Cough Cough Cough, nothing helps, any advice welcome.

[Sushipaws]

DD (21mo) had croup 3 weeks ago. Since then she has had a tickly cough that hasn't got better at all. She coughs at least every 2 hours during the night, sometimes so much she's sick.

I went to the doctor and was told to use medised if it got too unbearable, but it doesn't help at all.

I have -
Raised the end of her cot.
Boiled the kettle in the room to make it steamy.
Used Karvol.
Tried tixilix for tickly cough and tixilix for chesty coughs.
Put a wet cloth over the heater in her room (not that the heating is on at night).
Given her a drink of honey milk before bed.

Nothing helps and I am so tired, any advice on ways to help her would be much appreciated.

[Dragonbrandybutter]

Sounds like you're doing plenty.
i can't think of anything else either.
Maybe it is working as she may be worse if you hadn't been doing these things?

Can you get a break?

[Sushipaws]

Not at night, you can hear her cough in every room in the house. My dh has been taking her out in the morning so I can sleep in, but I'm still shattered. (I'm also 7 weeks pregnant and have awful morning sickness).

[beeny]

Have you tried homeopathy bryonia and aconite work really well for my 2 year old.

[Sushipaws]

Thanks, off to Napiers now to get some.

[LolaLadybird]

There was a thread a few weeks ago which talked about putting Vicks vapour rub on DC's feet and covering with socks. No-one was quite sure what the science was behind it but several MNers swore by it. I tried it with DS who had a cough at the time and it did help.

Perhaps worth a go if you've exhausted all other options ...

[pigsickonwhitewine]

lolaladybird...can you remember anymore about this advice or point to the thread?

my ds coughed so much tonight he woke up drenched in sweat and crying

[alipiggie]

Another tip, Magic Honey Juice. Some honey melted in hot water, topped up with cold Orange Juice and water and let them sip it slowly. The vitamin C in the OJ is great and the honey very soothing and as your DD is 21 honey is okay. Works everytime for me two when they have a cold/sore throat.

[LolaLadybird]

Pigsick - not sure how to direct you to the thread (IT skills a bit lacking and too tired to develop new ones tonight!!) but really it was as simple as I described above.

Put the Vicks on their feet - I rub it onto DS's soles - and then cover with socks or sleepsuit. The covering up bit seemed to be significant. I've been doing it a bedtime and, as I say, it has helped. Although on the nights when DS has blocked up nose I have also been using a Karvol vapouriser.

Good luck and hope DS settles tonight ...

[LolaLadybird]

Hi. Feeling a bit fresher after a night's sleep so have found old thread and hopefully linked here ... [fingers crossed]

this page

[Elibean]

Poor you, I sympathize (though not pg, can imagine how much worse!) as dd similar for weeks on end. Humidifier is the absolute best thing, if you can lay your hands on one.

And (yes, I spoke to GP about it) Medised.

Sadly, vicks/snufflebabe on feet has done nothing for us, but she found it amusing

[Sushipaws]

We had nearly 8 hours last night without a coughing fit.

I used aconite all day yesterday but dd coughed so much at dinner she was sick. So I called NHS24 and got to see a doctor who recommended an inhaler. DD had one from when she was tiny so we didn't need any new stuff. It's just salt water in it and it stops the spasm of the throat muscle which causes the tickly cough.

Thanks all for your advice and I might try the vapour tootsies next time.