Need advice/thoughts -- Pediatrician related (a little long)

Sophia has been sick for about 12 days, with bad cold. Started as a head cold, is now a chest cold. She hasnt had a fever for about 6 days, and while she definitely hasnt gotten worse, my DH and I dont think she's gotten much better. Her cough is so bad that she vomits from it.

We saw the ped last tuesday (about 4 days after she started to get sick). We had a sched. well-visit which turned into a sick-visit. She still had a fever on and off at that point so shots were definitely out of the question, and we kept her out of daycare for a few days. At that point her chest sounded "a little cruddy" so the ped told us to use tylenol for fever/benadryl to dry her up.

Fast forward to today. She still has the wet cough and green snot. While she doesnt cough or sneeze quite as often, when she does its just as bad. The ped listened to her and I could tell she could still hear the congestion in her lungs. She hesitated for a minute and then "took a second listen". She admitted she can still hear the gunk in her lungs, so we put shots off for another week. She said if she had a fever they would have put her on antibiotics and maybe ordered a chest xray. BUT since she doesnt have a fever, we'll wait another week. IF she sounds the same next week theyll put her on antibiotics.

Am I crazy or should I worry that she's not really getting better?! DH and I are both in the medical field and can tell she has some crap in her lungs. You can hear the rattling when she breathes! Im worried she'll catch something else at daycare which will only make things worse. DH started freaking out saying he's afraid she's going to end up in the NICU/PICU on a respirator. He is so mad that they're not doing anything for her

Re: Need advice/thoughts -- Pediatrician related (a little long)

Not sure what you can do but wanted to send you

I know your ped said to wait a week but maybe you should go in sooner (def before the weekend) if she doesn't get better and specifically ask that they give her something.

Re: Need advice/thoughts -- Pediatrician related (a little long)

I know a lot of ped's look for fevers, but I RARELY get fevers, even as a baby/child. I would always get sinus infections/bronchitis, but never fevers. Only if I was really, really sick, or had the flu.

DS was sick a few wks ago, but had no fever. The ped. first said it was teething. A few days later, I went back b/c he wasn't better, and he had a sinus infection..possibly a touch of RSV, and was put on antibiotics.

I would keep following up with the ped, or maybe even get a second opinion. One thing I have learned, follow your instinct...unfortunately, Dr.'s aren't always right..they are human too. Hope she feels better ASAP.

Message edited 2/9/2010 9:55:25 PM.

Re: Need advice/thoughts -- Pediatrician related (a little long)

Bottom line decision point here is does your kid have pneumonia or not. If it's yes antibiotics are indicated. Overwhelmingly you should have fever to have pneumonia. Also, on lung exam you should hear what are called "crackles". (It's unclear if that's what your doc heard).

I think what you really need to work on is mucous clearance. Humidifier and suctioning to help get rid mucuous will help your kid feel better.

Also, if your kid was sick for 12 days either a) it could be something like bronchiolitis which can last up to 2 weeks or so or b) your kid got one virus on top of another.