Please help, so worried about 4yo DS & chest infection turning into pneumonia

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Not sure what I am even asking really, I am just so stressed about my DS, who is 4. He is asleep and he is at about 45 degrees on a stack of 3 pillows.

He got a mild temperature on Saturday, which was controlled with calpol, again on Sunday, again controlled with calpol. He had been coughing all day (and particularly all night) Sat & Sun so I took him to see GP nurse on Mon. She said that he may have a minor chest infection (slight squeak in back of chest) so gave him antibiotics (5ml amoxycilin 3 x per day - 125mg susp is what is says on the bottle). So he's taken that on Mon, Tues, Weds, but has coughed a lot, really a very nasty cough each night, all through the night (sleeps in a bed right next to us so I have heard it all). He hasn't had any calpol today and has played all day (off school all this week so far). However, he coughed so much this evening going to bed that he was sick in his bed. He also made himself sick coughing yesterday. The cough is just so nasty and hasn't seemed to improve at all and I am terrified that he might have pneumonia. DH had it a few months back and had to spend a week in hospital, but DH had been ignoring his symptoms. Can anyone advise me?

YOu need to get his chest listened to again. How does he breathe?

I would get his chest listened too, call NHS direct and ask for an out of hours appointment

There is no point waiting.

Does he have a temperature

Just responding for moral support - my two have never had a chest infection but they have been sick many times from coughing violently.

If your DS had pneumonia I'm sure he wouldn't be able to play - he'd be too ill for that. But take him back to the GO for a check-up - if he's been taking antibiotics for three days you would expect to see a significant improvement in his symptoms.

Hope he (and you) have a good night.

I would get it checked again. My DS has had lots of chest problems and pneumonia. The advice I have had is to keep a good eye on his temperature as its when DS spikes a temperature that they really worry. If her has a virus rather than a bacterial chest infection, antibiotics won't actually make it better anyway (I think - I am not medically qualified so don't want to give you wrong advice).

I hope he improves soon, I know how horrible it is to hear your child coughing like that.

I think if he can't lie flat in bed he is obviously unwell so you should talk to the doctor again. Antibiotics should be working by now so if they are not he needs stronger ones.

From past experience, if you ring NHS Direct about breathing/chest infection in under-5s they almost always send an ambulance to take them straight to A&E. Clearly, they have to be on the safe side.

This happened to us with DD1 last year (when she was 3.6), but her breathing was laboured with chest recessions. The first time it was a viral wheeze and the second 3 wks later was pneumonia. Both times inhalers and steroids were used (as well as antibiotics for the pneumonia). She responded well and has been fine since.

If you do end up with an ambulance, my advice is take stuff for an overnight stay for both of you (I only say this cos I didn't and hospital nightgowns are NOT a good look on me.)

It sounds like your DS is on the mend but with a nasty cough (my DS always coughs till he's sick) but as the other posters advise, make the call if you're at all worried.

Right now, on his stack of pillows whilst asleep, his breathing is OK. I have just been to look at him.

He has no temp.

He has coughed and woken up since I put him to bed and if tonight is the same as the last few nights, he will be up coughing many more times. It's just such a nasty nasty cough - I've had my mum over to look at him just now and we are going to take him back to doc tomorrow morning. I just wish he would get better, it so horrible.

It's good that he has no temperature (one less thing to worry about, at least).

Is he very snotty? Whenever my two get bad colds they always have awful coughs, which have been explained to me by the GP as being caused by the mucus in their nasal passages dripping back into their throats. So it sounds dreadful, but is actually quite benign.

I hope it's the same for your DS, but at least your GP will be able to assess him properly tomorrow .

Hoping he's OK and you can both get some sleep tonight.

Thanks everyone, really grateful for the replies.

With pneumonia, you get a high temperature and breathing really hurts, so it's unlikely he'd be playing. But I'd still get that cough checked out.

Seen doc, now on 2 different sets of antibiotics. Still playing happily, but I am dreading another terrible night worrying about him.

hope the antibiotics work, OP, and you have a better night tonight