What should I do - Aubrey

My2Beauties wrote: OK guys, it's been going on almost 4 weeks now and she is still sick. Runny nose (it's green and yellow, I know TMI but clear means allergies and it's definitely not clear), coughing (really really bad), when she breathes you can hear her poor chest rattling. But...Hanna had the same stuff and they said it's a cold and let it run it's course, but it only took Hanna a little over a week to get over it. It seemed like Aubrey was getting over it for a couple of days, her cough got dryer and she wasn't doing it as bad then it got worse all over again. I'm afraid if I take her to the doctor, I'm gonna pay a $15 copay for them to say it's a cold let it run it's course, just like they did with Hanna. But how long is too long for a baby to have a cold? I mean it's like she can't fight it off. She is very tired all the time but fights her sleep and she is not sleeping good at all (hasn't been since she got sick, before that she slept like a dream). Otherwise, she's in a good mood, not acting like anything is "hurting" her per se, no aches or pains or anything (she's just teething I believe). I don't know what else to do. I don't want the doc to give her antibiotics but all cold meds have been recalled and I'm definitely not giving her any of those and I'm wondering if at this point antibiotics is the only thing that will help. I mean going on 4 weeks and she's gotten no better. Help!?!?!?!?!?! WWYD?

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Allie got something like that when she was only 3 weeks old. I don't know if you remember, but she was sick for quite a few weeks and we had to do nebulizer treatments to help her breathe. Andrew had it too, and got over it really fast just like Hanna, but Allie just couldn't shake it. I'd take her in if I were you ~ it sounds like she's got something more than just a cold. Especially if you can hear her chest rattling... it could turn into something serious if it gets left alone too long. Better safe than sorry. I hope she feels better soon!!

momofone replied: If the cough is really bad I would bring her in it may be broncitis. I hope she feels better soon. I once had green mucus and called the doctor they said to come in that I needed antibotics. Green definately means she needs antibotics.

A&A'smommy replied: I'm sorry honey that is AWFUL!!!
I have always been told green means infection... could you call your ped and talk to a nurse?

skinkybaby replied: Take her to the doctor!

My 5 month old got a cold over the weekend, but I took her to the doctor anyway this morning to make sure her lungs were clear and that she didn't have an ear infections. She's way too little to mess around with respiratory infections. The doctor couldn't give her anything for it, but I'm still glad I went for peace of mind. I would have felt horrible if it had been something worse and she ended up in the hospital.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I would take her in LeaAnn, especially since its been lingering so long in her chest. It could lead to bacteria in her lungs. I hate having my kids on antibiotics too, but if its necessary to get that guck out, then I feel its worth it.

My2Beauties replied: I'm going to take her to the doctor's this afternoon, her appt. isn't until 4:50. I have to find out what's wrong with her.

A&A'smommy replied: let us know how it goes!!

NaturalMom replied: take her in now. thats crazy. doctors are idiots. they have sent my daughter home many times and she ALWAYS has to come back and then they tell me she has an infection. one time she had PNEUMONIA! i mean i was back the next day and the same doc said she now had pneumonia!! like she didnt yesterday??!!! oh i swear doctors are useless unless you are dying! Take her in and demand they give her something. she obviously has an infection and a doctor should know that.

Kaitlin'smom replied: glad your taking her in. hope they give you some answers 4 weeks is way to long

My2Beauties replied:
They've done that to me with Hanna before when she was younger. I'd take her in, oh it's a cold she'll be fine in a few days, um....like 5 days later, she's gotten 10x worse, oh she has an infection we need to treat her ASAP. Then sometimes they'd put her on a nebulizer as a baby or give her albuterol (which I heard is bad for babies anyways) and she'd never get better only to turn around and say no she has allergies, they gave me some allergy medicine and it went away! I swear sometimes my peds. drive me bonkers. That's why there are only 2 now in the whole practice that I'll let my kids see. They're both very consistent and always help the first time around. When they say it's a cold let uit run it's course it does...when they say it's an infection they give her meds and it's usually gone with a day or two.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
Woah, please be careful what you say. We all get angry at doctors at times, especially when it comes to the health of our kids, but I think it is harsh to call them all idiots and useless.

momtoMegan&Alyxandria replied:
When that would happen to Megan it was a sure sign she had Pneumonia. She has had it 5 times in her 8 years of life.

skinkybaby replied: It's not uncommon for a cold to spread to the lungs or "turn into" an ear infection in a matter of days. So you can very well take her to the doctor one day and she'll have a cold and then a few days later have it turn into something more serious.

Calimama replied: Poor thing, I hope she feels better soon!!

holley79 replied: Annika got something like that also when she was 11 months old. I took her to the pedi and they said to let it run it's course also and it took about 6 weeks to get over. Her chest was rattley and she just was pitiful.

sparkys2boys replied: Logan had that when he was a baby and it turned out after three trips in a row to emerg that e had RSV and was in the hospital for over a week in isolation. Dont leave it hun... mom always knows best