Coughing so much that he is vomiting

[Columbo]

DS (18 months) has had a cold/cough for about a week/10 days, hasn't really seemed that bad, just snotty nose and a bit grumpy, with the odd cough.

The last few days he has had instances of coughing and not being able to get his breath quick enough between coughs, and retching and vomiting up his milk.

Today and yesterday he refused most main meals and has eaten only a few snacks of cheese, fruit, bread, raisins and yogurt. He's done a stinky chalky yellowish coloured poo this evening that smelled mucousy.

He's not really been ill before and this coincides with starting nursery last week. He hasn't seemed ill enough to keep at home just a bit off, and I've been poorly too.

Does this all sound familiar to those of you with a bit more experience in the winter lurgi/coughs/colds department? I rang nurse today but had to go out before she rang me back.

It sounds like you need to take him to the doctor so that he can have his chest listened to. ds had pneumonia at 8 months, he would vomit after food/milk. It's best to get him checked over.

OK, so I now I'm panicking that something bad is going to happen before I can get him to the docs tomorrow.

sounds very similar to dd2 (nearly 3). when she has a cold she is always very phlegmy and also has a sensitive gag reflex so coughing often makes her retch.

ditto the mucousy poo and being off her food. I tend to just keep her topped up on as much luquid as I can and let her lead the way with how much food she eats. No matter how little she eats, I figure she'll catch up again when she's better, so I don't stress about it. Milk makes the mucous worse, btw. HTH

I wouldn't panic but you might wantg to get him checked out. Is his cough 'rattley' or is it just dry-ish and the cough makes him retch? Dd2 is the latter. When she's had chest problems it sounds much more 'barking'.

Thanks Moomin. What you describe sounds just like DS.

I thought that was true about the milk/mucous but I looked it up in my What to Expect (Toddler) book and it said it was a myth . I've tried to compromise and only given him milk at bedtime because it's so much part of his routine.

It's just like phlegm has collected and is making him cough - its like a productive cough rather than dry or barking.

Will deffo take him to docs to get it checked though.