Should I take my sick baby to the doctor?

[crzychickenlady]

I have a sick 8 month old, he's displaying cold symptoms....cough, runny nose, but no fever.

I've been thru raising 2 other kids and usually the doctors will tell me "It's a cold, let it run it's course and use over the counter remedies."

I have been using Johnson's vapor bath, baby chest rub, children's Benadryl, and have a vaporizer with vicks going in the bedroom at night.
The drug stores no longer sell ANY infant cold medicines and the 2 pharmacists I spoke to, one at Walgreen's the other at WalMart, said that all of the infant cold medicines have been taken off the market due to infant deaths.

Would I be wasting a trip by taking him to the doctor? It's also VERY cold out and I don't want to get him out in it and risk him getting sicker.

Any advice?

 

[dichotomymom]

If he isn't running a fever and don't seem to have any abdominal pulling or blue fingernails from not breathing well, I wouldn't. The only reason why I take my youngest when it seems like he only has a cold is because his asthma turns colds into much worse very quickly.

 

[dichotomymom]

Nasal aspirators got us through some rough nights with stuffy/runny noses btw

 

[Cindiloohoo]

At the risk of sounding incredibly gross....if his snot is clear, it's a cold and there is nothing they can do. If it is greenish or yellow...take him because he could be getting a sinus infection that will hang on a while, he needs antibiotic. It may take him a while to get over it anyway, I just got over a cold that lasted 2 weeks! I was miserable with it. Poor baby, I hope he kicks it quicker!! Hugs to the little one, and to you for taking such good care of him!

 

[MandyH]

Only you know your child, but if there is no fever there really isn't any sense in taking him to the doctor. They won't do anything for him and yes they have quit prescribing cold/coudh meds for children like they used to. A vaporizer, nasal aspirator, and vick's is your friend. Keeping the nose suctioned will help with the breathing and congestion and the vaporizer will help loosen the secretions. It's probably just viral and will pass in a few days.

 

[annie3001]

if hes running a fever, take him to the doctors. if you have medical insurance for him thats why you have it. hope hes better.

 

[crzychickenlady]

He's not showing any other symptoms. No ear pulling, no blue fingernails, he's not having any trouble breathing and his snot is clear...lol....just a nasty cough and the runny nose.

my youngest above him is 10 years old now, so it's been awhile since I've had to deal with Ped's.
I just wanted to see what everyone else thought. I hate to get him out in this freezing weather only to get to the doctor and have them not be able to do anything.

It's 17 degrees here and over the course of today and tomorrow it's going to get down below freezing....so I just want to keep us inside and bundled up and stay warm...unless I really have to take him in.

Hoping that I don't have to.

 

[mandieg4]

Sounds viral to me. Do you have any raw honey? In my experience raw honey works much better for cough that any OTC stuff, and it tastes better so you don't have to fight with them to take it.

 

[debilorrah]

Don't take him to the doc til he runs a fever if he ever does.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
DO NOT give honey to a child under a year old.