What is up with my poor baby?

[User57892]

My baby is not well. He has a slight temperature, which has responded to calpol. He’s utterly inconsolable. I can feed him to sleep for a few minutes then he wakes up in huge distress, crying and arching his back away from me, thrashing about, scratching at me, refusing the breast for ages until he caves and feeds to sleep again. It’s so hard to see him so upset.

Does this sound like teething? Or something more serious?

How old is he OP?

When in doubt call the doctor.

I’m not in the UK but where I am our pediatricians office has an out of hours number where I speak with a nurse first who then gets a doctor to call back, does yours?
Or any 24 hour pharmacies you can call?

Ah poor thing. It could be something as simple as teething. How old is he? If he's old enough for Nurofen could you try some of that too (if you have any), I always found that to be a lot more effective than calpol for teething issues.

He’s 6m old. I’ve just sent my husband out to the 24hr Tesco for nurofen because we stupidly didn’t have any in.

Our GP doesn’t have an out of hours number but I could try 111. I might see how he responds to the nurofen then call if he’s no calmer.

(Thank you for your responses. It’s so nice to have calm and reassuring voices in the night)

Is your partner still out? Tell him to ask for anbesol liquid if he can find a 24h pharmacy. Not the gel.

Hi OP, checking in with my poorly 8 month old. Fever and congested, 111 called an ambulance, now we're waiting for a doctor in kids a&e. Feels like overkill to me but i trust the HCPs.

Sounds like yours is teething to me. Liquid anbesol is excellent.

I would see a doctor asap, monitor the fever and drinking/wet naps, administer the teething powder and calpol. If he's constipated, pruneb juice and Vaseline. If it's colic, go outside where it's cooler and try gripe water.

Reflux/colic type issue?

Reflux wouldn’t suddenly develop.

You need to get medical advice. Ring 111, as you have a baby under 12 months you should be given an appointment with a doctor.

@Messyplayallday

When in doubt call the doctor.

I’m not in the UK but where I am our pediatricians office has an out of hours number where I speak with a nurse first who then gets a doctor to call back, does yours?
Or any 24 hour pharmacies you can call?

@messy play - we have the NHS direct service for out of hours issues. For most people they will either get a nurse to call you back and then a dr if needed redirect to a walk in centre. For babies under 12 months pre - covid is always an in person appointment with a doctor within 4 hours.

One other thing to check - have you carefully inspected his fingers and toes. DS was like that once and he had a hair wrapped around his toe.

How is he now?

Thank you so much for the advice everyone. He was the same all night but has settled down now and seems much better. I called nhs24 at 6am and they recommended seeing the GP, so I’m about to call and make an appointment. It seems silly now when he’s much better but he was SO distressed I think it’s still worth him being checked.

Whenever one of mine was like this, it was an ear infection. The doctor will be able to check his ears to rule it in or out.

I hope he feels better soon.

Was about to suggest ear infection. Feeding gives some relief but lying and sleeping can be painful.

That’s really useful to know - his ears do look a bit waxy. I’ll ask the gp to check them.

I hope you manage to get an appointment today. I always managed to get a same day appointment for the kids when they were wee so fingers crossed.

Whenever my eldest was like this it was always tonsillitis or an ear infection, something easily diagnosable by a doctor and antibiotics started to work super quick.

You mentioned he is 6 months. The only other thing that came to mind was have you recently started weaning and could it be something nee he’s had a reaction to? Arching back often means tummy troubles but agree with others that reflux wouldn’t suddenly come on.

Hope he feels better soon.

@User57892

That’s really useful to know - his ears do look a bit waxy. I’ll ask the gp to check them.

How is he today? x