Every time my 3 year old son stays with my inlaws for a night he comes home sick. With fever and runny nose and cough. It is very weird, when I had my daughter this past summer, he stayed with them for 5 days while I was in the hospital. Each day that went by he got sicker and sicker, could there be something in the house that makes him sick, or weakens his immune system?
Their house is clean, they dust weekly, they are always updating their home. The house is probably 30 years old.
Any advice is appreciated
My big fear is that it is mold and I am afraid to approach the subject with them. We have tried giving him allergy medication (Zertex) before going, but he ends sick. He eats the same foods he eats at home, and the cleaning products are the same as well. Example is he went to their house last Wednesday at like 2 pm, spent the night and was home by 8 pm Thursday night. He has been sick since, hard cough runny nose no apatite and light fever. They keep with his normal bedtime sleep by 9 pm, and wake around 9/930 am. I am trying to figure out if it can be something else before I ask them to somehow test for mold.
If they are 'always updating,' then there is the potential for a lot of dust in the vent system, especially in an old house. He could be breathing that - or mold, which can hide most anywhere, even inside walls.
He might also be allergic to the bedding. Does he get sick just after a long day visit? Like from 8 am - 8 pm? Or is it just if he stays over?
Usually a virus or bacteria needs at LEAST 3 days to incubate in the body before showing symptoms. Fever is a sign of infection within the body - so the ONE NIGHT of being with your parents is not causing his illnesses. His allergies - if triggered at the grandparents may increase his vulnerability to the infection... but not cause it.
A reaction to mold will cause immediate runny nose, stuffiness, sneezing and red/watery/itchy eyes... but again a FEVER or VIRAL infection isn't caused by allergic reactions, nor acquired and showing symptoms all within the same day.
Could be a number of things. Here are some thoughts:
Mold...can cause this type of reaction. Can be quite dangerous especially for those there all the time even if they are not symptomatic.
Allegeries...to many things....pets, cigarette/cigar smoke, plants, bedding, perfumes, any number of other products (cleaning supplies, personal care products, etc), wood stove or other heat source and it's ventilation or lack there of.
Is there a particular food he gets there but not at home?
Yes it could be something in the house. It could be as simple as the pillow or comforter that he uses. I for one am allergic to down. The pillows and comforters at my inlaws house ALL have down in them!
The dust weekly, but do they wash the curtains frequently?
The best you can do is watch him. See where he plays, where he sleeps. Takes notes and talk to an allergist.
Hi, C.:
I suggest that you talk to the ped's nurse and share how you feel about your son getting sick. See what she says.
Then talk to your m-i-l and ask her if she has any idea what may be causing your son to get sick.
Just a thought.
D.
We have this problem with my parents, their house is pretty new and they are very clean. My son got ear infections, sinus infections, and even got bronchitis once, always after spending the night with them. We puzzled over it for months, and finally discovered that it had nothing to do with the house itself. My parents were letting him play in the basement, right after his bath, wearing only his diaper! I hope you figure it out soon.
.
Hi. Just had to respond to correct the person that said fever is not a symptom of allergy. It is!!! It is not a common known symptom but if you have allergies or a family member with allergies, you might know it. All the symptoms you describe sound like an allergy. It is very unlikely he is getting a viral illness from their house. I suppose it is possible but very unlikely. It is most likely an allergy, especially since it got worse the longer he stayed. I would suspect mold if nothing else is different from your house. You didn't mention pets at their house or if they use feather bedding or any other possible differences. I really would not send him until you find out. I would tell them he cannot stay overnight until you find out what he is allergic to and then remove the offending things, whether mold or something else. Take him to a ped. allergist and have him tested. Have them get their house tested for mold if he shows up allergic to it. Having him tested and then telling them what he is allergic to may make you all realize there is some other offending thing you didn't even think of. Giving him a bit of allergy meds is probably just not enough. My daughter is on daily zyrtec the max 2 times a day and it still can't stop a reaction when she comes in contact with an allergen she is severely allergic to. She still needs benedryl and sometimes steroid. Talk to your doctor, have him tested and go from there. Good luck!
I know this is an old post but for anybody reading, my daughter is going through the same thing except she gets a high fever and vomits every time we go to her grandmothers house which is 60 years old.
We found a gas leak and also that the drier vent was totally clogged which meant the exaust was backing into the house which is super toxic and deadly. Fixed and cleaned but she still has this issue. Unfortunately that old house smell is most likely another gas leak in the wall and so we are thinking we might have to totally turn of the gas to the house and replace all piping as already multiple spots had to be replaced due to leaks. Another problem we found was tons of mold growing in all the sinks drainage areas and the all needed to be drainoed and scrubbed with a big pipe cleAner and last a bunch of the toilets had cracked seals so small amounts of sewer gas was leaking from under the toilets, they also have a drainage hole in the the basement that also allowed in sewer gas (which is toxic) all these problems can easily happen in a home so check through everything!
Oh the joys of home ownership
Do they have pets at their home?
It certainly could be an allergy of some kind. I know every time we go in to visit family myself and my husband are always struggling with allergy symptoms because of the trees nearby. Does he clear up if you give him allergy medicine?
