When to see doctor? Child with ongoing cough, new vomiting and diarrhea

[blueskiesandsun]

Does anyone have kids with similar symptoms at the moment / WWYD? Trying to figure out what is going on / what to do for her.

My DD aged 5 has been coughing for about 3 weeks, initially due to a cold then it became chesty cough and was prescribed a week of antibiotics which she finished a couple of days ago.

The cough got better for a few days but now it’s worse again despite finishing the abx (still sounds chesty). She was checked over by a doc last Thurs who said it’s a viral cough and to just give fluids and honey. She has had a slightly raised temp occasionally but not running a fever.

She is now very tired, she slept 15hrs last night and is lethargic today (either napping or on sofa all afternoon). Last couple of days she got a new runny nose. Today out of nowhere she has vomited and had diarrhoea (only once each so far thank goodness…) The new gastro symptoms took me by surprise.

Anyone in a similar boat? WWYD? Currently thinking we should wait out the weekend, see how she gets on and make sure she rests.

I would phone 111 for advice, especially as she is now lethargic

Thank you for the reply. I am under stress for other reasons at the moment so I’m tending towards overreacting and finding it hard to decide what the reasonable course of action is.

By lethargic I mean she is tired and not interested in playing, just sitting, although she will respond if asked questions. She is asleep in bed now so I’m not sure if I ought to call 111 as they would make me wake her.

There is a vomiting and diarrhoea bug going around this week, I don't know what it is but probably not noro or rotavirus (they're both lower than average for this time of year). Personally I would wait to call 111 till tomorrow but you know your child best!

DD is 1 and has had a bad cough, followed by D&V, recovered from that and we are back to a cough again. I’d put it down to several different bugs from starting nursery

Thanks a lot for commenting. This is good to know. It’s probably not noro as it’s not relentless.

@itsanothernamechangeone hope your DD gets over the cough soon and the nursery bugs leave you alone for a bit.

My DD is a keen thumb sucker which I am sure does not help!

She’s been sick for a month with a chest infection and is now lethargic and her GI tract has become inflamed- so I would definitely be taking her to hospital.

She sounds like she may have pneumonia (it can cause diarrhoea and vomiting)

Most pneumonia is viral, but viral doesn’t mean don’t need a hospital stay.

Editing to add that if you’re giving her paracetamol, she won’t run a fever. Even if you aren’t giving her any, you can have pneumonia with no fever.

Yeah I agree with PP I would call 111, it’s probably not an emergency situation though so she is probably better off getting a good sleep tonight but if she is no better in the morning call 111 and hopefully she can get an out of hours appointment tomorrow