To hassle the doctor for appointment re ds cough

[ChloesFurball]

Took 20 mins to get through to surgery, had to insist. DS has had a hacking cough for 2 days, otherwise seems ok, temp normal, off food a bit. Got told they were very busy, however I insisted. Last time I waited 45 mins after my appointment time to see doc. All that with a bored 2 year old.

Interesting. Can see how it is easy to panic about these things, especially if its your first kid. Do think some people on here are being a bit sanctimonious and holier than thou. Yes I agree that it may have been a bit hasty but who hasn't been a bit worried sometimes. Amazin how some posters on this area of the site just jump in with their size tens. Expect to get a slating for this post but i don't really care.

mummytime earache is different, it's one of the magic words that will get you an emergency appointment at our GP's surgery. Last year I had an earache and kept putting off going to the doctor as "it will clear up on its own." It didn't clear up, the eardrum perforated and I now have a slight loss of hearing in that ear. I've learnt my lesson.

Am v interested to read the Vicks on feet tip. Will try that.

My two have had horrid coughs for about a month now. Toddler is coughing so much overnight that she vomits. Baby is waking herself up coughing. I sympathise OP, it's a nightmare. But I'm afraid I agree with the others that if it's just a cough, no need for emergency gp app.

My tip is to either put a bowl of water under the radiator or a wet towel on the radiator in the baby's bedroom.

Hope your DS feels better soon.

My seven month old PFB has had a hacking cough, waking up at night with occasional gagging/vomiting when really hacking for TEN WEEKS. Doctor says it's nothing.

YABU.

I took my DS after 5 days of being lethargic, with a fever and a hacking cough. Even then I asked the receptionist if she thought we needed to go in and she said the doctor would call first to see if she could give over the phone advice.

She wanted to see us urgently (because of the constant sleeping in a child who needs medicine to get an hours sleep a night) . Checked him over, said it was a virus, he woke up the next day right as rain

If he hasn't got a fever it is likely to just be a bit of a cough. Even if he has symptoms that are very concerning for a GP (like my DS) it's still likely to be nothing

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20767470
Antibiotics are ineffective in treating patients with persistent coughs caused by mild chest infections, the Lancet journal reports

so without doling out antibiotics, what would you be wanting the doctor to do?

TalkinPeace

I was thinking of the same article.

OP for future reference most coughs clear up within 3 weeks whether or not the person has antibiotics.

If you can't get your child's temperature under control with paracetamol /ibuprofen or they are having difficulty breathing then seek help.

Bear in mind that young children have 2-3x more colds per year than adults. (7-10 v 2-5)

febrile convulsions are generally treated by waiting nowadays - unless there are other known factors

I took my ds to the gp with a hacking cough. He was given antibiotics for a chest infection.

Surely he would have a temp if he had an infection?

Annakin I agree with you. Some of the old boots that post on this site think they are so it.

Cardsharp

You are making yourself look a bit silly.

The reason most of us wouldn't take a 2 year old with a 2 day cough to the Dr is because you know from your own experience that 2 days is too soon to tell if the cough will clear up.

Annakin I don't think you can say your baby was one degree off a febrile seizure just that they were one degree off the risk of a febrile seizure and having an unwell 6 month old is horrible. DS1 was admitted to hospital at 7 months, he was off colour but the main problem was we couldn't keep his temperature down, even with paracetamol it was spiking over 40C. He spent 4 days in hospital but didn't have a single seizure despite such a high temp. The same with DS2 who had chronic tonsillitis every 6 weeks or so, very high temps, vomiting etc but no seizures. Some children have seizures when they are very hot and some don't.

Re this Vicks on feet thing: our generic Vicks-type stuff says for 6yrs and over, is the branded stuff ok for a 20mo? Would this cheaper stuff be ok on his feet?

(it's in the same category in my mind as amber teething necklaces at the moment, but I'd be very happy to be proven wrong!)

OP, I'm not going to tell you are you BU because I think that's already been said. But what I will say is this: every single cough and cold your child gets is good - it helps him develop an immune system. If your body did not react and learn what to do with these bugs you would actually die. Don't fear coughs and colds, welcome them, they are part of your child becoming stronger (if a little stickier temporarily). Rushing off to the doctors will only bring him into contact with different germs, which may be a good thing long term but will not be fun over christmas if he gets noro.

Annakin your child was a degree away from a risk of convulsions.
I am not long back from A&E (DD fell on the way home from school and broke her wrist) and I got talking to a woman there whose DS had a cough and felt sick. She didn't want him to be ill for the church concert as he had a solo to sing. Thankfully my DD was seen before him. I would have been quite pissed off if my child was left in pain whilst he was seen.

UnderwaterBasketWeaving I have the boots version of vicks and it says it is suitable from 3 months.

Febrile convulsions are caused by a sudden rise in temperate not by it reaching a certain level.

Oh I've seen it all now.

You don't take a child to the GP after 2 days with a cough unless they're really poorly with it.

You've probably picked up all sorts, you daft sod.

To lighten the tone a little - when I was a new mum, DS1 was about 6months old & wouldn't stop screaming- rigid tummy, pulling his legs up, nothing was working to alleviate it. We were really worried ( I thought he had a twisted bowel or something), so contacted the out of hours doc (in the days before NHS 24 nightmare) .
On the journey in he let out the most almighty fart and was instantly better! We arrived at the clinic rather red faced.

bubbles

DS2 had a party trick, he would be miserable because of his tonsils, so you would pick him up to give him a cuddle and he would choose that exact moment to vomit. He got me & DH quite a few times (you'd think we'd learn) he even managed to get one of my SIL.

I did manage to spot the warning signs after a while and used to point him quickly in the other direction and scrub up the mess later.

• Happy memories

Sorry to go against the general consensus but I would take my 18 month old to the walk in centre (can never get a gp appointment) if he had a hacking cough for a couple of days because he has been admitted to hospital 8 times this year with viral wheezes and needed nebulisers. I don't know whether he has a weak chest or has just been unlucky but he goes down hill very quickly. It's scary to see. He's also had frequent chest infections and needed antibiotics.

But the guidance now is to avoid giving antibiotics for chest infections ....
and if its a virus, antibiotics are an irrelevance

so my question would be
What do you want the doctor to do?
As a prescription may not be in anybody's interests / possible

Dinosaurs
YANBU because you have previous experience that in your son's case a cough has more serious consequences. As the OP's son is 2 I am sure this isn't the first cough he has had so the OP would know if it was likely to cause further problems.

cardsharp erm, this is AIBU, we are entitled to express our opinions on the OPs situation, doesn't mean we think we are "all it" and you have no idea of our ages, circumstances, children, experience etc so "old boots" is also inappropriate I think.