Bronchiolitis - anyone any experience with the coughing?

[kazzybabes]

Hi my 7mo has been diagnosed with bronchiolitis we have been up at the hospital 3 times because of her breathing (muscle retraction) but managed to avoid admission as oxygen levels were okay snd she is feeding okay (milk, will not eat solids). We are now day 12 and she has had an awful cough since Saturday, she has coughing fits were literally will not stop coughing until a big gag or vomits. The past 2 nights have been the worse were she has a coughing fit about every 45mins. Has anyone experienced this coughing before with bronchiolitis? I just hope it ends soon it is awful :(

Coughing is definitely a symptom of bronchiolitis, I'm surprised she didn't have it right from the start. Things you can try, prop her cot up (safely) so she's sleeping at an angle, as lying flat makes it worse. Calpols vapour plug in at nights in the room. And steam rooms, close bathroom door and run hot shower/bath and just sit in there with her, bring toys to keep her occupied.

I don't know much about bronchiolitis but my DD had whooping cough at about this age (she had had the first part of her vaccination but the 2nd part isn't done until I think 12 months). It started with a couple of weeks of normal cold/cough/mild fever type illness but the cough just got worse and worse. The thing that eventually alerted the GP to it being whooping cough was that she was pretty much ok between coughing episodes but would then cough continuously and violently going bright red/purple in the face until she brought up loads of frothy white stuff. She coped really well even though GP missed the window for giving antibiotics as it wasn't picked up in the first couple of visits. The cough lingered for MONTHS and we got very little sleep. It nearly killed me, but she was and is fine. For a few years afterwards the cough would come back every time she had a normal cold/cough.

Might be worth getting this checked out OP.

My DS has bronchiolitis at 6 weeks old and his coughing lasted about 6 weeks

Thanks everyone! I am tempted to get her checked for whooping cough, I will keep doing what I am doing and hope it stops soon

We’re going through this now and there is a lot of coughing and a lot of vomiting. I think it is very normal unfortunately. You’d hear the difference if it was whooping cough- you’d know it if you heard it as it is really horrible.

Thanks cremebrule! I couldn’t find any information on how bad the cough may be with bronchiolitis, I just hope it is near the end now, dear help her the cough is terrible especially during the night! I hope your little one gets better soon too.

My son used to have a croupy cough with bronciolitis. Does it sound like a seal barking? If so it usually gets worse at night.

My ds was diagnosed with this at 10 months a nurse kindly informed me that the cough could last a couple of months.

You’d know if it was whooping cough by the awful whoop sound they make when they breathe in whilst coughing. It’s bloody hideous to hear.

If hospital haven’t admitted her and it hasn’t got worse then it could just be the lingering cough. It’s bloody horrid though!

Have you tried getting the bathroom absolutely steaming with a vvvv hot shower and closing the door and sitting in there with them? That loosened dd’s chest no end.

My 6.5m old is struggling with bronchiolitis too. Sending you OP. We were awake all through the night last night. He's asleep now but whilst on me and I'm sitting upright. I don't think there'll be any sleep for me tonight but hoping this little chap can get some rest x

take them outside it helps open the bronchioles

My son had bronchiolitis at 7 months
He was feeding just fine but whooping with a cough
Apparently its common in males who are white and big babies
He was in hospital for 2 weeks and I stayed with him
This has a negative effect on my daughter then 2 years old as she felt abandoned by me
My heart goes out to you
He is now a healthy 38 year old so don't despair
I'm sure all will be fine

kazzybabes it is breaking me. The poor thing is so hungry but keep vomiting up everything she has. I’m really worried we’re going to end up back in hospital with dehydration (just in time for Christmas) if she doesn’t stop vomiting soon. No-one is getting any sleep and I’m so tired and ratty. I wanted to do lots of lovely Christmas things with my eldest but she’s largely being ignored. It really is shit. I hope your little one starts to get better soon.