Aspiration pneumonia and strep

amother

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 6:16 am

I'm a bit confused and waiting for the doctor to call about my toddler's test results, so asking here for a preview. (And I can't understand his Hebrew so well, so this will also make it easier for me to understand what he has to say.)

Dd2 fell backwards off the couch Friday night with a mouth full of cornflakes. I thought she hit her head and was all nervous about that, but B"H it looks like she didn't. What seems like happened though is some of the cornflakes went into her lungs. Shabbos day she had a sore throat and didn't want to eat or drink much and was generally kvetchy. I thought it was just a coincidence and she got sick but she was totally fine Friday so that was weird. Sat night she had a high fever and was wheezing and coughing and sounded like she was going to throw up. All night. So that's when we realized something must have happened with the cornflakes.

I took her to the doc Sunday morning and he did a throat swab and sent for a chest x-ray and wrote a prescription for antibiotics. She started yesterday and chasdei Hashem, is really back to herself today. I'm so relieved you have no idea!! Last night I did some research and it looks like she got aspiration pneumonia. An infection in the lungs caused by something getting sucked in. Is that right? So B"H!!! the antibiotics seem to be doing their thing and she's bez"H recovering. But now I got the throat culture results and it's positive for Strep. So what does that mean? Was the infection strep and not pneumonia? What caused what? B"H the antibiotics seem to be working so I don't think I need to do anything else, just wondering what went on. Any ideas?

amother

Amaryllis

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 7:11 am

Could be a coincidental finding, some people carry strep without symptoms even. Or it could be just strep and the cornflakes were a coincidence, although strep doesn't usually cause coughing. Or maybe the strep in her throat is what caused the infection when it travelled to her lungs on the cornflakes...

I'd just be worried that if the cornflakes are still in the lungs they'll need to removed so they don't cause recurrent infection...

amother

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 8:02 am

amother Amaryllis wrote:

The nurse I spoke to there yesterday said they don't remove food that goes into the lungs- she said the antibiotics clear the infection and then the body dissolves and sends out the food. Have you heard of small pieces of food being removed? Surgically?

amother

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 8:24 am

amother Tangerine wrote:

Whether she has one or both infections the antibiotics should treat them effectively. Refuah shelaima!

Amen, thank you! And yes, B"H it looks like they are working well. She hates them though! Anyone have any tips for giving a kid antibiotics 3x/day against her will? I just open her mouth and drip in a bit at a time, but I'd love a more pleasant experience for both of our sakes!

bnm

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 8:54 am

amother OP wrote:

Mix with juice or punch and have her drink the mix with a straw. It helps bypass some taste buds.

amother

Tangerine

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 10:06 am

amother OP wrote:

I have someone hold both hands gently, child can choose who, it is calming. If she spits the medicine out, gently hold the nose closed and it forces her to swallow. My child is often resistant to meds with strep and once it starts to feel better takes them much more easily