In the entirety of their lives, my children have been on antibiotics a total of four times--and that's for both of them combined. Three of those times? Have been within the past month.
Back when Luke was a wee toddler, he had antibiotics for an ear infection while we were traveling abroad, which led to weird skin things until we realized that hey! This kid is allergic to this kind of antibiotic! And from that time to this, we have not had cause for any more antibiotics until last month, when all manner of crazy infections descended upon our house. As a result, we have been to the pediatrician's office on a weekly basis and they now know us by name, age, and relationship. (Relationship doesn't seem like a big deal until you realize that most of the time, I have 1-2 children who are mine and 1-2 children who are not and that enough of those children physically resemble each other in enough ways that people assume they must all be related.)
So when we went to the doctor for an Illness Had By Luke back in November, they prescribed an antibiotic that was not within the family of antibiotics that causes him allergic reactions and all seemed fine. So when we went again about 2 weeks ago, they prescribed the same thing again because--he had JUST had it! And was fine! So no worries, right?
Wrong, as it happens. Because two days ago, he suddenly turned red in patches and the next morning, woke up with hives all over him. So off we went to the doctor. Again. Heaven forbid we miss a week. And there, while talking to the doctor, the following pieces of conversation were had:
Me: Yeah, the kids have had a couple of skin infections this winter.
Dr: Oh, like MRSA?
Me: Like...MRSA?! Ummmm....no?
(At the time of this appointment, I thought MRSA was THE DREAD DISEASE. I have since come to realize that no, it isn't. And actually, it's rather common. I had no idea.)
Dr: And you'll have to get him allergy tested because he's now considered to be allergic to two of the most common families of antibiotics, which leaves us with very few treatment options for him in the future.
Me: Ok.
Dr: There's definitely a good test for penicillin. I'm not so sure about the cephalosporins, though. The best option for that might just be to give him some while you're at the allergy clinic. But don't worry--they have the equipment there to bring him back from a major allergic reaction, should he have one.
I'm sorry. "Bring him back?" They have the equipment to BRING HIM BACK? Cuz I kinda thought that the whole goal of parenting was to avoid situations which required BRINGING HIM BACK.
Every time I think I've got this parenting thing figured out, they throw me another curveball.
Back when Luke was a wee toddler, he had antibiotics for an ear infection while we were traveling abroad, which led to weird skin things until we realized that hey! This kid is allergic to this kind of antibiotic! And from that time to this, we have not had cause for any more antibiotics until last month, when all manner of crazy infections descended upon our house. As a result, we have been to the pediatrician's office on a weekly basis and they now know us by name, age, and relationship. (Relationship doesn't seem like a big deal until you realize that most of the time, I have 1-2 children who are mine and 1-2 children who are not and that enough of those children physically resemble each other in enough ways that people assume they must all be related.)
So when we went to the doctor for an Illness Had By Luke back in November, they prescribed an antibiotic that was not within the family of antibiotics that causes him allergic reactions and all seemed fine. So when we went again about 2 weeks ago, they prescribed the same thing again because--he had JUST had it! And was fine! So no worries, right?
Wrong, as it happens. Because two days ago, he suddenly turned red in patches and the next morning, woke up with hives all over him. So off we went to the doctor. Again. Heaven forbid we miss a week. And there, while talking to the doctor, the following pieces of conversation were had:
Me: Yeah, the kids have had a couple of skin infections this winter.
Dr: Oh, like MRSA?
Me: Like...MRSA?! Ummmm....no?
(At the time of this appointment, I thought MRSA was THE DREAD DISEASE. I have since come to realize that no, it isn't. And actually, it's rather common. I had no idea.)
Dr: And you'll have to get him allergy tested because he's now considered to be allergic to two of the most common families of antibiotics, which leaves us with very few treatment options for him in the future.
Me: Ok.
Dr: There's definitely a good test for penicillin. I'm not so sure about the cephalosporins, though. The best option for that might just be to give him some while you're at the allergy clinic. But don't worry--they have the equipment there to bring him back from a major allergic reaction, should he have one.
I'm sorry. "Bring him back?" They have the equipment to BRING HIM BACK? Cuz I kinda thought that the whole goal of parenting was to avoid situations which required BRINGING HIM BACK.
Every time I think I've got this parenting thing figured out, they throw me another curveball.
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