My 5 month old has a chest infection and it seems to be getting worse?

Question

My daughter is nearly 6 months old and for about the last month has had a bad cough and for the past 2wks has been coughing up green mucus. She also has a very strong weeze, asthma runs in the family. The doctor put her on Amoxil oral drops which she has had a reaction to and has very bad diarreha.It also doesnt seem to have done anything. She also has a vsd.She is in bed sleeping now and her breathing doesnt seem to be to fast but am worried because she is not getting better. I will be talking her back to the doctors first thing but I wanted your opinion on it please.

Thank you so much

Answer 1

She is a very sick baby, with some kind of very nasty infection: The fact that she is coughing up green mucus shows that.

Keep a sharp eye on her- But then, you probably are already.

Best of luck, Honey.

Answer 2

aww bless:(

ye take her back if there nothing they can do try the hospital?  

Answer 3

Has your doctor put her on a bronchodilator such as Salbutamol, Albuterol or Terbutaline? Wheezing children usually need bronchodilators whether there is an infection or not. The commonest viral infection at this age is bronchiolitis, and these medications help to ease symptoms.

If she is breathing too fast when she wakes up ( a respiratory rate of close to or greater than 50 breaths per minute), she needs either an oral bronchodilator or nebulisations in the ER. Also if she has green mucus, she may have a chest infection that may need IV antibiotics because she isn't tolerating the oral Amoxil. Has the doctor got an Xray done?

In children with underlying congenital heart conditions such as even a  small VSD, ordinary viral respiratory infections can take longer to get better, and her cardiac function can worsen. If you are uncomfortable managing her at home, take her to the ER and get her admitted for at least 48 hours in  hospital till she is better. She will be under expert care and observation.

Answer 4

Since your daughter was diagnosed with a VSD that hasn't required surgical correction, I assume the defect is small and they are expecting it to close itself in time.  The diarrhea is a common enough side effect of the amoxicillin.  It wipes out the bacteria of her digestive tract that allows her to digest milk and other milk/dairy products.  The first thing would be to stop all the regular formula and swap over to a soy product for the time being.  It also probably will be helpful to do 24 hours on Pedialyte, rice cereal, bananas, applesauce, and crackers if she has the teeth for them- or the zwieback/teething cookies.  That will help stop the diarrhea.  Vitamin e oil, from the generic capsules will also help the little tush not be so sore.  She may have an easier time sleeping and breathing if she sleeps on your chest, with you seated upright in a recliner.  I know that's tough, been there a few times myself with mine as well.  As long as she's not running fever, is drinking, and you are still getting 10-12 wet diapers a day- it's okay.  It may be a viral infection as well, and those can take some time for a little one to whip off.   When you go back to the pediatrician, ask about swapping the antibiotic, and the formula to soy.  Keep the air in the room she's sleeping in on the coolish side, and add moisture if you can with a vaporizer or humidifier.  They can also sleep in the baby swings as well- if you have one.  Fortunately at that age, they don't seem to mind much doing that.  Just prop her little head up with a rolled up towel or blanket.  This is one of those things that puts the grey in your hair, huh?  Good luck to you both, and if you feel frightened, don't hesitate to call your doctor or even go to the ER.  Trust your mom gut to tell you when it's time.  If your mom alarm isn't going off, then it will likely be okay.  And if it does, don't worry.  Folks in the ER don't mind calls for infants at all.  Better safe than sorry is how they feel, cause we all have been there with our own.

Answer 5

its most likely that your daughter might have a condition called broncitis its a severe uper respritory infection that attacks the bronical tube my oppinion you should take her to a differant doctor to get second oppinion she may need atibiotics and breathing treatments becarefull tho it can turn into pnamonia easily

Answer 6

I would not stop the Amoxil without consulting a health professional. Drug resistant strains are bolstered when people mess with prescribed dose regimes of antibiotics. Unless you think she is getting dehydrated from the diarrhoea, it would be better to put up with it as a side effect when the infection that it is treating is of more immediate concern. You don't want the dehydration (if pronounced) to make the heart work harder.

Swapping between types and even brands of formula is likely to cause stomach upset.