Guess what Lori, we are heading into winter over here, so I am sure you are going to be hearing from me a lot...again :hug:

OK so my question is when is a cough enough to worry about? When Parker is sick, I just worry, I don't know if it is cause I am overparanoid or he just gets sicker than the rest or he is a sook LOL but I worry.

So he is sick at the moment, the cough is developing, today it is a little barky, he will get worse in the night. It isn't constant, but he cries when he coughs, though he says it isn't hurting his chest but his throat.

He is on the keflex, has a sore throat and has a temp, been laying down all day and this is day 3. Ibuprofen is only lasting 4 hours (instead of 6-8) and even alternating with tylenol every 3 hours he is miserable.

I also have a stethescope (don't ask, it was Leighs idea) and I don't even know what I am listening for, can you give any tips?

Thanks!

Mmmm, I don't like that "barky" word, especially with him complaining of a sore throat. This definitely sounds like croup, or epiglottitis. You're not going to like this one, but think about hitting the doctor's office for some Orapred. Be sure to keep the humidifier running in his room, especially at night. Cold drinks of water may help, too.

Do you know what stridor sounds like?? It's a really high pitched wheeze heard over the throat. It's classic for croup. Let me see if I can find a breath sounds link so you have some idea of what you're listening to.

Ok, here's a decent link - not as informative as I would like, but does give a name to the sound you hear. Keep in mind, these sounds can be associated with many more conditions than just the one listed as the example.

http://www.umshp.org/rt/sounds/sounds.html

Thanks Lori.

I listened to the sounds and it didn't sound like stridor. He definately didn't have a wheeze. I just don't get it, when he gets sick, he just gets really sick KWIM?

So I ended taking him to the ER on Saturday cause I thought he needed to be heard. The first doctor was really good and listened and all and said he didn't think there was anything sinister, but wanted to talk to his boss, and he had a listen and gave him zithromax, he thought he may have heard something on one side, and he said given his history and the fact he is having a bronch in a couple of weeks, we need to clear it up. So he is on both Zithromax and keflex now. Poor kid.

The abx are working well now, he is coughing less and it is sounding less problematic. Still up and down but I think I did the right thing getting the other abx, even though he seems a lot better already (definately perked up after the second dose today), I don't think it would have been the case if I had left it.

On your sounds I heard crackling, that is what I thought it was and it was only one side (funny enough the one the doctor picked up on) but hearing it on that thing was pretty much the same. But then again I am not an expert LOL

Thanks again.

:haha:on the stethoscope.

I have had one for many years as I worked with animals for so long. It just took me a bit to realize it would work on my little humans, too. lol

I should have given you a few lessons when you were here. I can not live without mine and have diagnosed pneumonia with Curran 4X and with Mom about 8 times. It is a bit of an art, but you get used to it. That link Lori gave will come in handy.

Sorry to barge in. :oops:

I do want to say though that nothing replaces a trip to the ER or Doctor when you suspect something is wrong. And if you do have a stethoscope and do not hear anything (and are not trained) you have to still go by what you see. If your child is sick, despite not hearing anything, off you go to see the experts regardless. A stethoscope is just a 'nice to have'.

*end of public service message* :smt036

Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we get Lori to fly around and diagnose our wee ones for us? That would be GREAT! :smt041

All expenses paid, right Leigh!? Count me in!:haha:

***wading through the barging, in the ASK THE EXPERTS section, now I have to do work, delete thread, send nasty pm....where was I?***

ROFL Leigh you are correct and I have never heard anything until now and have always taken him in if I was unsure. They couldn't hear much, so how am I going to KWIM?

In a funny twist though the ER doctor rang this morning (I am now wondering if my new star line up of Paeds has anything to do with the extra attention) to see how he was doing, that was nice! He is doing so much better, I did think for a bit that maybe I got to the abx too early, but both Dan and I saw where he was heading, and I probably would have waited a little longer if we didn't need him to be well for his scope. Now I have to keep him germ free for two weeks...HELP!

Soon after the second dose of Zithromax he was a new kid.