Coughing- at what point do I get a second opinion

[kenobi]

Hi all,
My 11-month-old DD has been coughing at night for about 3 weeks. In the last 2 days she has started coughing during the day a little bit. It is a chesty, phlegmy cough and sounds pretty yucky, but she is on good form and does not seem that worried by it.
We took her to the doc about a week ago and she said that her lungs were clear and she's in good health, and that coughs do just drag on in babies. But how long should I expect this cough to last? And should I go back again if it seems like it's getting worse?
I'm loath to drag her to the doc's again if this is normal, as I have to wait for ages, she gets very restless, and it's filled with sick people (!) but on the other hand it feels like she's been coughing forever and it is increasing in frequency.
Could you lovely experienced ladies let me know what you think I should do?!

[highlighterpen]

Hi,
Not all that experienced till recently I have 14 month old twins.

Recently, DT2 had a terrible cough and cold. However, he was very unhappy with it and also had a raging temperature (103-104). Despite initially being told 'just a cold' we went back a couple of times - the third time we saw someone different and it turned out he had pneumonia he was in hospital on IV antibiotics and oxygen for 3 days - but is fully recovered now.

I think their mood and their temperature is key. If she seems happy, I think she is probably OK. My little boy just cried and moaned all day so I knew he wasn't right.

I think it is true that coughs do drag on a bit in littlies. We have chocked up the head end of their cots by 4 or 5 inches too to try to relieve the coughing at night. Calpol also seems to real help them sleep better - I wonder if they have a sore throat after all the coughing.

Hope that is of some use - and hope DD gets better soon.

[BelleDeChocChipCookieMonster]

I'd take her back. I was moaned at bu my GP for leaving ds with a cough for 3 weeks.

[trianera]

My 15 month old DS has had a cough similar to what your DD's sounds like for about 6 weeks now. A couple of weeks ago he went for an x-ray which showed nothing on the lungs except phlegm but he was given antibiotics which he took for a week. They got rid of the cough but two days after he'd finished the course it came back. Now he's on some kind of asthma medicine which also seems to be helping a bit but I'm a bit worried about him taking all these different meds.

Not much help really but maybe the doc's right and they just take a long time to go in babies. We see a paediatrician not a GP (I'm in Spain) and I feel she just keeps handing out meds to shut me up, but which i feel I have to give him. If these don't work I'm just going to leave it I think. I know when I get a cough it's always very chesty and lasts for ages so maybe he's the same?

Let us know what you decide and how DD gets on.

[kenobi]

Thanks so much guys. I'm going to discuss it with DH tonight and if she doesn't improve over the w/e take her in.
I really don't want antibiotics though - last time she got ill she got an infection in her nipple as a result of her immune system being run down (it very odd and unpleasant) and was given antis, and although she needed them, they completely destroyed her stomach.

[kenobi]

Hi all,

We took her to the doc on Wed who said that she had a secondary bacterial infection because she never fully recovered from her a previous (and quite nasty) cold. I'm really glad I took her and trusted your instincts!
She is on the dreaded antibiotics and seems much perkier.

Thanks again everyone.

[dikkertjedap]

Good you went! You can get powder (I think it is called acidophilus or other probiotic powders specially for infants on anti-biotics. You might even be able to get it over the internet (we had them prescribed but they are over the counter, ours were I think made by DECT from memory). I have just been diagnosed with severy chest infection and am on really powerful antibiotics now, I have seen 3 doctors in the last 3 days ... I have had the same experience with dd, I think that quite a few doctors simply do not know how to listen to a chest ..., same with ears .... So, I believe if in doubt see another doctor, and yes they might find it annoying, but your or your child's health is at stake. GP once missed DH symptoms and he ended up with severe pneumonia in hospital for weeks and weeks ...
I have been told in the past that it is really important to space your anti-biotics over the 24 hours so at regular intervals, setting alarm and wake dc up if necessary.
Hope she gets better soon.