Throw up in crib... ER advice

babyGsmama

DS threw up in his crib last night.  We did not notice until this morning.  He did not cry or complain.  HE just slept in it.  We feel awful.  

 He does not have a fever, but he does have a cough which has gotten worse.  In the last hour, his cough has become pretty awful.  We are considering taking him to the ER.  

DH thinks that since he does not have a fever and is singing in his crib right now, that we do not need to take him.  I am worried that he has such a bad cough and is having a hard time sleeping.   

mrsgillian

I personally don't think it warrants an ER trip but you have to go with your gut. Can you call your dr's after hours line?

erbear

I don't think I'd do an ER trip (esp on Christmas eve!). K has done that before...she basically coughed so hard she vomited. She didn't even wake up, because she didn't feel bad bc she wasn't sick.

jessicaclare

Is he having a hard time breathing? Can he catch his breath in between coughs? What does the cough sound like?

Everyone's definition of "pretty bad" is different. My older DD had the worst cough she's ever had last night, and just getting out the humidifier for her room helped a ton. I also gave her some motrin. I think her throat may have been hurting and that was part of why she was coughing. She could breath and catch her breath in between coughs, though, so I never considered the ER. If it hadn't gotten better we would have gone to the pedi today, though. 

MegGary

Are his breathes labored? Like only a few seconds apart? If so I'd say ER. If he's breathing fine than I wouldn't go. When DD is really sick we'll bring her into bed with us just in case. Do you have a humidifier in his room? Try that to help w/ the coughs. Hope he feels better soon. 

Abinormal

Since he's still awake, my advice would be to take him into the bathroom and run a super hot shower until the room is filled with steam. Don't take him in the shower, of course, but sit with him in the steam filled room and let the shower run for 10-15 minutes. This should help to make his coughing more productive, as well as calming the cough.

Oh yeah, don't feel bad about the puke. My daughter threw up one night and the only reason that I knew before the morning is because I always check on her right before I go to bed (it helps me sleep). I felt awful when I realized that the throw up in her hair had dried, because that meant that she'd been sleeping in her own puke for awhile. If she'd thrown up after I'd gone to bed, I never would've known.

Emilia0101

We have been to the ER twice before last year for the flu. If his oxygen levels are good and he isn't deydrated there is nothing they will do for you. Even the breathing treatments are pretty basic. I wouldn't go if I were you. It is typical for a cough to get worse at night and since no where else is open I would bet you are looking at probably at 3-4 hour wait/turn around because you are going to be the lowest priority. 

Mary0913

He most likely coughed enough to gag and get sick - my DD has done this several times, once resulting in us finding that she'd slept all night in vomit, too.  IMO, if he doesn't have a fever, seems happy, is eating and drinking fine, I'd run a humidifier and call your pedi's nurse line.  That being said, if your gut is really telling you to do something, I also believe it's best not to ignore it.  I hope he's feeling better soon!!

Cityplanner

Does your doctor have weekend coverage?  I'd call that and see what they wanted you to do before going to the ER.  Or do you have an urgent care clinic nearby? If his breathing isn't labored, it's not really an emergency per se.

DD had a bad cough two weeks ago.  We did take her to the doctor and he prescribed an inhaler.   Her cough wasn't extreme, but it had gone from being just a dry cough to being "bark"-y for lack of a better word.  No fever and she wasn't too bothered, but the fact that it was starting to sound tight and from her lungs concerned me, and I guess it concerned the doctor also.  The inhaler helped a lot.