How does illness present?
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| Thu, 10-12-2006 - 10:44am |
I just read the other thread that mentioned a virus, and now I'm really curious how illness presents in your non-NT children.
Henry had numerous bouts with strep throat last year. Aside from having dark circles under his eyes and a *very* distinctive off tone to his voice, the only way I figured out when he was sick is that he would act up in school.
If his teacher sent a note home from school describing a really bad day, I would take him to the ped to get him a throat culture. It was *always* positive.
He got his tonsils out this past Summer, but lately I've noticed the dark circles. I hope he isn't coming down with something.
I told him last year that if he ever didn't feel well, he could just tell his teacher. He didn't have to misbehave.
I don't know if he "got" it.

Liam gets the dark circles too.
I don't know if any of this is related to being NT or ASD. Eric is my only one and he's ASD, so I don't really have a comparison. Eric gets dark circles too. He also either has very bad tantrums with lots of crying, the crying is uncharacteristic and that often precedes an illness.
The other thing is sleeping a lot. Eric generally requires little sleep. He does, thankfully, sleep all night once he goes to sleep and is a sound sleeper. But if he takes a nap, falls asleep in the car, goes to bed early, usually he is sick the next day.
Now, what I do notice that is different from NT kids, and I think we've discussed this before here, is that after a high fever and being REALLY SICK, he is so fluid, charming, very much like a NT child. I always wish it would last, but it never does. That, I guess, is one thing I notice with illnesses that is different, it's that clarity thing that happens when the fever leaves.