https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:39:57 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861658 Wed, 12 Dec 2018 10:35:18 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2861658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had it on and off for a year and it took a shot of antibiotic and I don't remember if I also had to take oral meds but I got better quickly after that. (Stopped needing frequent antibiotics and dr visits.)</p> <p>Dd had some kind of pneumonia at 3. She had an x ray in the ER and again a week or so later because she took a long time to recover. We had to go in to confirm it was improving because she still wasn't totally better. The tech was really nice and explained that he was taking a picture (in kid terms) and it was over quickly. The blood work was much more traumatic but there's nothing you can really do. We were seeing the dr every day the last few days of fever but the day we were supposed to stay in the hospital it finally broke. We did have a similar experience with the fever seeming not that bad for awhile, and then suddenly (like no fever at 9am, but then by noon) it was 104+ And that's when we went to the ER. It continued to be a little up and down after that. the up and down thing happens after viruses but this was different because it went on longer and she felt worse. </p> <p>It was frustrating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861620 Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:44:41 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2861620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Amorini: he was just over 2 years old. My guess about the X-ray would be if he’s not improving, it could be a different illness and they don’t want to mess around with things that affect breathing. We went to the regular hospital, had the X-ray, breathing treatments with steroids and were sent home with a puffer and antibiotics with strict instructions like you to note no significant improvement in 48 hours. He didn’t get better so I took him to our doc during urgent care and she sent us right to the children’s hospital. His oxygen was like 90 something so it was treated as an emergency and he was admitted right away. They ran blood tests, another X-ray, etc and determined RSV as well. He had to have more antibiotics, an IV, oxygen through nasal canula, steroids and suction. He was on two puffers for about 6-8 months and was more suceptible to lung stuff after. But he’s 4 now and touch wood, we have only had one more hospital scare with croup besides normal colds and no more puffers. I hope your son feels better soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861614 Wed, 12 Dec 2018 03:36:09 +0000 Amorini 2861614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: Thank you! Sick littles ARE the worst! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861613 Wed, 12 Dec 2018 03:34:17 +0000 Amorini 2861613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peaches1038: Thank you! That tube image is uh, wow — oh my freaking gawd. I hadn’t googled yet so just whoa, I’m 110% grateful for advanced medicine, but now I get why the ped deferred the X-ray unless totally needed. Sending a fully aware toddler through that seems pretty crazy. I can see DS screaming, pushing his face into the tube because he’s so mad and turning blue. (At least we’d be in the hospital!) He is pretty uncooperative in new and unusual situations, so your suggestion to prepare him for what to do is very very helpful. Truly thank you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861612 Wed, 12 Dec 2018 03:22:19 +0000 Amorini 2861612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs Green Grass: No they didn’t check for whooping cough. Interesting. I wonder if it’s because his cough doesn’t sound like a that, but I have to say that descriptions of coughs as symptoms (whoop, bark, etc.) sound so nebulous, at least to the uninitiated.</p> <p>@Mrs. Champagne: Thanks! Any lingering issues for your son? I wonder how it weakens the lungs long-term. Uh yeah, from the picture that @peaches1038: shared, I get what you’re saying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861611 Wed, 12 Dec 2018 01:08:38 +0000 peaches1038 2861611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No experience with walking pneumonia, but my son has had three chest X-rays. One time was in the tube thing - unpleasant to say the least. The second, he sat on my lap and the third, he was lying down. If he has to have one, I would talk to him about it and show him pictures so he knows what to expect. This is not my baby, but just wanted to show you so you’re not freaked out if they use it. I think though, at your son’s age, they wouldn’t need it depending on how well he cooperates. Good luck! Sick Littles are the worst </p> [attach=1712/18/pjm12f.337x600.6B19B60B-B404-422D-A74B-9DCDC5167609.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861609 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 23:52:26 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2861609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1) did they check for whooping cough (pertussis)?</p> <p>DS and I got whooping cough 3 hrs ago (both fully vaccinated). I was diagnosed with Walking Pneumonia, but when I took dS in the next day they determined it was whooping cough. It was scary but easily treated with antibiotics.</p> <p>2) both of us have gotten a moderate chest infection each year since so I do think we are more susceptible to lung issues.</p> <p>Either way hope it clears up quickly!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861608 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 23:26:38 +0000 Mrsbells 2861608@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No experience but I hope he feels better soon </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861605 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 23:03:32 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2861605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son had it last year. Well they never said it was walking, but it seemed mild. He had a cold and cough that just wouldn’t stop and a fever eventually too. </p> <p>He was 4 at the time, so for the X-ray he just stood there and kind of hugged the machine. He didn’t love it and I was pregnant so couldn’t stand with him, but he did fine. </p> <p>My daughter had a chest X-ray when she was one and was in the tube thing. It wasn’t great. So if he will just stand and hug something that would be ideal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861602 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:21:33 +0000 Amorini 2861602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@muffinsmuffins: Thanks so much for sharing! DS had RSV this time last year and we avoided a hospital stay with that as he was 15 months and it was uncomplicated. How old was your son when it progressed to pneumonia? </p> <p>Thanks for also warning me about the X-ray machine. That’s my biggest worry that it will be unnecessarily traumatic even though I know he will be okay. Since he’s already on antibiotic, do you know why they would want to confirm with a X-ray? Does treatment change or is it that they are just more certain that they treating the right thing and not something else? I know that I asked the ped this but I can’t remember what he said.</p> <p>Our ped seems to have the same concerns as you have about pneumonia and how it can get bad. He was saying that he didn’t want to wait for it to worsen before starting DS on antibiotics. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861600 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 21:56:28 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2861600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My coworkers kid had it a few years ago and it seemed similar to what you describe: a low level infection that just doesn’t resolve. Antibiotics and time was what was needed.</p> <p>My older son has had ‘regular’ pneumonia which combined with RSV and resulted in an 8 day hospital stay. It came on suddenly with fever that couldn’t be controlled and severe lethargy, not eating or drinking with retractions and issues breathing. You should definitely see improvement in 48 hrs so I would monitor and keep pushing for more tests/etc as pneumonia of any sort now makes me extremely nervous. I don’t ‘think’ walking pneumonia can get suddenly worse but I’m not sure.</p> <p>DS had two chest X-rays at 2 different hospitals during this saga. I won’t lie, it was not pleasant.. The children’s hospital had an apparatus like a tube around their body that keeps them still and I still shudder thinking of watching him go through that, but it was over quickly. The regular hospital was tough because we had to try and hold him still which was impossible and we couldn’t hold him on our lap so you can imagine doing that with a sick 2 yr old. A cough lingered for 2-3 weeks after he was discharged, which we were told was normal and my coworkers kid also had a lingering cough. Took a while for energy to come back to normal as well. Ours was obviously a severe case but I would just keep a close eye. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/walking-pneumonia-what-gives#post-2861597 Tue, 11 Dec 2018 21:34:14 +0000 Amorini 2861597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hey bees! TL;DR: Our ped suspects DS (26 months) might have walking pneumonia. Have you or your kid or friends’ kids had it? How did it present and what was done to help them recover? How long was recovery?</p> <p>More details...DS had a cough for almost two weeks and it worsened over last week/weekend (esp days 9-10) instead of tapering off and getting better. Until then he had just a normal-for-a-daycare-kid-in-December runny nose, ate mostly normal and no other symptons. Starting day 11, he had a very mild fever of 99F and we had an epic/horrible night of sleep (he’s usually very sound sleeper). The cough wasn’t constant but just sounded bad when he had it. </p> <p>Day 12 of the cough, the fever went to 101.2F so still not really high. Daycare also said he wasn’t playing much. I picked him up and took him to the ped. I was thinking ear infection, but ears were perfect. The ped thought it might be moving toward walking pneumonia based on the sound of his lungs and oxygen level of 95-96. On that hunch, DS started antibiotic two nights ago and has been home since. His fever at 99F is super mild and hardly even has a fever and yet his activity level is off, but not totally. He also looks off and his appetite isn’t the same (he’s a good wide-ranging eater and can pack it away but only chomps down a bit on his absolute favorites right now). It’s just a vague set of symptoms so it would be good to hear how walking pneumonia looked for others, in case that’s what this is. And if it’s not that, what could it be?</p> <p>The ped said he might need a chest X-ray if he is not a lot better after 2 days of antibiotic. That would be tomorrow. What’s the chest X-ray process like for a toddler?</p> <p>Also I am not really sure if he needs Tylenol/Motrin. We give it when he seems really off or if his fever would spike up, but the tricky thing about his symptoms is that he just seems a bit off and occasionally has a bad cough. What gives with walking pneumonia? It’s so vague, if that’s what this is. </p>