When to go to the doctor for a cough
 

In pretty sure I'll be staying home from work tomorrow and trying to get both girls into the doctor. But some other opinions would comfort me :)
Our 3 year old has had a nasty, painful sounding cough for a week now. She says it doesn't hurt, but is drinking much more and saying she is thirsty much more. This weekend the cough started waking her up. She is waking up crying, which is not normal. Also has developed a runny nose.
The two month old just developers cough last night. Once today she couhed hard enough to spit up /throw up during her nap-and she never spits up.
OK-as I type this all out, I've decided they need to go in unless there is a drastic improvement tonight. But I'll still take opinions :)
Thanks!

Wow-shouldn't type long posts on my phone. They get below the keyboard and I can't see what I'm typing. Some interesting typos up there. Sorry!

I don't take my kids in anymore unless they are wheezy or having trouble breathing. Every time I've taken them in for a cough the doc always says there's nothing they can do.

Re: When to go to the doctor for a cough
 

If its not getting better at this point I would, just to be safe. 2 year old DS had one for several weeks, but it got a little better just wouldn't go away. Turns out he had an ear infection- never knew that in younger kids ear infections present as a cold that won't go away. He never tugged on his year or complained of pain and he had a 99.9 fever one day out of the whole 3 weeks he was coughing and congested. 99% of the time they can't do anything because it is a virus. So I usually do wait, but once something has passed its normal time period we go or if it appears to be getting worse like your lo I would go. And if I am worried and it will make me feel better we go.

Hope they are feeling better soon.

Re: When to go to the doctor for a cough
 

I took my oldest DD in for a prolonged cough because at that point something was wrong, but don't usually take them in for coughs in general. Fever and cough, yes, maybe.

As a working parent, I tend to take them in sooner than later because if it's something treatable, I need to treat it and move on with life. If I stayed home, I would ride it out at home. I was at the walk in with both girls this morning and wished nothing more than to be able to be a stay at home parent at that moment.

Took them in. I was more worried about the baby, but turns out the 3 year old needs treatment. She has a double ear infection. And both have a cold virus. At this point, we just have to keep an eye on the baby's breathing. And I probably wouldn't have taken the 3 year old in at this point if I wasn't taking the baby in. My "mommy instinct" was way off on this one, but she's been acting normal so I wasn't concerned.

Re: When to go to the doctor for a cough
 

Yeah that kind of what happened with 2 year ds. I kept saying its a cold just wait it out, but it didn't get any better. Finally said enough and he had infection in one ear with the beginnings of one in the other. He ended up needing 2 rounds of antibiotics. The beginning ear went into full infection while on the first antibiotic. Doc said they have been seeing a lot of bacterial ear infections this year and a lot of the kids have needed 2 rounds of antibiotics. This is the first time ds has been on any antibiotic. The first amoxicillian went well, the second augmentin had to be forced down him. he goes back in 2 weeks for another recheck so I hope we are done. he never pulled on ears or anything. It really appeared just to be a cold.

Glad you got it figured out. Just watch for symptoms after the antibiotic in case she has the same infection that is going around here.