2 year old has fishy smelling breath and lethargic

[clankypanky]

For a while now I have noticed that my son has bad breath, hes not even 2 yet. The past week he is sleeping a lot more and when awake grumpy and lethargic. His breath almost smells fishy. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? Is he ill do you think? Ive not taken him to hte doctors because hes not had a temperature or anyhting. just wondered if this rang any bells with anyone with similar experience.

I would get it checked out - could be a metabolic issue or infection maybe?

hmm, i will i think. Im going to go and wake him now, hes been sleeping for 3 and a half hours when previously he had given up his sleep during the day.

yes - possibly diabetes? I'd def get it checked out.

has he been losing any weight lately?

Could be candida infection maybe? Would certainly fit with the tiredness and possibly the breath.

Poor thing - hope he is ok.

Get him checked out. If he's lethargic with odd smelling breath (pear drops?) it could be diabetes and children can go downhill very quickly. Can you get a urine sample for testing at gps?

Is he very thirsty and weeing a lot?

My son was very grumpy and lethargic and had lost weight. He was drinking loads and started to wet the bed. Now that he has treatment he's bouncing around.

Hope it's just a virus and nothing more serious but please let us know how you get on.

Am a bit worried now after what you said. I woke him up and he was still really tired after nearly 4 hours sleep and now all he wants to do is watch tv. His breath doesnt smell like pear drops thogh and hes not drinking/weeing excessively, hes not really lost weight either although hes always been quite lean. Will look into the candida infection as well, thank you all...i'll let you know x

Diabetes is usually a sweet smell (pear drops, as you say) not fishy as far as I know.

Definitely get him checked by a doctor - the fishy breath could be linked to a kidney problem.

Sure it's nothing/something that can be easily treated, but do get him to a doctor just to be safe.

Hope he feels better soon

Does he have a dummy when he sleeps? I find that my childs breath can smell a bit unpleasant when she has her dummy in for a while.
Also, I know you said he is nearly 2,but is he still teething? My DD is 2 next week and has all her teeth, but sometimes teething products, such as bonjella can make there breath smell a bit strange. A lot of times I think a sore throat can change the smell of a childs breath, so maybe your son has a virus that is giving him a sore throat, would explain why hes so sleepy as well. Hope this helps!

When ds had that at it was a sign of tonsolitis.

No he doesnt have a dummy. I thought he had all his teeth but maybe he still has some back ones to come he has had his fingers in his mouth a bit lately but ive not given him bonjella. In a way Im hoping it is just a sore throat, he has been particularly grumpy today although im going to get him checked because the bad breath thing has been lingering for quite a while now. Always at the fecking weekend that these things happen, hes in bed now anyway, will see how he is in the morning, it doesnt seem urgent.

In case someone is searching for 'fishy breath' 'irritable child', PLEASE see a peadiatric ENT specialist. GPs do not seem to know that these symptoms are realted to enlarged/infected adenoids and repeated bouts need tratement.

Have you looked in his nose? Strange suggestion, but a friend's child had a bead in his nose and was causing bad breath and ended up being an infection.