Crackly breathing in 18mo?

[gemmummy]

Quick background, he's had one cold/virus/bug after another since starting full time nursery in Jan, which I know is to be expected. The last few weeks he's had a really horribly green phlegmy cough so I took him to doctors, he was prescribed amoxycillin (sp?). the course finished 3 days ago, but his breathing is really crackly and he still has a phlegmy sounding cough, but he only coughs occasionaly. It's the crackly breathing that's worrying me, any advice please???

Shameless Bump.

Can you hear the crackly breathing from "outside" him, IYKWIM, or can you just hear it when you put your ear to him? If it is "outside", it may be phlegmy breathing in his throat. If you can only hear the crackles close up, then the infection is probably still there. TBH, at 18mo, I would go back to the docs with him.

shy i can hear it without putting my ear to him, I've booked another appt, but earliest was tuesday. Just a bit worried in case it might develop into something worse, or as he seems ok at the minute shall i just wait til tues?

I'm a bit hesitant about advising, as I'm just a Mum, with no special qualifications other than experience of wheezy babies, bronchitis and pneumonia, but here goes - first, take his temperature. Anything above 37C indicates infection. Then put your ear near his throat and see if you think the crackling is coming from there. Then put your ear to his chest and listen to see if the sound comes from there instead. Really, really try to work out where the noise is coming from. If his temp is normal, and the crackling is coming from the throat it is probably phlegmy breathing and could wait. If it is his chest and he has a temp, it is probably a chest infection and you should not wait, he would need an immediate appointment.
If, at any time, his breathing becomes laboured (the skin beneath his ribs is drawn in sharply, making his stomach concave, when he breathes in), he turns bluish, or he starts making a grunting noise when he breathes, call an ambulance straight away. This lot is unlikely, but better safe than sorry.
At any time, if in doubt, at all, call NHS Direct.
Hope this helps

Take him back to the GP, maybe he needs some more/different antibiotics.