Saila

She was behind me in a queue in sainsbury dkh once - my son had a meltdown, my credit card didn't work and my shopping fell all over the floor. Instead of tutting she helped distract my screaming baby while I sorted myself out. #thanksifyourereadingthis

Thanks pickle. I'm totally relaxed about it all now. A nurse said, 'I bet you're relieved he's in here' during one of his fits last night. She is right! No, annoyingly partner is away again - grrrr. He works on live tv so can't cancel. My 3 year old's lovely non-god-mum (who'll be reading this - thanks MM!) Is going to take care of him tonight. Edit to say we were discharged yesterday (Sunday evening) Much better now. Huge relief. We were treated incredibly well, at all levels. Lovely ward.

Thanks - I agree The staff have been truly lovely Although I find the ward heartbreaking... hospital cots :'''( This morning's consultant can see infection on the xray, both sides. She suspects whooping cough - and possibly a recently acquired viral infection which has made the symptoms more acute this week. We have our own room which is great! The benefits of a infectious bug... He's on oxygen and may have to stay another night unless there's a 'marked improvement today' Edit to attach a photo of my son - which will hopefully encourage mums to get whooping cough vaccination..

He's been admitted over night (toni&guy) X-ray didn't show much but he was in an awkward position so didn't get a good view They saw a full on coughing fit and they're not happy The doctor thinks its whooping cough I was vaccinated when preg and he's had all his vaccinations he's meant to have had If it is whooping cough. It's highly contagious apparently Reflux has been ruled out Exhausted but happy its finally been looked into seriously

Thanks. Fingers xed it is just viral I agree I def don't want him to have an X-ray if not necessary My gp has sent him to a@e after listening to his lungs so we're here now... Hopefully we'll have an answer soon Still no temperature

thanks very much - i'm going back to the gp again this evening

many thanks ondine and thatratprincess - I have booked another appointment with the gp I think I wont be happy until he's xrayed he's also started pulling at his right ear

To those who have had experience with bronchiolitis - how long did it last? My son has had the same symptoms now for months. Since before Easter, well before. Its beginning to really worry me and I'm scared he's got something more serious like pneumonia? I *still* haven't received a referral from melbourne grove. So Imay try to go private or back to a&e and request an xray Anyone had pneumonia in a 4 mnth old before? Do they always have a temperature? Thanks

KS - I was teasing. Fwiw We don't go to the villa and we will be 'going state' as they say (not Hamlet!)

I guess people either move out of town, or they aim for The Hamlet .... or they crawl into a corner and cry

I think I have lost, on average, 30mins sleep per night for the past 2 years worrying about primary school 'choices' ... Moving house options etc I have bored all my friends (childless and w kids), parents and partner to death about it. They are FED up of me constantly complaining/worrying about which school. Plus the stories in the papers which make me physically sick eg the recent family accident in cornwall or the toddler getting run over :''''( etc I was much happier / more relaxed before kids !

I love that idea! I think i'll try that

they don't seem to sell karvol vaporisers (plug-ins) anymore... discontinued!! - which has caused a bit of a stink when you search online. Not sure why they've discontinued them if they were so sort after. oh well I have the rub on stuff for now

p.s. I *still* haven't had a referral from Melbourne Grove to see a paediatrician... the gp appointment waslast Monday morning. Considering it's a chest infection and he's 4 months old, I find that quite shocking... anyway Good thing I went to A&E !

Thank you. Will try those ideas :)

thank you - he's doing ok - poor thing - he's such an adorable baby. Coughs as though he's dying and then manages to crack a smile when it's finally over. I do feel helpless as there's no medication Heartbreaking really

i agree ... when i'm with my kids i just go to the cafe on choumert road (very kid friendly) and then without kids, i go to andersons i quite like that it's a non-kid environment (which it is) it's nice to have options - then when ppl want a break from kids (espcially their own!) they can have it..

Thank you My 3 yr old was testing.... But I was expecting that We were on our own from 7 to 8am in the department, so seen straight away and did nt have to stress too much with the toddler Although he did start pointing through to the hospital saying he could see a dead person.... I've never even heard him say 'dead' before and there wasn't anyone there! Creepy. The nurses helped distract him which was kind The receptionist was terrible though. Totally unfriendly and brash... Oh well. Otherwise we were treated very well. Amazing we've not been before, considering my 3 yr old... Thnx again

It was bronchiolitis after all Spent some time on a nebuliser but can't do much else as its viral... Poor lamb

Thanks for the advice You're right Its gone too far Had another awful night... Exhausted! Will go to a&e now Ps thnx for the offer of help pickle. Really kind. I'm going to bring a dvd player and hope for the best! My son is ome of those kids that climbs the walls of anywhere after about 30mins...

Hi, I'm really worried it's an infection His lungs sound like they are full of gunk He sounds like an old man with a full-on smoking habit He doesn't have a temperature though But yesterday he coughed up green stuff.. I'm v worried Haven't gone to a&e cos I'm on my own w a three yr old boy who would not last 5 mins in there My 4 month old was breastfed exclusively for 6 weeks then mix fed Still not heard back from gp about the referral

yes I have cats... hopefully not that otherwise i'll feel terrible fushcia - great idea re a&e - will try that most ppl are saying reflux - seems to be getting worse with age rather than better though

Hello My 4 month old has had a horrible cough for going on two months now He coughs like an old man, then retches and vomits up his feed (if he has just eaten) It can happen after feeds or just randomly, day and night Its really distressing. He's my second baby and I'm definitely not being neurotic. Our nanny said that the cough 'scares her'. Been to the doctors twice now. Then went again this monday and was meant to be referred to paediatrician but still not heard from them (usual melbourne grove cr@p) and its friday! Its definitely not infection cos he's happy (when he's not coughing) Any ideas? I'm really scared its asthma... We have no family history I had whooping cough vaccine when preg and he's had all his vaccines Assuming it can't by cystic fibrosis cos he's been tested?

brilliant thanks for all these suggestions!

Does anything like this exist? I am basically single mum (partner away with work a lot over weekends) and a work situation has meant I have to go back full-time now under huge pressure I have two kids and I'm not getting a break... All the playgroups seem to be midweek???