14 month old constantly poorly! Getting worried!

[Finallygotmy3]

Please tell me I'm not the only one on this ride.....my son is 14 months old and the illnesses have been relentless. I have 2 older children (7 and 11) and they were never ever this ill. Constantly being told at the G.P "it's viral" so I feel like he's continuously on calpol and nurofen. He's not in nursery but we have activities everyday.

After A&E on Thursday I'm now wanting to pursue further testing. He was ill at Christmas, ill on his first birthday, ill 3 weeks later on a weekend away, ill about 2 weeks ago, after 8 days the G.P decided to try antibiotics (only 2nd time in his life) as he just was not improving. He picked up for 3-4days and then spiked a temp again, had mottled skin, wouldn't bare weight on his legs, so I rang the g.p back who sent us to A&E.

That was a completely pointless trip as they checked chest/ENT/urine and none showing signs of bacterial infection so once again......its viral. The Dr wouldn't even speak to paediatrics as he scored fine despite the temperature, he also agreed his skin was mottled and it meant he was definitely fighting something off.

He's still unwell, still running a temp, he's been like this most of his life. Is it true this is post covid children? He's still breastfed too and you'd think that would help but here we are. I'm requesting bloods now - I rang my boss to say I may need to leave work early today as he won't eat/drink but will breastfeed and there's no way I'm leaving him to starve. She then started telling me about her neice who was the same as my son and has in fact being diagnosed with leukemia. I'm freaking out.

For reference we've been to the g.p 8x in his short life, had 2 out of hours appointments, and 1 hospital trip. My older children haven't had this many appointments....combined in their entire lifetimes. They just never get ill so this is new. AIBU that this is not normal and my son shouldn't have constant viral infections? I should add the g.p appointments have been when I'm at my wits end, I don't go for nothing, so he's been poorly in between those appointments as well. Thanks for reading and apologies for the waffle. I'm just so done with seeing my boy unhappy.

Sorry I didn't think it was clear in my post but basically I feel like we've had 2 full months of no illnesses since birth. Every other month we've had temps/congestion/cough/cold etc. In his first 2 months of life I just put it down to having older siblings and being a February baby but now I'm just so worried. Thanks for reading.

Have you had blood tests done? Checked for low iron /vit D etc?

No the g.p said they wanted to see how he was in the summer months but I'm not waiting that long now. I'm ringing for further testing on Monday. I just want my boy happy again.

Mine are exactly the same. I have 2 under 2 and they have been ill since before Christmas pretty much none stop. I’ve been to the GP about 5 times and a&e 3 times (twice admitted so not making it up!)
Mine also have an older sibling who has been fine. We’ve had everything from hand foot and mouth, bronchitis, croup and everything in between.

Apparently it’s normal but it doesn’t feel like it.

Sorry you're going through this. I'd maybe start a new thread for relevant advice etc.

I have a 3yr old and 1yr old. The 3 yr old has been like this since they turned 1. Constantly spiking temps! And had so many chest infections I have lost count! This winter has been particularly bad with them getting pnuemonia in November. (Breast fed until 13months - CMPA).

The 1yr old (16months) seems to fights things off better than the 3yr old. They are congested a lot - but not to the point of being unwell. Temps are much more rare! (Combi fed due to weight gain from 8weeks - 7months, then formula fed).

You need your contact the school, find out who she is spending time with, even the police to and get to the root of this ASAP..

I am aghast at you almost putting the blame on her to tell you who is doing this!! She could be being bullied or abused if she is vulnerable. If she is still a child it is YOUR responsibility to advocate for her and keep her safe.

OP I think you this is difficult. My youngest is 15m and getting lots of illness but does go to nursery. So it does seem unusual if not exposed to lots of children and seems to have been ill on and off since birth. Please follow your gut, how does he seem? Is he happy and his usual self whilst ill? If not please don't let anyone fob you off. Hope you get some answers soon.

Follow your instincts.
Get bloods & other checks done.
I would also say to reassure you that all children are different and his immune system might be underdeveloped or weaker than his siblings.

My 14m is pretty similar, the amount of times people say 'oh god is xxxxx ill AGAIN?!' The doctor said to me that children tend to get 12 viruses in the first year and I guess some babies struggle more with them. My DD is a February baby whereas my first was a June baby and my mum is convinced that her winter babies were more sickly than her summer babies?! To hopefully reassure you, a friends little boy was very sickly in his first year and he did turn out to have a more serious issue but his viruses were turning into sepsis and once meningitis.

Hmmm.. a friend’s DS was ill constantly with ‘viruses ’ after starting school. Then one morning couldn’t stand up. They suspected dehydration and took him to A@E where a neurological cause was suspected. After scans he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Follow your instincts.

Sorry I've been at work, just on my break now. I'm glad to hear (well not glad) bit obviously reassuring to hear other children are like this. It's just such a far cry from when my daughters were young. Yes they usually got a winter bug but the vast majority of his life he's been unwell in one way or another. I just don't think it's normal. Somebody also told me boys are worse than girls so no idea if there is truth in that but we're a pretty robust family and never really get ill.

At A&E on Thursday they said any trmp that needs medicating for more than 5 days needs investigating. We were on day 3 at that point but he's been like it in the past.

And to answer someone's question it generally depends on if he has a temperature as to his behaviour. If he has a temperature than he is so unsettled, refuses food other than breastfeeding. That also became a problem as he dropped 2 centiles but they weren't bothered as he was born on the 98th so "had weight to lose". I don't think that's the case at all as he is also tall so it suits him. In January he gained 1.5kg back after losing and staying static because he was well....so to go back to losing weight and static weight again is really bothering me.

Friend has 2 small sons, currently 3 and 1. To my mind, they have been constantly ill with coughs and colds and bugs. The older one particularly although pulling out of it now. He's been in hospital at least once for a few days. I honestly don't think my daughter was ill 1/10th as much and she was at nursery from the age of 3 months.
I don't know why the pattern has changed but just extending sympathy. I think you're not alone.

Just to add in regards to mine. This year I have pushed for blood tests - which has come back ok. Although I'm questioning the levels as they are low in some things (possibly anaemic).

I went and asked for the tests specifically!

Are you one of the MN hygiene nutters that insists on turning your home into a sterile bubble? If so, it’s probably that and his immune system is shit as a result. If you’re not one of the hygiene nutters then yes, take him back to the GP.

🤣🤣🤣🤣 with 2 children, work and a husband I've got much better things to do with my time than clean. We have a "lived in home"...clothes everyone ignores on the stairs, washing that needs rewashing in the washing machine, toys everywhere etc. We were also keyworkers so never really locked down and kids still had school places, I was around A LOT of people every shift so I feel like we were still exposed to usual viruses so our immune systems should be pretty OK.

Although he's not in nursery, we have swimming, 2 sepeeate baby groups, music class, messy play and toddler sense so he's around a lot of other children plus siblings. I just don't know....husband has said he's not had a temperature since waking so that's a bonus for today. It's just exhausting feeling like I'm banging my head on a brick wall with the g.p, fair enough some viruses but this many just feels so wrong.

My older two were not as frequently ill, but my baby DD has them plus my stepdaughter as older siblings - they're all at school and bring things home a lot. So she has had several illnesses including covid (mildly!), norovirus, and a couple of colds. She's eight months and has recently had bronchiolitis plus just had her first bug with a fever. She miraculously managed not to catch actual flu from my older DD.

It does sound like your son does a lot of activities with other kids, plus he has two older siblings. So I wouldn't necessarily worry, but if your instinct is telling you to push it, then you should.

Maybe change his GP?

My youngest seems to catch absolutely everything. We’ve had strep, whooping cough, bronchiolitis, haemophilus influenzae, viral infections, colds etc all before she’s even turned 1!
We have had bloods etc taken which does show a rise in infection markers but otherwise clear.

Viral isn't a medical diagnosis. If it was, HIV, hepatitis, covid, flu, RSV, pneumonia- they are all 'viral'. Viral or bacterial means nothing, unless finding out what virus, what bacteria= finding out a diagnosis, then knowing the treatment, knowing about prevention, knowing how it affects immunity. 'Viral' won't answer any of these questions.
If post covid means anything, they should know by now how covid can lower immunity and trigger many other, repeated infections. Again, this mean testing and finding out what virus is 'viral'.
I would also ask what's wrong with the immunity of a child, constantly ill? Many infections mean a low immunity: what caused this? If 'viral' was that simple, how come immunity is so complicated: https://primaryimmune.org/understanding-primary-immunodeficiency/diagnosis/laboratory-tests#:~:text=The%20standard%20screening%20tests%20for,tests%20for%20specific%20antibody%20production.
You said the GP 'tried antibiotics': what did you mean, what tests did they do, antibiotics for what infection, what bacteria, what tests?
Isn't 'mottled skin' a worrying sign, when sepsis needs to be ruled out? Are all these just normal? Just 'viral'?
''Medicine that treats viral infections is called an antiviral.'' - Mayo clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infectious-diseases/expert-answers/infectious-disease/faq-20058098
'Viral'- for a child predisposed to illness, if there is no treatment (for the virus), the most important is prevention: did they teach you about prevention, the only solution is prevention of 'viral'...How can you prevent something not even named? You can prevent a specific virus, but not 'viral' - which can mean anything

A baby ill so many times and not even a referral to a paediatrician? Despite the fact you have no diagnosis, no explanation, no treatment, no prevention? The medical solution is to wait? Wow...

Nope they simply are not bothered. I've been told upto 12 viral infections in the first year is normal and the Dr in A&E said if he took my sons case to the peads they'd laugh him out of the room. Because at that point his calpol had kicked in, he was alert and responsive, happy to breastfeed etc. They didn't seem to care to find out what virus, and the antibiotics were for I don't know what. She just said she'd give some as he'd not improved. I even said I'd rather him not have them if she didn't think he needed them as I'm not one for just medicating children, I know antibiotics won't work if the infection is not treatable by the specific type.

Honestly healthcare at the minute is dreadful. His temperature finally went yesterday and he seems a lot happier so I'm praying we don't see another issue.

12 viral infection is 'normal', according to them: where does it say this, what medical book? How much do they study immunology? NHS has 11 immunologists, showing how much price they put on immunology. So, if they don't study immunology, how do they know 12 infections are normal? When does it become abnormal: 13, 14, 20,26? 12 infections means the body has no power to fight them. Any real doctor would be curious to find out the name of the infection, if it is the same infection coming back, or different ones and why. What medical book teaches them that it's ok for a baby to be constantly ill? If it is that normal, why isn't everyone ill all the time? After the age of 1, what will happen: will it suddenly become abnormal for a child to have an infection each month? What is normal for a 2 year old: where do they learn these numbers, what book, what medicine?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3377046/#:~:text=Recurrent%20or%20persistent%20infection%20is,to%20investigate%20and%20treat%20appropriately. ''Recurrent or persistent infection is the major manifestation of primary immunodeficiency. While most children with recurrent infections have a normal immunity, it is important to recognize the child with an underlying immunodeficiency in order to investigate and treat appropriately. Early diagnosis and treatment of immunodeficiency will improve the quality of life''

NIH (The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.) doesn't seem to think the same and they are experts: ''Expert opinion suggests that 6–10 self-limiting viral infections per year are within the normal range'', with 1 infection lasting 1-2 weeks. If they found out the name of the virus, maybe they could offer the most famous solution discovered in the field of medicine: vaccines.....of course,but UK doesn't accept to vaccinate children against covid (virus known for lowering immunity), despite the vaccine being approved by MHRA, while US never opposed protecting children against covid, US always promotes it, because it is the only line of defense against a disease experts are still trying to understand. There are vaccines against RSV vaccines, but again all these extraordinary discoveries in the field of medicine are completely useless for those naming everything 'viral'. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/high-risk/infants-young-children.html#:~:text=RSV%20antibody%20immunization%20is%20recommended,also%20get%20an%20RSV%20antibody.