coughing and coughing and coughing

So, early in October we all came down with a cold. Charlie never seemed to get over the lingering cough. It was really more of an annoyance than anything else, but October 28th I brought him in to the pediatrician just to have him looked at and make sure it was no big deal. We saw a doctor new to our office and she said she has seen a lot of kids with a cough that sticks around and his lungs sounded fine... no worries.

Days and weeks pass... on the 9th he went for his flu shot and I again mentioned the cough and they said no biggie. It seemed as if he was coughing more and more and it became obvious that he was having more trouble when he was running around playing hard. The cough would also flair up throughout the night. So, I called and made another appointment and brought him back in on the 15th. We saw Dr Gallagher, whom we often see and really like. I relayed all the information I just shared with you, she listened to him really well and deduced that the cough was being caused by excess saliva from teething (His two year molars are coming in on the bottom). We accepted this conclusion and had no real reason to question it since he was acting fine other than an aggravating cough.

Tuesday night before Thanksgiving Charlie spiked a fever and was obviously not feeling well. His temp was up to 102 and he just wanted to be cuddled. SO, we headed BACK to the ped's office and saw the nurse practitioner this time. I didnt even mention all of our previous visits and diagnoses, but he asked me to explain what his cough had been like before that day. I recounted everything I had told at the other visits and he put a whole new spin on things:

(1) what we were dealing with right now - the fever, the gunky cough, and (as he put it) the "snots" - was a cold and we just have to wait it out.

(2) the obnoxious cough we had brought him in for twice before this was probably caused by his reflux irritating his throat. The timing and manner in which the cough flared up points to this. He was already at his max dose for zantac (Dr Ratner had bumped it all the way up in August in hopes that it would curb the problems we were having then). So, we have discontinued the zantac and started him on prilosec. Its more challenging to administer because it is a pill that has to dissolve in his mouth and it is hard to tell if it is working or not, but we will go back and reassess right after Christmas.

BUT, considering all these facts, the "cold" that we are waiting out right now could possibly be the beginning of pneumonia that could have been caused by aspirating something into his lungs during a reflux episode. He had a really bad choking fit just a week before, so this is completely possible. When we were there, his lungs sounded clear, so its just a wait and see game. Last night was rough - lots of coughing and gagging. I talked to a nurse at the pediatrician's this morning and if he doesnt improve by tomorrow they want to see him to take another listen to his lungs.

So, that is our Charlie saga for now! We are hoping for a simple cold and a speedy recovery! The holiday season is off and running and we would hate for him to miss out!

Didnt even cry when he got his flu shot!!

Has been a bit picky with his eating,

but you can never go wrong with blueberries!!

Poor baby feeling the germy blues... :-(