Mono?

wth was I thinking's picture

OSD was 'diagnosed' (I will use that loosely, the Dr seems kind of iffy, just from what I've heard) with Epstein Barr Virus yesterday, which has caused 'mono'. Thing is, the Dr told BM that 'kids almost never get this', which seems REALLY wrong to me, since I remember quite a few kids in that late elementary school range missing weeks of school because of it. And not to mention the CDC website says its the most common viral infection, and most have had it by the time they're adults, kids being the most infected.

BM of course was crying, like always, and got my DH all worked up. He is now convinced his daughter is going to die. Does anyone have any experience with this with their kids/skids/themselves? I don't recall ever having it, but I guess a lot of kids will just seem to have a long but mild flu, then it goes asymptomatic for the rest of forever.

Comments

DaizyDuke's picture

SS had mono when he was about 9 or 10. It really wasn't that big of a deal... I don't even think BM made a big deal about it. Just as with anything (strep, flu, etc) follow Dr.'s orders and she should be just fine.

Glassslipper's picture

Sounds like BM is looking to get some attention from your DH for their poor little pumpkin having a rare and deadly disease.
Unfortunately, Mono is common, most everyone gets it, children of all ages, (I got it in 3rd grade myself, my son got it in 5th grade)
Its a long 6-8 weeks of flu like symptoms and then the body builds an immunity.
Its a virus, the body builds an immunity and its done.
There is no vaccine for it, because its not dangerous enough to vaccinate against.
So the kid will be sleepy and feel crummy for a few weeks, that's all it is.

wth was I thinking's picture

This woman is a major drama queen, and most definitely likes the attention from DH. I honestly hadn't even noticed a difference in OSD over the last few weeks/month. She's been sick (cold type stuff) a few times, but she's like that every fall/winter. Their diet is shit and they never go outside, they're both sickly kids.

Of course my DH buys into it, because THE DOCTOR SAID SO. This is the same Dr who put both skids on a daily laxative for 'at least 6 months', rather than oh, I don't know, telling that stupid hag to feed her kids real food and make them drink water on occasion? The skids were crapping their pants in school because of this stuff, at 9 and 10 years old. I got DH to put his foot down on that nonsense, so thankfully she took them off of it.

Glassslipper's picture

um yea, ok, I'm a nurse and children on laxatives or any human on a laxative for 6 months strait, who does not have a medical condition is a huge issue.
Sounds like either the MD is a quack or you have a munchausen by proxy BM!

Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS) is a relatively rare form of child abuse that involves the exaggeration or fabrication of illnesses or symptoms by a primary caretaker.

I can feel your pain on that one. My BM got ALOT of attention from DH when SD was hospitalized when she had the flu, BM wouldn't leave the hospital bedside without a hug from DH, after her D/C from the hospital, she wouldn't drop off SD without walking her in to get a hug from DH, texted 7-10 days to update each other on her status for several months, and BM then started to sign her up for random surgeries and surf doctors, "all natural" doctors and "all natural treatments" for illness she didn't have and the doctor was 80 miles away and BM wanted DH to ride with them up there and anything BM could do to keep the "sick baby" attention from DH rolling...

I hope things get better for you soon

DaizyDuke's picture

sounds like this "pediatrician" went to the same medical school as Sweet Pea's "Counselor" Wink

wth was I thinking's picture

Tell your Dh to stop being an idiot and stop following the drama, she will be just FINE, like millions of others that have had mono.

Pretty much what I said last night. I'm not looking forward to all the (extra) coddling that is sure to take place this weekend.

MissElphaba's picture

I had mono in college - sore throat and a trip to the ER for swollen tonsils... eventually had to have them out, but it really only lasted for about a week or maybe even two. I thought I had a really bad sore throat, but it's a virus...so just rest and fluids. I survived.

Jsmom's picture

I had mono as a teen. I recovered. Slept a lot. I do have some hearing loss in an ear and vision issues after that were pretty bad. They said the virus affected them. I ended up with a corneal dystrophy that was ultimately diagnosed after several docs couldn't figure it out. Symptoms were car accidents from sudden loss of vision and massive sun sensitivity. My parents thought I was lazy until they finally told the doctor and I had probably had it for awhile before it was diagnosed.

My son got it at age 5. He lost a lot of weight he didn't have to lose, but he was fine after a few weeks. He only missed a week or two of school. Weird that he got it, but the doc didn't seem concerned. The trauma of taking blood from him was so traumatic for me, the diagnosis was the easy part.

SD18 got it at 16 and lived to tell the tale. She does however use it as an excuse as to why her grades were so bad and to hear her tell it last year she was still recovering. I recovered after about 6 weeks, but for me my eyes were an ongoing problem for about 2 years after.

The kid will be fine as long as they have treatment.

Pilgrim Soul's picture

I know a child who got it at the end of 7th grade and it was so bad the kid
had to leave the gifted and talented program he was enrolled in, go on home instruction,
sleep for days, not be able to do anything that requires any effort. Attempts to send him back to school when things seemed to temporarily improve backfired in a big way.
A year later
he got the diagnosis of chronic fatigue and still cannot attend school.

It disrupted life for the entire family as the mother has had to pretty
much give up work. So i would not make light of it.