to take my baby to hospital tonight

[monkeyandlion2012]

He'd had breathing problems since birth ( chest retractions/grunting/blue spells and nose flareing. ) and today he's been sleeping lots and poor feeding on top of his usual problems..the hospital says to take him up he's blue no blue speeds today fortunately so aibu

[fatandold]

for OP.

It's scary dealing with an unknown condition. As people are saying, keep on fighting for him, don't take no for an answer, and you'll get the diagnosis, treatment and reassurance eventually. And yy, use PALS if you need to. The NHS hate complaints.

Best of luck.

[EllsTeeth]

OP the paediatrician told me (and I confirmed with a literature search) that reflux and gagging often goes hand in hand with breathing difficulties in laryngomalacia. And the breathing difficulties can come and go - it can be affected by your baby's position. The paed told me that you need an endoscopy to diagnose laryngomalacia. It is worth mentioning when you see a paediatrician. Your son sounds like he's got all the symptoms. Please keep pushing for a diagnosis and don't be fobbed off. I videod my son when he was struggling to breathe and played this back to physicians which was helpful. Good luck.

[NicknameUsed]

Ellsteeth is correct. Your baby needs and endoscopy.

DD didn't have reflux, but she had all the other breathing issues that you describe.

Fortunately we had an extremely competent GP who realised the issue was airway related and when he had DD admitted to hospital for the second time he insisted that she was seen by ENT. Fortunately again, the registrar's theory about what was wrong with DD was spot on, and an endoscopy confirmed it.

Do you have a children's hospital that you can take your baby to?

We were very lucky that our local children's hospital (Sheffield) specialised in airway issues and DD received the best care she could possibly have had. The ENT consultant was one of the best in the country, second only to the one at Great Ormond Street.

Keep pushing for an endoscopy.

[fatandold]

My baby stopped breathing several times for about 20-30 seconds. Scared me shitless. Turned out was trapped wind pressing on his diaphragm (cows milk allergy, lactose intolerance and reflux caused). Brilliant A and E paediatrician diagnosed it at 8 weeks old, when several gp s had been totally useless and clueless.

[fatandold]

Forgot to add, it always happened when he was on his back. Kept him upright after that. Also a breathing monitor under his mattress saved my sanity.

Maybe you should get gastrointestinal issues checked out too, in case it is that which is indirectly affecting his breathing.

Good luck battling the system

[monkeyandlion2012]

I don't know why an heart scan not been done what I shall ask for one . His ent appointment at the planned investigation unit so hopefully that means a a endoscopy . He's a picture of heath this morning. I don't think I mentioned his growth and development are fine and he's not distressed but his problems

[EllsTeeth]

Mine wasn't distressed either - but I was!! Great that he will get an endoscopy. Hopefully you will soon have a diagnosis. Good luck.

[meddie]

Just be aware that they may not do an endoscopy at the first ENT appointment as this is usually done under anaesthetic so he would need to be Nil by mouth for this. So dont get your hopes up. but please make sure you emphasise the grunting, chest recession and nostril flaring, these are all signs of a baby having breathing difficulties.
If it is malacia (just another word for floppy) in any of his airways, the majority grow out of this as the cartilage rings in their airways harden up as they grow so the airways cant collapse as easily
If you have no diagnosis from ENT you also need to have and feeding issues such as reflux sorted as this can also cause stomach secretions to enter his airways which can cause breathing problems.
Good luck with your appointment

[NicknameUsed]

"Just be aware that they may not do an endoscopy at the first ENT appointment as this is usually done under anaesthetic so he would need to be Nil by mouth for this. So dont get your hopes up. but please make sure you emphasise the grunting, chest recession and nostril flaring, these are all signs of a baby having breathing difficulties. "

This ^^. If they decide an endoscopy is required your son will be referred for one under GA.

Please reiterate the breathing difficulties. If you can't remember all the symptoms write them down. DD also had a barking cough that sounded like croup. This is typical of a narrowed airway.