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Children's health

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Original poster

Don't know where to take my son walk in centre or a&e

28 replies

ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 06:42

For the past few days my ds 5 cold has developed into a wheezing whistling cough, every inhale sounds like a whistle in his chest, GP is closed today, makes me nervous waiting another day as he is coughing non stop the closest walk in centre is open today should I take him there or to the a&e i wouldn't say he's struggling to breathe, but he is coughing every minute and I don't know if I can wait until tomorrow!!

OP posts:
Original poster
ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 06:43

Could a walk in centre prescribe an inhaler if needed?

OP posts:
ellesbellesxxx · 08/04/2018 06:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TalkFastThinkSlow · 08/04/2018 06:52

Have you asked him if he's having a problem breathing? If he seems ok, I would go to the walk in centre. I'm not sure if they can prescribe anything, but they can at least check his heart and lungs.

If yours is anything like ours, I'd try to get their an hour before opening. We got ours at 8am once and there were already 30 people in front of us. Got seen 3 hours later Hmm

ThisIsNotARealAvo · 08/04/2018 06:53

I would call 111 and see what they say. When I've done this with DC they have usually given me an OOH appt which saves you sitting for hours in the walk in centre.

brownelephant · 08/04/2018 06:53

wheezing & coughing as you describe is struggling to breathe.

off to a&e with him, he probably needs to be on a nebuliser for a bit.

go now, don't fuck about with lungs!

ChangingStates · 08/04/2018 06:54

Yes to the walk in centre. Also saw an advert on the tube for a new nhs service, or at least new to me- gpathand.nhs.uk Apparently access to a gp through an online video call, it says see a gp in 2 minutes 24/7 and I think also can get same day face to face appointments. Might be worth a try- if you try it please report back, been dying to know if it's any good but have had no reason to try it!
Hope whatever you do your dcs gets better quickly.

feathermucker · 08/04/2018 06:55

Out of hours doc. Go through 111

Redrosebelle · 08/04/2018 06:56

NOT the walk in Centre he needs accident and emergency. Breathing like that is an emergency and I’m a paeds nurse so take it from me. A walk in centre will only send you to a and e anyway.

Tumilnaughts · 08/04/2018 07:04

My dd was like this the other week and ended up getting a lot worse very quickly. We ended up being rushed through triage in a&e to the paediatric resuscitation unit.

Lulubellee · 08/04/2018 07:07

I'd call 111. They can decide whether he needs out of hours doc or A&E and can arrange an appointment for you.

Original poster
ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 07:29

I've called 111, the nurse said it sounds like something that can be treated at home for the moment, she gave me the number to a nearby walk in centre and told me to take him there if he's not improving. He's currently playing on the Xbox and his cough has settled but if it starts up again I will definitely be taking him to be seen, also making an appointment with his GP for tomorrow.

OP posts:
leghoul · 08/04/2018 07:32

I would go to A&E with a child breathing like that, and I say that as someone who didn't go to A&E for a broken bone once as I thought I could manage it.
I assume your DS is 5 years old?

Hobnobsarenotfordunking · 08/04/2018 07:35

I would take him there now anyway to be checked over. By mid morning it will be packed full on Sunday sporting injuries so go now while it’s quieter!

Downeyhouse · 08/04/2018 07:36

My son was severely asthmstic as a Child.
If you can hear the wheezing he needs a and e and inhaled steroids.

Happygolucky009 · 08/04/2018 07:42

As it's a cough I would go to the walk in, we have one 5 mins from our house and I know I would get seen very quickly! If it wasn't as close or if he was struggling to breath of there was any deterioration, a&e def

Original poster
ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 09:02

Have just taken him to a out of hours clinic and they've given him an inhaler!! So relieved we have something to make him better

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Quartz2208 · 08/04/2018 09:27

it sound like viral wheeze (DS gets it all the time)

How many puffs did they say to do? You can do up to 10 (for a short period of time)

Original poster
ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 10:03

They said 4 puffs a day

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Quartz2208 · 08/04/2018 13:13

Yes the first time DS had an inhaler they said the same thing - was in hospital later that day!

Original poster
ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 14:59

That's worrying. Did the inhaler not work? They gave my son the blue one he had 2 puffs this morning as recommended.. he seems fine, he stopped coughing, I'm really out of my depth here I've never had to deal with inhalers or been told what to watch out for. Confused

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youarenotkiddingme · 08/04/2018 15:10

Does he have a spacer?

To take inhaler.

Shake for 30 seconds.
Place inhaler in spacer.
Press inhaler once.
Breathe in for as long as possible (10 secs if they can).

Wait 1 minute.

Repeat.

You MUST shake the inhaler between EVERY puff. Polishing it twice for 2 doses doesn't give 2 doses.

If your concerned go to nearest pharmacy who can show you.

Original poster
ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 15:23

The pharmacy I got it from (lloyds at Sainsbury's) told me it was pretty straight forward, they did give me a spacer but they didn't show me how to do it, I had to watch a video on YouTube, i feel more confident for the evening puffs. I'm kind of annoyed that nobody at the GP or pharmacy showed me. I feel like I did his first 2 puffs wrong but he does seem to be breathing fine. I'm just worried I won't be able to tell when he needs it.

I put my ear to his chest and his breathing on the inhale still sounds slightly wheezy, does that go away after a puff or does it linger for a few days?

He's never wheezed before this weekend. Sad

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Quartz2208 · 08/04/2018 16:08

Just wasn’t enough at the hospital he went into 10 puffs every 4 hours reducing down 2 every 24 hours

DottyGiraffe · 08/04/2018 16:13

If the spacer has a mask on it, he doesn't have to breathe in for 10 seconds, he can breathe in and out normally while you count the seconds - he won't be losing any medication as is held in the chamber and will go in with each breath. I watch for the little disc between mask and chamber to click in and out. Hope there is a mask as a mouth piece is trickier and would require the continuous breathing in as a previous poster described.

Original poster
ChristineC320 · 08/04/2018 16:56

It comes with a mask, he thought the whole thing was cool Hmm

the dr who prescribed it said he doesn't think he needs it for long.

Thank you for all the messages, I might take him to his own gp tomorrow morning and ask more questions

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