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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Children's health

Toddler screamed and coughed since 4am, what can I give her?

35 replies

Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 14:42

DD has had a cold/cough since Tuesday. Fever has gone but she now has such a painful cough she can't sleep for any more than 90 seconds or so before waking again, screaming and coughing. She can't be comforted with anything. She is desperately overtired and needs to sleep, Disprol isn't even touching the sides... It's been 3 days now and getting worse.

Is there any medicine with a sedative in it that is safe/available to buy for toddlers? She is 22 months.

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bubbleymummy · 23/10/2010 14:51

Manuka honey is great for coughs.

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navyeyelasH · 23/10/2010 14:52

have you tried putting 2 cot legs on something, like yellow pages so she is sleeping sort of propped up?

Calpol do calcough, and tyxlix (SP?) do some sort of cough thing but from what I can gather it's just a sugary syrup thing not medicine.

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bubbleymummy · 23/10/2010 14:57

honey has been shown to be better for coughs. particularly for young children. I don't think any cough syrups are recommended for young children anymore.

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3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 14:58

I used a wrights vaporiser for my dcs. I think it says not for under 2s nowadays, but I found it really good. That, and lots of wet washing hanging around to moisten the air.

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CommanderGhoul · 23/10/2010 15:01

If your heating is on, try wet towels on the radiator, with a few drops of Olbas oil on to moisten the air.

MAke sure she is propped up by putting a pillow under one end of the cot. Use Vick, it really helps.

A spoonful of honey is effective and then some calpol or nurofen which seems to comfort my kids.

You used to be able to give Medised but these have been removed from sale for under 6's. It's a shame because at times like this it is effective and useful.

Will she sleep in the pram outside? If you wrap her well and push her in fresh air, slightly upright, she might get some sleep.

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 15:02

Manuka honey - good call. DH has taken her up to the Indian health shop on the High Rd so hopefully they'll have some.

We tried her on a spoon of Tyxylix last night but it just made her sick. She's a fussy little thing and the only medicine we've successfully managed to get down her ever is Disprol because it's not too sickly sweet. But I'm not sure it actually does anything...

Cot propped up, Vicks on chest, water bowl above radiator etc etc. She's had coughs before but nothing that's kept her awake like this or made her upset. She has literally cried ALL day poor little sausage. I've never seen her so upset and grumpy. If she could sleep I think she'd recover quick.

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3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 15:03

Nurofen is good because it releieves the inflammation. Disprol and calpol only deal with fever and pain.

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CommanderGhoul · 23/10/2010 15:04

There is a brand of unsweetened paracetamol suspension called Medinol which we get in Scotland which she might take if your phsrmacy does it.

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3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 15:05

Is she breathing fast? Is her chest recessing? Has she been seen by a doctor?

It is the start of the bronchiolitis season, so you need to consider this.

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 15:08

I think Medinol and Disprol are similar. She seems to actually quite like the taste .

Is it ok to do the double dose Nurofen and Disprol thing with toddlers? If I can manage to get the Nurofen into her and keep it down that might be a solution I guess?

Medised - I knew there was something i'd read about before on here... sounds like just what she needs actually, but if it's not safe and has been withdrawn for under 6s then I guess there are no other sedative type medicines for toddlers?

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3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 15:10

kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/bronchiolitis.html#

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 15:10

Breathing normal, temp normal, not seen a doc yet no. I will take her on Monday if she's no better, or to the walk in tomorrow if she's worse. Her cough seems quite dry, but not barking. It's obviously painful though. Do you think she should see a doc quicker?

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3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 15:14

I would try the nurofen, and humidify the air, try and get warm fluids down her, prop her up and observe carefully for any of the signs described on the web page.

Be prepared to see a doctor if she doesn't improve, so think about where you would take her and how you would get there.

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3littlefrogs · 23/10/2010 15:15

Can you take turns at sitting with her so the other parent can get some sleep?

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CommanderGhoul · 23/10/2010 15:16

No there are no sedative-type drugs allowed.

That said, when DD2 was little, Medised was allowed for 3 months plus and I remember it got me and her through a particularly bad winter with no ill-effects.

Piriton can make them drowsy but I have never used it so not sure if yu can get it for 22 month old.

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 15:24

We have piriton prescribed for her already just in case she accidentally eats egg which she is allergic to.

You know she has a lot of the symptoms on that link - the worsening cough coming a few days after cold/fever rang bells with me so DH is taking her to the walk in clinic at our GP right now which is conveniently 5 mins round the corner.

Thanks for all the sensible advice! Am exhausted... DH is being brilliant though as I'm 23 weeks PG and working a ridiculous amount of hours at the moment, and struggling to sleep myself so it's hard to think clearly about what to do with a sick tot!

May offer her some warm oat milk 'tea' with honey when they get in.

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dikkertjedap · 23/10/2010 15:36

My dd (4.5) has similarly terrible cough especially during the night, very distressing. Only thing what seem to help a little is to sit her up let her sip chamomile tea or water (sometimes she wants one or the other) and to give her a piece of liquorice (Allsorts) and to let her listen to a CD with her favourite stories. She then calms down, I put her on high pillows and she then drifts back to sleep for a few hours, and then we start all over again. Has been going on for four weeks now (we are all exhausted), but GP said her chest is clear, just a very nasty virus ... Still would get your dd checked though just in case she does have a chest infection. All the best.

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 15:47

Thanks - she's just been seen at the walk in clinic, they were amazingly quick! DH just called to say she has a mild throat infection, chest sounds clear, temp normal and ears fine so GP just recommended paracetamol and ibuprofen plus saline nose drops.

Also GP recommended a warm bath with eucalyptus and then Vicks rubbed into her feet! Has anyone done this or is this utter madness?

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CommanderGhoul · 23/10/2010 15:53

Feet!

That's a new one. Will try that when the inevitable coughing starts with mine..

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 16:08

Apparently he did say there are no studies to prove that it works but that his wife often does this for their two children and it seems to really help!

Our GP does seem to be a fan of the unconventional, which I'm quite pleased about really, our last GP was very anti anything 'alternative'.

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cedmonds · 23/10/2010 16:13

Have you tried having her in the bathroom with the hot tap running and the door shut so it gets very steamy. You can also have her in the room when you are having a shower etc. You can also try and but karvol or vicks in the sink and mix in very hot water and let her breath in the steam,just wrap her in a towel or something so she does not burn herself. Hope she gets better soon

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 16:48

It's the constant wailing that's really getting to me now. She isn't coughing that often but has literally cried all day since 4am. She stops for 10 seconds, then cries and screams for 90, repeat... nothing at all seems to please or soothe her, not even a cuddle . She's gone beyond the point of unreasonableness due to overtiredness into something far, far scarier!

Poor love, just needs some sleep... will try all of the above before bed this evening and hope for the best.

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cedmonds · 23/10/2010 17:06

Its really hard when they are like that. My DS was in hospital last year with his ashtma and was a bit like that they put in his on rooom in the end as he was waking up everyone on the ward!!(blush) We ended up watching fireman sam at 4.00 am
I think someone has said about it but would she go to slepp in a buggy. I have been known to be out walking aroung the roads late at night just so ds will get some sleep. I hope you get some sleep or she a least stops crying for a bit.(smile)

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Crazycatlady · 23/10/2010 17:11

I'm not sure - DH said she cried all the way home in her buggy despite being exhausted so I doubt it! It's a bit of a shock really, she's never woken up in the night at all ever, since she started sleeping through at 6 months. So I know she must be in real discomfort as disturbed sleep just isn't like her. Currently trying to get nurofen into her, and it is not going well!

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WeakAndMilky · 23/10/2010 18:26

Reading your OP my first thought was sore throat, they are usually viral but can develop into bacterial ones needing antibiotics. If she doesn't improve over the next day or two and a fever starts up she will need to be seen again. In the meantime you can give calpol and ibuprofen together for the pain. All that crying and distress is just making her poor throat worse!. If you have a sling would your DH walk her up and down (possibly for hours) so she gets some sleep. Hope he doesnt work Sundays! Honey, lots of warm fluids, milk -anything that soothes her poor throat. Try blowing in her face after you pop some nurofen in her cheek with a syringe, its supposed to make them swallow!