Anyone got any tips tips to ease coughing?

[milkysallgone]

Dd has got what seems to be a nasty little virus, and spent most of last night sleepless and coughing really badly. She is coughing so hard she's spitting up and gagging. She is really suffering with it bless her - it's so heartbreaking to listen to .

Does anyone know anything I can do to help her tonight? Apart from the obvious useless medicines - unless anyone can recommend one that actually helps?

TIA

prop her mattress up a bit
wet flannel on the radiator
eucalyptus oil on the flannel or her pillow to help decongest too
and some obvious useless medicine; medised/calprofen and tickly cough med as well id say

Boil a kettle in her room (out of her reach obviously) and let the steam loose in there. At this time of year when we use the heating it dries the air too much which can make coughing worse - so a little moisture in the air may help a bit.

Its awful isn't it to see your DC so distressed due to coughing.
DD had a really bad virus for over 2 weeks in October, she had a bad cough but I was told not to give her any cough medicine as it doesn't actually deal with the cough it just supresses the brain activity causing the coughing

I don't know how true that is though.

I ended up just iding it out with her and made sure she had plenty to drink after an episode of coughing to help her.

Sorry not much help am I, hopefuly someone will come along with some much better advice for you.

I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

You aren't supposed to supress tyhe coughing as thats how the body gets nasty bugs out rather than them going to the chest. Is she old enough for honey as warm honey and lemon juice is soothing.

Thanks all. Will try the steam thing later. She is 3 so old enough for honey - good idea.

There was a study recently that found honey more effective for children's coughs than over the counter cough medicine, so definitely worth a try.

My sisters daughter had a very long lasting cough (along with other things...) earlier this year, and was advised to get her to 'huff' when she needed to cough rather than actually coughing - did the same thing, but didnt use the vocal cords as much, and therefore didnt hurt her throat and cause the gagging etc she had been doing. Not sure if your dd will be able to do this, but worth a try?!

What age is honey ok then?

I heard dollop of Vicks or Baby Balsam in bowl of boiled/ hot water in corner of room to give some nice, clearing steam but not near bed and out of reach obviously!

A friend of ours recommended cutting up half an onion into bits (like you're going to cook with it), leave it on a saucer on a shelf/ somewhere that DC can't get to it.

Leave it in the room over night.

I was very sceptical until we tried it with DS2 1.6, he didn't cough once over night when we tried it!

WARNING!!!! When you go in the room next morning it REEKS! BUT no coughing and everyone gets to sleep.

I tend to get lingering coughs and the best thing I find is a mug with half orange juice, half boiling water, and a heaped teaspoon of honey.

(I also put whisky in mine )

Honey is fine from 1 year on.
But tbh the risk even under a year is absolutely tiny.

DD1 had a cough for weeks last winter - after 3 visits to the GP I realised they weren't going to help and did some research. Bought a humidifier for her room (which had 15% humudity with the "comfort zone" being over 40%) - about 30 quid from Argos I think. Never heard the cough again. Have just fetched it out of the shed to try again this winter, as she's started up again.

get a humidifier in her room, plus some bed blocks to prop up her bed.

I'd also turn her radiator off and make sure she is wrapped up warm instead.

Hiya,

My girls often suffer from CROUP, which is a mare in as far as coughs go.

My tips would be to invest in a humidifier - I brought one from the Healthy House, you can find it on the web (british allergy site) and it has been a god send.

I back everyone in what has already been said, I added extra pillows or when they were young, propped their mattress up. We put books under the legs/cots at the top, to raise the bed therefore not needing to mess around with the mattress.

Hope this is of help

Nic