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Coughing - any suggestions please

9 replies

Welshmum · 02/02/2004 07:11

Hello all. DD has a horrible cough - mostly at night. She coughs for 20 minutes at a time and it's driving her and us nuts as our sleep is so disturbed. We've taken her to the doctor he said it was 'a self-limiting upper respiratory tract viral infection' and that it might last for 'weeks'. Is there any cough medicine that you'd recommend? Or any other tips? (She's 21 months) Thanks in advance.

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Carla · 02/02/2004 07:15

Sorry to hear that Welshmum. I read somewhere that cough medicines don't do anything for anyone - children or adults, so we've all stopped bothering with them now. Have you tried a humidifier? Or boiling a kettle in her room (diffuclt, I know as they all switch themselves off

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robinw · 02/02/2004 08:58

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marthamoo · 02/02/2004 09:08

Humidifiers are expensive (ours was £50 from Argos) but they really do help. Coughs are horrible - much sympathy.

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Welshmum · 02/02/2004 11:20

Thanks all, the doctor was unbelieveably unhelpful - I knew you wouldn't be. We've raised the bed head, I'll get some Benylin and try the wet towel on the radiator. If that doesn't work humidifier it is. Thanks again. xxx

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StressyHead · 02/02/2004 11:32

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spacemonkey · 02/02/2004 11:37

frankincense essential oil is great for soothing coughs - a couple of drops on the wet towel on the radiator rather than on the pillow though as it's quite pungent and your dd is so little

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buzzybee · 03/02/2004 08:00

We went to the doc 3 times with really persistent cough and eventually she suggested Phenergen which is actually an antihistmine but makes them drowsy. Not recommended for under 24 months but OK on doctors advice (DD was about 18 mths at the time).

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fisil · 03/02/2004 08:19

We've got this too. Lots of good ideas that I'll try. We've not got a humidifier, but I have run a bath and got in it with ds in the middle of the night from time to time - it helps him to get over his coughing fit, and is fun too!

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Welshmum · 03/02/2004 13:11

We had a better night last night - she slept until 4.30 and then woke herself up with a bad fit of coughing. I think the wet towel on the radiator might have helped, I'm hoping for an incremental improvement tonight. It's so annoying as she was having to be woken at 7am before she got this bug - poor little thing. And poor us as it's so knackering. Thanks for suggestions