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Original poster

DS ill on holiday - when to seek help?

54 replies

whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 06:33

We're away on a family holiday in the UK.

DS was off from school 3 weeks ago feeling generally unwell - temperature, sore throat and a cough. We all had it.

Although he seemed to get better at first like the rest of us, his cough hasn't gone and I was worried enough about it to call the doctor about 10 days ago as it seemed really chesty. We could only get a phone appointment though, the doctor said not to worry and if he was still coughing in 2 weeks to bring him in.

On holiday his cough has got worse. He's coughing in the night and kind of whooping - he's waking up and struggling to breath. It's horrible to see (and for him of course!).

A family member with us who used to work as a nurse has given him one of her asthma pumps to use when he's struggling to breath, which did seem to help on the first night he had it. He says he's generally feeling unwell, (although he doesn't look that unwell from the outside, no temperature and he's up and about).

I had planned to take him to the doctor as soon as we get home on Tuesday but should I be acting quicker than that? He can take it easy here just as much as if he was at home.

He's had covid jabs (a while back), his whooping cough jab and us up to date with all other jabs. I did test him for covid when he was first ill but only the once so not 100% reliable I guess. We're a 6+ hour journey from home and don't have the car with us, we came by train.

WWYD?

OP posts:
Original poster
whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 06:33

DS is 14, btw.

OP posts:
TimeSlipMushroom · 29/07/2023 06:35

Tuesday is 3 days away and your child is whooping and having breathing issues.
Phone 111 and get him seen where you are

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 29/07/2023 06:36

I would be getting him seen today if he's struggling to breathe.

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Original poster
whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 06:38

He's not struggling to breath in the day, it's just at night he's whooping.

I'll call 111 once he's up though.

OP posts:
Roselilly36 · 29/07/2023 06:38

Call 111, they will arrange for him to be assessed. Don’t wait the sooner your son can be treated the better. I hope he’s better soon.

Disabledmomma · 29/07/2023 06:39

I’d find an out of hours clinic or if he’s not able to talk properly whilst coughing -go to A&E

Lindy2 · 29/07/2023 06:39

You can go to a local GP and ask if you can be seen. We had to do this for DD a few years ago on holiday. We registered as a temporary patient and she was given an appointment for the next morning. It was pre Covid though so easier to get appointments then.

If it's a tourist area they will be used to seeing temporary patients.

I had whooping cough as a teenager despite being vaccinated. It is possible to still get it but it will be milder because of having some vaccine protection.

YukoandHiro · 29/07/2023 06:41

I would get him see . Children (even teenagers) at v good at masking severe breathing issues. A few times my DD has been to hospital I've been on the cusp of whether she really needs to go but when I've got there her oxygen saturation has been low

Poppins2016 · 29/07/2023 06:42

If you'd get him seen at home, get him seen on holiday. Call 111 - they'll be able to book you into the nearest appropriate treatment centre.

fedupallthisrubbish · 29/07/2023 06:45

Check if there is a walk in centre close by - get up early and be the first ones in line - generally open at 8.

Alternatively buy a private Gp appointment if you don't want to wait - £100
Ish

If not I'd go to children's a and e - can't mess around with breathing.

111 has always been useless for us

Good luck.

fedupallthisrubbish · 29/07/2023 06:46

You need to do something today.

The nurse shouldn't be giving out her meds either .....

LIZS · 29/07/2023 06:52

If you are in uk you could try a pharmacy or ask 111 to locate an out of hours gp appointment today. He may have a chest infection needing abs.

Original poster
whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 06:57

fedupallthisrubbish · 29/07/2023 06:45

Check if there is a walk in centre close by - get up early and be the first ones in line - generally open at 8.

Alternatively buy a private Gp appointment if you don't want to wait - £100
Ish

If not I'd go to children's a and e - can't mess around with breathing.

111 has always been useless for us

Good luck.

Oh, I think I have some kind of private GP appointments through my work. I've never used it. It's not BUPA, it's done kind of online access to doctors scheme.

Do you think this might be better to try than 111?

OP posts:
LIZS · 29/07/2023 06:59

Probably better if he is seen in person via 111, bupa tends to be virtual.

Barleycat · 29/07/2023 07:02

Sounds like whooping cough, my teens have both had it recently, whooping starts around week 3. Both still coughing 6 and 8 weeks later. Both were vaccinatd. Summer is peak season for it and teens are second most likely to get it after v young children. You're not from South London are you?

Original poster
whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 07:03

Google tells me there's a 24 hour minor injuries unit in the local town and it has a phone number.

Do you reckon that or 111 is best in the first instance?

DS is fast asleep now, btw. I'm not going to take him anywhere till he's woken up.

OP posts:
Original poster
whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 07:04

Barleycat · 29/07/2023 07:02

Sounds like whooping cough, my teens have both had it recently, whooping starts around week 3. Both still coughing 6 and 8 weeks later. Both were vaccinatd. Summer is peak season for it and teens are second most likely to get it after v young children. You're not from South London are you?

No, but we're from the South East, about an hour out of London.

OP posts:
RuthTopp · 29/07/2023 07:05

Phone 111 , a local hosp / dr might call you back or prescribe something for him.
Also could you add an extra pillow to prop him up as usually that helps coughing at night.
Could the room he's sleeping in be dusty / triggering allergy / different washing powder on bed linen etc ?

Original poster
whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 07:05

How were your DC treated for the whooping cough?

Will he still be infectious at 3 weeks? If so I guess we shouldn't really be going out and about, although the train home can't really be avoided.

OP posts:
Barleycat · 29/07/2023 07:05

Our gp was rubbish,, would not confirm whooping cough despite son whooping in surgery and text book symptoms and disease progress. There's v specific antibiotics you need, if taken within 3 weeks they will reduce symptoms and infectivity but won't get rid of it. Both my sons ended up in a and e at different times due to choking on the phlegm when they whooped but even then it was just attributed to asthma.

Wishingforthesunn · 29/07/2023 07:05

Sounds like it could be whooping cough, I had it as a child (vaccines up to date) and it was miserable.
Also could possibly be asthma if it's just of a night , does he get heyfever?

RuthTopp · 29/07/2023 07:07

Also thought re allergy - Does he have a pet fur allergy , possibly room he's in had previous animal in there ?

Knackeredhamster · 29/07/2023 07:07

111 is best imo.

Our minor injuries in a rural touristy town isn't manned by a GP at weekends.

Yours might be better ?
Or is there an out of hours doctor service linked to nearest surgery.

Original poster
whereismysleep · 29/07/2023 07:08

Wishingforthesunn · 29/07/2023 07:05

Sounds like it could be whooping cough, I had it as a child (vaccines up to date) and it was miserable.
Also could possibly be asthma if it's just of a night , does he get heyfever?

I really hoping it isn't asthma, but it's certainly a worry that it could be. Especially as the inhaler seemed to help so much the first night.

He doesn't have hay fever.

OP posts:
Barleycat · 29/07/2023 07:09

You stop being infectious after 3 weeks. Incubation period can be up to three weeks but usually less, neither me nor my ex husband caught it bit both boys infected at least one friend before we knew what it was as both just had coughs initially and were diagnosed with chest infections. My younger son was carrying round a bucket at home for two weeks as was coughing up so much, I've never seen anything like it, both were fine between coughing bouts. Coughing can last up to 12 weeks but lessens in severity.