<p>Hi Everyone-
Just a heads-up cautionary tale. My S, a freshman, got sick the week before Thanksgiving,
with lobar pneumonia- and ended up going to an ER at a local university hospital (via ambulance) while at college, being evaluated for meningitis-spinal tap and head CT even though he has had the vaccine, but no xray, told he had “bad flu”, sent home so weak, feverish and in pain from
a headache that he could barely walk. Next morning, I drove 12 hr round trip to pick him up, brought him to his MD at home, who immediately sent him to the ER where they did a chest Xray.
He was hospitalized for 3 days, and missed a few days school, and now he’s back at school today. No explanation why this normally healthy kid would pick up this bug, except that dorms are full of bugs, I guess. Hope this doesn’t happen to anyone else!</p>
<p>Glad your son is doing better!</p>
<p>Oy…cornmuffin please PM me the dorm if this is the school I think both our kids are at…</p>
<p>I think my D mentioned a couple of other kids very sick with similar stuff up there…but not necessarily diagnosed with pneumonia…</p>
<p>Hope he’s catching up…pls let us know if we can help…</p>
<p>I’m so glad he’s feeling better! It’s good they got him checked for for meningitis just in case, especially since he had a severe headache. The vaccine doesn’t protect against all meningitis, and hours can really make a huge difference. It’s strange they didn’t do a chest xray after the meningitis tests, though.</p>
<p>Just so you know the headache could have been from the spinal tap, it happens more than it should that it doesn’t heal properly on its own. When this happens you are essentially leaking spinal fluid which causes the headache to get worse. It happened to me when they did a test to make sure my migraines weren’t some type of aneurism.</p>
<p>A few years ago, my son had a fever for 6 days- and a completely clear chest exam (I’m a doc, I listened), no cough or other resp. sx. I finally brought him to his pediatrician who also heard nothing on his exam, but said he could get a chest X ray even though it would probably be “low yield”. I tended to agree, but shlepped him to get it- and behold- lobar pneumonia. It was only once we got to the radiologist that the little darling started coughing. Not all pneumonias are audible by exam, and some may take many days to present on an Xray. Sometimes abdominal pain is a sign of a pneumonia.
I hope your son is on the mend.</p>
<p>my daughter had it when she was only four…no cough at all. The fatigue was the worst. I had to carry her from room to room because she was so weak.
One of our workers has it now too…the young man has some very weak immunities, it seems.</p>
<p>A couple of my kids have had pneunomia and the absence of a cough surprised me. Their ped. told me that it was more “normal” to not cough.
We tend to think of our kids who cough and cough as “getting pneumonia” but most of that cough is from post nasal drip.
I found when my daughter had pneumonia if I laid her on her stomach and cupped my hand and smacked her back it would trigger a cough. Not that one should do this with out medical guidance but it does loosen up the gunk in the lungs.</p>
<p>IMO - doing a spinal tap was not necessarliy inappropriate in a vaccinated young adult. Bacterial meningitis is not covered by the vaccine and progresses rapidly and is often fatal.
Normal healthy people get sick all the time - hope he continues to improve. Vacation will be here soon!</p>
<p>
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<p>Actually, the vaccine is not for the viral version, and does prevent the several most common strains of bacterial meningitis.</p>
<p>The vaccine does not protect against Neisseria Meningitis which is a very virulent form of bacterial meningitis.</p>
<p>Just a few weeks ago a Midshipman at the Naval academy succumbed to this disease.
An example of a very healthy individual receiving excellent medical care who tragically died after being ill for just a few days.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your thoughtful responses.
Someone noted “weakened immune system”. My S’s MD said this could have happened to anyone. Is there anything which a busy, “I am invincible” teen will be willing to do (realistically) to strengthen immune system beyond adequate nutrition and rest? Do you really think it was due to his immune system?</p>
<p>S2 was religious about taking vitamins and using hand sanitizer. He’s a music major and even got disinfectant wipes to swipe down the piano keyboards in the practice room. He carries a large bottle hand sanitizer in one pocket in his bag and a bottle of water in the other. However, I do think he’s going a bit short on sleep. He came home last week and immediately got sick with a fever and sniffles. He blamed it on the airplane, but I told him I think he had it before that because the symptoms showed up too soon. So many kids work so hard and maintain during the semester, and then promptly get sick as soon as they relax on a break. I’m following up to make sure his symptoms are not worsening now that he’s back.</p>
<p>Even those with strong immune systems get sick.<br>
College kids and young adults are always on the go - typically don’t get enough sleep, eat poorly and live in conditions (like dorms) with plenty of germs.
Most likely he will bounce back and be back to “normal” in no time. It probably is a good time to remind him of good wellness habits though.</p>
<p>
This happened to me with mono. My parents picked me up from the airport after I finished finals and said I looked great; the next morning my dad–who is of the “walk it off” school of thought when it comes to medicine–was ready to take me to the ER because of how horribly sick I looked (even though I still felt OK at that point). The next day I could hardly move. My doctor was surprised that I got so sick so quickly, but I think my body was holding itself together during exams until I got home.</p>