Cannot cope with doctors and babys illness anymore

[Glowz]

Has anyone ever been in a position where they think they are being fobbed off by doctors. Would it be obvious is something was seriously wrong with a baby? I have an 11 month old who has had consistent coughs and colds since 12 weeks. She'll have a cough for 4/5 days & nights, a few days off, then she's right back to coughing and it keeps her awake. She has an inhaler (blue) which helps her when she doesn't have a cough but doesn't touch when she does have a cough. We give her saline nasal spray when she's congested, I do baby massage and massage her nose and area to help, she has Calpol when needed. She never sleeps. She will nap once for about an hour in the day and she never sleeps more than. 7 hours at night, she surely isn't getting enough sleep. Last time I went to the doctor he literally said I was wasting time as I knew it was just a cough even though she had a temp when I took her, that was last Friday and he didn't even do any checks with her.

She's now got a rash behind her ear, another cough is starting and she's just screaming constantly. I'm exhausted, I can't do this anymore but I feel like the doctors just don't give a toss anymore.

She’s too young for the blue inhaler (assuming it’s salbutamol - not sure the other drugs). That’s most likely why it doesn’t really help. They started to build the receptors needed for it between around 12-18 months. I know that because DS was the same, except his coughs were often bad enough to need a trip to the hospital and sometimes a stay too.

So I would double check re the blue inhaler. It was our GP who prescribed it at 10 months and when we saw a paediatrician she told us we shouldn’t have been given it as it won’t make a difference. Two other friends had similar experiences.

But unfortunately some children are sick all the time, like DS was. We rarely got a break from all the bugs he caught once he started at nursery. But if you’re worried it’s something more, can you see someone privately? Or insist on a referral by your GP?

DC(7) was ill with mostly colds every day for 7 months between Oct-April. Since the beginning of May, he‘s had three further infections. We took him to the paediatrician in April who said that this year has been particularly bad for illness, and he‘s had several kids with constant illness coming through his practice, and it’s just 2024. He said he‘d me more concerned if DC wasn’t showing an immune response, I.e not coughing/ fever/runny nose.

He felt it wouldn’t improve until the weather does.

That being said, if your DC is suffering from constant respiratory infections, it’s worth getting the Dr to check his tonsils and adenoids. Mine developed sleep apnea around that age, and constant illnesses can also be a symptom of enlarged adenoids and tonsils. We‘ve already had an op and two courses of steroid spray to shrink/ remove DC‘s…

Have you considered some sort of allergy? Cows milk protein or lactose or something. The screaming might be related to gut pain or reflux and the coughing and rash could be all allergy related?

I was actually thinking the same as the above poster . Allergy related .

I think you have to work logically through the potential causes so

1. I presume your baby is never exposed to any smokers / vapers ?
2. other environmental triggers…are you in a high traffic area, any other sources of pollution, pets , dust ,damp problem etc ….does your baby’s room have carpet or laminate? No wood burner or other heat sources that involve burning?
3. food allergies…how is your baby fed, what do they eat and drink regularly, did they ever have colic symptoms or eczema ? Do you have a history of asthma or other respiratory conditions in your family ? Often respiratory conditions and digestive/ allergy issues go hand in hand.
4. is your baby at home or at nursery in the day, have they got any advice or opinions ? ( my baby was constantly ill when starting nursery). 5)If you aren’t finding your dr helpful, do you have access to a health visitor?
5. Have you tried elevating the head of her cot? Sometimes keeping a diary can help seeing as she has a few days respite every so often before the cough starts again.