My 3 1/2 Yr Old Daughter Is Sick All the Time - Fevers

Updated on January 16, 2008
A.O. asks from Louisville, CO
22 answers

My daughter is 3 1/2 and she has always had problems with sicknesses. She has been in daycare, now in preschool, since she was two months old. She has had two sets of tubes in both ears due to severe ear infections and fevers. She still has tubes in her ears right now and the doctors are thinking that is going to last her until her ears are formed so she wont get anymore ear infections. She hasnt had an ear infection since she got the tubes in which is great, but she still gets really bad fevers and that is my question, I would like to get advice from other mothers out there who have had similar problems with their kids and might know what is going on. My daughter gets fevers very easily and very quickly. A minor cold and she has a 102.5-103.5 degree fever and we have to give her ibuprofen every 6 hours and even on ibuprofen her fever only drops to around 100 degrees. She gets these fevers more during the winter time and they are getting worse. It used to be that she would get the fevers for 2-3 days, and now it is more like 5-7 days of a fever. She has had two sezuires from fevers and we have gone to a neurologist and she is not epileptic (I was as a child). The doctors have done immune deficiency tests and everything is normal. The doctors really arent being helpful and dont really have any interest in finding out what is going on or if there is anything more going on then we can see. I have had to push them to see a neurologist and for the immune testing. My daughter is now having allergies to antibiotics, penicillin, and I think that it is because she has been given it so often. My husband and I have tried everything we can think of. We give her 500 mg of vitamin C a day and a multi-vitamin. I give her Immunity yogurt to try and keep her from getting sick and nothing seems to be helping. I am at a lost. She is so tiny and these fevers just take it out of her. She told me the other day that she "cant take it anymore" and that breaks my heart. Anyone that can help with any advice with be greatily appreciated!

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So What Happened?

Thanks to everyone that has given me such great advice. Though it is sad this happens to so many children, it is a comfort to know that I am not alone out there. I am most definitely going to go the homeopathic route and see if that helps. I have ordered immune booster supplements and we are also going to see an immune and allergy specialist to get some tests run. It may be, like many of your suggested, that it is something that she will grow out of but for our piece of mind we are going to make sure there isnt anything that we are missing. My thoughts are with your children as well. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!

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D.B.

answers from Denver on

What about trying to see and homeopathic doctor? They would be intersted in diagnosing the cause of the problem not just fixing the problem......

good luck, it sounds very hard!

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J.J.

answers from Phoenix on

check your house for mold, and other gases that can br produced from the building materials and the site where your home was built if that doesnt show anything test the school or have it tested

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R.S.

answers from Denver on

I can't say I have experience with this exactly. But my advice is please try some natural ways with very experiences practitioners. One woman I HIGHLY recommend is Jody Shevins. If she can't help you she will be honest and will know who to reffer you to. I am sorry for all of your and your daughter's pain. I bless you to have a healthy daughter! With care, R. Sacks.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from Denver on

Hi A.;
as you know, fevers indicate that your daughter's immune system is working on 'fighting' something. her story is a classic example of leaky gut development in a child. i recommend identifying food allergy/intolerance. Then focus on healing her gut/intestines. also focus on immune support. the OTC yogurts are junk and have more sugar than helpful ingredients. good luck and call us if you need more detail. K. (www.naturemedclinic.com)

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S.B.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi A., just wanted to say, I understand your frustration. My 3 1/2 year old daughter has pretty severe exzema and the doctors would not do anything except give me steroids wish can be bad. I kept pushing and even changed doctors a couple of times until I found one that acted like she cared. So my advise to you is to keep pushing that doctor. I really am concerned for your precious daughter and she deserves to be helped.

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J.D.

answers from Denver on

Hi A.-

Have you tried probiotics & essential fatty acids in her diet? My daughter is in daycare & since I added those a few months ago, it is extraordinary what it's done for her. I use either the Solaray Baby me now probiotics or the Jarrow Baby probiotics. I just mix it into her food--she tastes nothing. It REALLY has been amazing the difference. For essential fatty acides, Nordic Naturals carries a line for kids--it's fish oil, but tastes like strawberries. They help build immune systems so that they can fight this stuff. I'm telling you, it's great. Please contact me if you have other questions. ____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful
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L.H.

answers from Las Vegas on

Hello... My son was plauged with ear infections as well.... As your daughters skull developes more, a shift in the Eustachian tubes will occur and the infections literally dissapear... My son also had Febrile seizures as well... ( I cannot believe your doctor did not name it that... google febrile) 4 to be exact and yes they are scary!! But you have taken all the steps to make sure she is not in danger.. I did the same thing with neurologists and everything! Just remember... when you feel her get hot, have some acetaminophen suppositories on hand.. The package should tell you the right dosage. It seems that those took the fever done much quicker than oral medication... She won't like putting them in, but they are night and day for fevers..
It really worked well for me. She will grow out of the seizures too. Just be prepared, stay calm because they feed off of your fear, IF another one occurs use the suppositories and make sure to keep her on her side.. Sometimes they lose there bowels and the throat contracts as if they are choking. Keeping her on her side will prevent REAL choking! I hope this helps! I am sooo sorry you have to go through this... I was only 21 when my baby had this, I did not know what the heck was going on! She will be fine! Just lots lof love and it sounds like that is taken care of!
Take care
L.

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S.K.

answers from Phoenix on

You know this might sound funny if you're not familiar, but try taking her to a chiropractor. I see a chiropractor for my overall health, as a natural way to keep my body working the way it's supposed to. There are several children under care with him, it's a family practice, and my child when born will definitely be a patient of his. Chiropractic care has been known to prevent tubes in ears/ear infections, removal of tonsils, and not to mention just keeping the immune system in contact with the rest of the body so that it may do what it is meant to do. If there is some interference between your body and brain, a chiropractor can help. Worth a try, I've seen first hand how it's helped so many people with what medical doctors think are normal sicknesses. Normal is feeling good, not being sick. Hope this helps. A good chiropractor is Dr. Dondee Nettles at Health Within Chiropractic. He's on the corner of Litchfield and Van Buren in Goodyear. He usually runs monthly consultation specials too!

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

My first thought was allergies. My first son was always sick until we started treating his allergies aggressively. Our second one was put on Nasonex for something else, and his chronic ear infections went away immediately. Ironically, he has been tested and has no allergies of any kind.

Have you contacted Children's Hospital? We have really appreciated the help we have gotten there. We've also gotten a lot of help at National Jewish, but it doesn't sound like they treat her needs as much as Children's would.

I also have some information on some immune boosters if you want to email me I could send you more info.

I hope you can get a good answer.

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J.C.

answers from Phoenix on

I definitely would check out her tonsils! My nephew was ALWAYS sick and had fevers and once they took out his tonsils he has been so much healthier. Just have it looked into, it can't hurt!

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D.K.

answers from Denver on

First, I am so sorry. Having a sick baby at any age sucks and it is so h*** o* mommies too! My daughter was not in daycare however spent a lot of time between 1 1/2 and 3 sick! At 2 1/2 she had swollen glands constantly and was constantly sick, she had dark circles under her eyes alot and seemed run down all the time. Getting her tonsils out was like a life saver for us! I had no idea she even had enlarged adnoids too that were inhibiting her sleep at night and when she got those out with her tonsils her sleep was so much better, she was more rested and seemed like a different child. Not that is the way to go for everyone but it helped my daughter tremendously. If her Dr has tested her for everything and thinks there is no severe underlying reasoning then maybe get a second opinion as you know your child best. If the second opinion comes back the same then it may just be a childhood thing and as she gets older her immune system will improve so much. I can say 500mg of Vitamin C is a waste on a small child, even a grown up. She will get what she needs and pee out the rest. Maybe lessen the dosage and break it up through the day. If she is eating healthy then she doesn't need an additional vitamin supplement either. Some kids are just more prone to illness. I can say my second, who probably was exposed to a lot of what his sister had and is larger in size has really been a lot healthier in his toddler days. Making sure she is eating right, getting a great nights rest and plenty of hand washing is really the only preventative that is proven. Hang in there!

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W.M.

answers from Denver on

I would suggest that you seriously need to consult a naturopathic healer. There are so many things which can be done for your daughter other than the surgeries and antibiotics. Please, for her sake, do some research in your area and find a reputable healer.

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M.S.

answers from Reno on

That is so hard, I know what you are going through my son gets sick easily as well. Even the littlest cold and he ends up on oxygen and breathing treatments in the ER. I would suggest perhaps finding a new preschool and making sure she washes her hands all the time. I know that helsp a lot for us, I will not let me son eat anything without doing so and he is 3 1/2 as well. His hands get very dry and then I have to put on a lot of aquaphor on them but it is so much better.

There is also a homeopathic doctor in town you can try going to, perhaps he can give you some insight as to what may be causing her body to react that way. At least her body is trying to fight it off which is good news. The doctors name is Dr. Gerber ###-###-####.

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L.R.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi A.! I do home daycare and I watch a little guy who was also constantly sick, he is a little over 2 years old. He always had a green runny nose, cough, sinus & ear infections and fevers. His mom kept asking the doctors to put tubes in his ears and they kept pushing her off. When he would nap he would snore very loudly and be very restless. Right before his 2nd birthday they finally decided to put tubes in his ears and take out his tonsils. Once they got in, they discovered that hanging off of his tonsils were these HUGE puss pockets that were severly infected. They were hanging way down in the back of his throat, so they never saw them when they would examine him, but they caused him to have a constant cough and restless sleep. The antibiotics they gave him for the ear infections would relieve the ear infections, but the infected tonsils would never fully go away and that is why as soon as he would get off the antibiotics he would get sick again. After they removed all of this it was like he was a different child. He hardly ever gets sick now and I never have to wipe his nose anymore! Keep pushing the doctors, because fever is a sign of the body fighting some kind of infection. Go with your mommy instinct until they figure it out. I wish you all the best and hope you figure it out soon!

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M.E.

answers from Denver on

Hi A.,
It is so scary when your child is sick and the doctors don't seem to have any help for you. The thing that makes the most difference in a child's immune system is her diet. She needs to get a wide variety of fruits and vegatables, at least 7-9 servings a day. I know this is hard to do. Vitamin pills don't work very well. There is a product that is whole food and does work to raise the antioxidant levels in the blood. This will improve the immune system. It is called Juice Plus+. It is 17 dehydrated fruits, vegetables and grains in a chewable, gummie, or capsule form. I would recommend the chewables or gummies for your daughter, and that you stop the artificial vitamin supplementation. She will get all the vitamins, minerals, and much more from Juice Plus+. The research behind this product is unbiased and done by major universities all over the world. You can order it on my web site www.madjuicer.com. You can also check out the clinical research and the doctors opinions on the same web site. Many doctors are recommending Juice Plus to their patients in order to help them build up their immune systems. Many of my customers are giving Juice Plus+ to their children and seeing much less illness as a result. You can contact me at ____@____.com if you have questions.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Denver on

Hi A.,

I am so sorry to hear about your daughter. One system you may want to check is her urinary system. My daughter spiked a monthly high fever because she was having urine backflow back to her kidneys which gave her kidney infections. We did not figure this out until she cried out in pain one day when she went pee. Then I said oh my god, ou have a urinary track infection - it turned out to be a lot more serious. Just a thought. The other things I would try is working with a children's hospital and seeing an immunologist. I have also had good luck with immune boosting for my whole family via a licensed naturopath.

Good luck

S. B.

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C.W.

answers from Tucson on

I agree with the last comment. Have the doctors check the tonsils. Some doctors think this is old school, but they don't have to deal with it on a daily basis.

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R.Y.

answers from Denver on

Dear A., Please watch the 12-minute video at www.mineralstory.com and let me know if the Kid's Toddy, which is specially formulated for children, and has vitamins, amino acids and the 60 essential MINERALS might be the answer for your dear daughter. If you would like more info, please call me at ###-###-#### or respond via email. Warmest Regards, R.

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E.H.

answers from Denver on

Hey A.-
Your poor girl! I feel for you...I wanted to offer just a couple things. First of all, I am not a doctor by any means, but I am waiting for my clinicals for nursing school. I don't claim to know everything but I have a couple suggestions......

First of all the tubes are doing their job by giving the fluid in her ears a place to go..which alleviates the infections. Most of the time they can be removed once the ear is mature without any complications.

Second, the Ibuprofen is doing its job by reducing her fever.. 100 is OK, even though its enough to make her uncomfortable, fever is your bodies defense-bacteria can't reproduce in high temperatures. You do not want to stop that. But if it does get higher and won't stay down, you can alternate Tylenol and Ibuprofen and give it to her every 2 hours. It is less toxic on her liver to alternate, but you will find that Tylenol will not keep it down as long. Put her in the bathtub filled with luke warm water if she gets over 104 to prevent seizures. They hate it, but the alternative is worse.

Third, keep on with the yogurt. Also try Echinacea & Osha root tinctures. You can find them at any Vitamin Cottage, Wild Oats or Whole Foods. It sounds like she has had too much penicillin and both of these herbs are natural immune stimulants & Osha is more of an herbal antibiotic.

I wish I could tell you why her little body is fighting so hard in the first place, but if they can't find anything wrong thats actually encouraging. Your best bet is to just support her immune system and trust that she will get stronger! If it continues much longer I suggest getting a second opinion. It never hurts...you are the one that knows your child...you have to be persistent sometimes in demanding the best care unfortunately!

Good luck to you both!

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N.T.

answers from Colorado Springs on

Hello A.,
First I can totally understand what you are going through. My daughter started with fevers (up to 104) at 9 mo. of age, she would sometimes get swollen glands in her neck with them. These fevers lasted for YEARS!! They came every single month, at first the doctors were like "the average kid gets sick 12 times a year, that can be once a month!) I just couldn't believe this was normal. We finally started seeing specialists, cancer docs, immune docs, etc.. they did all kinds of blood tests and never found a darn thing wrong with her. To this day it is still a mystery. She finally outgrew it when she was about 6 yrs old. Let me tell you it was a long worrisome 6 yrs!!!!!! When ever they gave her antibiotics she would get better, but still no real reason to use the meds. It was strange. I can tell you what helped with the fever's though, you can alternate every 3 hrs. between ibuprophen and tylenol. This will help to keep the fevers down. With my daughter her stomach would get upset from the meds, so sometimes I'd have to give her a tylenol supository that helped too. Good luck, I really feel for you, it can be so stressful not knowing what is wrong with your child. I hope she simply outgrows it like mine did! She is now 15, she did have some other unexplained medical issues, but for the most part is totally healthy now. Thank God!!

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C.T.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi A.,
Yes you are on the right path.
I believe your little girl has allergies.
I am surprised this has not been
mentioned by the doctors.

You are very intuitive.

Love and Light
C.

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L.W.

answers from Denver on

Hi,

I have a 2 year old who has been prone to many illnesses, too. And she was breastfed for ~2 years, and never in daycare!! So, we recently took her to a wonderful chiropractor who uses homeopathy and a technique called Avatar that is based on acupuncture meridians. He could detect which organ systems were blocked. For us, it was lymph, which gets backed up with repeated infections. No needles or even any physical adjustments were made....I see him too, for some of my health concerns. We are all improving!

Interested in learning more? I am happy to share his name and number if you want!

L., mom of Anjali

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