Cough Medicine OK for 2+ Yr Olds?

Have you tried giving her a teaspoon or two of honey? My son has a bad cough now, too, and I give him some honey which seems to help calm his throat. Good luck to you!

The warm honey and lemon is a great idea if you know that she isn't allergic to bees. Ginger will help open the sinuses. Anything other than drugs is the best way to go. A cool humidifier will keep the lungs loose while she sleeps.

Do NOT give her commercial cough medicine - it can be deadly. Elderberry syrup (in glycerin, not alcohol) helps as a natural cough suppressant and immune booster. Honey and hot water works too. There are also homeopathic cough remedies that are safe for toddlers, but I haven't found them all that effective.

Steph, I agree w/ the honey and humidifier... Also They have proven that it isn't winter, per se, and people being inside more, that spreads colds and flu, But instead it is how dry the environment is because of the heat we all use to be warm. The dryness in your home makes it condusive to virus' and germs growing.... So humidifying makes a huge difference in the numbers of colds and coughing bouts. Also, don't use honey on infants. And one thing I used for my children seeing as it is the 'sugar' that coats the throat and helps stop the coughing, is dum dum lollipops. My kids were always asking for them, because at halloween time... when they were easy to come by,... I would pick up a few bags to get through the winter (I had 7 kids, so needed quite a few!) I liked the lollipop idea versus a piece of candy because if they were coughing they could suck in a pc of candy, but with the lollipop they were holding on to the stick. Skip the cough medicine unless it is the kind the dr. prescribes w/codeine to relax the cough pattern and stop it. There were a few times the lolli didn't hack it and I had to use something like that. But if the home is moist, you will avoid most of the winter blues. Wish I had know that when my kids were real little!!!

I have used homeopathic cough stuff for years. Very safe, and they work mmuch better than the chemical laden stuff! Borion Homeopathics make two really good ones, as well as a sore throat spray that heals your throat, instead of just numbing it. They really are worth a try. Hope this helps!

I don't bother with the cold medicine bought in the stores. The easiest and safest way to help with the littles ones cough symptoms is to make your own homeade cough medicine. It is incredibly simple. Just mix 1tsp lemon juice with 2tsp honey. Mix it together and give your little one a teaspoon at a time as needed. It is easy, tastes good, and really helps. It works great with my two. I useally limit it to about 2tsps at a time but one will normally do the trick.

I know you feel helpless when your child is coughing. The Vick's Vapor Rub on the bottom of the feet is actually medically proven to work. Weird, but it works!

No, you should not give her cough medicine...try a vaporizer and make sure her nose is clear. Her cough will go away - they always do...and while they sound horrible and seem miserable, she will be okay! Hope she feels better soon!

Honey and humidifier. Elderberry based syrups. The Vick's vapo rub on the feet sounds fascinating! I'll have to keep that one in mind.

Avoid the over-the-counter meds. They aren't even proven effective and can cause lots of other issues.

Also, is she having a hard time with her cough, or are you? I know it's hard for me to hear my little one cough, but she doesn't even notice!

Of course if it doesn't go away within a week, or if it gets worse you should call the doc.

Within the last year or so they have discovered just how dangerous cough medicines are for kids under 6. Every pediatrician I've talked to (except for 1 which I, and every other mom I know, do not like) recommends against it. Many children have ended up in the hospital or have even died from using the recommended dose. We even knew a friend that asked for thoughts and prayers when their friend's child ended up in the hospital, struggling to live.

Honey has been proven to help as much as cough medicine. Our little girl hates honey, so I use one of the plastic syringes that come with baby motrin, fill it up and put it all quickly in the back of her mouth. Then she doesn't taste it as much and it can quickly coat her throat. My mom used honey with me when I was little too, and even though I didn't like it, it worked. :-D

Also, running a humidifier at night helps a ton. If you can raise her head a bit while she sleeps, that would help even more.

I read about this cure and it has worked for me the two times I've tried it. Rub some vicks vapor rub and then put socks on their feet before bed...works like a charm.

NO, I think it's 6 years old now

Depending on how long your daughter has had the cough and if she's running a fever, I would take her to see her pediatrician. The dr can check her out, make sure she doesn't have any congestion/rails in her lungs and if necessary prescribe the appropriate treatment. It make be she'll need an expectorant, not just a cough suppressant. Right now, keep her comfortable. Warm tea with lemonade and a little honey will make her throat feel good. A hot water bottle for her to snuggle close to her chest will provide comfort as well. But take her to the dr if this has been going on for more than 4 days. You can always call the nurse @ the doctor's office and ask for suggestions as well.

Hi S.!

My pediatrician told us not to use cough medicine even when our LO turned 2, but that's one doctor's opinion.

What I wanted to share was what has worked for us when our (now 3 year old) daughter has a bad cough.

We give her honey plus lemon as a cough syrup.

If she also has a VERY stuffed up nose, we give her benadryl.

We rub baby vick's rub on her chest; it's very gentle on the skin because it's designed for babies.

We keep a humidifier going nonstop in her room.

This doesn't make the cough instantly and forever disappear, but it relieves it enough so that she can fall asleep and stay asleep.

One more piece of advice - I have found that when I can give her a tiny piece of raw (yes, raw!) garlic with the honey and lemon, it works even better. It certainly works for me and my husband. But now that she's 3, she tastes the garlic and will spit it all out.

I also read that adding ginger to the honey and lemon works really well, but I haven't tried that yet. It would certainly taste better than the garlic!!!

Best of luck, M.

I've found this cough med called "Ivy Calm" which is wonderful - it's a homeopathic remedy, but I give it to my 2, 4 yr olds and I also take it (as does my husband). I found it actually works for all of us, and b/c it's not chemical based, I feel better about giving it to everyone.

Good luck!

Yes, cough medicine is OK for 2 year olds and above as long as it is in the right dose. Bear in mind that the body is coughing to rid itself of the virus, so coughing actually helps the cold get over faster. If your child can't sleep at night because of the coughs, the cough syrup might help them to sleep. Take care!

cough medicine should NOT be used in children under the age of 4, according to the FDA, and the FDA is considering making that age limit 6.
http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/pharmacology/a/byb_cold_me...
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20081002/fda-mulls...
in fact, studies have shown that cough medicines are not effective in children, and can actually be harmful. last summer wasn't a recall per se, it was the FDA warning parents everywhere about the dangers of giving kids cough medicine.
good luck, my nearly 4 year old has a cough and it's rough. try a cool mist humidifier in her room.

I had the same problem last week with my son (2 yrs 7 mos) and the nurse said 2-5ml of Corn syrup - as often as needed.
However, I couldn't get my son to take it as he had just finished a course of antibiotics and steriods for a nasty dbl ear/sinus infection - so he wouldn't take ANY medicine at that point - so I don't know if it works or not.

Our Pediatrician said it was okay to give Delsym 12 hour to our now three year old, but I had asked when he was 2. The dosing is 1/2 tsp every 12 hours and it really helps!! They just recently changed the package it now says 6 yrs, but I asked the pediatrician again and he said it was fine for little guys! I think the main thing is just be smart and don't over dose your kidos! Good Luck!

I'm so proud of you for asking. If I remember correctly, the recall on infant (under 2) meds was mostly because of parents giving the wrong doses or not following appropriate directions, not because of efficacy. With so many runny noses and coughs being something other than a cold (teething, ear infection, allergies, etc...) you are smart to look into other options. I would consult my doc about meds. It sounds like you have gotten some great at home advice. I'm so excited to be part of this community and able to take advantage of those answers myself. Good luck, Take Care, and keep up the good work!

I would imagine that it would be ok to give her some cough medicine. The prior advice is great. Another thing you could also try is to rub vapor rub on the bottoms of her feet and cover them with socks when you put her to bed. since it is Sunday, you could call the hospital and ask them what the correct dosage for her heighth and weight. Good luck.

HI S.! My Dr. told me it is okay to give my son Delsym cough syrup. I think the dosage is 1/2 tsp or 2.5 ml. It is good for 12 hours and it has really helped my son through the night. He is 22 months old, and I think my Dr okay'd it when he had a cold when he was just over a year. I had tried all the natural remedies, and nothing seemed to work except this. Call your Dr and see what they say.