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Original poster

DS can't stop coughing

23 replies

toysoldiers · 07/09/2012 02:21

He's had a cold for about 10 days. Doctor says its viral.

He's awake now and can't stop coughing. He's thrown up nurofen he's coughing south. He's very distressed. What can I do to help him?

OP posts:
Original poster
toysoldiers · 07/09/2012 02:23

'coughing so much'

OP posts:
Chubfuddler · 07/09/2012 04:04

How old is he? Could it be whooping cough? It's doing the rounds. Phone nhs direct now.

Inyourhippyhat · 07/09/2012 04:36

Hoping your DS has settled. I cough quite a lot and find warm drinks soothing. Cold drinks seem to make coughing worse. Have you tried putting a drop of Karvol or Olbas on the front of his pyjamas? My mother swore by Friars Balsam but I don't know if you can still get it. When DS's tummy is better, try a mock hot toddy with the juice of half a lemon, some warm water and honey.

How miserable for your little chap and exhausting for you. Hope he recovers soon.

Original poster
toysoldiers · 07/09/2012 07:10

Thank you

He's 6. I took him downstairs and gave him a yoghurt which calmed things down a little and he eventually went back to sleep.

Was quite scary though and he was very distressed. Think I'll get some Vicks in for later Grin

OP posts:
lizzywig · 07/09/2012 11:03

I had whooping cough when I was 10. Dr was adament that it wasn't. My gran had been a nurse and seen it many times before, my mum had a job where she signed the death certificates for whooping cough so knew all about it, still the doctor said it couldn't possibly be....until I coughed and threw up all over his feet.

If it's whopping cough you'll hear a whoop type sound at the end of each cough, he will most likely be sick on every if not lots of occassions. Is your DS over 1? if so honey and lemon. Poor little lamb though cough's aren't nice at all - coming from someone who's just had a very bad one.

How does doc know that it's viral? I've just gone through two courses of antibiotics and two doctors said to me they can't know for sure if it's viral or bacterial, it's just a best guess. Maybe see another doctor.

Original poster
toysoldiers · 07/09/2012 11:09

Are they not vaccinated for whooping (Blush at not remembering).

His cough is much worse at night and seems to be really coming from the bottom of his stomach. (I realise that makes sense). Last night there was a kind of high pitched squeak at the end of each cough but I think he'd just made himself hoarse.

He's gone off to school happily enough today though- have got some Vicks for later and we'll see how he is over the weekend. If not def back to doctors on Monday.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it.

OP posts:
wfhmumoftwo · 07/09/2012 12:33

did the doctor listen to his chest when you took him?

My daughter used to cough all the time - much worse at night. We couldn't break the cycle - tried medicines, drinks, sweets etc to get her to stop. It was playing havoc with her sleep. Doctor kept saying its a cold or a virus.

Eventually i took her to another who said i) she actually has a chest infection and needs antibiotics and ii) thinks she has a cough related astma. After several more trips and a few investigations she is on a couple of inhalers now and her cough is generally clear.

Of course it could just be a cold and these can linger for ages and play havoc but if you are not happy take him back to the docotor and has for a second opinion

Original poster
toysoldiers · 07/09/2012 13:06

Yes she listened to his chest and said it was clear. His throat was a little sore but no signs of infection.

Will go back on Monday if no better.

OP posts:
dikkertjedap · 07/09/2012 16:13

There is a lot of whooping cough going round this year. Many doctors are not able to accurately diagnose it. Even when (recently) vaccinated you can get it as it has mutated, so the vaccination is not very effective any more.

It is a horrible disease. I will see if I can find the link where you can listen to the typical and atypical (i.e. when you have been vaccinated) cough.

dikkertjedap · 07/09/2012 16:15

Here is the link.

dikkertjedap · 07/09/2012 16:17

One of the main complications with whooping cough is pneumonia. So if you have listened to the sound track at the website in my previous post, and if you think that it is possibly whooping cough then keep a very close eye on him if he starts developing fever.

Don't hesitate to seek a second opinion.

rattlesnake · 09/09/2012 10:36

My DS had whooping cough at 6. He was vaccinated too. G.P. denied it could be whooping for first 4 weeks, he was eventually diagnosed properly by my Gran!!!! who nursed 3 kids through whooping cough. We took him to another GP who said that it "could well be that" ?? They don't like to admit that vac's don't always work. Unless cough turns bacterial (green phlegm, high temps) antibiotics won't help. DS coughed for over 100 days! Vicks warm-mist humidifier with a drop of tea tree oil seemed to soothe it at night. Other than that just time and TLC.

caramelsmadfuzzytail · 09/09/2012 10:47

I always went to my DR too early when it came to coughs. Usually 2 days later I'd be back again and it would be diagnosed as a chest infection.

One of the things about a chest infection is the inability to stop coughing once started, also it's worse at night.

I raise the mattress and put a cup of hot water with menthol crystals in beside the bed, cough medicine doesn't help but calpol does.

hopenglory · 09/09/2012 10:56

You can try giving him piriton if you think that it's becoming a vicious circle i.e. he coughs, his throat gets irritated, he coughs more as a result. However, I need to add that I am not a dr and you should not be taking medical advice from unknown people on the Internet Wink

Thumbwitch · 09/09/2012 11:02

Whooping cough lasts ages too :(, if that's what it is.

Whenever DS or I get a cold, it always ends up in a chest infection. My GP is quite happy to prescribe antibiotics now for it, after the first time when I waited 6w to see if DS could resolve it himself (he couldn't but after 3d of ABs it was gone).

A friend of mine's DS had a night cough for 3m, despite frequent doc's visits it took an X-ray to show he had pneumonia. :( He's now on his 2nd round of ABs to try and clear it.

So - go back to a different doc if you have to, push and push and make a nuisance of yourself until they do something.

bonhomiee · 09/09/2012 11:57

asthma or whooping cough agree with others.Is usually milder if vaccinated.

bumbleymummy · 09/09/2012 13:08

I don't think the vaccine makes it milder tbh. Iirc it's to do with mutations and immunity from the vaccine waning quicker than they initially thought. In older children and adults it is not usually as serious but it can be awful for young babies.

bonhomiee · 09/09/2012 13:27

Out of those who have had the full course of jabs[4 I think], only a certain % are then fully immune anyway like 80% but of the ones who had a reaction to the jabs say and only had 2 or 3 of the 4 they have part immunity and it does help to have been vaccinated and the disease is less severe.
If you haven't had any of the jabs at all, then you run the risk of really severe disease

bumbleymummy · 09/09/2012 14:25

Well most people who have it now have been vaccinated. Some have it more badly than others regardless of vaccination status.

bonhomiee · 09/09/2012 14:31

Some have it more badly than others but if you haven't had the fullset of jabs you are more likely to catch it and to get more severe disease afaik.

If you have phD in Pertussis vaccine and Infectious diseases then I am clearly just generalising and have not just looked it up...so will gladly off to do more reading but I am pretty sure that is right in general terms Smile

bumbleymummy · 09/09/2012 14:44

No phD :) I've just been following all the recent articles about it. (there were lots of outbreaks happening all over the US) Once your immunity from the vaccine has gone you're just as vulnerable to catching it as someone who was never vaccinated and immunity from the vaccine seems to be waning more quickly than originally thought - hence 6 year olds catching it!

dikkertjedap · 10/09/2012 20:36

My dd was FULLY vaccinated and still got very nasty whooping cough. I was fully vaccinated (was part of a catch up program and had my last booster as a teenager) - I still got it and it was seriously bad (I actually tested positive for it, so we are absolutely sure I had whooping cough). I know quite a few children who were totally up to date with vaccinations and still got whooping cough (5-8 year olds) and it wasn't necessarily very mild as several ended up in hospital.

It is a horrible disease and many GPs are still not really understanding that YES, IT IS BACK.

bonhomiee · 10/09/2012 20:53

I know.. but it can be horrific if not vaccinated or immune at all

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