Poorly 9 month old

[Lockdownbaby2021]

Me again with my poorly babies! Can’t seem to catch a break at the moment from one of them being ill!

my 9 month old has been unwell for around 3 weeks on and off, however the last few days has been gradually refusing bottles, not eating as much etc.
he seemed to perk up yesterday morning and seemed happy, no temp etc. so sent him to nursery. They phoned me to say he’d had a choking incident on his lunch (never ever had one before) to the point where they had to administer back slaps to get the food out.
he then declined after this and I got a call to say they took his temp and it was 39! I took him straight to docs after work who took his temp again and it was 39.7 and they sent us in an ambulance to a&e, hours after waiting I saw a doctor who said he seemed to have a viral sore throat and ear infection but would not give antibiotics, just a throat spray and to keep on top of pain relief and to monitor him over the next few days and if I’m concerned then to take him back and they’d happily see to him again.
tonight he’s refusing milk and water and medicine, I’ve managed to get a puff of spray down his throat but that’s it. He won’t touch anything else but then won’t sleep coz he’s hungry so he’s just crying making his throat worse. If I try sooth him he gets more upset.
at what point to I take him back to hospital? He’s really not himself and I’m worried about him going to bed on an empty stomach with no milk. He last had some water at 6 ish but he’s refused his milk bottles today.
it’s just awful seeing him in this way, he’s usually the happiest baby ever. But everything is upsetting the poor thing recently. I just want to make it better. Any advice welcome!

@Lockdownbaby2021 I know how you feel. My DD (10m) started nursery in September and she's been constantly unwell since then.

I've posted countless posts on MN for advice about similar things to you so I didn't want to read and run as I know how worrying it can be.

As frustrating as it is, it's normal for them to refuse food and milk when unwell. I wish someone told us this and how common it is because I spent hours worried about it. Their default setting is to give up food/drink.

You can try the following:

Give water through a syringe bit by bit, put it into the side of the mouth and blow baby's face so they kind of startle a bit and swallow (I don't mean started to scare them but just so the blowing makes him swallow) alternately give a bit then give dummy so he sucks it then give a bit and then dummy and repeat till it's done. Same with Calpol.

In terms of when to go back, if his symptoms do not improve in the next few days go back, but these things do take time. My daughter hasn't really shifted any illness fully since going to nursery, jt seems to linger or she pick up something new. If he has less than 3 wet nappies then he needs to go in, if he's too floppy to be alert, loses all interest in everything and cannot be woken properly from a nap, you need to take him back. But the eating and drinking will need to run its course, as he gets better he'll take more. I've been so worried about appetite too and this is what I've learnt. Just keep trying various foods. My daughter wasn't a fan of toast previously until she got sick recently and I tried it to get something in her as she wa refusing proper food she'd normally eat and now she seems to love it. Just try little and often and if it helps syringe fluids down. All the best x

How are his nappies?

Do you mean he's eaten absolutely nothing today?

Try him with an ice lolly/frozen yoghurt to get some water/calories into him.

How much did he last drink?

What his nappies like?

When he cries , has he tears?

And most important What is he like in himself? Any rash? Cold hands & Feet?
Temperature going down with meds?
Floppy / unusually sleepy or non rousable ?

Thanks all. No concern over his nappies. He’s managing to drink a little. However his little sore throat when he cries is breaking my heart. He has a constant stream of snot and a nasty cough. How long can this go on for? I’m a second time mum and even this is new to me 😫

I feel like he’s been ill for weeks on and off but this mucus cough and sore throat has been going on for a couple of weeks now.
im so surprised they didn’t give antibiotics. I know they don’t work all the time and shouldn’t be given unnecessarily, however with an ear infection too I thought they would have given something?? Poor little man 😭