one false alarm

Athirah was not well last week. She got a high fever, the highest temperature we recorded was 39.6 deg C. I put wet cloth on her forehead to reduce the temperature. She was so cranky, I need to cuddle her almost all the time. Not that I am complaining about it, it is just that she was usually likes to play by herself and only need the cuddle when she wants to go to sleep.


Early last Friday morning, she was quite restless, I couldn't put her down for even a second. Just when I was cuddling her, I noticed red spots on her forehead and her nose. I immediately thought Athirah was catching measles. Then I looked down her neck and behind her ears. The spots were everywhere, even on her body. I didn't notice them when I bathe her. Panicking and worried, I asked atang to take us to the hospital.



We arrived at the Royal Children Hospital nearly 9am. We went straight to the emergency unit, because that is the only place that any walk-in patient should go. After filling out forms, short interview, yadayada, we waited for our turn. During this time, Athirah was active. I think she was happy to be out of the house. She bounced, laughed, making loud sound, as if she was not sick at all. Anyway her temperature was normal that morning.



We were then called by the nurse to the examining room. After a thorough check-up, the nurse said the spots were only rashes, due to a viral infection that had triggered the fever. But we were asked to wait for a doctor to confirm. About 15 minutes later, a doctor came and did another check-up, and confirm that the break out was due to her high fever. She reassured us that Athirah will not likely to get measles as she has completed her first phase of the immunisation. But the doctor still needed a second opinion, so she asked another doctor, a senior pediatrician to reconfirm. And again the senior doctor said athirah just had a viral infection. She said no medication can treat that, only gave her panadol if she feels uncomfortable and her temperature increases.

So we went home feeling relief. One false alarm it turned out to be. Alhamdullillah.



This picture was taken on Friday evening. See that red spots around her nose. Alhamdullillah those are just rashes. Gradually those spot faded and today she only has some left on her arms and legs.