Illness for a CAH child can be fatal - they do not produce enough stress hormone and the electrolytes (sugars and salts) will fatal drop; the blood pressure will drop - then coma, brain swells, and death.  Do you want to risk brain damage and death? Especially danagerous for a child under 5 years old because their bodies are not mature even to handle stress from an illness  - the illness is more severe for them. They deteriorate within 24 hours and will die without extra IV fluids and cortef by IV.  Have an emergency letter to explain the urgency!! See the CARES web page or there are several on the MSN forum page  - family from Wisconsin.  My emergency letter goes into detail on the IVs and solu-cortef - how much, how long, etc.  The cortef is short lasting and during illness must be given every 6 hours - 10 times more and for 48 to 72 hourshours and then taper off. You do not more florinef - the extra cortef will retain the salts (and with IVs).

If vomiting wait 30 minute after vomiting (if he/she vomits one time) and double the cortef.  If more than one time vomiting - give the injection. Diahrea is also very danagerous.  I remember reading about a 3 year’s death.  Don’t let that happened to you!!  To a normal person, vomiting and diahrea in nothing - to a CAH - it is FATAL.  If they do live - brain damage.

roberta - email me if you need the emergency letter!! BRING the injection kit and emergency letter!!!