Really really need advice about coughs and sleeping really worried!

[SnowWhite26]

Hi. Has anyonehad experience of very bad hacking coughs in a 10 month old. She is happy enough in the day eatting and quite thirsty but when laid down she is getting very congested and coighing making herself cry and sound like iys difficult to breath. I have nurofened and vapour rubbed. Any advice tonight would be great.x

Yes DD was a chest infection specialist, wasn't unusual for her to start a cold with a cough at night which would then develop other symptoms in the next few days. Have you checked their temp?

Also to add, we got through her many many chesty colds by cosleeping whenever she was ill. I breastfed her until she was 2.5 so was always happy she was well hydrated even when she was running Hugh temperatures.

Generally I go to the Doctor early to get a diagnosis (To check its a chesty cold and not anything more serious: meningitis / pneumonia etc). But our GP is a bit trigger happy on the antibiotics and prescribe them whenever they hear anything in DDs chest. If I'd given them to her each time she'd have had anti biopics about five times before she was two. I take the prescription but see how we go, only collecting and giving ABs if she really needs. So she's only had them once.

I'm sparing with the paracetamol / ibuprofen too. In generally it can prolong illness as the high temperature is the immune system working to kill the infection. I interfere with that as little as possible, but only when I'm happy she is well hydrated (so frequent BFing) and with me right next to her throughout sometimes spending most of the night awake. We've never had a hospital dash but I wouldn't hesitate if her temp went over 41, didn't come down with paracetamol / she wasn't drinking or BFing well.

I have 2 boys prone to chesty coughs and colds. There's a vaporiser that plugs in which is good, plus ruining very hot water into the bath and standing with them in the room - not in the bath!!- breathing the steam. If it's croup they don't recommend this though, the only thing that really helps is a steroid dose from the gp. Other than that, the 'snot sucker' during the day to clear build up of phlegm/ snot. And time, and sleep (hah!!) if it's even remotely possible.

I havemt taken temp as if anything is feels cool but isnt shaking or sweating or hot. She isnt properly waking so warey to put a theometer in her ear. I have been cuddlimg her if she gets to unsettled. She has a dummy and think when she puts it bk in to comfort her she cant breathe out her nose. I ff so again will offer some if really unsettled. With the chest infections do they go through the day as well? She has been croaky but happy.Thankyou for replying. It just sounds so awful like darth vader. She seems settled atm x

thenewaveragebear1983 thanks for your reply. I will take her to docs tomoz. Why is it is always worse at night. I just have this ridiculus worry that if i go to sleep something will happen even though she has prob just got a cold.

If it's worse at night it could be croup, (it sounds like a seal barking?) - it is often worse at night. Some babies are prone to it, it does seem to subside with age. The throat becomes inflamed which is why they give the steroid if it's bad. If she seems fine in the day perhaps record her at night to show gp?
Unfortunately with all these things it can be a difficult few weeks while they recover and they seem to get one thing after another. In my experience gps are very reluctant to prescribe anything for babies unless absolutely necessary.
Nb. They will look at her chest for signs of 'dipping' which show they are struggling to breathe. It's worth looking for a you tube videos to show you what to look for, because once my ds was in respiratory distress and we didn't know.
Good luck op, hope she feels better