Bronchitis In Babies.

There is possibly nothing worse for a Mother, than to see her child suffering. And unfortunately for us, Noah has had an absolutely dreadful cough for nearing 5 months now, it first developed in September, which we were fobbed off by doctors that it was just a general cold and he'd recover within 5-7 days. Of course, when he didn't we headed straight back which we were then told it's more like 14-21 days - honestly who has a cold for three weeks? I certainly don't, but, we're not doctors and they are so we trusted them.


About a month after our initial visit, we took him back and were given some antibiotics and told he had 'viral bronchitis', we were pleased someone had actually acknowledged it was more than a cold and we looked forward to him gradually getting better over the 7 day course of antibiotics (amoxicillian to be exact) and you know what he did get better. For around a week. Then we had the relentless coughing and spluttering again night after night, it became unbearable not only for Noah but for us. Fast forward to around November time and we found ourselves reaching for the phone to ring the number that had become almost learned by us - the doctors surgery. Noah was booked in, told he had bronchitis and prescribed something totally different, an inhaler. I'd never dreamt of Noah needing an inhaler, but it seemed obvious, we hoped this would help and as usual for a few weeks it did. But around Christmas Noah seemed to be struck down with it again, but worse than ever. Even after a night with Nanny & Grandad they could see how much it had affected him.

So now we're here, in March waiting it out. We have three inhalers, Ventolin, Atrovent & Clenin Modula. If I'm honest I now feel we're getting somewhere, however I also think that's due to the warmer weather. I think this will be one of those things Noah will suffer with each winter, and until he's old enough he wont be classed as asthmatic as doctors (and I quote) 'simply don't diagnose babies with asthma'. It seems ludicrous that doctors wouldn't diagnose somebody with something just because of their age, there probably is reasoning behind it, but it's something I'll never understand. Our son can't have probably better suited medication because of some unwritten rule?

I've wrote this post to let other mummies out their know, you don't quite realise how many children are suffering with this till you tweet about your woes, that you're not alone, and they will come through it. It's hard, doctors don't quite believe you I feel. Noahs' cough was definitely more of a night cough, but obviously I'm not taking him to the doctors at 3am so they can't hear him for themselves. I tried everything, hours in a&e, hours on the phone to 111. Sometimes you do just have to wait it out, the sleepless nights for you all do gradually become bearable, but the suffering your child is going through doesn't and it's incredibly frustrating. Just know it will end, and Noah is definitely much better now, I think walking helped shift a lot of it off his chest and hopefully in the next month he wont need his inhalers for a while.

Have any of your children suffered from Bronchitis?