Am I being overanxious or should I take 3mo back to hospital?

[WashIrving22]

So, we were in hospital from last Saturday to Tuesday with what turned out to be pneumonia coupled with bronchialitis. The little man is on antibiotics and had been getting better.

Today however he's had a bit of a temperature again (38) and has been breathing faster than normal.

I've given him calpol twice, which bought his temp down each time and perked him up. And he's been feeding fine. Now he's asleep but his breathing is still fast.

Am worried sick and not sure at what point I should be worried enough to take him back....especially given that all they did in hospital was monitor his temperature, give him calpol if needs be, and give him IV antibiotics. Which is essentially what I'm doing at home...

What would you do?

I should mention that he's now had 2 hospital stays in his short life, first time was for an unidentified virus when he was very tiny and as he stopped feeding was on a drip for a few days. So chances are I'm starting to get over-anxious about him....but I just don't know!

[SawneyBeane]

Could you phone the hospital and ask them?

But, really, if you are feeling anxious, I would just go.

[waitingforbedtime]

Id call the hospital or NHS direct and if breathing seems disturbed then go to hospital directly.

[SecretSlattern]

This is an ongoing situation for us too and DS is now 20 months old. He has been in and out, in and out of hospital so many times. It is so draining.

I would take him back without a shadow of a doubt if you are worried.

[sausagerolemodel]

Go back. Don't want to worry you, but pneumonia is one of the leading causes of serious illness and death in young babies. They can deteriorate rapidly and fast breathing is a sign for concern. Go back. Don't worry about being sent home again. Hopefully they will tell you not to worry, but if he has had pneumonia and now has a temp again, it implies the bugs didn't clear from his system and it could be getting a grip again.

Please see here on my blog the chart from NICE about what doctors look for in distinguishing mild from serious illness.

opheliabottom.wordpress.com/

IV antbiotics make a massive difference - so its worth getting them again at hospital if they think its appropriate.

Let us know how you get on.

[sausagerolemodel]

should have said IV antibiotics are a massive whack stronger and more effective than most of the tablet forms.

[WashIrving22]

Thank you sausagerolemodel - that chart is very helpful.

Just checked him again and his breathing has slowed a bit and he's not hot at the mo, so am going to try and get through to the ward we were on in hospital to see what they say.

Otherwise back to A&E it is.

Will let you know how I get but obviously you may not hear from me for a while!

Thanks all

[sausagerolemodel]

Cool - I really didn't want to worry you (and I am normally very gung-ho about kids resilience!).. Glad to hear his breathing is slowing down a bit, and hope the chart is of use. Fingers crossed it turns out to be nothing.

[LeSingeEstDansLarbre]

my gp was very clear with me that if i was worried enough to think 'should i go to a and e?' then the answer is 'yes i should'. three months old is hardly out at all, take no chances.

[Alouiseg]

Please, please, please go now. Good luck xx

[WashIrving22]

I spoke to one of the nurses who treated him and she said just to keep a close eye on him for the mo, but if his temp goes up again (it's normal at the mo) or he doesn't feed well when he next wakes up, which would
normally be about 11, then to take him straight to A&E.

So I'm off to watch him like a hawk...

[Alouiseg]

Calpol can last 4-6 hours, take his temp when it could be wearing off, if you're worried don't be fobbed off.

[Alouiseg]

Any updates??

[crumpette]

If his breathing is still rapid please please go back x

[WashIrving22]

Well, I wish I'd taken all your advice and gone back straight away. Instead of which I spent all night watching him and taking his temperature every hour before going back to A&E at 6am when it went up to 38 again.

The docs said his chest sounded clear, so concluded that the fast breathing was the result of mucus from his cold, and the temp was part of the bronchialitis playing itself out.

So we were sent home and told to manage the temperature with calpol, but to take him straight back if it went above 38.7. Or if his breathing got faster, sounded wheezy or it looked like it was really hard work.

He seems ok at the mo thankfully. And the docs were very lovely, said I did the right thing taking him back and to do so again if worried about anything.

Now I just need to deal with the 2.5 yo who has also developed a temp this afternoon along with a few spots that look worryingly like chicken pox.....aaaarrrgh! Just on his way to the out of hours doc with his dad as we speak....

[crumpette]

Wash, please don't feel like you're overreacting if you feel he needs to go back again, just take him. Did they x-ray/ultrasound his chest? Do not feel like you're wasting anyone's time. Calpol can artifically reduce temperature, so be aware of any other symptoms in him and don't apologise for going back if you feel you should. Babies can become acutely unwell very rapidly with pneumonia, rapid breathing is one sign, any skin mottling etc is another concern.
Don't want to be all doom and gloom, just want to reassure you that you did do the right thing taking him back and you shouldn't hesitate if you still have concerns about him. Hope your 2.5yo is OK, and try and get some rest yourself.