Poor Tigger has mono

[JJJ]

Poor Tigger has mono and the doctor wants us to limit his physical activity for the next 8 weeks. Oh sure, no problem. It'll be easy to keep a hyperactive, athletic child inactive for two months.

Wish me luck...

 

[Jody]

JJJ, I had mono and I had no problem being inactive. My entire body was terribly tired and I had no energy what-so-ever. I could barely get myself around, it was awful. I didn't know that is what was wrong with me until I had a blood test. I hope Tigger doesn't have those same symptoms, but I can relate to trying to keep an active kid inactive. I really thought that I had swine flu. I worked at the hospital and there was a terrible outbreak. Does he have any other symptoms of mono?

 

[cubsgirl]

I hope poor Tigger feels better soon.

I had mono when I was 18 - I was down for the count for about two months. Keep an eye on his tonsils too - mine swelled up so badly they were touching and I had to be hospitalized and get steroids via IV for the swelling to go down.

Good thoughts for your whole family and for Tigger to be able to limit himself enough to rest and heal.

 

[InsaneCdn]

UGH!
I haven't had it - but lots of my friends did... and none of them had any problems being "inactive"... most could hardly get out ouf bed.
Its NO FUN, no matter what.

{{hugs}}

 

[JJJ]

He is definitely a bit lethargic but not totally down for the count. Yesterday, he went on a 2 mile hike with his boy scout troop and played at the park for a few hours!!!

His throat is sore but not too swollen right now. Going to keep a close eye on that!!

 

[InsaneCdn]

Actually, things like hiking are more positive than sports. I believe one of the things they don't want is for him to be "hit" or to "run into things" - because there is a risk of rupturing the spleen - seems to go with Mono.

If he DOES have some energy to burn off... hiking, biking, swimming are probably better alternatives.

 

[hearts and roses]

He will likely have little energy burtsts and then crash.

Hope he feels better soon!

 

[susiestar]

Poor Tigger. Poor Tigger's Mom too!

The energy bursts and crashes will be the hardest thing to cope with. What are the plans for school at this point?

Do ALL you can to have him avoid gym and rough-housing. That is IF he is allowed to go to school. Some schools won't let kids with mono attend at all, at least around here. I hope school is willing to work with you on this.

 

[Wiped Out]

Poor Tigger-give him a hug for me. Wishing you luck with keeping him as inactive as possible.

 

[JJJ]

Doctor cleared him to go back Wednesday if he is feeling up to it. I'm waiting for the pe teacher to call so we can develop a 1:1 plan so he can still be active. This is one time that having so many aides in his room will really help as they can give him a 1:1 activity. I'm hoping for shot put, weight lifting, etc.

 

[HaoZi]

Poor guy. Don't know much about mono, heard it's highly contagious and that once you have it you always have it and it can flare up later, too. Can anyone shed some light?
How is he handling the news and illness so far?

 

[DammitJanet]

JJJ....I dont know if you were here when Cory had mono or not. He was sick at home with it on 9/11. I had no problem keeping him still because he was incredibly ill with it. His throat was so sore that he couldnt eat at all and lost almost 20 pounds in a week. He came down with it about the first week or so of September and he was out of school until at least mid to late October.

 

[JJJ]

My sister missed weeks of school with it. I think Tigger must have a minor case of it or we've caught it very early. So far he's fallen out of the chair twice, I told him third time and he will be grounded to the floor. ("But Moommmm, I didn't land on my spleen, I landed on my head!)

 

[Steely]

I had mono 2 years ago....It hoovered.
Hugs to Tigger. I hear it is worse for kids than for adults.
Like InSane said, make sure he is not in any physical sports, as it he runs the chance of rupturing his spleen. But I am sure the Dr told you all of that.

 

[TerryJ2]

Oh, dear. Pretty much everyone I know has had it but they've been in HS or college. Poor kid. Poor YOU.

 

[flutterby]

easy child had mono 2 years ago and he had it bad. He missed tons of school, slept 16 hours of the day, yet refused to miss work. He was really angry with me the one day I called him off, but he looked horrible and, I thought, a bit yellow, and he was going to the doctor to be checked for jaundice (it's rare, but mono can affect the liver - though, more likely will the spleen). Mono ended up wiping out his immune system for months, so that even after he was over the mono he got every little thing that came along - except he was much more sick than everyone else with it.

I came down with it in December, 2005, and it was bad for 6 months.

Haozi - there is....ugh, can't find my words. Some people think it can come back, and some don't. It was thought that it was linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but the CDC has ruled that out. After my heart attack, I had a relapse (?) of Mono as found in a blood test, and I've read of it happening to others, but it is not considered common and many doctors don't think it can happen.

 

[HaoZi]

Thanks Flutter. My understand was along the lines of how chicken pox can hit again later, usually as shingles, but that in people with high stress or immune disorders it's a higher chance of hitting more than once. I think I've only known one person with it to my recollection, and most of what I remember is people talking about not sharing drinks/foods because of it.

 

[flutterby]

It is like chicken pox in that once you get it, you're not supposed to get it again. There is just a lot of controversy over its role in CFS and if you can have a relapse. I'm not really sure why there is controversy over relapses because bloodwork shows prior mono and current mono on the same test. So, if you test positive for both..... I guess too many years of being told it can't happen has been ingrained.

 

[InsaneCdn]

It is like chicken pox in that once you get it, you're not supposed to get it again.

Immunity is never black-and-white. When I had the chicken pox, it was so bad that I lost 3 weeks from school - and hardly left the bed. Even the weight of a sheet was almost too heavy on my sore skin. My bro caught it from me. He had about 5 spots. When I told the doctor it "wasn't fair", the doctor said... well, YOU will not get it again, but HE might. Mono is probably similar - if you have a mild case the first time, your immune system may not be fully primed to fight it on another exposure.

 

[JJJ]

His energy level seems to be recovering so back to school tomorrow!

I never would have guessed mono if the doctor hadn't done a blood test...