Over the weekend, Killian had a bit of a tummy issue. I had gotten a massage and when I returned home and came over to Kelly to get him, the little guy started screaming. Not crying or fussing but full on screaming. As Kelly handed him over he told me that Killian had done the same thing when Grandma had tried to hold him. I figured Killian was probably just frustrated that I was gone and expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation. My opinion quickly changed, however, as I could not get him to calm down. He is a big time momma's boy and loves to nurse. He refused to nurse and refused to calm down despite all my best efforts. After 5-10 minutes of colicky screaming, he suddenly stopped and seemed fine. He was only fine until bedtime when he started all over again. At this point, I was concerned that he had an ear infection or that horrible hand-foot-mouth thing so I loaded him up to take him to Acute Kids. He fell asleep when we were driving but started screaming again as soon as we got inside. He continued to scream for the next 45 minutes of evaluation. They could find nothing wrong with him even though they checked all his vitals, his ears, his tummy, his throat. It was even suspected he had scratched his cornea which babies apparently do so they checked that. Nothing. They could find no cause despite the fact that he continued to scream and refused to eat. The nurse practitioner consulted a doctor who could also find nothing wrong. Because he had been screaming as if in pain for so long, they would not let me leave and called our pediatrician to see what she recommended. She wanted us to head to Children's so that he could have some imaging done.
Killian screamed the entire 20 minute ride to Children's and then for the next hour and a half. An x-ray was ordered of his abdomen. Apparently he is the prime age (3-6 months) and was exhibiting classic symptoms (colicky screaming that starts out spaced 15-20 minutes apart and then grows in intensity) for something called intestinal intussusception. Basically what happens is the intestines telescope inside themselves. The x-ray was inconclusive so we were sent to get an ultrasound. At some point between the x-ray and the ultrasound, Killian calmed down, nursed, and fell asleep. When he had the ultrasound he was as happy as could be. The ultrasound showed no problems so we were released to go home. Thankfully, the issue seemed to have resolved itself.
The pediatrician and Acute Kids both called the following day to check on him. We ended up at the pediatrician's office later that week about Keeley and she talked to me a while about Killian. She reiterated that it is a really serious problem they were concerned about Killian having and also told me how concerned the Acute Kids staff was. She told me that she had worked with the nurse practitioner from Acute Kids when she used to work in a hospital setting at that the nurse practitioner was very good so that I should feel good about the testing we had done. I was so glad to hear that. I checked into Acute Kids for a minor concern and somehow ended up at Children's getting testing done that didn't show a problem. I left the ER at Children's feeling like the entire situation had spun out of control. She assured me we had made the right choice because he had been in so much pain. I'm hopeful we do not have to deal with it again!! So far so good. Little guy is back to his happy, smiley self.
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