What is wrong with my baby?

[wallababy]

Dd is 5 months and has been I'll since begining of December.
It all started with a cold, which just wouldn't shift, then between Xmas and new year we ended up in A&E due to high temp and dd choking on her phlegm etc. They diagnosed a viral infection similar to tonsilitis and sent us on our way.
During all this time she has been completely off of her milk (previously taking 7oz at every feed, then down to 2/3oz per feed, now back up to 4/5oz) and throwing up a lot, squealing in pain, I have tried bicycle legs with her in case of constipation/ trapped wind, but her nappies have been normal and she is very good at bringing up her wind after feeds. Sleep became very disrupted, going from sleeping through the night to waking every hour.
I took her to HV as was worried about weight loss over such a sustained time, but she seems to be coping well, continuing on her centile.
HV mentioned that it could be a little bit of separation anxiety, as I haven't been putting her down awake and have been a little too attentive to her crying etc. But still advised to take to gp for check over to be sure.
Took to the doc who listened to her chest and looked in her ears then gave her the all clear.
This morning she threw up (before her 1st feed) with phlegm. Then had 4oz of milk which she just threw straight back up(whilst still feeding) a couple of hours later she cried again for an hour before feed, gave her a bottle this time she took 5oz but almost straight away did a huge poo when I changed her the poo was White like cottage cheese, mixed with what looked like phlegm?!!
I called the HV again and she said sounds like tummy bug "come back" even though she has not had a tummy bug!! And that I should keep offering fluids.
Problem is she doesn't want anything and what she does take is coming out straight away one end or the other.
What could this possibly be? Is she just unlucky keeps getting bugs one after the other? Or is there something underlying linking all this in? Anyone recognise these symptoms?? Should I man up and be a pushy mother against the health system for my dd, or just accept what they are telling me and hope for the best?? WWYD???

Ill not I'll - bloody predictive spelling!!

Well, you seem to have two problems, an acute one which has manifested itself today, and a longer term one.

As for the first, any baby who is not able to hold down fluids needs to be taken to A&E straight away. Dehydration is very dangerous in babies.

Chalky white poos can be associated with liver disease. I remember having hepatitis when I was 10 (a long time ago) and having strong brown wee and completely white poos.

The painful vomiting sounds like reflux but it would be strange for it to come on at 5 months (IMO).

In your position I would take her to A&E today unless she can hold fluids down and is doing enough urine, and then ask for a referral to a paediatrician for the longer term problem.

She sounds very poorly with lots of different things. I would be going back to a& e and asking to see a paed for some long and short term assesments. She does sound like she has a d & v bug which can be v serious in young infants.

I just hate bothering people for "nothing" (I've always been like it, took me 3 weeks of suffering with plurecy before going to hospital) I know I should learn, but I can't stand it if there is nothing wrong and I have just "wasted time"
She seems to get better in the afternoons, kept down 4oz having periods of giggling, playing etc. But then regresses again in the evenings.
It's just so difficult to know. Could there be a simple explanation for the White pooh?
I have been checking for dehydration, but he is doing wet nappies and has tears when crying so think she must be taking some fluid in.

Hi

I think I understand what you're saying. You seem to be saying that you're not convinced that the doctors are fully appreciating all of the complex symptoms and therefore you're concerned there is more going on.

I would say that you should trust your instincts until you are really reassured otherwise. I think you should try to list the symptoms by date & be as clear as possible (at bit like your original post) but perhaps more like a list. IME doctors like this and it presents more of a 'challenge' for them to really explain everything. (Not trying to be nasty about docs, but I think they need clear info to 'get to the bottom of it' cos lots of things just get passed from one person to another briefly, whereas if they have your nice list it helps.)

Then I would wait and take it to a GP if you think you can, but if you're concerned that waiting is to long I would go to A&E (or out of hours GP) sooner.

Hope this makes sense - I have had a glass of wine!
good luck getting some answers

Hi wallababy,
Theres a big age difference btw your dd and my ds (he's 7yo)so may be totally unrelated but some of the symptoms your describing sound similar. Ds has been poorly since 19th Oct (vomiting):( it started off just being every 4 days on average just thought it was a tummy bug at first but for the last 8wks he's vomited every day at first it was at least 10x a day usually more now it's only up to 10x a day. Worse on an evening into the night but has had occassional bouts of vomiting during the day once vomiting starts goes on for 2hrs but picks up laughing, playing & is hungry in-between vomiting bouts. I've had to keep him off school for 6wks (not including christmas hols) I was concerned his school would think I was keeping him off for no reason as for long periods during the day he is fine(on a good day). He has started getting dizzy spells at same time as sickness complaining of sore ears and his food isn't being digested properly,sometimes there is phlegm in vomit He's also had a couple of bouts of diarrhoea and complains of various aches and pains. No two days are the same. I took him straight to the GP and he was refered to a paediatrician and so far we've been able to rule out what it's not but haven't had a definate diagnosis. The white poo you describe sounds like she may be anaemic (dont want to worry you!)if she's being sick and has diarrhoea she might not be getting the iron from her food. My son has just had to have bloods taken to rule it out.
If your concerned about your baby's health you are never bothering a doctor they would rather you took your baby to them so they can say it's nothing, rather than have you worry about bothering them which may lead them to miss something.
I agree with mummeeee make a list of times she's sick or had diarrhoea and any other symptoms that don't seem quite right thats what i've done and the paediatrician was quite pleased as he didn't have to ask loads of questions to find out what was happening.
Hope dd is well again soon :)