Vaporizer vs. humidifier for cough?

[Mamma2004]

DS is 19 m.o. and has suddenly come down with a wicked cough. I called the ped's nurse and she said to put a cool-mist vaporizer in his room. We live in Massachusetts and have very dry air in our old house so we have multiple humidifiers throughout the first and second floors (including one right outside his room).

I don't understand the difference between a "cool-mist humidifier" and a "cool-mist vaporizer" - could someone please help?

Thanks so much!
Stephanie

[TaChapm]

I'm pretty sure it is the same thing. I would just put one in his room. FWIW I have found that warm mist actually seems to calm DS cough better than the cool mist. I run a cool mist all other times except when DS is sick. We have found that the cheap vicks warm mist works great and when it gets gross at the end of the year we toss it and buy a new one. I think they are around $10. HTH
Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02
Tyler William 6-9-05

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[randomkid]

A humidifier is cool mist while a vaporizer is warm steam. I also find that the vaporizer works better for cough. I asked a nurse once why they recommend cool mist over warm and also asked if it was ok to use warm. She said that she thinks warm is also more effective, but to put it in a place where your DC can't get to it. I think they always recommend cool to avoid burns/injuries, and thus, lawsuits. That's the impression I got from her anyway. If I'm wrong, somebody correct me!