6mo suddenly very wheezy - should I be panicking?

[LoveAndSqualor]

DS has had a fairly heavy cold for a couple of days, which this evening seems to have gone onto his chest - he's wheezing quite badly. No temperature, doesn't seem distressed, took his 7pm bottle, but the wheezing seems to have worsened since then. Should I be whipping him off to hosp or is that a monumental overreaction? Would much prefer to take him to the gp in the morning, obviously, but don't want to miss anything ... Advice please, am clueless first-time mother!

you know what, I would take him to hosp. it may be something minor, may be something like brohchiolitis, you just don't know.
he is only little and if the wheezing has got worse then I would def take him

thanks, thisisyest - off to google bronchiolitis ...

might be bronchiolitis - both DSs have had this. have a look on NHS direct, esp. time the breathing, how many breaths per minute. look also at chest, is he labouring to breathe (tummy in and out, shoulders hunched...)

don't take it just from me, check NHS direct website and give them a call, they will advise..

I have taken both DSs to hospital with bronchiolitis, is easily treated with inhaler. but can be serious. so don't just take advice from MNetters! get professional advice.

If you are concerned then phone NHS Direct and they will be able to advise you.

My dd suffers from asthma although she has only had one attack that she was admitted with. Then her wheeze was so bad my dh could hear it when I spoke to him on the phone.

If you look at his chest, is it kind of sucking in against his ribs with each breath? If so then A&E, definitely.

DS started wheezing one evening at 9mo, we called the doc out expecting it to be nothing but he called an ambulance straight away and we were in hospital for three days -- it was bronchiolitis. It's very common in autumn/winter and little ones can do downhill very quickly with it, so better safe than sorry imo.

thanks all. will call nhs direct now. his breathing doesn't appear to be laboured; he's v calm, too. Just wheezy. Poor thing.

nhs direct will prob tell you to go in anyway, because he's so small.
I honestly would go in, it fcan get worse so quickly.

I was left babysitting a small wheezy child one evening, by the time her parents came home she was starting to really labour to breathe and she ended up in hospital with pneumonia.

don't want to scare you, but the hospital would much rather see an ok baby than not see a poorly one iyswim?

thanks again. think that's what we'll do. v grateful for quick responses

bronchiolitis starts sweeping the country this time of year.
you will really notice if he becomes very laboured, i would take him just in case.
our baby had it and we were in hospital for 4 days,on oxygen.its very common.

hopefully babies are a priority in a and e and they will sort you out either way. we were admitted within minutes.take a little overnight bag just in case. good luck its frightening.

how is he doing today, Love and Squalor?

Hey there, he's much better today, thanks. Spoke to a v nice nurse on nhs direct, who asked a million questions and even listened to him on the phone(!) and in the end said we should keep him at home for the night, closely observing him. So I checked him every hour and he seemed to improve as the night went on. This morning, I can only hear the wheeze when he's crying. Have an appt at the gp for later this morning, though, to set mind at rest. Thanks all so much for help last night - I'd never heard of bronchiolitis but will be keeping my eye out for it now!

phew, good news

great stuff. glad to hear NHS direct did the job so well. plus well done to you - its always scary having a medical drama w the little ones, especially the first time it happens.