What do you give a 6month old with a chesty cough?

[Squirrel3]

DGD has had a chesty cough for months, dd has taken her to the doctors several times but the just 'fobbs her off' and tells her to let dgd fight it off herself to 'build-up her immunity'.

DD has looked around for a chesty cough medicine for her but she has been unable to get any.

What can I get from the local chemist to help her?

[kreamkrackers]

DON'T GIVE COUGH MEDICINE! a cough is there for a reason, to get rid of secretions on the chest, cough medicine stops them from coughing and therefore can cause a build up of secretions and a chest infection. just give plenty of fluids and calpol if you think she needs it.

[Squirrel3]

Ok thank you kreamkrackers, but she has had it for months now (most of her life) I can't understand why the doctor isn't doing more. She always has loads of phlegm (sp?) and coughs so much that she has trouble catching her breath sometimes.

[tracyk]

lots of steamy baths/showers.

[tracyk]

do you have pets?

[kreamkrackers]

maybe there's something more going on, i'd try to take her to see a different gp or ask hv for advice.

[Squirrel3]

No pets, I have suggested dd take her to see a different GP, she has just moved so she will have to change her doctor anyway.

[kreamkrackers]

after seeing the next gp, if they come up with the reason behind her cough i'd make a complaint about the other gp for not listening properly.