Cough medicine that really works please?

[Blef1974]

My 11 DD is coughing like crazy. Full of cold, and I'm giving her steam therapy (shower on full blast and sitting in the bathroom). Anyone know of a cough medicine that actually works?

I don't think any cough medicine can stop the cough completely. But the best one we have used is buttercup syrup.

This seems to help a lot especially at night.

At night the coughing may be due to her blocked nose making her breathe through her mouth, plus having mucus run down the back of her throat. So something like Vicks Sinex spray might help to clear her nose.

Eucalyptus oil on the soles of the feet at bedtime seems to work well (no idea why!).

Both of these things can be taken along with a chest cough medicine, like Benylin.

Thanks guys x

We use pholcodine here. Its not even £2 a bottle from lloyds, and im sure someone told me it is one of only two things that are described in the BNF as helping coughs. other things are just sugar/honey ish

Is the cough dry (nothing coming up from the chest) or chesty (lots of phlegm)?

And is your DD 11 years or 11 months?

Sudafed decongestant has helped us with shifting the phlegmy cough as described by RunningOutOfIdeas (if 11 years, not months).

Our GP told us that pretty much all child cough medicines are useless.

He prescribed Piriton hayfever allergy syrup before it could be bought over the counter for small children. It works by suppressing the cough-tickle-cough response in the brain. You can buy it in chemists without prescription now.

I would not use it for chesty coughs and obviously not as a long term solution but a properly measured dose for a few days before bed works absolute wonders on children and adults. Guarantees a good nights sleep too.

here is what help us a lot: clear nose regularly using saline nasal spray.

warm honey and fresh lemon juice is a great antiseptic for the throat, when they are having a coughong fit just give them a spoonfull of eucaliptus honey.(it is basicaly the main ingredient in throat lozenges)
A silk scarf around their neck and in front of their throat reduces the coughing a lot at night, combined with a good rubbing of vicks on chest. Wear a roll neck during the day.