When a common cold turns life-threatening

No one is born a parent. But when we have our first child, we somehow figure out how to clothe and feed him. We love him, tickle him and sing him lullabies. And then he gets sick for the first time. As we lie on the floor next to the crib while that gorgeous baby of ours cries, how do we know whether to hold his hand and rub his back or get up and call an ambulance? Erin and Dan Boudreau can tell you. They’ve been there. The rare scenario that makes for nightmares happened to them. First just a cold, then pneumonia In March 2013, when the Boudreau’s son Walker was 10.5 months old, he came down with a cold. He had a cough but no fever and was his usual smiley self, so the Boudreaus did nothing. Then Walker’s cough intensified, so the Boudreaus took him to their local pediatrician. He still had no fever and was energetic – in fact he even crawled for the first time that day in the doctor’s office. The pediatrician took an x-ray and discovered a spot of pneumonia on his left lung. The Boudreaus left with antibiotics and instructions to keep Walker home to rest. “They told us to call back if he got a fever or if things got worse,” remembers Erin. The next day, Walker was grouchy and lethargic. That night, he had a coughing fit that felt like it qualified as things getting worse. “I had this feeling in my stomach that something wasn’t right,” remembers Erin. “I never in a million years would have believed in a mother’s instinct before, bu...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Our patients’ stories Seasonal flu & cold ICU pneumonia Source Type: news