Update on Regan's Illness...

As most of you know Regan has been battling a bad illness for 9 days. We were told by one pediatrician last Sunday that it was pneumonia. Then, we were told this past Wednesday by Regan's primary pediatrician that she disagreed about pneumonia and that it was just something viral. So, I finally got all my answers by going back to Regan's Pulmonologist yesterday. She had been to the pulmonologist in Nov. and had tests and x-rays done and they were all normal. All of these tests served as baseline when we went yesterday, so it was very helpful.

They did chest x-rays yesterday and the radiologist said he saw a little infiltrate in one lung (which indicates possible infection) but the pulmonologist did not really agree. He said it was SO subtle that he did not think it was anything of concern. But, he did say it could have been pneumonia (like what the ped. had said last Sun.) and that it was bacterial and the antibiotic cleared it up. They also did sinus x-rays and the radiologist read those as normal but the pulmonologist did not. He said compared to last x-rays, she seemed to have some grey areas that indicated to him sinus infection going on. He said he thinks the sinuses is what was causing the long term fever (not the lungs). He said it takes the antibiotics longer to fight an infection that bad in the sinus cavities whereas the lungs probably cleared up pretty quickly b/c we caught the infection so quick. So, that explained why we thought the antibiotic was not seeming to work. Then, they did a lung function test and her results were much lower than the normal ones done in November. Which answered the question we have been wondering for two years --- Regan has mild asthma. So, the pulmonologist said the pediatricians were not wrong but they were all focusing on one aspect and not getting the full picture. He also said her cough had not gotten better yet b/c inhaled steroids take up to a week to start working whereas oral steroids take 12 hrs. So, that is why Regan's cough was not getting any better. So, he has put her on an oral steroid and she should start feeling better soon. She actually did not have a fever yesterday at the doctor's so her fever seems to be gone and she does seem to be doing a little better already. Also, he said going forth, Regan needs to be on preventative inhaled steroids through the Spring until the pollen is over. He did say her asthma is mild and not the kind that we should have to worry about asthma attacks, major difficulty breathing, etc.

So, we are very relieved and glad to have all our questions answered. He said she should be able to go back to school next week. Yay!!!

For those of you wondering about Reece, she is doing better. She was sick too w/ the same bad cough. Her fever has been gone for several days and her cough is slowly getting better. We now realize why the cough is not getting better quickly and that is b/c the inhaled steroids have not fully kicked in yet. So, her cough should really start getting better this weekend, we hope. The pulmonologist said Reece probably has a component of asthma too but she is just too young to test yet. So, we are treating her with breathing treatments, nose spray and antibiotics. So, hopefully our household will be back to healthy soon!!!! :)