Quite the scare...

So Tuesday after I posted the bog entry, things took a turn for the worse. When Brayden woke up from napping on the couch...his temperature shot up (this is what I was told later by the doctor). I knew he had a temperature all day...and I am the parent who is reluctant to give too much medicine...so he had had just one dose of Tylenol. Because of this sudden rise in temperature, he ended up having a febrile seizure....I did not know that this was happening at time. As a mom, I saw my little boys eyes roll back, his breath weaken and the area around his mouth turn blue. I freaked out and called 911. He was not responding to me...It was the scariest moment in my life. While talking to the 911 operator, he came out of it...and got his color back. The fire department showed up, took his vitals and all was fine. His temperature was 102.5, but they said it is not the height of the temp it is more the amount that it increases in a short amount of time. Soon after the ambulance showed up, and we took a ride on it to the ER. Once there, the doctor and nurses were great. It was indeed a fever induced seizure caused by a virus. He was kept and observed and then released later that night. That first night, I was so scared to put him to bed....I considered sleeping on the floor...however being largely pregnant that did not work...so instead Aaron and I checked on him like crazy!!! Yesterday we took a trip to our normal pediatrician, and Brayden has hand foot mouth disease----it sounds just about as awful as it is. There is a high fever for about 3 days along with sores in his mouth and throat...there is also a rash that shows up on his hands and feet. His fever seems to have broken....which is great! I had never really heard much about this disease...however it is a very common childhood virus. YUCK! Now, he is just so uncomfortable....he goes from being cozy and cuddly one minute, to a full blown fit the next. He also needs me to be by his side constantly...which who doesn't want their mom (or dad) when they are sick! Luckily, he is eating--oatmeal, nutrigrain bars, ice cream, yogurt, juice, milk....which is great since some kids can refuse to eat. Here are links to the fever and to this virus....I have been doing lots of reading and research the past 2 days. Like I said, the fever has broke---so we should be in the clear for no more seizures from this virus, however they can occur again in kids who have had them. So, I need to be pro-active about medicating all fevers...not so reluctant to medicate any more. Even though medicine can help in fever reducing, it does not prevent seizures from happening...it can just lessen the likelyhood that they can occur. The good thing is, is that around age 6, kids outgrown this condition (my doctor told me most kids outgrow it by age 4---I guess their bodies figure out how to deal with the temperature increase!?!?) I am just so thankful that he is doing alright...I know that God was watching over us helping me get through those scary minutes.

Febrile Seizure
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/febrile_seizures/detail_febrile_seizures.htm

Hand foot mouth disease
http://children.webmd.com/tc/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease-topic-overview