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Children's health

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Original poster

DS2 5 coughing up blood streaked mucus

13 replies

tutu100 · 16/12/2013 23:23

He has been poorly on and off for about 3 weeks. He'll have a temp and be snotty for a couple of days, recover and then a few days later go down with it again. he was very poorly with a high temp of 39.9 for most of the weekend (and that was after calpol), very snotty and coughing. I kept him off school today, but tbh I think he would have been ok there as he's been running around fine. But he has just coughed up quite lumpy bits of mucus which are have a fair bit of blood in. The blood is fresh, bright red. Should I be taking him to the dr's tomorrow or is it most likely to be due to the exertion of coughing? He's never done this before and has no history of resipiratory problems.

OP posts:

Original poster

tutu100 · 17/12/2013 00:06

bumping as I'm going to go to bed in a minute.

OP posts:

SpottyChristmasCakes · 17/12/2013 00:08

I would, I'd have called a dr with that temp too though seeing as it didn't go down with calpol

NigellasDealer · 17/12/2013 00:10

listen do not worry too much, as the blood is bright and red, it is more than likely a burst blood vessel in his throat from all the coughing.
This happened to my daughter once and I freaked ofc.
Apparently it is when the blood is pink and foamy that you need to rreally worry.
Still a visit to the doctor will put your mind at rest.

heavenstobetsy · 17/12/2013 00:10

I wouldn't have gone for the temperature but coughing up blood definitely needs a trip to the GP IMHO

Original poster

tutu100 · 17/12/2013 00:15

Thanks, I'll call the dr tomorrow, we probably won't get an appointment, but I will be able to talk to either a dr or the triage nurse. Blood in mucus is outside my experiences of childhood illnesses.

OP posts:

moldingsunbeams · 17/12/2013 00:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mellowandfruitful · 17/12/2013 00:26

'probably won't get an appointment' - with a 5 yo who has been ill for three weeks, I would now be insisting on an appointment tomorrow. Whatever it is, it needs more attention. That's not to say it's a blue light emergency, but look at it this way: Next week surgeries will be closed for Christmas and then if he gets worse it will be hellish trying to get him seen.

My surgery will always see under fives. Ring tomorrow and don't take no for an answer. Tell then about the blood and say if they won't see him today, you will take him to A and E and be complaining about why you had to do so. Hope he improves soon.

kingbeat23 · 17/12/2013 00:29

DD has had a hacking cough that is an infection. Temp went to 41 and only down with ibuprofen and paracetamol. She ended up having 3 days off. Take your DC unless you have a pharmacy first card that can prescribe.

Original poster

tutu100 · 17/12/2013 00:45

Sadly our surgery has gone from being excellent, to being one of the nightmare ones that I have spent years reading about on here, and being thankful I had a good one. Appointments are like gold dust, and you need to know 3 weeks in advance that you are going to be ill. It will probably take me over an hour to get through to appointments, and then you have to wait for a phone call back from the triage nurse if they don't have an appointment.

OP posts:

SpottyChristmasCakes · 17/12/2013 06:27

Lots of surgeries are like that now. I would think the triage nurse will get him in though, if not just turn up at the surgery and say you want to see the duty doctor

Mellowandfruitful · 17/12/2013 07:55

Agree with Spotty on both points. Showing up at the surgery night actually save time all round - I have been 'fitted in' before now by doing this. Or you could look for a walk in centre near you and just try that instead.

Original poster

tutu100 · 17/12/2013 21:05

Back to update, I actually managed to get through to the surgery on my first attempt! Triage nurse called us back and agreed that ds2 needed to see a dr so we got an appointment at lunchtime. He has impetigo and as he needs antibiotics to treat that, the dr has given him strong ones in the hope they will help clear up whatever is causing this infection. They checked him over, but his ears, throat and chest are clear. His temp hasn't dropped below 38.6 though and he's spent the rest of the day on the sofa. Have been told to go back Friday if he's no better, or before if he gets worse.

They weren't worried by the blood in the mucus as they think that is from the effort of coughing.

Thanks again everyone for your advice. I have no confidence in my decision making with my children's health - I'm always worried about over-reacting.

OP posts:

Mellowandfruitful · 17/12/2013 22:03

So glad they took it seriously and got him in to see a doctor. Hopefully this will mean some progress now and improvement for him. It is rubbish that you have to be so persistent to get anywhere with medical attention sometimes but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

OP, I think with a child of 5 or below, it is always safer to over-react than under-react and no medical professional worth their salt would blame you for doing so.

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