chest infections advice needed

[pleaserewind]

Are kids ALWAYS poorly in themselves when they have a chest infection?

I was told ds2 has asthma a couple of years ago, he was wheezing along with his hayfever and has had a lot of coughs but he's never been out of breath. Not being sure what was best i have given him inhalers everyday as instructed.

But, everytime he gets a cold he ends up with phlegm on his chest for weeks, until i take him to docs and they always give him antibiotics even though he seems perfectly well in every other way.
We have an appointment this afternoon because he has been coughing up phlegm now for 3 weeks and it isn't going away, i feel a bit of a fraud tho as he's very well in himself.
Am i wasting the docs time?
is it just a symptom of asthma that we have to live with?
please advise

[nailpolish]

ive never heard of coughing up phlegm as a true sign of asthma. what colour is the phlegm?

[pleaserewind]

it's been pale yellowish mostly although i noticed it looked a little bit bloody in one bit this morning (gross)

[Fastasleep]

It could be either or... I'm no expert, but I do remember from when I was younger that I had a spate of chest infections, I was fine in every other way too I was just very phlegmy and breathless... they can come with fevers, but they don't always...

Have you tried giving your ds back massages? If you are quite firm and stroke/push upwards from the base of his back with two hands and then use a light thumping movement from the base of his back to underneath his shoulders on either side of his spine with a loose fist or the palm of your hand you might be able to loosen some of the phlegm and help to get it out?

HTH! Definately no expert, but massages really helped my SIL as a kid

[tortoiseshell]

I don't think going to the doctor with children is ever wasting their time, and I don't think they think so either. If he's prone to chest infections, then it is always a good idea to check it out. Dd has had a couple, and been pretty well generally. Our doctor tends to give antibiotics if it isn't clearing up by itself.

Hope he's better soon.

[Newbarnsleygirl]

I don't think coughing up phlegm is caused by the asthma. I've had it all my life and never had that problem, only when I had a chest infection. I would say it's either not cleared up or did clear up and it's come back IYKWIM.

The best way I can describe asthma is like having an elephant sat on your chest and you really have to struggle to get your breath.

I know when I've had it bad or an infection has persisted I have been prescribed a Steroid to get rid and I have to say they seemed to work twice as quick.

Hope that helps and hope your ds gets better soon.

[efmach]

If he doesn't have a raging temperature and doesn't have difficulty in breathing, then I would be inclined to let his immune system deal with the phlegm. Just my opinion though!

[Fastasleep]

If the phlegm is more than a bit bloody or goes brown you should get back to the doctors as it could be a serious infection... the phlegm you describe sounds like normal chest infection stuff though! The small bits of (fresh) blood sometimes occur because the phlegm has stuck on so well to a part of the lung and it's taken a good shake to get it off IYKWIM

[nailpolish]

it does sound infectious. but surely not linked with the asthma? the blood is not usually from the lungs, but from the windpipe, caused by trauma from coughing (er, but im no expert either)

i dont think you should just have to live with it, gp back to the dr, he should find out specifically what infection it is so he can treat it with the specific antibiotics. maybe a bit of physio could help? gp can refer you

i dont think you are wasting drs time, imo