To ask for help with DSs cough??

[LanaKanesLeftNippleTassle]

Posting here for traffic and quick advice.

DS (5) has a horrible, horrible mucousy cough.
He's had a bit of a cold for a couple of days but this cough is something else!

He's coughing so much it's making him sick, and he's so, so miserable.

I'm not going to take him to the doctor for a cough, nor do I really want to take him to town with me to see a pharmcist because
a) The virus he has seems to spread really easily and I'm sure the general population would rather avoid it
b) We'd have to walk and it's pissing it down and windy and the poor sod has a bit of temp.

I seem to remember that kids cough syrup doesn't really do anything anyway is that right?

I will go into town and get anything I need, can leave DS with my Dad, who has the same virus anyway.

I've tried steam baths with eucalyptus/menthol in, vapour rub etc etc.

AIBU to ask for any medicines/remedies/home made stuff you use for wee ones with horrible coughs?

Oh and if at the same time anyone can give me tips on how to not get this bloody virus, because I'm the only adult in the house capable of cooking/cleaning/shopping at the moment and I have an ill pensioner and an ill 5 yr old to look after!!

My ds had a similar cough, being sick in the night etc.
He was diagnosed asthmatic at 3, just a few weeks ago and is doing well with his inhaler. Worth a check if it's hanging on.

Tinsel Actually that's one of my worries, both DP (DS's dad) and my DDad had childhood asthma, which Dad has now developed again in later life.

I keep a close eye on things like coughing as a result.

He's only had it for about 36 hours though so far, before it was a couple of days of a straight forward cold.

Anyone got any miracle cures????

Poor thing. A gp told me children's cough syrup does nothing to help. It might soothe a sore throat for a few minutes. It's actually better for them to cough it up rather than suppressing it.

My dc used to cough and be sick when they were little. It's their way of bringing up the phlegm.
The worst is in the night if it's stopping them sleeping. Giving extra pillows so their head is raised sometimes helps and Calpol.

It's worth seeing a dr for antibiotics if you think it's developed into a chest infection.. symptoms would be
-coughing up yellow or green phlegm (sorry hope you're not eating!)
-shallow breathing, wheezing
-high temperature
-chest pain

Hope he's better soon.

I give my DCs Piriton at night, and I take it myself as well when we have a viral cough. They're often caused by a post-nasal drip, especially at night, so if you can dry up some of the gunk and reduce some if the swelling in the airways with an antihistamine, it might help.

My daughter is 1 and has a similar cold, it's been going for about 3 weeks now and at night time is really awful. I'm taking her to the pharmacist today and the doctor's tomorrow I think. No help sorry, but hopefully someone else sees and can advise!

ILostIt
I'm keeping an eye on the colour and so far it's just clear liquid, so fingers crossed I don't think it's an infection (yet!)
Got a little bit of a temp, but only as much as you'd expect from coughing and snotting really!

And glad I'm not the only one whose been told kids cough stuff doesn't work.

Have been dosing with Calpol, but will definitely make sure he's well propped up at night.

Elphaba Hadn't thought of that. Will def give that a go.

Unihorn it's shit isn't it?
I feel so sorry for wee ones when they get coughs and nasty colds.

Hope your little one feels better soon.

You can get a spray called sterimar I think which is just like pressurised salt water. Skoosh up the nose to relieve stuffyness and blow out the gunk. May indirectly help the cough.

Elphaba's tip is quite a good one, especially if he's not sleeping at night as anti histamines will have a sedative effect and help dry up the mucus a bit. It's worth trying a dose before bed although not to give it continuously through the day.

I think a pharmacist can advise even if you don't have him with you. I think only certain antihistamines will help with his symptoms, some will only treat allergies. (?)

Currently suffering with this myself this week and dd has it now. Been told to drink warm milk and honey and gargle lemon and water, also boil eucalyptus and breath it in under a blanket.
Need to go to shops

Cough syrup is rubbish feels like it just suppresses it, although coughing it up is painful after it there is a little bit of relief from it, I'm exhausted.

We were prescibed an antihistamine last year when DD had an awful mucusy cough that also affected her ears. Maybe ask your pharmacist.

Cool, thanks everyone for taking the time to reply....it's driving me up the wall listening to him cough constantly and not being able to do much to help him!

It's bothering me a bit because he's normally so bloody healthy, to the point where the rest of us will be on our knees with a bug and he'll be sick once, spend a couple of hours being quiet then goes straight back to insanity normal.

I'm a pathetic PFB-er really, he's only been ill for 4 days!

So I will nip to the pharmacy (battle the gales and wind!) and ask about an anti-histamine that'll help, maybe get some salt nasal spray (thanks musical!) and something the poor wee sod can eat comfortably.

Ice lollys, ice cream, hell anything he'll eat right now!

I make DC sleep slightly propped up & also put vicks vapour rub on the soles of their feet then they sleep with socks on.

Hunger sounds like the same lurgy doing the rounds in this house.
I'm stuck with a snotty, coughing kid, and a snotty, coughing pensioner and trying desperately not to catch it too!

Ouch an anti-histamine sounds like it might really help, that's good to hear.

My son has just been diagnosed with possible whooping cough, given a 6 day course of antibiotics and infectiousness ends on 5th day. Might be worth baring (sp?) in mind as immunity from vaccinations does wear off over the years. Also, the symptoms you describe are very similar to whooping cough, esp with the being sick, etc. If it is that, the plus side is that it won't be as severe as if your DS had not had the jabs

My DS currently home from school with this cough. Sounds like he is smoking 80 a day. No good suggestions on how to help him though

Sorry, I meant the effectiveness of the whooping cough jab does deplete after time - not talking about the other vaccinations

Hi there, if your little one is not allergic to pineapple, then fresh pineapple juice is said to help ease coughs. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain ( or something along those lines) which is said to reduce inflammation caused by viruses and bacterias. Hope this helps.

If you can get your hands on carrageen moss, it's brilliant for coughs. They sell it in fish shops and health stores around here.

You boil it up with water then strain it. It sets to a jellyish consistency. Add a large spoonful of the jelly to some hot water, orange or lemon juice and some honey. Drink it. Keep the rest of the jelly in the fridge.

Other thing that helps us vicks rubbed into the chest.

Based on floods post, pineapple juice would be a good one to use with the carrageen.

Well I just thought I'd give a quick update, and hopefully this might help someone else with the same problem.

So i went full on assault on the cough over the course of yesterday afternoon/evening, literally threw everything at it I could get/had that would work (and obviously wouldn't turn him purple or make him worse!)

So he had some calpol.
Then a steamy bath with eucalyptus oil in.
Then Vapourrub
Then Sterimar salt spray (which he hated btw!)
Then a tiny bit of simple linctus as recommended by the pharmacist
More Sterimar just before bed
Tiny bit of anti histamine
Went to bed with an Olbas Oil tissue stuffed down the side of the bed.
Slept propped up a bit.

This morning he still has a cough and a stuffy nose, but it's reduced so much over night, I'd say he's coughing 50% less than yesterday, and he seems so, so much more like himself this morning.

Yesterday he was so lethargic and sleepy, and really miserable, and didn't even want ice cream or sweets.
This morning he's playing Lego and pretending to be King Kong, even if it is in between coughs and nose blowing!

He's had some more linctus, more vaporub and salt spray this morning (after being bribed with sweets!) and fingers crossed we're over the nasty bit!

I reckon he'll be fine in a couple of days if I keep this up!

Whether it was a better nights sleep, the anti histamine, the random herbal concoctions or all combined, it seems to have done the trick!

Thanks for all the ideas.

Glad something worked! I'm disappointed you didn't try to make him eat the boiled moss jelly..

Enjoy your well deserved drink x

Well done but next time swap the linctus to honey lemon hot water, I once had a throat "infection" with coughing for weeks and eventually went to the docs and she actually prescribed honey and lemon. 3 days later I was fixed. I was drinking about 7 honey and lemon a day though which was probably too much but obviously works! Doc said cough mixtures are a load of rubbish.

I came on to say honey and lemon.

I slice a lemon, unwaxed for preference.
Add two table spoons of honey.
Little shake of dried ginger.
Pour over half a pint of boiling water.
Smash the lemon about a bit with a spoon.
Leave to go cold cover and put in the fridge couple of table spoons as and when needed