To keep hounding the GP?

[Gaaaaa]

About my son's breathing.

My son had a bad episode around a year ago where he ended up in hospital on oxygen with levels in the 80s. It was really scary and he was very unwell.

Ever since then he's had a bad chest. Every cold goes on there and he wheezes a lot. He now has both brown and blue inhalers and is basically being treated for asthma although not officially diagnosed as he's only 2.

Anyway, the past week he's been unwell again with bronchiolitis. He was sent to hospital again last week because his o2 levels were 94 but there was increased work of breathing. He was given a nebuliser and steroids and observed for a while.

Since then I've been back to the GP once last week and had the community nurses come out too (our access to them ended yesterday).

He seemed okay over the weekend but took a turn again yesterday and seemed very upset and clingy. This morning he just seems very out of breath. I can hear every breath, it's like he's been on a jog but he's just sat on the sofa with me watching a film. He seems okay in himself in that he isn't upset but he definitely isn't playing and running around like he usually is. He has already had his inhaler which hasn't made any difference.

I've asked for another GP appointment this morning. AIBU to keep mithering them every time he's like this? I don't even know what it is I want them to do but I feel like I can't sit here whilst he's breathing/panting like this and do nothing. I feel like an anxious wreck.

Of course, he's showing breathing issues so you take him back.
It's not hounding them.
I had a kid with a chronic illness. Me and GP got to know each other very well.

Thanks. I just feel like a nuisance when I'm there sometimes. It doesn't help on the occasions when he seems to make a miraculous recovery in their waiting room which has happened once or twice!

Definitely go back, he’s not right.

Perhaps video him when he’s having trouble breathing so you have something to show the doctor.

Thanks yes I've done this, this morning actually!

He's a little bugger, he'll hold his breath if he thinks you're pointing a camera at him! But managed to get one whilst he was distracted.

Maybe record his breathing while it’s bad?
Can you see his tummy pulling in when he breathes? If so he needs urgent attention.

I'm sorry to hear your son is poorly. Has he got a spacer with his inhalers? They get more medication into the lungs than just using an inhaler alone. You're not hounding the GP - your son is only 2 and poorly. I hope you get some answers and he's better soon.

I've got a kid like this who gets breathing problems with every cold and has done since 7 months old (now almost 2). One thing I didn't realise until a recent doctor's visit is that the inhalers can take up to 2 hours to be properly effective. I'd definitely been in the scenario you describe of taking kiddo to the doctor only for them to miraculously recover, and it was because the inhaler finally kicked in while we were in the waiting room! You should definitely, absolutely not worry that you're bothering the doctors, though - breathing problems are not something you want to mess around with, and the doctors would 100% rather see someone out of an abundance of caution than leave breathing difficulties untreated.

That said, my experience is there's little the GP can do. If inhalers are not working well and kiddo is still working hard to breathe, they generally need to be seen by urgent care / A&E (sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear!) We got pretty good with knowing when our kiddo was just wheezy vs struggling hard, and we got a home pulse oximeter so we can keep track of their oxygen saturation, so we now only go in if we're hitting the max dose of inhaler and have to give it more frequently than we've been told to or if oxygen drops or breathing is very fast.

If he’s having breathing difficulties I would take him back to A&E. There’s not a huge amount the GP can do in the moment for serious issues.

If the 10 puffs every 4 hours isn't enough then yes he needs to be seen. If he's on a preventer inhaler too then there are other options to compliment this if it's not working. It's not hounding the GP, it's managing his difficulties in breathing- it does feel relentless though but sounds like you're doing amazing.

I can hear every breath, it's like he's been on a jog but he's just sat on the sofa with me watching a film. He seems okay in himself in that he isn't upset but he definitely isn't playing and running around like he usually is. He has already had his inhaler which hasn't made any difference.

This was actually my DD and she was admitted for several days with bronchiolitis.

Have you just given him his normal inhaler dose or have you done the emergency 10 puffs?
I would take him to A&E. Wheezing, exaggerated breathing are all signs of respiratory distress in young children.
Give him 10 pics of the salbutamol before you go.