Allergy Medicine for toddler

[happi]

My little boy (3 1/2) wakes up every night coughing from drainage. MIL keeps giving him cough medicine, but I have come to the conclusion that it is allergies. He has no other symptoms, nothing during the day, just coughing at night. What would you recommend giving him for this?
Thanks
Happi

[maurenemm]

At about that age, the ped gave the OK to try Claritin. My son's allergies did not bother him at night though.

My youngest was put on Zyrtec (OTC) at 1 yo and immediately he started sleeping better.

I have allergies too and at certain times of the year the post-nasal drip gets soooo bad that I'm coughing all night. My dr. suggested benadryl - in an amount beyond the listed dosage for adults. I was skeptical that benadryl would work as I was already taking Claritin and Nasonex - but it did work!

So, I would suggest trying benadryl first (although I wouldn't feel comfortable suggesting you go beyond the listed dosage without your son's dr's approval).

[Gena]

Nighttime coughing can be the first symptom of childhood asthma (and sometimes it is the only symptom). So you may want to have him checked out by his doctor, just to be safe.

If it is allergies, we have had good expereince with Claritin.

[longtallsally05]

Assuming your child is diagnosed with allergies...

I just wanted to chime in that my kids & I also have allergies and they take Singulair (4 mg chewable tablet) and it works very well. Singulair is actually an asthma med, but their pediatrician says she's found it works well for kids with allergic rhinitis too. When DS is experiencing tons of drainage, we double up with liquid Claritin too; it's okay b/c they are different classes of meds. DD won't take liquid Claritin or Zyrtec anymore, as she doesn't care for the taste. Incidentally, I take Singulair ( 10 mg) in addition to my Zyrtec every day and I don't need Flonase anymore...awesome!

[amldaley]

DD was put on Zyrtec by her Ped. when she was under age 1...maybe 9 months or so?

She could not use it daily until recently. We used to go every other day or 3 days, skip the 4th b/c she was susceptible to the side effect which made her unbelievably cranky - she became a monster.

Since about age 25 or 26 months, she has been on it daily. It mostly works for her, but she still has pretty bad allergy shiners. She'll be seeing an allergist next month.

[fauve01]

Nighttime coughing can be the first symptom of childhood asthma (and sometimes it is the only symptom). So you may want to have him checked out by his doctor, just to be safe.
.

:yeahthat: when my dd coughed at night, this is what the ped told me. DD went on 4mg Singulair and nighttime coughing stopped. Ped allergist told me that Singulair is OK for kids as young as age one. when dd gets runny nose we add a nasal spray. OTC meds (zyrtec, claritin, etc) do nothing to help dd's symptoms.


good luck.

[MamaMolly]

Do you know what he is allergic to? DD slept better immediately when we cased her bed and pillow in allergy free bedding. She has a dust allergy, among others.