I am looking for advice for what to do if anything and when to see the doctor. I don't want to go to the doctor for every little thing. I will start from the beginning about 2-3 week ago we gave my son formula ( not for the first time but for a hand full of times being breastfeed) with flouride water. We also gave him oragel for his teething which was really bad at the time. He brook out in a horrible rash. We thought it was the oragel and then I knew we gave it to him before but never the nursery water. I thought maybe the water because we gave it to him again and he brook out again. My husband tried the water again just to make sure about 3 days ago and no reaction. My doctor said maybe it could have been a virus also. Now he is getting horse again for the second time and he has been up at least 2-4 times a night either wanting to be held or eating. My husband asks if he has a fever (because he is a nurse) I think he is hot but my husband does not. And when we take him into the doctor he does not have a fever. Can there be something going on even if does not have a fever? I am worried because this is the second time he is horse and he waking up so many times at night. Could it be that he is growing or teething? Maybe ears or sinus? Has anyone had this before with the voice and do you think it is do to getting up in the middle of the night crying. Do you think I should contact the doctor?
Thank you to everyone for your great responses. Actually I just read the last response by Liane and so was right on the money. I just called my doctor because he was still hoarse (sorry for the misspelling) and he had a lot of nasal congestion. My doctor checked for ear infection, strep, breathing and oxygen levels. He was fine. He told me had had a lot of wax in his ears (cauliflower) and his throat looked a little inflamed. So he took out the wax. Wow lots of build up! We already use a humidifier so he also suggested saline solution for his nose. Has anyone tried that? He said he either has allergies (which they can't check for yet) or a cold. Probably allergies because I had a lot as a child and I am now on asthma and sinus medication. What a fun road that I am waiting to go down. He is also teething the doctor said and has another tooth ready to come out. Thank you for all your advice. Still so many things to think about. I am still wondering about the fluoride water though.
As a mom of 3, my feeling is that the hoarseness and breaking out isn't related to the water or oragel. I think he just has a virus - they can keep popping up, and then all of the sudden it's gone. I would just keep him well-rested and treat symptoms and I bet it'll just disappear. At least you know it's nothing too bad because there's no fever.
Hang in there.
Get a second opinion.
I have not seen hoarseness 'because of' teething.
However, my Pediatrician does not like Oragel and does not recommend it, because it can ALSO 'numb' not only the gums....but also the throat, and in some kids it will affect swallowing ability.
I would not give him so many things at one time, or overlap them. In a baby, even something seemingly harmless, can become a systemic irritant, IN CONJUNCTION with other things.
Now, he seems 'warm' to you...even though he does not register a 'fever' per say statistically. Maybe he is just running a low grade under the radar fever..... ?
I would get a 2nd opinion. It could be anything... but the thing is, his hoarse voice returned... perhaps from crying, perhaps a virus, and he broke out in a rash once. This rash can be from the Oragel, or perhaps it was a 'viral rash' which many babies get AFTER a fever and viral illness...it is the bodies way of purging the toxins from the body.
So, the rash could be anything... and has not been determined nor diagnosed.
Now, how is his ears? Is there fluid in it? Infection?
How is his sinuses? Mucous? Infection? Post nasal drip?...these things, such as post nasal drip, can cause hoarseness.... I just was sick with a head cold and got laryngitis from the post nasal drip, along with a low fever.
No, I would say that this is NOT DUE to growing... he sounds ill... or there is some kind of reaction in him, negatively, from all that stuff he ingested for his 'teething.'
You have to see a Doctor, or take him to the ER for further diagnoses. He is just a baby... you don't want it to go on and on and on... and keep wondering. Find a conclusion to this. And don't keep guessing and keep giving him over the counter remedies, unless you know for certain that it IS teething, exactly.
Or, perhaps, sometimes when teething, extra saliva gets excreted...and swallowed. I don't know if this is a possible 'cause' of his hoarseness. But I have never heard of teething causing this.
Also, if he is getting up at night, no matter how many times... certainly console him, nurse/feed him, and help him feel better. If he is hungry, he is hungry and needs a feeding. Don't deny him this.
All the best,
Susan
He could be getting hoarse because of the extra saliva in his throat from teething and then crying. Teething can cause a number of symptoms from fever to rashes. Try hylands teething tablets. Very safe and they dissolve in his mouth. All three of my kids used them. Teething can also cause ear pain since their eustation tubes are almost horizontal at that age and the extra saliva again in the back of the throat where they are located doesn't help. If possible, have him sleep on his side. Give him teethers, etc. Good luck!
I'm sure you mean hoarse, otherwise I'd suggest an opinion from a vet.. LOL. Just kidding.
He is just a baby, and sure you should go to the doctor for every little thing, it's what you do as a mom.
Don't feel that you are taking the drs time, he does get paid for it!
It COULD be from crying a lot, does your baby cry a lot?
As far as the rash goes, he could be sensitive to the flouride in the nursery water. How about installing a filtering system in house?
Also, some babies just get really hot from the clothing, depending on what you dress them in, some nylon/ polyester clothing will tend to get "warmer", and the baby will sweat..and some babies get sweat rashes. I'd suggest 100% cotton clothing, and to keep the house comfortably warm instead of bundling up the baby.
Good Luck!
Hi! My son (3.5 months) just had a hoarse throat last week,...it was the wierdest thing, He just woke up from a nap one day and it sounded like he had Larangitis (sp?). We called our doctor right away,...he asked "Does he have a fever?" "Does he have an appetite?" We responded "No" to both answers. he said,...then he's fine. Just crank up a humidifier and keep a close eye on it. After 2 days of humidifier in his room...it went away. It was sooo bazzar. We bought a humidifier gauge to read the humidity in his room and it was very low,..we think it's because we've been running the heater in the house so much,...and we have old windows in our house that don't have a good seal.
Anyway,...don't know if you've tried a humidifier, but it could help.
Children under 2 year of age should not be given any added fluoride. There is actually a lot of controversy as to whether we should use fluoride at all. We don't at our house.
http://www2.fluoridealert.org/Alert/United-States/Kansas/...
Please, don't misunderstand. I am not saying that the fluoride is the cause of his hoarse voice. Fluoride toxicity in little ones more often than not result in gastrointestinal woes, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, but I would really caution you against giving him any at this point.
That said, it is quite possible that your little guy is teething. They do get very fussy and sleep problems can arise. Low grade fevers are common and actually some babies do get rashes. Rashes are not the most common side effect, but it does happen. Keep an eye on him. Make sure his temperature doesn't spike and just feel around inside his mouth to see if you can start to feel something coming through.
I have been told that Flouride is poison. You will have to research it for yourself.
You say hubby is a nurse, sounds like your introducing a lot of different things to him at once, remember one at a time and a good week apart from each new item.. do you have the heater on alot, he also could be a mouth breather, which sometimes we get hoarse from it, if your that worried go to the doctors..
Hi E.,
Congrats on the birth of your son!!
Definitely contact the doctor - even if it turns out to be nothing you need to know that and you'll feel better. My husband sometimes doesn't want me to contact the doctor but I always do - just in case. It's better to pay a co-pay and know for sure that nothing is wrong.
That being said, it sounds like your son may have allergies but at 7 1/2 months it is probably too early to test him. A cold air humidifier in his room will help- it helps me and my allergies are terrible this time of year - and try to keep it cool in his room at night. You can also try spraying some saline spray in his nose - but babies generally hate the saline spray so try to save it for when he's really stuffed up.
It could be a virus too. Viruses don't always cause fevers. As long as he feels fine otherwise, there is probably nothing to worry about - but keep checking with the doctor just in case and find out how old he has to be to test him if you suspect he had allergies.
As far as fevers go sometimes the babies feel really warm to us when they don't have a fever. I always check the back of my son's neck - that seems to be the place I can tell best if there is a fever or not. I double check with the ear thermometer.
My son is 6 years old now. He just had 3 days of coughing but no other symptoms. It was probably allergies too but I had him checked out and the doctor said he was fine. You'll find that babies come down with a lot of random symptoms that turn out to be nothing. But always go with your gut and see the doctor if you are worried.
Good luck! Hope this helps.
