Hi all, looking for some reassurance or advice please!
my DS is just over 1, he’s been a bit irritable over the last few days, a little snotty with a low grade fever (around 37.9). DD who is older has had a chesty cough, fever and runny nose this last week but seems to be on the mend now with nothing other than rest and calpol (although the cough did sound particularly nasty). So I was kind of expecting DS to start with the same thing.
Today DS has started with a cough… but it’s gone from being chesty in the morning to being chesty and sounding really sore and harsh and deep. when he starts coughing, it rattles in his chest and at points he has made himself sick with coughing so much.
if I keep on top of the calpol/ibuprofen he seems ok in himself despite the cough - not his best self but ok (crawling round, drinking a bit less, eating a little less too).
my question is - how would I know if this is something that would require antibiotics? I don’t want to waste the drs time if it’s viral and my gut is telling me that it’s the same thing DD had which will pass in a couple of days… but it sounds so sore when he coughs!
thought I’d ask for some advice whilst I sit here BFing him to sleep! Thanks in advance all.