To take baby to hospital and demand an answer

[notsurewhattodo7]

Hello

Regular user but changed names.

Baby is 7.5 months old and nearly 3 weeks ago, she started coughing, nose running etc. she also cut her 2 bottom teeth around the same time. We started calpol/nurofen, baby Vicks, humidifier, snot suction etc.

Within 3 days her cough was so bad and she was taking less than half of her usual feeds so I took her to GP and they listened to her chest, diagnosed RSV and sent her to paediatrics to be checked over.

Her oxygen levels and temperature were fine at the hospital, they monitored for 6 hours and sent us home with an instruction that if she had dry nappies etc to bring her back up.

A few days later, her chest was vibrating, you could feel it when holding her so DH took her back to GP who started antibiotics as she said the infection had moved lower and was now a chest infection.

5 days of antibiotics, cough went but still wheezy and rattling chest/snotty nose and unhappy.

30th December, called 111 again as she was so unhappy, no calpol or nurofen seemed to help and just a feeling that something isn't right. They sent us back to paeds, they listened to her chest and told us she should never have been given antibiotics and it's still RSV and will improve.

It's now 2nd Jan, still really unhappy and crying/fussy most of the day which is not like her, she's always been such a happy and content baby, snoring, hates being laid flat, sleeping more than usual, chest still sounds like it's rattling and hasn't had a poo in 2 days which isn't like her.

I'm so worried that something is being missed. I hate seeing/hearing her like this. We've got the humidifier running all night, calpol is still being used, she's pale and her eyes have dark rings around them but I feel like if I take her back to GP or hosp or call 111 they are going to think I'm an absolute pest, overprotective first time mum and not listening to them that it's "just RSV".

I'm worried she has pneumonia or something more serious and I can barely sleep at night.

What would you do in this situation?

Take her back immediately. I was sent home from A&E twice and on the third time my DS was admitted with pneumonia. He had a 5 day stay.

Definitely take her back op. You know that she isn't her usual self apart from feeling sick so go back and insist on some answers.

I wouldn't bother with Gp again for this, as they've already given you medication which they shouldn't have. I wouldn't trust them on this anymore. I'd take them to A&E straight away. I hope your baby feels better soon.

100% the right thing to do OP. I can’t tell you how many times we were fobbed off by our GP when our DS was tiny and very ill. It took a trip to A&E and a wonderful young Polish doctor who said she wasn’t letting us leave until she found out what was wrong before we got answers and the best of it (or worst of it) was that it was something so simple to treat that had been allowed to worsen and worsen to the point of becoming incredibly serious. We moved GP’s afterwards.

I would also caution however that it may well ‘just’ be a virus also, sometimes they linger in young babies and it seems so awful (my DD had a terrible virus at 4 months old - numerous doctors and out of hours trips but we just had to let it run its course).

But yes always check, double check and triple check. Always trust your instincts.

Trust your gut, if you feel something has been missed go back, you have instinct for a reason. I knew something wasn't right with my 5 year old for 11 weeks but kept getting him sent home from A&E, it got to the point I KNEW he was in trouble. I took him in and refused to leave before he'd been assessed by a surgeon, I eventually got one which had my DS in surgery within 2 hours of being assessed, we were 24 hours away from likely losing him and they'd wanted to bloody send us home again. No need to be aggressive but be very very firm, don't go anywhere until you feel she's had the right care xx

My daughter had RSV very young like your child and then had so many problems after. Ended up in hospital a few times with a viral wheeze, oxygen and steroids. Before eventually she was given a preventor inhaler just before her second birthday and was on on that until she was about 6. I genuinely feel the RSV triggered it all.

The doctors always said to me ‘we listen to mum’ and that you know baby best,

good luck OP hope your baby is better soon.

The sucking in at her ribs when breathing is called intercostal breathing and is a medical emergency. If you ever see it again call 999 or take her straight to a&e.

The vomiting is concerning because she will get dehydrated quickly go to a and e

Yes, the 'cool mist' means the water is not evaporating, it's being sprayed out, with everything dissolved in it. Unnatural, and may not be safe. I bought one, used it once and stopped once I'd read about it.

Just to reassure as your on it as far as getting her checked by the professionals. Both my ds have a blood disorder so they do get quite poorly when they catch colds/flu/covid whatever it might be. On more than one occasion my eldest had been quite un well for what felt like forever! He’d pick up then drop off. I’d say a good 6 weeks before showing improvement. My dh is extremely poorly at the moment if your little one has caught anything like what dh has imagine she feels dreadful. Keep pushing if you feel that’s the right thing to do just thought I’d share I’ve been in a similar situation and both recovered with rest.
hope she picks up soon x

I have RSV a beginning of dec. I was hospitalised as it was so bad

im still not recovered at all. It will be months and it’s hit me a healthy fit adult really hard!

however. I always say trust your instincts. Take her to emergency if you want too.

This stood out for me.

DS had exactly the same symptoms, including the sickness, when he was around 9 months. We must have seen the GP every other day for around 2 weeks, and they kept saying it was a virus which would clear on its own. Eventually, I got so worried I took him to A&E, and they reluctantly did a chest X-ray to "put my mind at rest". Turned out he had one fully collapsed lung and the second was partially collapsed. Later diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and spent a week on the paeds ward.

Trust your instincts OP.

Any chance she's got croup with it? If it is the humidifier will make it worse

Not appropriate. Start your own thread

Check product recalls incase anything she's eating has undeclared milk.
That could explain the vomiting and constipation.
Also, are you using soya products? Because soy and cow's milk proteins are similar, and often children with CMPA also have soya intolerance.

Always always always trust your instincts. If you feel something is wrong then there is. And please don’t feel like a pest/pushy mothers. YOU are your tiny baby’s advocate. The NHS is so stretched and things slip between the net often, don’t risk letting your baby girl become a statistic.

Just a thought but could she have Covid? Our son had very similar symptoms and has just come out the other side. He also had very red gunky eyes- similar to conjunctivitis.

thought I would mention it just in case.

This. Every time. I got sent home from kids a&e as they said he was fine and my son could have died. Thank god my partner demanded we were taking him straight back and not leaving him to sleep it off like I was going too (as I was told he was fine, by medical staff). Most horrendous time of my life and I can't trust my own judgement now.

Sounds like a fairly normal recovery from RSV. She is probably not pooing because she hasn’t digested much, rather than being constipated. Is she still producing wet nappies? No temperature? Breathing ok? If yes to all of those then doesn’t need A&E. Hopefully GP can put your mind at rest.

Don't hesitate. With a young baby, don't ever take no for an answer.

I never cared what anyone thought of me. Your baby is way more important.

Trust your instincts and take her back to A&E.
you are not a pest. You know your child better than any doctor and if she’s not improving take her back. I had a similar problem ; 5 GOs and several trips to A&E it was the Health Visitor sorted it out in the end. Have you tried speaking to your HV and explains your concerns? They are far more experienced in babies then most GPs

Hopeful you're being seen by the GP now OP - I just wanted to echo PP that if you are ever worried or not happy then you should absolutely seek medical advice. You're with your baby 24/7, you've got a much better sense of 'not right' than a Dr seeing her for a 5 minute appointment.

When DD was tiny we had to take her to hospital as I was worried - the Dr there told me not to worry about seeming anxious, and if I had any doubt at all to speak to a Dr, especially if she didn't get better or got worse - that they'd rather see 100 healthy babies 100 times than not see one that's ill. That no one would think I was wasting anyone's time. I was very glad of that advice, so I'm passing it on!

Hello,

new to this but I need some help because I’m going to pull my hair out. I have a just turned 2 year old boy who does not eat anything!!! Anything I give him. He will eat snacks, like crackers, bananas, farleys rusk, all the usual but whenever i put an actual meal in front of him he just throws it straight on the floor and has the biggest tantrum. Everyone has told me he will grow out of it but it’s been happening since he was 1 and a half and I just can’t take it anymore. It makes me not want to cook A decent meal because he just throws it. I’ve tried everything and read every blog post, books, YouTube and nothing works and It just happened again and I just need advice and help, I’m worried because he just isn’t getting any goodness in his body he doesn’t eat any protein or fruit and veg and I’m just worried he’s living off rubbish

I think you need to start your own thread op, as that way lots of people will see it, whereas here it’s hidden in someone else’s post.

I hope you’ve got some help from your gp op.