Help with Cough

My daughter, also 2 1/2, had the same thing. We used a humidifier and also propped her up on some pillows. If it doesn't go away after a week or two, I would go to the doctor. We did and he ended up prescribing some meds (more like allergy meds than antibotics) and it cleared it up in no time. Poor little thing, that cough is probably so annoying! Good luck!

Jamaican home remedy. Roasted lemon and honey. Put a whole lemon on a cookie sheet in the oven until it starts to change color. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and mix it with honey.

Also elevate the head of the mattress. We used to put books under the crib matters.

2 1/2 is really young - I don't think you are supposed to give them any sort of cold medicine. Also, please take her to the pediatrician because it can develop into bronchitis. While you're at it start asking the pediatrician about allergies. That's what happened to us and it sounds very familiar.

Hi P.,
I would use a humidifier in your daughter's room. My son suffers from bad coughs too. Our doctor finally prescribed a nebulizer for him to use. The breathing treatments allow him to sleep better at night so that he can heal faster.
Good luck,
J.

Vicks plugin works well, and also a humidifier in the bedroom while sleeping. The thing to be careful with humidifiers is that they must must must be kept very clean otherwise they get mold and then you just blow mold spores into the air which makes things worse!!! OUr daughter does well with it.

I think it's the season for that cough. Our daughter has had it now for a while and it's not going away either...but it's no accompanied by fever so dr. says it's okay. Good luck!!!

K

Try Mucinex. Its for kids 2+
, and it is a single drug medicine, so there is little risk of over medicating. It helps loosen whatever mucus is causing the cough. Also a cool mist humidifier. These help our son (3 1/2), who often has Asthma symptoms when he get a cold. Hope she feels better soon!

hi P.. this is going to sound crazy, but i swear it works every time we try it. rub vicks vapor rub on the bottom of her feet and put on warm socks. stops that "spastic" coughing almost every time.

hope it helps. ____@____.com

Hi P.,

Sorry to hear about your daughter's cough. I recommend trying to put her to bed without the vicks & socks on the feet. If she vomited in her crib from coughing so much, it may be that it is causing more difficulty for her. I know a lot of people swear by it, but it irritates my son and causes him to cough so much more that I only tried it twice before giving up. And, he slept so much better!

Rather than that, I recommend a warm vaporizer with vicks or kauz syrup in the water. Follow the directions carefully...I believe you'll see a big improvement! Good luck!

T.

Several people have suggested a teaspoon of honey. I just wanted you to be aware of a new product called "Honey, Don't Cough" that is available at Amazon.com. It's natural buckwheat honey prepackaged in individual doses for children, so it's less messy to prepare and give. Also, your daughter is over one year old, so it's safe, but everyone should know that it's not safe to give any honey to an infant under one year of age. There is a risk of botulism that could be deadly for infants associated with honey.

you should go to the doctor and not keeping doing over-the counter stuff. It could be pneumonia.

I always like having a humidifier running at times like this to keep things loose. Another good thing to help everyone breath a little easier is a drop of eucalyptus oil (from your health food store) in a pot of boiling water. My mom is a big fan of infant saline drops, too. I think that's a great idea and helps them to not get an infection b/c everything gets washed out, but I just never get around to doing it.

I just read about this in Parents Magazine and double checked with my dr. and received the ok. I put 1/2 teaspoon of honey in my daughter's milk before bed (and at breakfast depending on her night). While it does not eliminate her cough completely, it helps her sleep with minimal, if any, coughing fits. My dr. said that as long as she's older than a year and is not allergic to bees or bee by products, and is not wheezing or experiencing labored breathing while at rest, it should be fine. I really feel it's helped her a ton! However, my daughter is younger than yours...you may be able to use a whole teaspoon...may want to check on-line.

I second all the moms who mentioned allergies and nebulizers (breathing treatments). My daughter had scary coughs -- scary because she would throw up or seem to have trouble breathing. She has reactive airway disease, which is an asthma-like condition brought on by a virus. Whenever she got a cold she would end up with horrible coughing. Our pediatrician/allergist had us do a nebulizer when she was young, and as she got older just inhalers to get her through it. Also they both recommended only steam vaporizers -- not a cool mist humidifier for her. This is something we dealt with all her life, and now as an adult she still struggles with it, but can manage it on her own with inhalers and a vaporizer -- and sometimes if she's really bad, some strong cough meds.

My son has the exact same thing right now. We are putting vapo rub on his chest before his nap and at night. It REALLY helps with the cough. I think it's better to put it on the chest than on the feet, it seems to work better. We also bought the Vick's soothing vapors plug in and that seems to be helping too. Also, a humidifier to make the air moist (easier to breathe)and saline to dry up the runny nose. Good luck!

My daughter had night coughs for what seemed like forever. She was finally tested for allergies, is taking medicine, and has not coughed since. Just another idea if it seems like she has cold symptoms that linger.

Here is the article about vicks: http://medicinealerts.blogspot.com/2009/01/vicks-vaporub-...

We did 1tsp of raw honey, 1Tablespoon of freshed squeezed lemon juice (or Santa Cruz lemon juice, cannot be the other stuff since it is not REAL lemon juice) and 1T of purified water to help ease the cough in our household, taste yummy and works very well. Worked for my hubby. Up to 3 times per day.

Good luck,
J. W. MPH

One thing I read a while ago was good, old honey. When my kids (ages 4 and 6) have coughs, I give them a tablespoon of honey to eat. They enjoy it too. I am not sure if it coats the throat or what, but the coughing is eased for a while.

Keep the cool mist going in his room. NOT WARM MIST ! !

Also try loosening up the mucus by laying your daughter across you lap, face down. Then cup your hand and lightly beat on her back. In hospitals they use this to loosen up the mucus is the lungs. Hand must be cups.

Also try looking on webmd, for some suggestions. I think if the cough is really bad I would get her to a doctor ASAP.

Good Luck
S.

The Vicks helps when it is in the vaporizor. Not a humidifier. Rub her chest with a ligh coat and keep her well covered to stay warm (tee shirt, shirt, and a sweatshirt or sweater). Get her to blow often that little nose and use Puffs so she doesn't hurt the nose. She probably has allergies but the things I listed will help her breathe. Good luck. Please write to let us know when she's better P..

Hi P.! My daughter had a constant cough starting when she was 3-4 months. Took us until she was 8 months to figure out she had asthma. So, since then she's had a nebulizer and whenever she has signs of a cold, the cough starts and she needs to have a treatment. You may want to discuss that with your doctor, it made such a difference! Our insurance paid for most of it.

Hi P., My son who will be 7 in 2 weeks gets these coughs every so often and the musinix (sp) sorry dont know the correct spelling of it, for children works great for him.Im not sure if your daughter is to young for this or not, so I would call your daughters Dr and see if she can take this or not. Also may I suggust at night to put something under her matteress to elevate her head so the runny nose isnt runny back down her throat and causing her to cough more and also they now make nasal strips for children to open their nose to help them breath. These also help my children at night when they have a cold. Good Luck and hope your little one starts feeling better soon.

My five-year-old has always been prone to that type of cough. Assuming the ped. says it's just a cold, here's what we do:

(1) No cow's milk, avoid dairy.
(2) run a vick's style steam humidifier in the bedroom.
(3) lots of liquids, juice. Warm herbal tea with honey if she'll go for it. Lollipops to keep her throat moist.
(4) Family remedy: chop up a fresh lemon or two. Put in a (non-metallic) bowl with about 1/2 an onion, chopped. Sprinkle sugar generously over all. Cover and put in the fridge for about 30-60 minutes. Use the syrup that forms in the bottom of the bowl like a cough syrup.

If the congestion is causing post-nasal coughing, you might want to check with your pediatrician on what is safe to take, but I'm not sure anymore for toddlers what they recommend (we've used children's musinex, but my kids are older.)

sounds like your child has allergies...specifically something in her bed. A feather pillow or comforter maybe???? Family pet like to sleep with her or on her bed???? Regardless, I would first look to allergy proof her bed and bedding....this should help especially if the cough mostly happens while she is in the bed lying down. I myself have allergies and sound like a chain smoker when I awake due to post-nasal drip. Addressing my allergies has helped me tremendously.

Have to second Jasmine's response. Read the article about Vick's - bad stuff for anyone - especially kids. Make sure more liquids like water and organic juices as milk tends to coat and produces flem. There is a very safe and very pleasant smelling non-toxic, non-chemical rub with eucalyptus that I recommend by Arbonne. I'd be happy to help you out with that if you'd like but do the honey and lemon. It's very old remedy and it works. My mom gave it to me when I was a kid and I have 3 children now. Humidifier is a must too. Keeps the air more moist and less drying on the throat. Good luck and here's to your health!

K.

P.,
It sounds like bronchitis. I would take her to the pediatrician, she may need an antibiotic. Both of my sons (ages 3 and 5) have had this. Another thing to try is have a cool mist vaporizer running in her room close to her bed/crib when she is sleeping. They sell them at Target and they are not expensive. I bought the cheap one (Kaz brand) you just have to change the filter once in a while. They really do not recommend using a warm humidifier anymore. The last time my son was diagnosed with bronchitis, the peds suggested trying mucinex for kids mini melts. I put it in applesauce. It thins the mucus to help relieve the conjestion. Good Luck!

Put baby Vicks on her toes when she goes to lay down or starts coughing really bad. Then put socks over it and she will stop coughing. I don't know why it works but it does.

P.,
You might want to try this: put about a cup of honey along with the juice of one lemon into a small pot, heat just till it boils then shut off the heat...allow to cool maybe minute then let her drink this (force her if need be.) It's both preventative (lemon) and curative (honey) and with 5 kids in tow, I will say it has worked wonders for my crew. The fact she vomitted probably means she had some mucus...
this is a good thing actually for her to get it all out. Good luck!

Hilarie

I've always found that keeping a humidifier going has helped immensely with coughing. We have one in the kids' room, and one in our bedroom and one downstairs in the living room.
Hope that helps!

Hi P.:
My son had a cough for over a month and I finally got a humidifier in his room and the cough went away instantly. The first night the humidifier ran dry before morning and now it stays full for days so I knew then that it was just incredibly dry in his room.

Try a humidifier in her room and try to elevae her bed... that usually helps with my children

Hi P., Maybe put a humidifier in her room. It could be a little dryness that starts her coughing. I know with the heat on my house is always in dry the winter. You did call the Doctor? Just to make sure nothing else is going on. Alot of liquids too. Good Luck!

Hi there~ My now 7yr old son suffered with the horrible mucus cough followed by vomiting for years. The doc always said his chest was clear and provided decongestants. However as having a better mothers instinct I got a second opinion and sure enough my son was diagnosed with asthma. He used the nebulizer twice a day and soon after once a day. He has now been off it for about 4 months and doing great. If he shows signs of a cold with cough we give him a treatment at bedtime. Some kids grow out of it. I recommend seeing an allergist ASAP! Good luck to you.

P.,
My ped also suggests a teaspoon of honey before bed to soothe the throat.
I recently read an article that vicks was not safe for children. I can't remember why exactly, but I would try the honey. No cough medicines though.

Yes, honey definitely helps my little one, 1 tsp of raw (pref. organic) honey, we like the Y.S brand. She's old enough. Also, we run a Vick's warm steam humidifier and add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the spot it has for it. We dab a bit of Vick's Baby on her chest as well. For bad coughing fits, sometimes it helps to run a hot shower and steam up the bathroom and sit with her in there (pref. with a shower filter on it).

It helps to build her immune system as well such as with probiotics and omega-3s to help her fight the cold.

Try a spoonful of buckwheat honey about half an hour before bedtime.