Baby weight loss due to virus (& heat)

[Gurke]

Hello wise MNetters, do you have any advice?

My DS is now almost 10 months actual/ 7 corrected. Since leaving hospital he has steadily (and at times spectacularly) gained weight, and maintained his 9th centime curve, more or less. He is now almost 7 1/2 kg.

But last week he got a high temperature, a cough which has made him puke (he was a refluxy baby until recently anyway), and a sore throat. After a few days of this, he has now started to produce large quantities of snot, and the main problem is that as soon as he tries to breastfeed he either gives up because he can't breathe, or he feeds very inefficiently (I.e. my boobs are still full at the end). His nappies have been unusually light, although he is active and in good spirits otherwise.

So I was not surprised to see that he's lost weight this week, what with the sweltering heat, the vomiting and the lack of milk feeding. The question is: what can I do about it? And how long does this kind of thing normally last? I've already tried saline drops, bm in his nose, snotsucker (which didn't work because it doesn't seem to be in his nose, but lower down), trying to get him too feed upright (which he refuses) - and am running out of ideas.

Sorry about the long post, but any ideas will be great. Thanks.

I think I'd get him checked at the docs. Dd was a 27 weeker and had similarish symptoms this spring aged 15 months adjusted or so. A temp that went, then a rattly chest, more sleepy than normal and finding feeding tricky due to the snot. Otherwise bright as a button, crawling around softplay giggling etc. Then she woke up from a nap and it was like all she was concentrating on doing was breathing. Panicked nhs24 person told us to get her to a&e. She had pneumonia. Shes doing great now but it was a wake up call that normal family bugs can settle in her chest. And also that her hard as nails prem attitude means she is often sicker than you might think. She recovered well after some abs.

Thanks Poppet, that's always the worry, isn't it - especially infections that impact on breathing (DS was on ventilator/ CPAP for a month). How terrifying that pneumonia must have been, but glad she recovered quickly.

Hi poppet - went to the GP after DS went on a full-blown nursing strike :( Seems to be tonsillitis & possibly an ear infection, so no wonder he can't feed. You're right about the tough preemie exterior though - he was reasonably cheerful & playing in a way you'd not have guessed how ill he is...

Awww poor wee man. Hope he's on the mend. And yes if they would only act ill when poorly it would be much less stressful!

Awww poor wee man. Hope he's on the mend. And yes if they would only act ill when poorly it would be much less stressful!