Bronchiolitis in 8 month old, experience and hand-holding please

[HJBeans]

Our 8 month old has been in hospital since Monday on and off with bronchiolitis. We think this is day 4 of the illness. After being in Sunday night he was released Monday morning only to be straight back to A&E, then home again, then back to hospital in an ambulance due to breathing trouble on Tuesday. He hasn't needed oxygen but has been regularly suctioned. And he has had high fever, yesterday not responding to calpol - they say this year's strain is bringing on a lot of fever. He's been on a feeding tube from yesterday morning as he wasn't getting enough fluids in. Until yesterday, he was himself in between sleeping and coughing - smiling at me, trying to play. But yesterday the light just went out and it's not come back on. He's listless and weak. I'm terribly scared. I have anxiety and the stupid voice in my head is telling me I'll not get him back.

Has anyone who's baby has been in for this had similar experience with the fatigue / lethargy at the peak of the illness? They said it was the fever, but the fever'S down and he's not back. My biggest worry is that they're missing a secondary infection. My anxiety about this makes me unable to look after him without panicking - I feel I'm letting him down as his mum because I can't stop myself going off the deep end with worry.

They're giving him an X-ray as a precaution.

Glad he's getting an xray

Sounds like a particularly nasty strain this year :(

No pneumonia seen on the X-ray. They say a very nasty RSV.

Oh that's good. Hopefully this is the worst day and he'll start to improve really soon xx

Thanks - I really hope so.

oh golly that sounds scary for all of you. are you breastfeeding? i am wondering about getting high doses of vit c into him....liposomal is best or iv if possible.

Our 4th baby was in hospital for two weeks with bronchiolitis ! He was 6 months old at the time.
His oxygen stats just kept dropping. In the end the consultant just let him home even though his stats were not in the 90s. He seemed recovered at that stage.
It took a few months to get him back to normal. I remember everything I had read said it was a very short illness.
For us it wasn't.
He made a full recovery and I am sure your little man will too!! Worrying I know. I was frantic at the time. Seemed like we would never get out.
We did though and so will you x

Thank you so much, foodietoo, that is so reassuring to read. When it's stressed that it peaks at day 4, you get to day 6 with a child still getting more ill and it's very hard not to panic. Your post really helped me. Xx

My middle daughter had RSV at 11 days old - she had to be ventilated and tube fed and because she'd come home from hospital at 4 days old (she was early and I had a c/s) she had to go on the children's ward not neo-natal and they just weren't geared up for tiny babies. It was truly awful but the one thing I do recall clearly is that their bodies have to work so hard to just breathe with RSV that there is literally no energy for them to do anything else - it's a bit like pneumonia in an adult, it absolutely wipes the floor with you. The listlessness is perfectly normal, his body is fighting so hard so please don't be concerned that this won't come back - your boy is still in there, I promise. It will get better, it's a horrid horrid virus and he's in the best place. Don't forget to look after him you need to look after you too.

Thank you. Report from my husband, who stayed last night, is that he's unsettled and lethargic but ok. Will help me to keep anxiety over lethargy at bay to remember the listlessness is normal. It's that 'light off' thing that scares me most at a viceral level.

And you're right about looking after me - my husband's just done a 24 hour overnight shift so I could sleep at home. I'm finding it nearly impossible to sleep, eat and drink water as I should though and feel an absolute wreck. I suppose in all the helplessness I can at least make absolutely sure I do theestjng and drinking. Sleep I can't control. :(

Before you go back force yourself to eat a decent breakfast. Make some butties for dinner - or if you have access to a parents room with microwave take some ready meals in.

I know it's the last thing you feel like doing but you need to lee your strength up too

Thank you - I know that's good advice.

Does anyone have any tips for keeping up supply for breastfeeding? He was partially weaned but now only wants milk and is refusing bottles. But since if only been expressing once at work and then feeding morning and night, I don't have a full day supply. And with stress, dehydration, no time / privacy to express, my supply has dropped even further. Don't see how to look after him and express, though.

for you. I went through this when DD was 10 days old and was hospital for 10 days.
The nurses helped me to express by providing privacy, feeding me (I think they ordered me DD's meal) and helping with empty bottles and access to a freezer. They were keen because my milk was used to tube feed DD when she was recovering, and to keep up my supply. I think they lent me a hand pump or maybe DH bought one, I can't remember.

It's a horrible thing to go through, but another happy ending, DD is nearly 13yrs has not been ill since, not even a cold.

Hj beans-
My fourth child had bronchiolitis and suspected strep b when he was a week old. He was on oxygen for two weeks. They kept saying to me "there's no way that bronchiolitis should last this long". They terrified me half to death saying it could be syphilis (!!!!) or cystic fibrosis.

In fact it was "just" RSV . Worrying, tiring, stressful - but no long lasting consequences at all -he just turned very 4 and has no asthma or any other problem (other than me slightly spoiling him after the trauma!)

I also was trying to establish breastfeeding at the time and it was difficult. He was never tune fed but only latched on for about 30 seconds at a time and would then suffocate. However I did manage to keep my supply going. I agree with the above poster- ask for the hospital 's help. They gave me use of hospital grade electric pump(think they got it down from special care baby ward)- it was so much better than manual pumps. They had sterilising stuff all there in their "milk kitchen" and provided the storage bottles, label and fridge . And make sure you EAT and sleep. It is absolutely vital that you are eating nutritious meals and getting sleep. Without sleep I make zero milk. Also hot drinks while I was pumping helped me "let down " as well .

Good luck, he is in the best place, I hope he picks up soon. But it lasting longer than 6 days is not unheard of at all.

You know I remember one of the worst parts was that so many babies that came in after us keft before us!
There was a board and the name would be rubbed out when the baby went home.
I thought ds's name would never be rubbed out!!
For many the virus is mild but for some it's much worse.

I should also add my ds has barely had a cough since!! Hope he turns a corner soon .

foodie that's what I struggled with to. Ds was a very bad case the first time so was in for 2 weeks including a stretch in HDU and by the end of the first week seeing others come and go really got to me.

But that did remind me. Is there a parents room on the ward beans? If so when he is settled and asleep, or someone else is with him go and sit in there for a bit. Not only is it a good escape other parents are generally all very supportive and because your all in the same boat of worrying - whether it's a child in for a day case or one in for ages - there is a strange sense of comeradary (sp) and it's good to talk to others who understand

Thanks everyone. Slept or was awake but vacant all day otherwise, and is so scary to see him 'turned off'. He was a bit brighter for a few hours last night, which helped a lot in terms of me not cracking up.

There isn't a parents room on ward, but I have been talking to some of the other parents (all of whose kids look much perkier than mine) and that helps. Knowing their baby slept for days and seeing them playing now is good for me.

Have been using my electric pump at home while my husband is with DS, and used a manual pump they gave me at hospital during one night I was there. But it's not often enough and supply is tanking. Suspect stress and exhaustion and bad nutrition and hydration are as much to blame as anything, as I've not had this trouble on work trips. There's no private place to express on the ward - just pulling the curtain round and then trying to find space. Will get some of that herbal supply enhancing stuff when shops open today. Worked a treat with DS1.

Maybe have a think about whether to give yourself a break and decide to stop BF now? I understand why you would want to continue but if it's causing you another level of stress...?

Thanks - he's mixed fes but not great st taking bottles and I still setttle him with feeds st night. Would hate to get into making up feeds if I don't have to. That said, essentially no milk this morning after not expressing all night so I may not have a choice. He's meant to go back to oral feeding today - hate that I've not got what he needs and hope fighting bottles won't set him back. :(

Is it worth posting a new thread in the feeding section? I am sure people there will be able to give advice.

Fantastic news that he is able to start feeding again that's good progress!

I nearly killed myself feeding dc3, breastfeeding. Baby was on O2, dropped of centile chart but my ingrained thought was "I have to feed him, it's the least I can do". He was so so illl, he needed serious intervention, as I posted about upthread.

I dropped to 100 lbs from stress and trying to feed. I won't lie, my milk was not nutritious enough for the baby plus even if it was, I was in a mental fog, dealing with ICU, tubes and consultants. I genuinely wish someone told me to just accept he was v v sick and needed feeding that I couldn't provide at that point. I remember at one point truly feeling I could happily be admitted to a mental health facility. I was so stressed.
If your child needs milk, then give them milk. Please don't worry about where it comes from, you or a bottle.

Thanks all - he's already been mixed fed since going to nursery so I'm perfectly happy (and want ) for him to have formula. Unfortunately, he's got other ideas and won't take a bottle at all. He will ear finger foods and yogurt, though, so should hopefully be ok with that and whatever he can get from me. He's home today and I'll be feeding frequently for the rest of the week. Hope that will sort of supply. Just keeping an eye to make sure he's not dehydrated - but all good thus far. Such a relief to have him back home.

For anyone reading with similar worries, despite 'bronchioliris usually peaks between days 3-5' he didn't show any visible signs of improvement until day 8 - and was actively worse days 6-8 - and he now seems just like himself with a bad cold / cough. It's amazing how quickly he's come back. :-)

That's great news, wishing you both well x