My five year-old has had a very heavy cold which started 5 days ago with a dry cough which then progressed into heavy congestion in his nose. The cough was very dry until a few days ago and now sounds quite wet. The congestion in his nose is really quite heavy now so I feel like it could be postnasal drip because once he's coughed and cleared that noise, he doesn't need to cough again for a little while. He is sleeping okay through the night with minimal coughing, propped up on pillows and with a humidifier. But when he wakes in the morning he is coughing up lots and lots of noisy congestion. I keep asking him if he has pain in his chest and he says no, but he's not that reliable when reporting pain. No fever (as yet). Coughs if he tries to run around, constant sneezing and blowing nose. Isn't having coughing fits as such, but if he's too active it sets it off (he has an inhaler just incase ).
Does this sound like he might have a chest infection? He also doesn't have her fever and his oxygen is 97 to 99% on our oximeter. I worry because two years ago at this exact date he was admitted to hospital after me taking him four times to A&E and being sent home with pneumonia. I feel like I have slight trauma from that experience because it was a constant battle with a&e before they did an xray and he was admitted!
I know there is an awful cold virus going around (he has tested negative for Covid) that sounds similar to what he's got at the moment but I do worry that he might get a chest infection from this or he already has one. What should I look out for and do you think I should ring 111 or wait until tomorrow and ring the GP? He has a history of being fine and then suddenly very poorly so I'm always on edge when he's ill!
please be kind in comments !