Child cough remedies?

[khalloc]

DS is 6. He has a bad cough. I know the kind he has. It wakes him up and he's coughing uncontrollably. I bet he lost like 2-3 hours of sleep last night because of it. I did give him his nebulizer last night, but I don't really think he is coughing because of his asthma as much. Its like when your throat is stripped and dry and you just wake up and can't stop coughing. I don't think he will eat straight honey. I've asked him. Stores are closed now so I can't get medicine. I know those cough mess don't help the cough go away, but I'd try anything at this point and he is 6 so it should be safe to use something OTC, right? I could buy something for tomorrow night. Anything else I could try?

[marie]

Delsym is the only thing that seems to give DD1 any relief from coughing.

It's awful to hear them hacking all night long!

[BDKmom]

I have used Delsym with my DS a few times for the same type of things and it seemed to work pretty well.

Hope you find something that gives him some relief.

[jenstring95]

You could try a humidifier, elevating/angling his pillow, give him some warm (decaf) tea with honey, or maybe get him to suck on a cough drop (or even a lollipop to lessen the choking hazard - maybe it would lube up his throat enough for him to get to sleep?) Or maybe if he tries the honey he will change his mind?

[doberbrat]

I'd just offer the honey rather than asking .... my dds have been known to fake a cough to get their honey! or you could take the tack that its 'medicine' and he doesnt have to love it but just take 1 spoonful.

I also sometimes will give benadryl to dry out some of the congestion and help w/sleep. IMO sleep is critical to getting well so if coughing is interfering w/sleep, then I'm ok w/medicating for it at night. Usually I use cold medicine but if I'm out, I sometimes use benadryl.

if you dont have a humidifier than running the shower as hot as you can might help - or if your heat is still on you could put a pot of warm water on your radiator or very close to whatever the heat delivery is. - just make sure no pets/kids will kick it over etc.

Or you could do a neb treatment w/just saline in it (ie, unmedicated) that sometimes helps.

When dd2 was a baby I also used garlic & ginger in oil on her feet w/socks on. I know some people have used vicks on the feet......

[123LuckyMom]

A six year old can take children's cough syrup, but the humidifier is key!!! That will help a lot. My son hates honey and any liquid syrups, so I give him powdered Mucinex cough medicine. The Benedryl is also a good idea. I use the chewable tablets. It does help dry them out, but even better, it helps with sleep. Sometimes I can sneak honey into an herbal tea, and the warm liquid does help, too. The best thing you can do, though, is the humidifier!

[khalloc]

Thanks everyone.

I have been running a cold mist humidifier for the past 4-5 nights. I heard him coughing as I was writing that post last night and I went into his room a few times to check on him but he wasn't awake and I figured I wouldnt wake him up to try honey. I might buy some Delsym today just in case he is having trouble tonight. He just has been not feeling great since Friday night. Yesterday he came home from school at 3:15 and laid down on the couch and fell right asleep. I think mostly because he was so tired from coughing the night before. I'm hoping we are past the worst with the coughing.

[jawilli4]

I hope he feels better today. If not, do you think it could be allergies? My experience is very atypical because my DS developed Henoch-Schonlein purpura after a funky GI bug and then started coughing uncontrollably to the extent he was sent home multiple times because of it and having a low pulse oxygen level. My previously healthy kid was diagnosed with asthma and put on albuterol which helped a bit. I tried everything listed above but nothing seemed to help significantly. It was only after his pulmonologist told me to start him on Children's Zyrtec did his cough get better. At any rate, I feel for both of you and hope he finds relief soon.

[khalloc]

No I'm not thinkings its allergies, because my husband also got sick on Monday and was feverish with chills and throwing up. DS got sick suddenly Friday but it was feeling tired, lethargic, needed his nebulizer (he has cold-induced asthma). Saturday and laid in bed or on the couch all day. I gave him ibuprofin off and on all day. He had a fever and didnt eat much. Sunday he was the same in the morning. he did throw up a tiny bit, (bile), and then in the afternoon he was feeling a little better. He went to school Monday and Tuesday but he's been tired off and on and still lethargic and now he has this cough. He hasnt eaten much since Friday. He's usually too tired for dinner since he got sick.

DH got sick Monday and was on the couch throwing up in a bucket. He was better yesterday and seems even better today. I dont know if they have the same thing? Me and DD are fine so far. DD has a immune system of steel. Actually she is stuffy today and seems like she is getting a cold. DS is also very stuffed up.

ETA: I was kind of thinking he might have the flu. But I thought it would be worse than this so I am not sure. I've never had the flu and this is the first year I didnt bring him to get a flu shot.

ETAA: DH doesnt have whatever DS has. DH thought he bought a 5 hour energy drink at a store but it was actually some wierd stimulant that you are supposed to smell. He drank it! He just realized this today when he found the bottle in his car. It said to go to the hospital immediately if ingested. He called Poison Control and they said if you puked it up and are OK now that you'll be fine. He might have a headache for a couple of days. He did have a major headache yesterday. Ugh! I keep telling him to stop buying those stupid energy drinks but he's addicted. And now he buys something and doesnt even read the bottle before he drinks it. Dumbass!

[mackmama]

I just saw my doc for my own coughing issue - and my doc said she frequently tells parents to put honey in warm water for kids to sip. She said there is research that shows warm water and honey stops coughs. So maybe your DC would be more willing to sip on that than taking straight honey?

Also - a humidifier for sure.

[essnce629]

Delsym is the only thing that seems to give DD1 any relief from coughing.

It's awful to hear them hacking all night long!

This is what I use as well if tea with tons of honey or straight honey doesn't work. I do a vaporizer in the room as well with eucalyptus oil and vapor rub on the chest/back/neck.

[khalloc]

Well yesterday DS came home from school. he was OK for an hour then decided to tell me at 4:50 that his ear was starting to hurt. So I called the doctor. Rushed him over there at 5:10 and he has a small ear infection. But she gave us antibiotics because she said since he had a fever Friday-Sunday, then went to school for 2 days and now has a fever again (it was 102 at the doctors office) that she would go ahead and treat it. I was armed with Delsym last night, antibiotics, and ibuprofin. He went to bed at 7:45 and slept till 7am. He is at school today, but now DD is home saying she is sick. You cant win!