Just bad luck or something to be concerned about?

[Ringadingdingdong]

16mth old DS seems to have had one infection after another. In a 6 month period he's had 2 chest infections (close together), throat infection, 2 ear infections and a UTI. An ear infection and UTI were about 2 weeks apart.

He now seems like he's coming down with something else and I'm going back to the doctors later. He finished antibiotics for the UTI about 2 weeks ago.

His chest has remained rattly since the chest infections. They have said that this could be asthma but he's too young to tell.

After the UTI I was starting to feel concerned. The trouble is I rarely see the same doctor. The last time I took him was a follow up for the UTI and I asked if there was any chance there could be an underlying problem. She thought not and it is just one of those things. I feel like we're on a bit of a conveyor belt at the surgery. I don't want to knock the NHS as I'm extremely grateful we have access to it and I know doctors are under pressure. But is isn't like the old days when one doctor got to know a patient and might be more likely to pick up on a problem.

He goes to nursery so I realise they will pick stuff up, but his older brother also goes and doesn't get ill like this.

I don't know if I'm being a worry wart but I'm starting to wonder if I should insist he's thoroughly checked over i.e. have blood tests, check his white blood cell count etc.

I guess I'm posting to find out what others think - if this was your DC would you be concerned?

[IwillrunIwillfly]

Its common for them to catch loads of bugs at that age, but not to have recurrant utis. Did they send away a urine sample to confirm that it was definately a uti and what antibiotics it was sensitive to? If they did and hes had 2 then he should prob be refered to paediatrics to rule out an underlying problem in his urinary tract. If they just treated based on the symptoms or based on a dipstick of the urine, then i'd insist they sent a sample off for confirmation for they treated him with more antibiotics.

[Luckymummy22]

Don't know if it's bad luck but we're going through the same here.
My 21 months old has had virus after virus for about a year. Started in September, he then started nursery in November & it's not stopped since then.
In the last 3 1/2 months we'be has 5 doses of antibiotics.
It started with a bad eye infection caused by his sinuses, then ear infection, eye infection again, chest infection & then UTI.
2 weeks ago he was on antibiotics for crackly chest. Last weekend we were at out of hours for pain when peeing. White blood cells in urine so treated for UTI (also pretty pink ear).
Finished antibiotics on Monday. At Dr yesterday morning for sore willy. Says it thrusH. He was also sick yesterday morning.
But last night he started being sick again & still being sick today. So is it a stomach bug - who knows. He can often be sick & it's maybe his throat of ear etc.
But Dr's just say oh well he goes to nursery. I think the issue is his sinuses. But thoroughly fed up as this is not normal. My daughter was nowhere near as Ill

[Ringadingdingdong]

Thanks for your replies.

I took him back to the doctor's on Thursday and they said no sign of infection. However my mum had him on Friday and he became quite poorly whilst there so she rushed him over to docs and he's now got more antibiotics for his chest.

They are now referring him to local hospital to have a thorough check up.

Lucky if he's had two UTI'S they should be referring your DS too. Uncommon for little boys to get them. Please insist they refer him to get checked out.

It may be just bad luck but I feel happier knowing he's going to get checked out.

[Ringadingdingdong]

In reply to query about UTI they sent sample off but results didn't pinpoint what type of infection. They said urine contained white blood cells.

[Luckymummy22]

Well it seeks like our sickness has not been a sickness bug. But another ear infection - after getting told on Tyes day his ear was fine we now have a very red ear. I'm thinking that's more likely to have been issue last weekend than UTI although doesn't explain issue peeing.
So now on antibiotics round 6 since middle of May!

[Ringadingdingdong]

Your poor DS, I hope he's feeling much brighter soon.

Sounds like he might have some sort of ENT issue.

I'm not sure at one point they'll refer unless you outright insist on it. I remember being sent to the ENT specialist as a kid and I don't think I'd had as many infections as our two DS

[IwillrunIwillfly]

They can tell there's white cells in the urine from a microscopy, where they basically run it through a machine that looks at it under a microscope. It gives a good indication if there's infection but its not confirmation. The only way to tell for certain if there is a bacterial infection if to culture it, where its sent to the labs and they can then identify what infection there is (e.g e.coli) and what antibiotics its sensitive to. Obviously this costs more money so understandable why they dont send every sample, but in the case of possible recurrent uti's its important that they identify that there is an infection and that its being treated with the right antibiotic. Good practice would be to check a sample after completing the antibiotics to make sure that its now clear.