I feel so useless when my son is sick!
By muscare
@muscare (3068)
Australia
July 10, 2007 12:51am CST
My son spent yesterday in hospital, after coughing all night with a bout of croup, and all I felt like doing was curling up in a little ball (I didn't, of course). I just so hate it when he is sick, knowing I can't take away the poor little guy's pain and suffering. I used to get croup as a kid as well, and know what he is going through. He is a little better today, not a lot, but at least the harsh cough is gone, replaced by a looser cough, which apparently he will have for a few days.He is still tired and pale, and has one more dose of prescribed medicine to go. How do you handle a sick child, and how does it affect you?
2 people like this
11 responses
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
10 Jul 07
My daughter has a bit of a cough at the moment & you're right, it is hard.
I've noticed a lot of parents hate letting their kids get dirty & stuff which i think is the main of the problem - when kids get dirty or play where there are germs their immune systems get stronger :) So many parents just don't let their kids do that these days so you end up with more sick kids.
I feel bad for my little one when she's sick but i know she'll be fine as long as i keep up the paracetamol for her fever & if the Dr prescribes cough medicine then she has that too. I just give her love coz that's about all i can do to make her feel comfortable.
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
10 Jul 07
I don't mind my son getting a little grubby, as I'd heard the same thing about germs and the immune system. What I have learnt is that croup is actually a virus, and I always thought it came from... well, I'm not really sure where or what I thought it was! JUst the cold air, I guess. My son has one more dose to take, but can't have any cough medicine with it, so I just have to bear with him as he coughs through the day. Oh, yeah, and as you say, plenty of love!
@deanna28979 (75)
• United States
11 Jul 07
I know it is so hard to watch, my kids are teenagers now, and it still is hard but they are older and can deal with it. I know you wish you could just take it from him and have it yourself, thats how i felt when my kids got sick. I hope he is feeling better and will pray for him
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
11 Jul 07
My son does seem to handle it so well for a four year old, but in the end it, it just gets too much for him. I know I'd much prefer to be sick than him, but we can never change that, so all I can do is give him lots of cuddles. He is slowly picking up, but I think it'll be a couple of days yet before he's racing around again. Thanks for your prayers.
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I think all mothers feel helpless when their children are sick. My kids are almost grown and I still feel that way. I've learned not to go into panic mode because it just stresses them out more.
Even though I may feel anxious, I remain calm around them. I comfort them as much as I can and do what I can to help them recuperate.
I remember only my son getting croup when he was about two years old. It is a scary virus because of the cough. Thankfully, your son will be fine as it sounds like the cough is breaking up. Here's hoping you are both doing better very soon.
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
11 Jul 07
Yes, as do us fathers! I think I act as the calming force for my wife, even though I'm quite upset inside. My son has had croup once before, and even though we knew he was ok after that, it doesn't make it any less heartbreaking to see them struggling so much. He is on the improve, but is still taking it really slowly.
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
11 Jul 07
I think in the end, I'd rather be sick instead of my son. That I could deal with. How to get so many postings? I just keep answering plenty of discussions, and starting them as well. Mind you, 600 isn't a lot of posts, there are heaps and heaps of mylotters with thousands!!
@circumstance (283)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 07
i'm actually not a parent but i try to give from son view.. i think even i got sick i will never blame it to my mom.. and of course i dont want my mom fell like you fell.. so if i am sick son what i hope is my mom will always be with me, and laways support me and when i getting better i will thank to my mom the most :D
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
10 Jul 07
Hey, don't worry about it. You do what you can, and when you have done your best and he still needs help, you seek help from a professional health care worker. As for being useless, just think of how useless professional health care workers are to the healthy!!! LOL We all have our talents.
@rapolu_cs (1184)
• India
10 Jul 07
Oh!i understand your problem and even the sufferiing that your kid is undergoing as the same i too faced with my son 6 months back,we used many medicines and even few antibiuotics but they use to be work up to mark and cough use to attack him back in two or three weeks then we started using homeopathy and with the god grace iot is working very good and now my kid is fine. Dont loose your patience and brave do it as much as yoiu caqn and never get depressed .
@lavenderbloom (1057)
• United Arab Emirates
10 Jul 07
Oh. It is really difficult to handle such situations. but, we mothers have to be strong so that our children are taken cared. The difficult part is to give them medicine.
Take care of your son. Pray that he gets well soon.
@dreamjapan (409)
• Japan
10 Jul 07
It is hard to see our kids suffer. My youngest was born premature and spent months in hospital, it was hard because I couldn't even hold her. When my kids are sick I try to do soemthing nice for them, make their favorite food, read to them more than usual, let them watch videos. When they were babies I just held them.
Take care your son will soon be better.
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
11 Jul 07
I think that having a prem baby would be nearly unbearable not to be able to hold them. My son has watched a lot of tv in the last couple of days, and had lots of cuddles. Hasn't eaten a lot, but drinks plenty of water, and the croupy cough has changed, and we are happy with that at this stage.
