...to let you know about persistent bacterial bronchitis in kids?

[Rainatnight]

DD (nearly 2) has had a wet cough for about six months. I went to the doctor repeatedly and was told it was just one of those things. Then a new doctor referred her for an X-ray, which was clear. I nagged again that something still wasn't right cos she still had this awful cough, to the point that passers by were commenting. The GP rang the paediatrics team in the hospital who said it might be persistent bacterial bronchitis, and to prescribe her a two week course of antibiotics.

We're 6 days into that course and the cough is nearly all gone.

I feel terrible that DD's had this for basically a quarter of her life, and that it took so much pushing to get the GPs to take it seriously.

I totally get the need to restrict antibiotics to avoid super bugs and so on, and I'm usually pretty obedient about all that stuff. But I think I'll be a lot pushier in future.

Some googling has shown me that it's often misdiagnosed as asthma, leading to inappropriate treatment. So I thought I'd spread the word.

Bump for the evening crowd.

I'd always be more pushy now with DS2 after DS1 had pneumonia, missed by 3 doctors.
Hope your DD is all better soon.

Holy moly, that's awful!

The change in her has been really dramatic.

My son had something similar (bronchiolitis) we were given a (mucus dissolving) inhaler in the end...worked a treat. Its really sad how much you have to push to get something done...My youngest DS was coughing for almost 3 weeks and it was the second time it had happened (first time I was told he had reflux and to feed him that extra hungry milk but It didn't make sense to me and neither did I beleive an 8 month old could suddenly develop reflux and that particular G.P tried convincing me my child had reflux issues all along. I wasnt sure so got another appt took baby in with high temp wheezing etc and was only given reflux meds by the time I got a 3rd opinion he had a pretty bad infection set in and was put on Anti biotics. The last time it happened I was sent by G.Ps back and forth to A&E with two other kids in tow (one has adhd/asd so yep really fun!) Went back to G.P after another week of symptoms getting worse (lo was not taking fluids) A different doctor gave me the inhaler and after his first night of using it everything was fine. I was so peed off as all the stress could have been avoided if they had given it sooner.

It wouldn't surprise me if this is what my DD had at that age. This time last year she'd been coughing since November. The doctors said similar, just one of those things. Gave her an inhaler in case it was asthma but it didn't help. She eventually got given antibiotics and it cleared up, but like your DD it was 6 months before this point. The doctor didn't seem to think it was a cause for concern. It was so frustrating.

My child had 5 hospital admissions last year with supposed asthma, which is not diagnosed until 5 apparently, and I do wonder if actually he had this. How is it diagnosed ?

Also, DD had had bronchiolitis as a baby, quite seriously, was hospitalised, and even with this history, a persistent cough for 6 months didn't seem to worry the doctor.

Awful

Have you considered it could be Asthma? It is especially problematic this time of the year. Also pollen can make a difference.

Interesting thanks.

It's not just kids. I've had a chest infection or pneumonia for past 6 month! So fed up of feeling rubbish!

Don't feel guilty. It's hard enough getting doctors to listen when you're an adult, they expect kids to get colds so they ignore them.

Janice I think if they can get a sample, they can test it, but otherwise, the diagnosis seems to be hit and miss. The hospital apparently told the GP to treat it 'as if' it were PPB, as trying the antibiotics is the only way to tell for sure. Which sort of just reinforces the point that they should have just given them to her sooner.

TheRoad that does sound likely. Sorry your DD's been so poorly.

Linzey, that's the thing, they can assume it's asthma but it's just an infection. She's totally fine now.

Thanks, Sandinshoes, that makes me feel a bit better! Sorry you've been so I'll.

ill, not I'll!

Also...a particularly bad case of bronchiolosis is linked to a greater likelihood of developing asthma. I think that’s maybe what happened with us. It was the big trigger.

Oh that's interesting.