very nasty cough - 3/4 month old???

[Saila]

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

[Ondine]

I was trying to remember this when you posted about his diagnosis. It so long ago that I can't remember but FWIW I do remember she was coughing for a few weeks before we fully clocked how bad it was, and then it was weeks more before it fully cleared up. Incidentally the following year when she was learning to walk she fell and had a greenstick fracture to her wrist and we went to an osteopath to help the healing along and he found a vertebrae slightly out of place which he reckoned was down to all the coughing in her first year.

Did Melbourne Grove tell you he satisfied the threshold for a referral? I don't know how it works with such small babies these days but I just tried to get a referral from them for my older child and the nurse practitioner was very good about explaining exactly what the criteria are for her condition.

I'd be inclined to ask for urgent appointment with nurse practitioner to have him checked and talk the care through or go back to A&E.

[theratprincess]

Sorry can only reply quickly, but feel free to PM me.

My daughter was in hospital for two weeks with Bronchiolitis. She also got a secondary pneumonia - a collapse in the right upper lobe. This was identified on an X-ray when she really was not getting better.

She was very snuffly and unwell for 4-6 weeks after being discharged from hospital. However, she had been very ill and was briefly in intensive care. She had the full range of treatments on the Tony and Guy ward - on oxygen, tube fed, regular suctioning and hypertonic and saline nebulisers, IV ABs.

While ill, she didn't have a particularly high temperature.

If you go private, the person to see is Dr Broughton at Kings. He did a PhD on Bronchiolitis and is lovely too.

[Saila]

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

[theratprincess]

Also, if your son had pneumonia you would probably know about it as there would be the signs of severe respiratory distress that I mention above. My daughter could not have managed without oxygen, tube feeds and nebulisers etc.

But again, if any doubt go back to A&E. You really don't want to mess around with this.

[theratprincess]

One last thing..

I know it's really hard watching them struggle, literally watching every breath they take. But you just have to keep the faith. He will get better!

My daughter is 6 months old now and you would never know there had been anything wrong with her.

[Ondine]

Whereas mine is almost 13 and a handful. Not sure I can blame the bronchiolitis for that though :)

[Saila]

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

[shaunag]

We've been through pneumonia several times with an without temp and with and without cough. A key indicator is rapid breathing; tet don't necessarily have to be really struggling to breathe. It is really hard to diagnose in little ones and is usually only confirmed with X-ray. We managed to avoid a hospital stay each time by keeping her hydrated (I was still breastfeeding). She also refused to eat most of the time and drank v little. If u are concerned go straight back to a&e. you will have to wait longer if u don't have a referral from a doc (assuming u can't get seen ASAP); oxygen levels, heart rate and breathing rate and listening to los chest will determine whether they think an X-ray is necessary or not. If you are that worried u need to get seen as mums intuition is in my experience usually right-you know your child best. If it is pneumonia, it is scary but we have been through it 4 times (confirmed with X-ray 3 times), and our little 2 year old has been fine since November. Chin up. X ps top paeds respiratory guy in london is dr Ian Balfour-Lynn at the royal brompton.

[buggie]

Baby would be v v sick if it was a pneumonia - as others have said, feeding would be greatly reduced (as would wet/soiled nappies) and they would have increased effort with their breathing along with increased drowsiness (reduced energy intake & increased energy needed to breathe).

In A&E the dr would have listened to check there was good air entry in all lobes of the lungs (pneumonia would be indicated by nil breath sounds to particular bits of the lungs when they listened). If it was bacterial then there would be a fever, but with viral (typically "milder" infections) there isn't.

An x-ray would only be performed if there were definite signs of a pneumonia as there are risks attached to radiation - parental request often isn't enough if there are no other signs of infection.

Hope the GP has been able to reassure you & that baby is much better soon - typically they do recover much quicker than an adults with bronchitis (the nearest equivalent).

[Saila]

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

[buggie]

Fingers crossed things are clearer, glad there's no fever x

[Saila]

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

[Chief Jeff]

Hope the little fella's all right, Saila. Toni & Guy ward is a good place to be - great staff and a nice environment. Well, as nice as it could be.

[Saila]

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..

[Pickle]

Oh, poor wee man :-(

I'm glad you're now being taken seriously and getting the help you need to get him better. Is your partner home to help with your older son?

Get well soon baby Saila!

[Saila]

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.

[Pickle]

Brilliant, I'm glad you've got someone helping.

[theratprincess]

Poor little thing. Hope he gets better soon.

Hope you can get some rest too. It's very noisy and bright there. Ear plugs, eye mask and asking nurses to switch off corridor lights at night helps.

Also if you're BF, make sure you get your free hospital food!

[shaunag]

Poor little fella. Very glad he is getting treatment. Hopefully he will start turnin the corner soon. Hope you are getting some rest now too. X

[buggie]

The guys on T&G are lovely - you're in good hands there :-) really hope he's on the mend soon & glad you're feeling more relaxed (& have had your concerns acknowledged & validated) x