DS (6) can't stop coughing.

[Carrotsandcelery]

I have given him the max dose for his age of Medised. We have also propped him up a bit, encouraged him to sleep on his side or front and put some Karvol nearby.
Is there anything else I can do to help him?
It is heartbreaking listening to him coughing away for so long.

Does he normally cough like this? Is he pale/purple/blue/gasping for breath?

We have just had three weeks of this. Only thing that works is inhaling steam I found.

This is not normal for him. It started a few nights ago with disturbed sleep and some coughing. Tonight he is pale and fevered and coughing lots.
I wouldn't say he was gasping for breath. It is more like he might be sick if he keeps coughing if that makes any sense at all?

Poor lad. It sounds like the flu. You could try steam as Katisha says, I'd call NHS direct though.

I really do hope he recovers soon.

Try a wet towel on the radiator, bowl of water in the room somewhere and make sure that the room isn't too hot.

If his temp is up, I would give Calpol for the next dose rather than Medised. It keeps the temp down more effectively.

I'd second the call to NHS direct if nothing is helping.

Thanks belle. I have propped him up some more and put some Karvol in hot water near the bed. He is totally shattered but the cough is stopping him from sleeping. If that doesn't do it we will try steam. How do you do it? My dad used to pour a bowl of hot water and stick my face over it with a towel over my head. It sounds a bit scary to me.

Yep that's how you do it - in fact DS1 has his head over the bowl right now! ALthough he is 11.
Don't do it with scalding water. You probably don't have to stick a towel over his head - he might find it scary. Just get him to breathe in and out over the steam for a few minutes.

Thank you Katisha that did the trick - we got some sleep thanks to you so we are very grateful.

I'm so pleased!

We went through everything - asthma medications (but in this case it wasn't asthma-caused), every available cough syrup, propping him up, mankua honey etc etc. Visit to doctors, nothing to be done ...I don't know why I didn't do steaming earlier! Perhaps because it never does anything for me, but it sure seems to work on DS!

We have had two weeks of this cough, he coughes so much, goes red in the face and then sicks up mucus and food. After two weeks off school we have sent him back today because otherwise he is fine.

Steam him!

I would agree with Katisha - it seemed to get everything moving if that is not tmi. Not pleasant but better than those awful coughs. Poor souls.

Hi rub vicks in his feet and put socks on him.I know it sounds strage but it really works.

Warm mist humidifier with a drop or two of tea tree or olbas oil worked well on my DS whe he had flu with cough.

What make of humidifier do you have butterbean? One of my friends has one but I have never had the chance to ask her about it. I suspect it could be very useful.

Vicks warm mist humidifier...around 30 pounds from argos. There is a little place in the top to put the essential oils...I found it really helped.

That sounds really useful - thank you. I am in town tomorrow so will have a look.