Would you go to the doctors / get anti-biotics for his?

[AllTheNameAreTakenEvenThisOne]

Both 10yo DS and I have a cold, he's had it since Monday, I just got it yesterday.

DS had a day off school on Monday but was well enough to go back Tuesday.

I feel yucky but I'm not exactly at deaths door.

DS is wheezing, sniffly and has a cough but otherwise himself and bouncing about as usual. DP says I was wheezing in my sleep last night.

We're not agreeing what to do.

Should DS and/or I go to the doctors?

As it seems to be a chest infection / we're wheezing, does that mean we need the doctor / anti-biotics?
Or do we not need them because it doesn't seem all that bad?

You're not at death's door and DS is bouncing around.

No. You don't need antibiotics, but a trip to OOHs for viral wheeze might be in order.

A wheeze is not necessarily a chest infection. If you are coughing up green phlegm that may indicate a chest infection.

Wheezing can be brought on by a virus for which antibiotics would be no use whatsoever. I don't think I'd be rushing to the doctors from what you describe unless either of you is struggling to breathe and then I'd be ringing 111 for an opinion.

I'd get it checked out. I had a cough a few years ago that I left as I didn't feel too bad. It turned out to be pneumonia. My son also had what we thought was just a cough and cold as he seemed OK, eventually it took two course of antibiotics to get rid of it. It's always best to get it checked, some children do seem to just carry on even they are poorly.

Antibiotics only work against bacterial infection not against a virus. I would maybe go to docs if wheeze was bad though as might need an inhaler to help with that. But generally I wouldn't go to the doctors for a cold as nothing they can do anyway.

I haven't got any phlegm coming up. DS says he has but not sure what colour it is. He can't be coughing up much phlegm as we've been in the same place most of today and I haven't seen him do it.

I had a cough a few years ago that I left as I didn't feel too bad. It turned out to be pneumonia

At what point did you realise it was pneumonia? (Or, bad enough to need to be checked out?)

No not necessary to see a GP unless you become more unwell

DS started wheezing last night. He was watching YouTube using his headphones and I thought he was laughing along to it at first. Then realised he was wheezing.

I'm not wheezing much at all, but DP says I was wheezing loads in my sleep.

DS on the other hand is wheezing quite a bit.

There is an OOH down the road I could take DS to.

DP will be away with the car for 4 days from tomorrow, so if we're going to take him to OOH, today would be the day.

My Doctors is open weekends, I could take him there tomorrow.

FWIW, it was me saying we didn't need to go to the Drs and DP saying we needed anti-biotics as wheezing could and up being pheumonia.

I'm not going to do to the Drs I don't think I need it. But I'm now wondering if I need to take DS's wheezing more seriously.

The wheeze doesn't sound good. Maybe a 111 call?

At what point did you realise it was pneumonia? (Or, bad enough to need to be checked out?)

I only went to GP as we had a holiday coming up and I'd had the cough/cold for about 10 days without any improvement. I thought if it was a chest infection I should get it treated before going away. At the point I seen the GP I felt under the weather, but not awful. I got a lot worse over the next couple of days and the doctor said to never leave a cough that long again. I seem to get a chest infection every year now where as if only ever had one or two before.

Hopefully it's nothing and you are both fine, I just tend to be cautious now.

Goodness, I have a persistent cough every time I get a cold! (Have done since I was a child).

It’s doesn’t sound like you have any symptoms of a bacterial infection. You might want to go if you have concerns about your breathing but I doubt you’d be prescribed antibiotics.

doctor said to never leave a cough that long again

NHS guidelines are you shouldn’t need to visit a GP I’ve you’ve had it less than 3 weeks (other factors aside)

I was told wheezing isn't what to worry about-it's squeaking that's the worry.

When dd1 had very bad pneumonia she had no cough, no wheeze, nothing you would expect. She had a sore shoulder only, and a very mild temperature one night.

Goodness I'm confused now!

I think I'm going to see how he is and maybe call 111 later.

Or maybe not. Really not sure!

Pop to your pharmacy and the pharmacist with either advise over the counter medicine or to see a gp. Pharmacists are perfect for this kind of thing!

The human body is quite capable of getting rid of illness like colds and wheeze in people who are generally fit and well.
Its a few days of feeling rubbish and then you move on.
Antibiotics are for when you can't beat an illness or infection or are deemed at high risk.
I don't think either of you sound like you need antibiotics, and we are going to be in big trouble if we don't really try to reduce our use of them.
Obviously if you become more unwell then you reassess.
Just a reminder too that it is the medical professionals not the patients who decide when you get them.
Hope you guys feel better soon, colds are crap.

I agree that pharmacists are not used enough!

NHS guidelines are you shouldn’t need to visit a GP I’ve you’ve had it less than 3 weeks (other factors aside) confused

That's what I thought when he said it. At the time I got pneumonia I didn't have any other health problems which would mean I was high risk. I was very glad I went when I did though.

OP, I would just go and get it checked. It will save you worrying and they will only give antibiotics if necessary.

If your DP is going to be away with the car for a few days, I'd see a pharmacist or call 111. You can then get sorted with OOH over the weekend if needed while both your DP and the car are here.