cough in 7 month old - what else can i do?(and am i doing it right?!)

[MerlinsBeard]

A bit of bacground....DS3 gets a lot of coughs. There was a point where he had a cough for a number for weeks and the GP gave me an inhalor with a spacer to use up to 4 times a day when he has a cough.(I am asthmatic so the theory is that it could be asthmas but she won't diagnose officially in under 2s) This was a few months ago and each time he has got a cough we have used the spacer/inhaler and it eases it quite quickly.

Now he is a bit older and he has another cough. It's quite bad in that he is disturbed with it and he will have a period of a lot of coughs before he draws a proper breath(IYSWIM). I have been using the spacer for the last 2 days but he is fighting it now and won't let me holds it to his face. How can i get any amount of ventolin in him when he does that?!
I rang the DRs today and they said to use the ventolin over w/e as i have been told and to go back on Monday if no improvement. In the meantime, what can i do for him?
I am hardly getting anysleep because aside from his coughing, he is feeding badly (always feeds a lot at night still in any case) and i have things on my mind as well as DS1 and 2 to cope with. DP needs to be alert and working as he has a jam packed weekend and week ahead work wise that can't be postponed. Today i vac'd his room out and have turned his radiator down a bit lower as i sometimes get 'chesty' with the rads too high, his cot head is raised slightly, he has had calpol(teething as well i think) and i have karvol that i will put on a tissue in his room if that may help but i don't know what to dooooo

sorry, i clicked post instead of preview!!

Hi MOM, your poor thing - sounds like you have a lot on your plate at the moment.

I'm not sure if this will be any help but I have recently been diagnosed with 'possible asthma' and have been given a Ventolin inhaler to try. On top of that, DS (8 months old), has had a cough that's been gradually getting worse over the course of the last week or so. Our GP advised for us both to sit in the bathroom and run the bath/shower very hot so that we can inhale the steam to help clear the airways. GP said to do this once a day and that should help. Tried it with DS this morning and he seems to have improved - not sure if it's the steam that helped though. Also giving Calpol for teething too .

Apart from that, I've found and still do, that putting a cup of water on each radiator in the house helps to humidify the air a little. Just replace the water when it runs out.

HTH

cup of water, thats what i haven't tried yet. i will do that when i go up to bed. I can't run the bath/shower now as it would wake DS1 and 2 but i can have him in the room with me in morning when i have a shower

thank you CM

I hope your DS gets better soon Its horrible when they look at us for help and we can't give it

Thanks MOM, I hope your lo get better soon too. I agree, it's agonising to look at them and feel totally helpless

Take care

How is your DS chocolatemoouse?

DS3 still has a night cough so we are still using his spacer before he goes down for the night but he is hugely improved from my OP