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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

7m baby, awful cough, and doctors are useless

26 replies

brains · 01/09/2006 19:00

Our 7 month old boy has had a cold for a couple of weeks, it has developed into a really awful cough, it comes on mainly at night when he coughs so much he is sick.
He ends up in tears and really upset and very red in the face and it is so upsetting for us.In the day he gets maybe two or three big bursts of it but nothing in between. We have looked online and I am terrified it is whooping cough.
We took him to the GP yesterday and he was awful, he said he can't hear anything on his chest and that he is coughing for attention and sent us away. I felt like crying as it isn't at all, the poor boy has barely slept, is red around his eyes and pale, and the cough seems to be getting worse.
Would it be bad to take him to a&e over this, or am I overreacting?

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liquidclocks · 01/09/2006 19:05

might be croup, take him to a&e tonight. It gets worse at night because the body naturally produces less of it's own steroids at night which means the cough gets worse. Treatment is a few nights of steroids (orally). But DO take him - untreated apart from being upset you run the risk of it developing into a more serious infection like pneumonia - sorry, don't want to scare you but this happened to my little boy when he was 18 months. No harm in checking it out and getting medical advice wheras you'd kick yourself if you don't go and it gets worse.

liquidclocks · 01/09/2006 19:06

btw croup is similar to whooping cough - sounds like a seal bark but reardless of what you think go get him checked over (before the friday night drunks start rolling in!)

QueenPeaHead · 01/09/2006 19:06

coughing for attention? a 7 mth old? god some doctors make me mad. take him to a&e, I agree with liquidclocks.

liquidclocks · 01/09/2006 19:09

The doctor who saw DS in our A&E says they don't learn to cough for attention until they're at least 3 and even then you can tell the difference between real and fake.

Mercy · 01/09/2006 19:10

Coughing for attention

I would phone NHS direct or your out-of hours GP service to get a second opinion. Or as LC says, go to A&E if no joy there.

Poor baby. Hope he gets better soon.

brains · 01/09/2006 19:13

Thanks I just needed the reassurance i wouldn't fell like I was wasting their time.I'll call a cab now, I just need to wait for OH to get home.
This same doctor when I went to say I was pregnant and wanted to get booked in took a look up and down and said 'abortions are against my beliefs so don't come here if thats what you want' I was stunned and ended up booking myself in at the hospital.
If only we could change gp.s, I had the best doctor as a child and would hate if we are stuck with this horrid man whenever my son gets ill.

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brains · 01/09/2006 19:14

Coughing for attention? i know that was an awful thing to say, he is not sleeping at all because of it and I havent slept as i'm sitting him up all night and rubbing his back whenever he coughs.

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Mercy · 01/09/2006 19:15

Brains, report your GP to PALS asap.

Comments like that are totally unacceptable.

JessaJam · 01/09/2006 19:17

I would complain to the practice manager about that abortion comment...it's not up to him what services he offers (unless it is a private GP?).

Ds is one and can cough on demand (will mimic a cough iykwim) but not coughing for attention and certainly not to the point of crying/retching.

It may be just a nasty cough, but it's better to be safe and reassured than panicky and stressed.

brains · 01/09/2006 19:17

he didnt cough once at the surgery beacuase he doesnt often in the day and fresh air helps too so i was made to feel like a timewaster. I am very angry and my oh is too.

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liquidclocks · 01/09/2006 19:18

OMG you NEED to change GPs when you can - you could've reported him for that

I should imaggine that regardless of the diagnosis your A&E department will give something to your son to soothe him and be able to give you some helpful advice. When you're home tilting the cot slightly (prop upon a few books) so DS's head is higher will help him breathe better.

is your DS grunting at all or does it look like his skin is pulling in below his ribs/at the base of his neck at the front?

JessaJam · 01/09/2006 19:19

Night coughing sometimes happens when they are a bit congested and they get 'dribbles' of mucus irritating their throat.

It is typical of a baby not to 'perform'!

brains · 01/09/2006 19:20

gps can refuse to offer advice or referall on abortion on moral or religious grounds,i looked it up on google after he said this to me, god help some poor helpless teen who goes there and gets that kind of comment though.

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trinityrhino · 01/09/2006 19:20

coughing for attention, what a ludicrous thing to say, I would do as mercy says.

if you really are worried I would take him to a&e but they can just have a cough and it can be awful.
If the go hadn't said such a pthetically stupid thing I would listen to what he said about there neing nothing to hear on his chest but as he a such an utter twat I would go and get a second opinion.

tissy · 01/09/2006 19:22

actually, he is allowed not to refer patients for termination ( and to refuse to prescribe contraception) if that is against his beliefs, but he could have put it in a more patient-friendly manner

JessaJam · 01/09/2006 19:22

But he should have said 'that' shouldn't he...he should have said "Just so you are aware, I don't offer advice or make referrals regarding terminations, so if you need to see a different GP instead, just let the receptionist know" or whatever....

anyway...agree, if you don't feel confident in his opinion, get a second one!

brains · 01/09/2006 19:23

we can't change, we are in an area where population outstrips gp's capacity, it's funny what you say though jessajam bout 'not performing', at 4 months we took him to out of hours surgery with a really high temp and non stop crying and by the time we got there he was fine and smiling at the doctor.

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brains · 01/09/2006 19:24

oh sorry for saying the a word, i know it's coarse, but thats what he said which is shocking for a health proffesional.

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tissy · 01/09/2006 19:25

...and he can only offer services that he is trained for; so, e.g., some GPs can do minor ops, some can't, some do antenatal care, some don't some can dispense, some can't.

Medulla · 01/09/2006 19:26

DH is a GP and will not refer people for abortion but was horrified to hear your GP's tone! There are ways to say things! As for your poor baby, hope things improve soon but it is reassuring to hear there were no sounds on his chest

JessaJam · 01/09/2006 19:26

I stand ( well sit actually ) corrected

tissy · 01/09/2006 19:26

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liquidclocks · 01/09/2006 19:27

Don't worry brains - better to be aparanoid parent of a living baby than.. well, I'm sure you get it! very pleased I followed this philosophy though recently as me and DS were being blue-lighted to the childrens hospital after a GP (not our usual one) had said he just had a chest infection - he'd actually inhaled a nut and his lung had over inflated fit to bursting and squished all his organs up.

brains · 01/09/2006 19:29

not just that, but it was the first thing he said when I got there and I said was around 6 weeks pregnant , I was expecting 'congratulations' or something as I was delighted about it, but no, and that made the whole appt a bit sour hence i left and called the (fabulous) comm. midwife service.

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brains · 01/09/2006 19:32

oK DH is home, we're going to the private drop in clinic up town, it costs a bit, but better than hours in a & e amongst the drunkards on a friday night.

wish us luck and thanks for you support.
I'll post again to let you know what happened.

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