Will doctor do anything about neverending cough?

[fuckityfuckfuckfuck]

Ds is 3.6 and has had a cough for months and months. Each time I intend to take him to the doctors it goes away for a few days, then comes back. This week he's been completely not himself, very pale and subdued, temperature that gets worse at nighttime and I have to virtually forcefeed him. I have an appointment tomorrow anyway, should I expect them to actually do something? It's horrible to see him feeling so low-level rubbish all the time, he's meant to be back at preschool in the morning but is in no state to go. It's affectign his sleep too which I'm sure is makign the whole thing worse. Will I get told to bugger off?

Is the cough worse at night time?

Definately worse at nighttime yes, he's normally a good little sleeper, though an early riser, but has already woken himself up twice tonight and is now asleep on my lap, which is the only way I can get him to sleep with his head slightly raised :(

A cough that's worse at night is symptomatic of asthma but given that he also has a temperature and seems unwell I'd suggest he probably has a chest infection.

See a GP tomorrow and ask if an inhaler would help? They may also give you antibiotics depending on whether its a bacterial / viral infection.

Ds often gets this without a temp but he has asthma and has been much better since getting a steroid inhaler. I'd ask if itd be worth you seeing the asthma nurse. Does he have a productive cough just now? Would steam help? Or vics on the soles of the feet (never tried but lots swear by it).

My GP just seems very reluctant to do anything about coughs ime. Last year me, dd, ds and dp all had horrific coughs. At our surgery the dc and I were told to just bide our time. At dp's he was told he had a chest infection, when we quite clearly (OK I'm no doctor, but it was very obvious) all had the same thing. I've been sitting him in the bathroom with the hot taps on for a few times a day this week but it seems to have done very little. I know from a friend with a silimar aged ds how difficult it is to get asthma diagnosed too. He is definately out of sorts though so I'll just keep my fingers crossed they can help. I'm not happy about having to give calpol for his temperature every night for a week now.