need some opinions about 2 yr old severe cough..

[mad4mybaby]

he started off stopping eating for 1 week so took to doc as he wasnt 'right' he said it was viral and hed get over it. the next day was v sick and then developed an awful cough. This cough has been here for about month now and i have seen 3 diff gps who say it is viral blah blah only time will get rid of it. He has had a temp every now and then but not all the time. The last gp i saw said give sudafed 3 times a day plus calpol when needed. When he is in bed (even with bed propped) he coughs nearly constantly. wakes up very tired and grouchy. He has had it on and off since summer and asthma was suggested and was given liquid salbutamol but never gave to him as cleared up before i gave to him.

im taking him tomorrow as i dont think this is acceptable for a 2 yr old to suffer. What can i do/say to make them listen??

My 2yo and my baby are on antibiotics at the moment. My baby is quite badly ill, but my 2yo, he'd had a cough for about a week and it was making his chest crackle and he was off food etc - is your DS's chest crackling? you can put your hands round his ribs and perhaps feel it. My DS is not too bad in hiimself.

No, I don't think it's OK for a 2yo to suffer - can you see another GP?

what are the anti biotics for? I have seen 3 diff gps!! One of which was out of hours gp. Short of taking him to A&E which really dont want to do esp as have poorly 3 week old and on my own with them both, i dont know what else to do?? Can i demand anti biotics??

how long can a 'viral' go on for??

Not sure about 'crackling' he is in bed at mo.. will listen in the am. When he saw out of hours it was i think 2 weeks ago and he said his chest was clear, ears fine, throat fine... but HE ISNT FINE!! He is suffering..

Is it not whooping cough, whooping cough can go on for as long as 10 weeks. They have tendancy now to call it something else to cover up the failure of the vaccine.

My DS (7mths) was coughing all the time, had a very crackly chest and was wheezing all the time. My GP gave us amoxicillin ( most commonly given AB for kiddies) and it cleared really quickly. I would say antibiotics will start working within 2 days if the illness is bacterial, if it is a virus AB's won't help and you will just have to sooth as much as you can. BUT I have two friends who's young children have the same coughing as your DC and they were diagnosed with nighttime asthma and they have inhalers. A month does seem a bit long for a virus, I would put some pressure on your GP's, trust your instincts.

went earlier and the gp (one we did see before) who said he can hear crackling at the bottom of his back and 'may respond to anti biotics' how can he suddenly have crackling and not before when the cough has always been this bad?? So angry as makes me think they have all missed this before.

Yes, amoxicilin (sp) is what he has been given.. told to finish course 6/7 days.

Did discuss asthma as cough horrendous at night/when wakes up. Will have to see what happens..

Glad you got somewhere with the GP, perhaps you were a bit more pushy this time. We have the opposite problem with some of our GP's, they are very quick to give out AB's without exploring other possibilities, that's why things like this are good to get other peoples experiences. Fingers crossed he may start to improve now.