Coughing constantly even when asleep, temp of 39, normal virus or do we need to see a doctor.

[Artichokes]

DD2 (2) has had a cough/cold for a few days. This afternoon her temp soared and her cough became constant. Even now, as she sleeps beside me she is coughing with every fourth or fifth breath. Every few mins it half wakes her and she cries out and babbled incompressibly. She gets lots of high temps but never a cough before. Is incessant coughing a normal viral condition or should I take her to doc?

I'm thinking very slightly possibly pneumonia, yes I'd take her tomorrow to get her chest listened to. I'd only take her tonite if she's wheezing -- well, actually, I'd phone NHS direct first.

No wheezing and lots of snot which makes me hope it's viral.

Not sure what happened in my OP. Predictive text on phone went mad. It should read "babbles incomprehensively".

It almost certainly is viral, but viral sometimes needs medical treatment too (there's something called viral induced wheezing, for instance, that is treated a bit like asthma).

Poor mite, have you doped her up with Calpol?

Hope she feels a bit better tomorrow (and that you get some sleep tonite!)

I'd get her seen first thing in the morning.

She may have a chest infection, and with a fever and cough probably needs some antibiotics.

Hope she's better soon.

Let us know what the doctor says :)

Thanks. She has had full doses of calpol and nurofen and yet her temp has only dropped to 38.5. I fear sleep isn't on the agenda as she's in bed with me coughing and crying and thrashing about while radiating heat.

First thing in the morning, I'd call for an emergency GP appointment. In the meantime, you can manage her temp with alternating Calpol and Calprofen (although you don't mention how hold DD is so obviously check whether she can have this.)

If there's a 24hr supermarket nearby, I'd also send someone out (if possible) to get some Benylin cough mixture - it's just Glycerol which means I think it's suitable from 6months, but this might help manage cough until morning.

As an aside, if she still has a temp in the morning, don't be afraid to give her more Calpol/Calprofen even if you're going to the dr. I didn't with my DS on Tues as I didn't want to mask any of the symptoms so that the dr could get it right - by the time we got there his temp was 40.8C!!

He told me in no uncertain terms that managing the temp is vital, and they will figure it out regardless.

2 of my DSs had a virus like that last week (fever part I mean, even after Calpol, not the coughing, though). They're fine now, btw, no med intervention needed. But yeah, my sleep was trashed for many nights, sympathies!

What's happened, Artichokes?

no news? boohooo... :)