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Original poster

2 1/2 year old has been coughing for 2 hours straight, now starting to gag...

31 replies

gemloving · 28/10/2021 16:41

My son had a fever the past two days, not too crazy around 38.5 degrees and he had a cough 2 days ago, it was better yesterday but all of a sudden turned so much worse. It's constant and it's hurting apparently (well I would be hurting).

I just called the GP and he can't see a doctor before tomorrow. His breathing is ok (no wheezing so far) but I'm just so worried. He was so much better this morning ( no fever) and now this. He's currently in the bath (35 degrees) and I had turned the shower to the hottest as well so the room is really steamy.

What would you do? Just a worried mum here .

OP posts:
Original poster
gemloving · 28/10/2021 16:44

*update: no Covid, have been testing daily

OP posts:
CocaColaTruck1 · 28/10/2021 16:44

There's a lot of nasty bugs going round atm,
Is he sucking his ribs and front of neck in whilst breathing?
How's his fluid intake?

mayblossominapril · 28/10/2021 16:46

Go on YouTube and listen to the sound of different coughs. If it’s croup he may need steriods.

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Fallagain · 28/10/2021 16:46

Is he weeing?
Lethargic?

Both my kids have had awful coughs and vomiting recently.

Hellocatshome · 28/10/2021 16:46

I assume you have been testing daily with a LFT? He has symptoms he needs a PCR and a Dr probably won't see him until he has had one.

Original poster
gemloving · 28/10/2021 16:51

He's been eating fine today:

Weetabix for breakie
Grapes and banana snack
Sausage mash and peas for lunch

Sounds stupid but he just had an ice cream as I thought it might help with the cough but he could barely eat it, that's how bad the cough is.

Dinner is in half an hour.

He is not lethargic although he's started shaking slightly when the cough got really bad.

@mayblossominapril I'll check that out.

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Kitkat151 · 28/10/2021 16:53

GP likely won’t see him until you’ve had a PCR test.... wouldn’t at my surgery anyway....not with Covid symptoms

Original poster
gemloving · 28/10/2021 16:53

Fluid intake is less but has definitely been peeing and we just had an accident on the sofa. Peeing and putting him on the potty wasn't on mine or his mind.

Husband has taken over, I'm getting baby to sleep for his last sleep.

FYI: very anxious mother when it comes to the kids being sick

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flapjackfairy · 28/10/2021 16:55

Yes is he sucking the skin in between his ribs ? Kids can compensate for chest issues really well until they suddenly get tired and can drop their oxygen levels v quickly. Can you get hold of a Sat's probe to test his oxygen levels ? Any concerns just go to A and E or walk in centre. Really better to overact than be too passive.

noscoobydoodle · 28/10/2021 16:56

My little boy has one of these nasty bugs going round- turned into a chest infection (and ear infection) and he is on antibiotics now. The cough was racking his whole body, he was vomiting, and very wheezy and rattly. No appetite at all. Dr would not see him without negative PCR. They advised Vicks and olbas oil and Calpol along with the antibiotics and said there's a lot of this kind of thing going round.

Megan2018 · 28/10/2021 16:57

I’d call 111, when we had similar it was croup and needed steroids. She didn’t have all the symptoms and didn’t sound like croup but it was.
They were perfectly happy to see us in A&E without a Covid test (we’d had a PCR at that point but no results) and so was GP. They really aren’t being hysterical about it in kids.

ShittyGlitter · 28/10/2021 17:02

Is DC coughing up any mucus or is it a dry cough?

What over the counter remedies have you tried?

Suggestions if you haven’t tried already:

Pain relief calpol and/or ibuprofen

Cough syrup or honey and lemon can soothe a tickle

Vapour rubs

Antihistamine syrup (may need to be over 6 for this!)

I get your anxiety, try to look objectively. How is his breathing generally, is he lethargic?

Memyselfandfood · 28/10/2021 17:10

You need to go and get a PCR TEST.
HE has classic covid symptoms. This is not ‘he doesn't have covid’ you’re doing a LFT. He has symptoms, you need a proper test.
You do not test with a LFT when you have symptoms. These are for people with no symptoms.

Memyselfandfood · 28/10/2021 17:11

There is an horrendous virus going round, but without pcr test, no way of knowing.

Original poster
gemloving · 28/10/2021 18:20

Thanks everyone

@ShittyGlitter just made homemade pizza with him and he had a couple of slices, not lethargic at all. Temp was 39 but gave him a 125mg suppository rather than calpol.

We'll get a PCR test tomorrow @mayblossominapril - easily done. Right now, it's about how to manage his symptoms as I'm really worried.

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Kettletoaster · 28/10/2021 19:04

What is his cough like OP? My DD developed a cough which caused a very nasty sounding noise when she breathed in. Google ‘Stridor’. If he has this, then get him seen by a medical professional sooner rather than later. My DD ended up being rushed to A&E for steroids as she had very bad croup. Covid is of course a possibility, but younger children are much more likely to be struck with RSV, Broncholitis or Croup at that age - all of which are more serious at a young age.

Verbena87 · 28/10/2021 19:13

Book a pcr now and call 111. We had this recently and it was croup. 111 were able to find an out of hours who could see him as a possible covid case before results came back, and gave him steroids. Croup can be serious and gets worse at night so call now. You can also try taking him outside, and keeping him upright. Good luck.

SweetBabyCheeses99 · 28/10/2021 20:01

Why is everyone so obsessed with the pcr test?! There’s like a couple of hundred different respiratory viruses that he could have - it doesn’t really matter which as they need to treat the symptoms. There’s no magic anti-covid pill that they can give to people, it’s exactly the same treatment as any other respiratory virus, but just with a side serving of hysteria.

KL92xxxx · 28/10/2021 20:11

Croup is a very strange cough it’s like a bark it’s awful. My little boy had it at 16mo this summer and we went straight to a&e as it was the middle of the night when it got really bad. Look at croup symptoms online, he has steroids at hospital and he didn’t cough again!

BoomChicka · 28/10/2021 20:16

There are some horrid colds around at the moment, if you have any concerns about his breathing or if he gets drowsy please call 111 who might organise OOO or say take him to A&E. Do you have an oximeter?

MistyFrequencies · 28/10/2021 20:18

Try taking him outside in the cold. Wrap his body up in a blanket obviously, keep him warm but if it's croup the cold air will ease the cough. My boy has had bad croup a lot of times and this always works, he always improves before we get to GP/A&E because of the cold air on way to car.
The doctors always told me no steam I had been trying this as that's what my mum used to do with my brothers when they had croup when we were little. All the doctors my son has seen say that's old advice, cold air is better....outside or open a window rtc

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 28/10/2021 20:20

Nothing much you can do- vicks on his ribs and feet- prob head of his mattress up- might find it better to sleep upright on you if he’s really bad in the night

Amberflames · 28/10/2021 20:22

HE has classic covid symptoms

Not for a small child he doesn’t.

Original poster
gemloving · 28/10/2021 22:25

Just an update: breathing is fine and the suppositories have brought his temperature down.

He's had a few small coughing episodes but nothing major, I've been monitoring him. I listened to what croup sounds like and the cough doesn't sound like this & that's why the humidifier is on in his room.

Husband has been asleep since 9, I just dreamfed our baby and will go to sleep. I got an alarm for 1am as I will check his temp then and if required, will top up with paracetamol.

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Original poster
gemloving · 29/10/2021 19:15

Update: at our hospital, not one doctor even asked about COVID and he saw 3.

Chest X-ray, steroids, nebuliser, now home with antibiotics and an inhaler.

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