my 9 month old baby has been sick with cold-like symptoms for about a month now. i don't think it is rsv, because he isn't having trouble breathing, but i am wondering if it could be pneumonia? i have taken him to the doctor twice, and am trying to decide if i need to take him again, or if it is nothing more than a bad cold and i just need to wait it out.
his symptoms have developed like this: i took him to the doctor 4 weeks ago because he had lost his voice, wasn't sleeping well, and just generally didn't seem like he felt good. his lungs, ears, and throat were fine and they told me he was fine. one week later (so 3 weeks ago) he came down with a fever. instead of rushing to the doctor this time, i waited a week, and took him in (2 weeks ago) after he had developed a really bad runny nose (large amounts of thick yellow snot) and a croup-like barky cough (there were only a couple of short coughing spells that sounded like he was having trouble breathing)--but the fever had gone down. his lungs and throat were still fine, and one ear looked a little "soft" (whatever that means), but not infected. he didn't cough while at the doctor's office, so they couldn't hear it. they told me to just keep watching him for rsv or croup symptoms. his cough kept sounding croupy, but he didn't have long or frequent coughing spells, and he never seemed to be struggling to breathe. one week ago his symptoms had almost completely disappeared, except for a lingering cough that seemed to be on its way out. then wednesday night (5 days ago) he came down with another fever, and the coughing started getting worse. since then, it has sounded less and less croupy, and more and more deep-chesty and productive, but painful. he often moans or cries after a coughing spell. while he had a fever (2 nights) he couldn't sleep, but since the fever has gone down, he has been sleeping pretty well. and his naps have been long and frequent.
i have looked up the symptoms for pneumonia, and he doesn't have all of them (he isn't throwing up, no diarrhea, no fever anymore--and it was never over 101). it's just that this has been going on for so long. any ideas?
He was getting better, and now he's getting worse again. Thats a sign of a secondary infection (sinus, ear, pneumonia, something bacterial that would need antibiotics). I would take him in to the doctor tomorrow and rule it all out. Bacterial infections don't generally go away without antibiotics.
Have you ever thought about taking your child in for a spinal check up? His lingering cold could be caused by a "subluxation" which is a fancy way of saying that he could have a vertebrae out of alignment and pinching on the nerves that control his immune system.
Most chiropractors would do an exam and consultation for free. It could be worth the visit just to find out what is going on inside your child's body.
I have to agree with the bronchiolitis. This sounds the same as when my son had it this winter. We had a lingering "cold" and just as I thought it was getting better, it seemed to get worse. Amoxicillian cleared it up, and my son loved the taste. The cough could still linger though. I think that they were convinced what it was (I think it was our 2nd visit) when they heard him coughing in the waiting room. If he is still coughing, see if you can wait in a room with the door open so that they might hear him.
Also, it does not sound like asthma. I have asthma and am so worried that my son will get it, but unless they are wheezing and straining for air, it most likely is not asthma, so don't get too worried about it. My doctor said that a lot of doctors are "diagnosing" asthma and allergies alot right now, and it is usually something like bronchiolitis that is not treated and can lead to more complications.
Mom,
Have them check your son for asthma and or allergies. His symptoms fit. Remind your doctor that not all children with allergies and asthma wheeze. I have two of my three boys that we went through this dance with. Once they received treatment for the underlying cause, the symptoms went away. Also ask your doctor for screening test for whooping cough. There is a lot of it in our community and it doesn't occur to many doctors to test for it.
Good luck!!
Could be brochiolitis. I would think they would have heard that, though. I know there have been several times that our son has sounded good, but when an xray was done, there was fluid there. They're not going to do anything for bronchiolitis, but you'd feel better. Our pulmonologist says a trained eye can look at an xray and tell if it's most likely viral or bacterial. Chances are, if he's doing fine, there's nothing to worry about.
B. J,
Do you know anyone that would have Melaleuca Oil handy, if you do ask to borrow it, take 4 drops and put either in a humidifer or boil it on the stove for 5-10 mintues and see if it will clear. Also if you use any ammonia base or bleach base products, try to keep him out of the home for many hours, these are very toxic to babies. Or try using vinegar and water spray or dish pan of baking soda and water for grease and germ areas too. Something you may also try is vapor rub on his feet at bed time or nap time.
I'd take him in again. It sounds as if he has something more and maybe the doc can prescribe something for the cough if nothing else.
I've had a cough for about two weeks and the doc said it's broncitis. Check it out. It won't hurt and may help a little. Good luck!!!
Unfortunately this winter has been bad for a lot of us. I do infant daycare in my home and have 4 babies that are sick and have been for weeks. I sanitize toys/surfaces and wash all bedding weekly, but we can't seem to get rid of this either.
I do not believe your child has pneumonia because all the symptoms sound exactly like what we have all been going through. All of these children have been to their doctors frequently for this round of illnesses. While some have been diagnosed with croup, ear infections, and/or bronchitis, it has not been any more serious than those. If your child gets worse, I would of course suggest another doctor visit, but if he gets put on antibiotics he will most likely develop diarrhea from that and yet the medication doesn't seem to be helping any of the babies in my care get over this any sooner. It actually seems to be prolonging the illness and adding new symptoms. As for it possibly being asthma...doctors will usually not diagnose asthma in an infant this young. They try not to call it that until a child is at least 2 years of age.
Just try to keep your baby comfortable with saline drops, humidifiers, warm fluids to help break up the congestion, reduce dairy type foods and try some clear liquids, etc... And pray for spring!!!
Hi B., listen to your heart and if you think a second opinion is needed, go! I do know that I have a tendency to in at the start of a cold and as the cough lingers is when doctors can look at the history of cough and see bacteria and viral. But one thing I heard is alot of people in colorado are getting one cold after another.
As far as the symptoms go, I use baby Vicks on the kids chest and Hot showers with sudafed shower soothers. Take some toys or books in the bathroom and just run the hot steam. Hudimifier is good too. I bet you already doing alot of these already but just a thought.
It is really hard to watch our babies be sick at any age mine are 4 and 8 and I still feel horrible when they get sick. Just know you are a wonderful mom who loves and seeks advice because you want to give your child the best mom possible. You are not alone and my prayers are with you.
My son had something similar happen in January - the doctor finally tried an antibiotic (thinking he might have a bacterial infection) and it worked liked a charm.
Have him checked again. Coughs with colds can linger in little ones for weeks. However on and off fever is his body fighting something off. A fever shouldn't last more then 48 hours without a specific illness being diagnosed.
My daughter had a cough for five days after a bout of cold, then it turned into walking pnuemonia. I wouldn't have even known had I not been concerned it wasn't getting better but staying the same or worsening. It may be nothing, however with babies especially you just don't risk it.
Colds can linger for weeks too, however it should be getting better not worse or remaining the same.
Walking pnuemonia is different in that it can be a result of a long ongoing cold and it moves into the chest. It isn't as serious as bacterial pnuemonia either. Read up on it on the internet and see if he has those symptoms. Or call your Dr and explain what is still going on.
Colds don't come with fevers or at least rarely over 100 mark.
I would take him in, even though it all checked out, fluids can build up in the ears, lungs from a lingering cold.
Just better safe then sorry.
Extreme teething can cause cold like symptoms and low grade fevers too I learned big time. However if the mucus coming out is not clear then you should have it checked. Green mucus on the onset is normal and it turns green towards the end, but ongoing yellow or green mucus is a sign of infection.
Good luck, hope your baby is feeling better soon.
One thing our nurse practicioner told us was to put Baby Vicks (DO NOT USE ADULT VICKS!) on the souls of their feet then put on socks or pajamas right before they go to bed. It sounds strange, but somehow it works. Also, have you tried a humidifier in the baby's bedreoom? If you are comfortable doing so, a blanket under the crib mattress under where the head would go could help prop up the baby and hopefully help. Good luck having a sick baby is not fun.
If you have a choice of several doctors in your insurance plan, I would make an appointment with a different pediatrician so you you get someone with a fresh viewpoint on the problem. I would put everything you have written in this post and make it into a timeline with as accurate dates as possible so the doctor is able to see the length and progression of all the symptoms over a long period of time. One of the things that can cause symptoms like this that is often overlooked is when a baby either swallows a foreign object that gets stuck or stuffs an object up his nose too far to sneeze out. It gets stuck and can cause an ongoing infection that gets better with antibiotics but bounces right back when they wear off. It also could just be a series of colds but it would be good to find out.
