So... yesterday, my son called to tell me he wasn't feeling well. He's away at college, about an hour and a half away. Not too far. He went to the wellness center, and was waiting on test results. He said he was mucousy, sore throat, no fever, and just wasn't feeling well. Things were running through my mind... Covid, Strep, Flu, etc... He has Mono. Ugh. Just add that to my pile of cr*p that is going on in my life right now, lol. When it rails, it pours, right?! They didn't give him antibiotics yet... and he has another appt on Monday. He says he's feeling ok, very tired. I said if he isn't feeling a little better by Friday, he can march himself over to the Walk In Urgent Center. Just for my peace of mind. I do understand this can take awhile... but since I'm not right around the corner, I don't want it to get worse. How do your kids handle being sick? Do you automatically bring them to the doctor? Have they ever faked it? Anyone had a child with Mono? Any tips or what I might need to know?
bless you Jenn. I've not heard of Mono, will have to look that up. My eldest two have type 1 diabetes, so any illness, even a common cold causes complications with their medical condition. I've got used to treating it, but with TJ at university now I get anxious about her getting ill. Stomach bugs are dangerous for them, I always dread those going around. I've only had a child fake an illness once. It turned out to be bullying related and I got it fixed later that day - the school were fantastic about sorting it out.
I think being away exacerbates by worry. I understand your feelings! I'm so glad that the bullying incident was worked out. Those are hard situations!
Ugh, sorry Jenn ... I was going to say I'm surprised they didn't give him antibiotics, but apparently mono is a viral infection and rest, eating healthy and getting rest is the treatment. I hope he recovers quickly. I don't remember either of my children or the three "live-in" grandchildren faking being sick ... then again they knew for the most part they either had to have a fever or be vomiting to miss school, lol!!!
Fever and vomiting would do it for me. We didn't have any fake illnesses... but I also allow hooky days occasionally. Just a rest and home day.
None of my kids have never been truly sick very often. Our most common thing was ear infections when they were little and strep a couple of times. They're all pretty tough when they are sick and don't like to be down. But, they did all go through a phase during school where they were "sick" pretty often. Mostly "tummy aches" that were cured by couch time and some soup at Grammy's house Hope he feels better soon!! It's hard when they are away!!
I'm so sorry your son is sick @jk703. It's hard when they are at college. Does he have to quarantine or something? Doesn't he have to let the school know because it's so contagious? My daughter went to quick care yesterday thinking she may have kidney stones. Still waiting on the test results. However, the worst part is she is 7 hours away at college. I'm so proud of how independent she is, but man is it hard being this far away. Luckily she has a great group of friends and two of them went with her to quick care. Who would have thought it would be harder having older kids?
I’m sorry your son is sick Jenn. My sister had mono in high school but I know nothing about it. I just remember her being in bed a lot. I went to a year of college three hours away from home and hated being sick with no parents to take care of me. Thankfully my sister was only an hour away so she helped me sometimes. My kids are big babies when they’re sick. I don’t take them to the doctor unless I’m pretty sure they need an antibiotic. My son fakes sick a lot but thankfully he’s doing it less and less.
Ick, and I know how you feel. My daughter got mono in college too, 25 years ago. She was so lucky that she had a roommate who was the perfect caregiver. She nursed her through the whole experience. The young woman went on to become a physician (as well as earning her law degree). She definitely had a calling. I hope you son bounces back soon.
I am a T1D mom too!Doesn't it just suck???? Mine is going into the dorms next year for Junior/Senior year at college. We have been prepping for it because she tends to ignore alarms which is so scary! We finally found an alarm for T1Ds that actually wake her because it is annoying!
My husband had mono when he was in high school (a while ago) but I think he slept it off, but I think he got an epidural for the pain. My grandson is 3 and has a daily mucus drip and cough and has been sick with the sinus problems for 2 years and about once a month it rares its ugly head and then he is exhausted, cough worsens, nasal drip and congestion. It got so bad. One day chatting with my neice who has 3 kids-8,6,3. She said all 3 went through the same thing and all had their tonsils and adnoids out and are fine. I told my daughter to talk to an ENT and finally she did this summer and he immediately scheduled him to get them both taken out. Waiting for Thanksgiving week. He got sick a week ago and he was sick for 7 days- passed out and sleeping. Then a miracle happened- he got well and stopped peeing at night! funny
Oh no Jenn! I'm so sorry that he's sick with mono. Being away is the worst because you can't lay your hands on them to actually gauge how they are doing. My oldest got Covid for the first time a week after he went to college last year and it was awful to not be able to help him at all. I had a boyfriend who got mono in high school and he was a out of school for over a week because he just needed to sleep all the time. I sure hope that your son is able to sleep as much as possible without missing too many of his classes. My oldest faked being sick once in grade school. I got a phone call to come pick him up, but I was suspicious right away, so I told him he had to stay in bed all day and no video games and he promptly came out and said he was feeling much better and could probably go back to school. Lol.
He needs to rest and not participate in activities. Thats what they told my daughter when she got it. Avoid anything that can injure the abdomen area. You are more prone to a ruptured spleen. Lots and lots of rest. I knew when my kids were faking and when they weren't. I allowed some days off, but unless they had a fever or were puking, they had to at least start the school day. If they got sent home, then fine. Same with work now.
Thanks everyone! He is big on getting the rest! I keep telling him to stay away from his GF... .hoping she heads home. He is thinking about it too.
This is what my mom did when I was a kid (although we didn't have video games) and I did with my kids and GK ... laying in bed all day w/o video games, tv and the internet, just books, gets pretty boring unless you are truly sick.
So sorry he is not feeling well! When I was in high school I had a friend that had Mono and she missed a lot of school. She would alternate coming in in the mornings one week and then the afternoons the next week. It went on for months until she was able to do a full day. My son, soon to be 25, is a BABY when he is sick! Drives me crazy! When he was 13 months old, he was diagnosed with asthma, so sicknesses were always rough on him. (he may have faked a time or two but he would get mental health days when he needed them). His daughter is a year old, and she has been hit hard a few times. Last year when she was about 3 months old, we all got RSV and had a lot of trips to the ER with her for breathing treatments thankfully she did not need to be hospitalized. In September her and I had Covid. It was mild for me compared to having last summer before she was born. She had was really really sick for about 5 days. I did end up taking her into the doctor because after her symptoms were getting better, she ended up with a strange rash. I'm usually okay handling the littles when they are sick and don't have to run to the doctor right away but when it comes to breathing issues, I get worried really quick. We are hopeful she will not end up with asthma like her daddy.
