To give piriton for night time cough..

[SarahJeffers341]

3 year old with chesty night time cough caused by post nasal drip as we have all had. Have done PCR awaiting results. No other symptoms but he cannot sleep. Tried calpol plug in, snuffle babe on feet, tilted bed but it’s relentless. Has anyone given piriton or similar for this to dry it up? I will ask a pharmacist of course but any opinions?

Ds was prescribed it at 9 months old for coughing (sounded like he was gasping for breath!) Because his tonsils were apparently large so when he had a cold he couldn't breathe.

I've no idea how piriton helped, but it definitely seemed to.

I've done this, won't do any harm

I always give piriton for a cough especially in under 6’s where the cough medicine is just glycerine. No idea how it helps other than drying up all the mucus but it does help.

DH was prescribed an antihistamine at age 4ish for post nasal drip causing nighttime coughing. We started on one which was suitable for his age and then as he got older moved onto a cetirizine as it's a non-drowsy antihistamine.

DS sorry!!

Our GP recommended this for our DC when he had a bad cough and lots of snot. Worked a treat!

I've done this, won't do any harm

Are you a GP
Do you know this child's full medical history?

At the very least, Piriton can make some people feel sick. The leaflet says it can also cause difficulty in concentrating, a dry mouth, headaches or blurred vision.

Any medicine can do harm - to say "it won't do any harm" is reckless.

Yes, could be a slight allergy.

At a guess I would say that the main reason this might work is that it is a drowsy medicine - so giving it at night would make them sleep more deeply (when they might otherwise be kept awake by a cough) and give their bodies valuable healing time.

@rbe78

At a guess I would say that the main reason this might work is that it is a drowsy medicine - so giving it at night would make them sleep more deeply (when they might otherwise be kept awake by a cough) and give their bodies valuable healing time.

That as well as drying up mucus? I don’t want to make him drowsy to sleep otherwise I would use every night as he rarely sleeps anyway 😆

I was told to give piritin at night by paediatrician to help with postnatal drip which agrivated dd asthma.

@Pleasegodgotosleep

I was told to give piritin at night by paediatrician to help with postnatal drip which agrivated dd asthma.

Good to know thank you and with no past medical issue I can’t see it will be an issue.

Oh for goodness sake. No I'm not a GP. All I meant was it might help. Maybe a poor turn of phrase the way I wrote my reply, but I would hope no one would give medicine without reading the label etc etc. I didn't caveat my post with that.
Why do People always have to jump down other's throats?!

@MrsFin

I've done this, won't do any harm

Are you a GP
Do you know this child's full medical history?

At the very least, Piriton can make some people feel sick. The leaflet says it can also cause difficulty in concentrating, a dry mouth, headaches or blurred vision.

Any medicine can do harm - to say "it won't do any harm" is reckless.

Oh for goodness sake. No I'm not a GP. All I meant was it might help. Maybe a poor turn of phrase the way I wrote my reply, but I would hope no one would give medicine without reading the label etc etc. I didn't caveat my post with that. Why do People always have to jump down other's throats?!

My kids have frequent bronchitis and pneumonia, so the advice may be specific to them, but the paediatrician said to never give cough suppressants as it stops the cough doing its job if it does anything at all. For post-nasal drip she says to rinse with saline. I do it myself now and it helps a lot.

Have also been given medical advice from a paediatric nurse that Piriton can assist with a child's cough.. was advised to use it for a few days. I did and it did help.

I've had it prescribed for DS before when he had a cough that kept him awake at night. GP's words were "it'll do nothing for the cough but it'll help him sleep" and you know what...... it did help him sleep