Pater Familias … because I'm your FATHER!

Cineplex Therapy For Strep Throat

April 13, 2010

What do you do when your kid's home sick?

Efficacy Of Movie Treatment For Child Illness Deserves Study

Sick morning, no school for GC.

Will you look at this…One year ago she had strep throat just like she has now, as confirmed by Dr. Rebakkah yesterday morning.

Sincerely hope things don’t go down like last year. Poor kid had strep again right around June 1. Then, in early July, a nose-throat-chest viropalooza. If I remember, strep was not part of that mix, but the thing flattened her and caused memorable howling about missing most of her second week of day camp.

Some mom out there is going Aw, such a good daddy for keeping careful track of his seven-year-old daughter’s health.  Love you, lady, but wrong. I timelined those ’09 illnesses by looking up (imdb.com) release dates of three films GC and I went to see while she was sick.   

Strep #1- Hannah Montana: The Movie

Strep #2- Up in 3-D

July Big Bug- Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs

After today, memory will forever link the current strep and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, looking like our finest cinematic entertainment. If she’s sick, but able to sit up and not puking, we’re going to the movies. Part of the routine, of treatment and recovery. The Cineplex is our Lourdes, our Mayo, a place where I take the child to heal. It’s even part of our two-part Sick Kid First Response:

1. Call for a doc appointment. Sooner the better, for peace of mind and hitting the bug with meds (if needed) right damn now, also for a yes/no about contagiousness. “No” opens a doctor-certified-safe playdate option in case GC perks up and yells for company late in the day. 
2. Go online for early showtimes and reviews of a fam-flick I might be able to stand.

Truth, I have done 2 before 1. Why not? If the kid’s unwell enough to keep home and take to the doc, rest will be recommended. Clinically speaking, what’s the difference between resting in a theater seat and on the couch, where GC would sit and blear at the small screen, pretty much all she’s good for on sick days. Furthermore, in terms of keeping away from other people, what’s the diff between home and isolated seats in an empty (talking school-day matinees) theater? None, except in the quality of the experience. Compared to TV, you get a better story line, huge screen with max visual impact and complexity and primo sound — better snacks, too. And you get us not at home all day with the damn TV on.

Win-win. Okay, win-tie. Good for my own happiness and well-being and no harm no foul for Girl Child.  

Kid’s doing pretty well, in case you were wondering. So well, she just got out of bed and demanded to go Wimpy Kid ASAP. Holy crap, there’s a showing at 10:35 am in striking distance.

Popcorn for breakfast, girl.   

So, what do you do to make your kid’s sick days go by?

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