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View Full Version : would you give something OTC for this? if so, what?



lmh2402
05-03-2010, 09:57 AM
DS has i "just a cold"...i think

he started sneezing/runny nose last sunday. he was just sneezy and runny until thursday afternoon. on thursday he developed a loose cough

still had the cough on friday so i decided to just have the doc check him out - his ears, throat and chest were clear

she said he wasn't contagious anymore. she explicitly said he doesn't need any OTC stuff - no fever and he his demeanor is good/cheerful

and i agreed

but it's not getting better. in fact, today it seems even worse

this morning he woke up so congested he couldn't nurse, which upset him and then he cried and got even more congested

i tried the steamy bathroom but that hasn't helped. i have been using the saline drops/spray, but that's not helping much either. i suctioned his nose before DH left since it takes two adults to get it done. but i'm not sure that is even helpful, since he gets so upset the congestion i'm sucking out he is just replacing while crying.

so...in all he seems happy. but his appetite has definitely dropped over the last two days. his nasal congestion has increased and i'm frustrated for him.

is there anything else i should consider doing or trying? does vicks on the chest help for a super stuffy nose? or just a cough? his cough has actually improved. now it's all stuck in his nose

thanks

egoldber
05-03-2010, 09:59 AM
I would call the ped back. At this point in the normal course of a cold, he should be showing steady improvement, not getting worse. It could be a secondary infection.

teedeedee
05-03-2010, 10:02 AM
I would just do saline drops or a little BM in his nose to help loosen the gunk. You can also use a bulb syringe to suck the gunk out after it's loosened a bit. But be gentle, those syringes can cause irritation and inflammation which aggravates the problem if you aren't very gentle.

I would not give him anything else personally. I only do tylenol in the event of fever. And if his disposition is cheerful and he has no fever, I wouldn't medicate at all.

You might also run a humidifier to see if that helps.

ETA: I just saw you already were doing the drops and syringe, I somehow missed that. I still would not medicate him. But I would probably call the doc back. My ped really thinks the bulb syringes do more harm than good. You might try the saline and just let it loosen things up- without sucking it out.

m448
05-03-2010, 10:08 AM
Usually my next course of attack is some thyme tea. Doesn't taste as bad as it sounds and giving kids a little cupful every few hours will keep his nose running like a faucet (which is a good thing) plus thyme is a great immune boost when sick.

If you haven't already I'd keep him away from any sugars (even natural ones like fruit juices, etc.) and definitely crank out some batches of chicken soup with plenty of fresh garlic and ginger (both immune boosters as well). For my kids including the younger one I super dose them on vitamin C and increase their vitamin D3.

lmh2402
05-03-2010, 10:14 AM
thanks guys

i left a message for the ped

i'll try and run out for some thyme tea when he wakes

and soup tonight sounds like a plan (despite it being almost 90, muggy and humid!)

m448
05-03-2010, 10:17 AM
for the thyme tea just steep some thyme (dried about 1-2tsp or fresh about 2-3 tsp) in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Give every couple of hours. by the spoonful or small glass (like a shot glass) as much as he tolerates it.

lmh2402
05-03-2010, 10:23 AM
for the thyme tea just steep some thyme (dried about 1-2tsp or fresh about 2-3 tsp) in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Give every couple of hours. by the spoonful or small glass (like a shot glass) as much as he tolerates it.

ahh! thanks! i was thinking i needed to run to the health food store to find it :6:

m448
05-03-2010, 10:25 AM
no worries, didn't want you to have to trek out unless you had to. Another alternative is to grate some fresh ginger into any kind of herbal tea and let it steep. I mentioned in the other thread that I keep nubs of peeled fresh ginger in the freezer. When I need it I just grate it with the microplane straight from frozen.

lmh2402
05-03-2010, 10:27 AM
thank you!