she needs to talk to you about it. As far as the possible physical issue(s), you don't give us much information so I am sorry I can't help more than suggesting that she get tested for Lyme's disease? I know that can make people drowsy. What does her teacher at school say about her performance? Good luck with her, I hope it works out! It might just be the school day blahs.

i wouldnt be too worried. even if she gets the H1N1 flu, its still best to keep her at home, and let her rest, and just worry about her drinking, not so much about her eating (unless she wants to)

sleep is VERY helpful to help get rid of sickness, even if its for hours and hours. and really, we underestimate how much sleep kids need anyway. so sleep in itself is not a warning sign.

if she gets lethargic, unresponsive, and starts to look really grey with little-no color in her skin, i would worry more, but if shes just sleeping, and drinking and still responsive .... i wouldnt worry too much.

also, try to avoid listening to the media regarding H1N1. its really not as aweful as they make it out to be (though it IS HORRIBLE) it isnt quite the killer one would expect. even with the amount of people who died last year, it was still not even half the number of people who die of the regular flu. at this point, the flu is the flu, and though it will knock you on your butt for a few days, normal, otherwise healthy people get over it. if there are underlying medical conditions... again, worry a little more.

but at this point, the worst place to take someone is the clinic; thats where all the other sick people are. just keep her home for a few days, and let her rest as much as she needs to.

i'd call your doctor and make sure it hasn't turned into pneumonia.. better safe than sorry.

this is worth, at the very least a call to the doctor. That's what they are there for. Good luck!

Not yet, I don't think. If she does this for more than a few days (maybe even a week--I don't know, trust your gut) then it's probably a new issue. But if it's just the rest of healing from that cough, then sleep is the very best thing and her following her body's lead is very good behavior. Remember that just because she is over the cough doesn't mean that the bug is completely beat. She may be finishing it off.

First, go with your gut. If you are truly worried, see your doctor; ignore what people here say!

But second, my kids both sleep AFTER they're sick. When they are sick, they're up at night, coughing, stuffy-nosed, and they don't sleep well. As soon as they start to feel better, I know, because they finally SLEEP. Big time.

And third, my son is 5 and started all day kindergarten this year. He did really well the first five weeks, but this week has been rough; we didn't nap him this weekend, because he was doing so well, and I totally regret it! He has fallen asleep at night on the couch, been hard to wake for meals, etc. Especially if your daughter is just starting school or starting an all-day program, it could very well be that the combo of being sick and the intense school schedule wearing her out!Let her sleep; take it easy this weekend, but if your gut says something is truly wrong, don't hesitate to take her in!

My daughter has been so exhausted from life/school she has done that come home and pass out on the couch and miss dinner, homework and just sleep til the next day.

If she is still acting sick with fever, cough or anything I'd bring her in otherwise she may just be pooped out.

Take your child to the doctor when *you* feel worried. They might be annoyed that it turns out to be nothing when they are swamped with flu but it will be worth it for your peace of mind. That said...

Long term cough without fever, rash, or chest congestion could easily be nothing. And "6 years old" rang a bell for me. 1st grade? Back to school? My 8 year old hits the sleep phase every year around this time. The weather gets cooler, it gets darker earlier, he is mentally busy during the day, we are cramming in soccer, scouts, and homework in our spare time. I know he is exhausted and we have started winding down around 7:00 and kids are not just in bed but asleep by 8:00. One of the easiest ways to keep our kids healthy is getting some extra sleep.

You might want to look into the possibility of a secondary infection like an ear infection or sinus infection. Sinus infections can go undetected especially with children. Whenever I get them I just want to sleep. Take her to the dr. to make sure she doesn't have another infection.

Take her in to see if she has mono. That will make you very tired and sleep the way your daughter is sleeping.

You may want to check out this site from the CDC on sickness this year...

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm

You may want to call your doctor too, if for nothing other than peace of mind.

I would make an appointment with the doctor right away. Too much sleep can be a symptom of illness. Even if she is tired from school, that is still too much sleep. Better safe than sorry...

I know this might be a little late. I would take her to the dr or a minute clinic just to check for pnuemonia. I had a cough last year and was exhausted and that is what it ended up being. I hope she feels better soon.