6 month old dehydrated??

[clouiseg]

Hello all

I could really do with some reassurance please!

6 month old dd (and me) were diagnosed with Swine Flu last Friday after falling ill Thurs pm. I have Tamiflu, dd didn't.

Since Friday her fluid intake has diminished to the point (imo) of concern. As a guide, she normally has around 35oz milk, 6 oz water & solids on a normal day.

Friday she had virtually nothing
Saturday just sips
Sunday 10oz (milk & water combined)
Yesterday about 10oz (combined-when I actually got a bottle into her she threw the LOT up as soon as she sat up & coughed)
Today 10oz (combined)

She's had no solids at all and has lost 1.5lb since Friday.

I've tried EVERY trick in the book (have 3 dd's) and they've all failed. She just will not take fluid and the more I persevere the more distressed she gets to the point of coughing til she is sick.

Last night she developed a horrendous cough and after a bout of barking on her inhalation I guessed she had Croup. GP confirmed on the phone today (won't visit us with SF, and I'm not allowed to take her there for the same reason - DH works til 9pm) but Dr said I ought to get her there with someone else (!!??)

So, GP is aware & Out of hours Dr came on Saturday & was unconcerned, just said keep trying. TBH they seemed to want to beat a hasty retreat when she found I have SF!

Here's my issue. She is clearly not getting the required amount of fluid, and hasn't since Friday.

She has had 2 nappies all day. I kept one on her from 9am - 5pm for the purpose of monitoring her urine output. That nappy had the amount of one normal wee in it. From 8 hours of wear. She still has the other on so I can monitor again. Oh and it smells quite strong.

She has no dry mouth (although not dribbling like a 6 mo teether does) and her skin seems ok. But she has sort of sunk shadows under her eyes (like bags but dipping in IYKWIM) and she is clearly not weeing enough.

Should I be concerned or am I just worrying too much? It has been 5 days, but the NHS are arguing that she is not "displaying all the signs of dehydration" even though nobody has actually SEEN her since Saturday!!!! Is there no test they can even do on a sample if I send a dribble there with a neighbour (to see if she is dehydrated)?

I have a sneaking suspicion that they are trying to postpone seeing her until she is "really bad" due to the fact we have Swine Flu? Or am I just being paranoid and delerious from my own fever? lol

So sorry for the long post. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you. xxx

So...dd was admitted AGAIN to hospital. No tube feed required as apparently, the paeds aren't too worried about her losing a quarter of her body weight (well actually, one paed was VERY worried...then the next one wasn't...?)

It appears that since the SF, she has developed tonsilitis, hence the difficulty feeding. She has AB & a throat spray for this now. Also eye drops for poorly eyes. She has also developed crackles on her left lung, so she is query bronchiolitis too. Oh and the swab they took a week ago has (and I quote...) "a heavy growth of Haemophilus Influenza". This has several types, but one of them is Hib (the one they are vaccinated against) so I had to phone them to clarify which type she has...still awaiting the answer! Hib can be very nasty so fingers crossed.

She has been discharged, although she is still so unwell. Her cough is just appalling. She coughs until she vomits violently and whilst at rest you can hear the rattling across the room from her lungs. She has slept sitting up in her pushchair for the last 5 nights as lying down causes hideous coughing fits and she can't sleep. All the paeds were making a big deal of how pale she is too...she literally has no colour in her little face and her eyes are sunken and dark.

I just can not comprehend how a tiny little 6 month old baby can be treated so carelessly and how they can deem her fit to be left to suffer at home!! And bear in mind, I was told a week ago she was fine!!

I do, truly, feel like I am losing my marbles and watching her suffer is breaking our hearts. Why do we have to wait until our lo's are at deaths door before they sit up & take notice?

I can't believe the way this is dragging, your poor baby .

Sounds like you are doing everything you can. Really don't know what to say, as I'm gobsmacked. I can kind of understand that hospitals are bad places for spreading diseases, so it might seem better to send her home - but you seem to have been left without ongoing advice or support.

How do the doctors expect your DDs illness to progress, what signs have you been told to look out for as indicators of improvement, or as warnings?

Make sure you get her straight back to hospital if anything changes.

Tbh, the whole thing has been a total nightmare from the off 2 weeks ago. My GP actually rang me earlier after she received the results from the hospital. She advised me to give her an inhaler 4 times a day, and wants to see her mon morning.

All I've been told to look out for is high fever and respiratory distress (retractions etc...apparently this will indicate Pneumonia). Like I said previously, it does seem that they want our lo's to reach their physical limit before they will help them to cope. She obviously has a very sore throat from the tonsillitis, and to be coughing profusely on top of that pain....? Poor mite.

I'm a mum of 3 so am not reknowned for being an unneccessary worrier, but this has me watching her every breath and medicating her religiously! Its safe to say I'm spooked!

To any mums and dads out there who ever doubt their instincts....DON'T! You are likely to be right if the niggling doubt is there, no one knows your child like you! But its such a shame that the whole process is so stressful and seems like such a chore for the medical profession.

OMG your poor baby, the way you have been treated is appalling, can you take her back to the hospital and refuse to be discharged.
Good god a baby that unwell should not be sent home.

Has she had any sort of chest x-ray done, god i am so upset for you.

Hope she improves soon.

She had an x ray done the other day at the hospital but nothing was mentioned so I assume it was ok! They are well known for the lack of communication at that place and we've experienced it first hand. All we were told is that her platelets were high in her blood (and I seem to remember from years ago that meaning you are ill so they increase to fight infection or something??)

She is much the same with her chest today, she is drinking more milk as the throat spray helps numb her tonsils so she can at least swallow! She vomitted a load of phlegm for the first time this morning (in mummys bed!) so I'm sure thats a good sign????

I also received a letter from our GP surgery today, the Practice Manager is apologising on behalf of the staff for the lack of support we have received....what a joke! Its only because they know I'm about to make a complaint about them!

Anyway...another long day of baby watching ahead....!!! xxx

I've been watching this thread since Tuesday and have been horrified at how your little one has been treated - or more accurately not treated. I know what it is like to watch for the merest hint of improvement in a very sick child. It is a good sign she brought up the phlegm because her willingness to eat and drink should increase now. I hope she is now improving.

Thanks flamingtoaster.

It is hell watching for those little signs isn't it? Time seems to drag....!

She is drinking more milk but still won't touch her solids, but baby steps eh. Shes been ill a long time in term of her short 6 months of age so I'm thinking she'll need the equivalent time to recover fully?

I have been so humbled by the support on here. Just to hear advice and know there is support out there is so reassuring. As we all know parenthood can be a lonely old time sometimes but what a difference Mners make!! How did we survive before the (genius) invention that is the forum?? lol

DDs chest is much the same, but the cough seems more productive now, and she sporadically vomits sticky stuff, which I can only hope is good as its not sitting on her lungs. The GP called on Friday and has requested the pleasure of our company tomorrow, and freed up an appointment (unheard of at such short notice!) so she can keep an eye on baby. I suspect the very mention of my name will send fear through the staff at that practice....or at least I hope so!! SO here's to another week, lets hope its a better one!

Thanks from the bottom of my heart to you all. xxxxxx

Hope all goes well at the GPs tomorrow/today, although I suspect it may be more for their benefit (in terms of being seen doing the right thing) than you or DDs.

So glad and relieved that your DD finally seems to be making some positive progress, espcially with her milk.

Babies can bounce back from illness quite quickly, I think that there must be something in all those nice fresh cells that recovers faster than elderly ones. She'll probably recover faster from this experience that you will. But you are right, the weight is going to take time to regain, and she might have regressed a little with some of her crawling/rolling skills if she's not been moving much while ill and her muscles haven't been getting a good workout.

Can't wait to hear more good news from you both.

Awww thanks piprabbit

I agree with you about the motivation behind the sudden concern with dd's health and tend to take everything they say now with a pinch of salt.

The GP examined her and said she is looking better (she has NEVER seen her!!??) but did mention that there is a distinct wheeze in her left lung. Been advised to complete the ABs etc and she's told me to give her the salbutamol inhaler 4 times a day, 2-3 puffs a time for 3 weeks.

I'll be honest....I'm not convinced.

Is it just me or do they seem to dish out inhalers at the drop of a hat now? I remember having a chest infection at the same time as DH had a mild cough a couple of years ago, and we both came home from separate appointments with Salbutamol inhalers!!! Neither of us has a history of asthma. Needless to say we didnt use the inhalers and recovered just fine!!

I'm just reluctant to put more 'stuff' into dd's little body. But would it be best to let her have it??

xxxxxx

I agree they tend to give out inhalers a lot these days. I don't like giving little ones "stuff either but if your DD has a distinct wheeze I would be inclined to use it - at least until she seems back to be really bouncing back. It also means if (heaven forbid!) you don't get a good improvement over the next few days you can go back and hand on heart say you have done exactly what they said but it is not working. However, I'm sure it won't come to that! Hope your DD now picks up rapidly.