Baby still lethargic

[strawberrycake]

I've been to A&E thursday and friday night with DS (sent by out of hours GP). He has a fever, coughing, vomiting, refusing feeds and coudn't stay awake. Send home with diaoralyte, renetadine (throwing up streaks of blood) and told to give him 5ml by syringe every 5 min, all he could keep down.

There's some improvement today, no temperature. I fact he scared me the other way, temp fluctuating from a low of 34.5 up to 35.8. Quite cold despite blankets/ being over-wrapped. He has woken, but cries for sleep after 10min. He's wheezing still, though blue-inhaler helps. BArely sick, just cough/ gagging up small amounts. No more diarhhea, seems constipated. Working hardly than normal breathing, chest sucking, as noted at hospital.

The things concerning me are:
-cold temperature, since last night
-effort breathing (not dramtic, but more than normal)
-persistence refusing ANY feed. Very very tired of force-feeding water. He gargles what is syringed in and blows raspberries to avoid it.

Trying to ride it out and monitor him without being a fussy mum, but I'm wondering at what point to take him to out of hours GP. Or if I should at all.

Sorry don't know how old your DS is? My DD at 2 had Rotavirus and the symptoms were very similar, it is a sickness bug but as it's viral it takes longer to recover from. She wouldn't take anything without being sick of having diarrhea. I let her gently suck the tip of an ice pop, she didn't struggle as nothing was being put into her mouth. I did this half hourly and by the next day she was happy to accept little sips of water.

It may work??

Good luck and hope your DS is soon better xx

Take him back, definitely. No-one will think you're daft.

He's 8 months. Shocked me when they weighed him that he's lost up to 1.5 lb. He's already 98th centile height, 2nd weight and hell to feed. If he's approached with liquid he screams. We literally have to pin him down and syringe it in. I'm shattered as much as anything else.

Syringing since Thursday night. No solid food since Monday. No milk mon/tues/ wed/ thurs/ fri, sat 3oz and today 4oz.

Hi, I'd recommend you take him back to the GP or to A&E, just to make sure he is not dehydrating. xxxx

sadie- he's not, I've forced liquid in.

I'm not sure how much it's just doing my head in.

Low temperature may be linked to lack of food. Also some children can get a spell of low temperature after recovering from a virus.

However, I think you have to follow your own feelings, if you are worried I would go to OOH. If you are not too worried then GP tomorrow.

Good luck.

Really, take him back if he's refusing feeds to that extent. You're not wasting anyone's time. Why did they give him ranitidine? Do they think he has reflux? Reflux makes them more prone to respiratory infections...

I was just asking about the reflux because if they think he has an inflamed oesophagus and that's where the bleeding is coming from maybe he might need more than ranitidine - e.g., a proton pump inhibitor like omeprazole. i am not in any way medically trained, just a parent of a refluxy babe.

No talk of reflux. Given prescription with the words 'here's another medicine', it's only a 2 day supply. He's simply been sick until there's little tears I think.

The day after day of screaming is REALLY getting to me for the first time.

OOH/ A&E just seem interested in if he's dehydrated (as I said I've forced diaoralyte in) or if he oxygen is ok (pretty normal).

NHS direct said GP tomorrow but I'm really uncomfortable with him sustaining a temperature in the high 34's (thermometer is acurate on everyone else) and not eating. Since Monday his total calorie intake is 2 wotsits, 1 rice cake, 7oz milk and 4 dioraltye sachets.

Take him back please. No-one will think that you're daft for going back.

I suppose the only alternative is if you do not get anywhere at A&E or GP, to see a private paediatrician. We use a private paediatrician at Portland Hospital London as we were unhappy with NHS service. Depending on where you are there may be private paediatricians where you are or you can call the Portland Hospital in London and ask them if they know private paediatricians near you. Count on a consultation costing about £200 (usually for 1 hour consultation), but best to check in advance if you want to go this route.

Well in the end as he's not dehydrated I waited until GP open. Was told 'it's normal, babies don't eat when they're ill' and told me no need to take temp/ weigh. I tried to push it saying it's the 8th day without calories and I felt it was more extreme than the usual not eating when ill. She told me to take him to hv for a chat and weighing (scales next to her!).

Went to hv clinic as happened to be open and nearby. He's lost 1.5lb since last month. They jumped on me and the huge weight loss...and guess who they told me to go and see?

ARGH.

Really, I'm fucking fed up.

Hi strawberry.

I'd take him back to A&E. Did a paediatrician look at him last time?

Yes. He's alert and chatty now thanks to forcing syringes down him. Not very sustainable though.

She also said his chest and throat are fine, depsite the fact even people in the street comment on his awful chesty cough and A&E agreed he wheezes, and he has an inhaler.

Going to wait until DH in to decide what next, he's alert and ok in the short term.

If anything changes then he needs to go back. He sounds quite unwell to me, they should have done some blood tests.

belle, it shocks me how little reaction I get. I'm not a fussy mum at all but it's getting silly. A&E seem to be interested in the urgent issues, if he's not dehydrated/ low on oxygen then it's not for them then the GP is just a non-specialist who is rather clueless. There's no mid-point for seeing someone urgently but not in the A&E context.

Is there not a childrens A&E you can take him to? Your local childrens hospital may have one. They are a lot better there. The nurses in the general A&E's are not paediatric trained, they get a couple of weeks on a paeds ward during training but that's it. Weight can be put back on once he's recovered, I'm worried about his temp/feeding and the cough though. Are spit bubbles coming out of his mouth?

Spit bubbles, yes, why?

It is a children's A&E in a normal hospital. Not sure about alternatives in NE London tbh.

Sounds like bronchiolitis

www.nhs.uk/conditions/Bronchiolitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

If he's not feeding then he needs to be taken back and admitted. They can put a tube up his nose and into his stomach to help.

I hope he feels better soon, bronchiolotis can come back.

i work for nhs24 and i would definately take him either to GP or A&E.

what tests did they do?

Can you go to a different hospital?

I may be wrong but i think it is possible to get dehydration if you aren't having enough liquids IYSWIM?

blinks,

A&E (thurs/fri)- checks oxygen with clip/ listened to chest/ took temp (was high then) and looked over.

GP (this morning) glanced at from a distance!

It's really A&E or nowt as GP so useless, she's the same who dismissed me as fussy when had high-blood pressure in pregnancy and told me it's normal for pregnant women to vomit/ have headaches. Guess what I had then...

Doesn't seem an A&E case, we've been twice last week. If gets worse will go and will go if dh agrees when back.

It's tricky. He's not going to keel over any minute but it's worrying if he keeps it up, Sort of not-urgent but more urgent than waiting for a referral.

paperview- he's been dehydrated before, seen signs and have experience of min amount to syringe in. He often had issue when on cows milk and I got used to spotting signs.

The link I posted for you will help. I trained as a paeds nurse and have seen more then a few babies with bronchiolitis. They should have taken a nasal swab?? Seriously though, if he's not feeding then he needs taking back to A&E. Keep shouting until they listen.