How Low Can You Go

No, we are not having a Limbo contest at our house. Although, it might be a lot more fun than a fussy baby! The last week or so, Meagan has been a lot more fussy than usual.  Early last week, considering her bad mood and fussiness, I took her temperature.  It was 100.8.  I thought "oh great, she's getting sick."  Later that day, she was very clammy and sweaty - I felt her head and she felt cool.  My initial thought was that her fever broke.  No big deal.

That night however, when I got up to feed her, she felt piping hot.  I took her temperature and it was back up to 101.  She had no signs of a cold or anything else, so I chalked the temp rise up to teething. Early the next morning, I heard her breathing heavily. In, out, in out very rapidly.  I looked down at her  and noticed she was shivering.  I reached down to pull up her blanket and felt her skin. It was like ice.  I took her out and changed her diaper so I could take her temperature again.  95.8.  I double checked.  Exactly the same.  I wrapped her up in her jammies again and a warm blanket and snuggled her up next to me.  None of my other children had ever had such low temps.  I thought it was strange as her normal temperature seems to hover around 99, but, she seemed to be snuggled in now acting ok, so I went to sleep.

This pattern continued throughout the week.  101 fevers, down to temps below 96.  Even times where normally she'd be hot and sweaty, like coming out of her carseat, I found her skin freezing cold and an extremely low temperature every time....only to bounce back up to a 101.3 fever only a few hours later.

Someone was not happy about feeding therapy - well no wonder! I wouldn't be either feeling yucky!

Meagan's Pediatrician called on Sunday, just to check on how she was doing (from a previous bad rash she had).  We chatted a little bit about Meagan's recent temperature issues and her fussiness and she advised to go ahead and come in this week so they could possibly do a blood panel and make sure they hadn't missed anything with the rash.

So into the Pediatrician we went today.  Meagan's temp, once again had started out at a 101 fever, followed by an extremely low temp in the 96's and back and forth.  At the appointment, the doctor was checking over Meagan and upon looking in her ears she gasped.  She said Meagan had a very bad ear infection.  I was shocked! So was the doctor! She said Neurological patients like Meagan can sometimes have extremely low temperatures when infections set in, unlike typical children that spike a high fever.  She immediately put her on antibiotics, and said her temperature should regulate in about 3 days.

I am very glad we have a 'simple' reason behind Meagan's fussiness and temperature instability this week.  I'm also very thankful for a thorough and attentive Pediatrician.  Though I'm sure a Limbo party would be a lot more fun than a screaming baby, I'm just happy we aren't in 'answer limbo' anymore this week. (that's a rarity!). We also have another 'clue' in handling Meagan's care - besides a typical fever, now likewise if her temperature starts to dip really low or  fluctuates between two extremes, we know it could be a lingering infection and to take her in to be checked.  Hopefully my happy girl is back in no time once the meds kick in!