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Original poster

Night time cough. SOMEONE SAVE ME!

80 replies

goldilocksandmylittlebear · 12/12/2008 20:33

Please tell me the magic cure for my 12 months constant night time cough! He has been coughing every 2 mins since 6pm and been sick with all the coughing twice.

Had this a few times before and doctor gave us 2.5ml Piriton.

Have given him the Piriton, rubbed Vicks on his feet, put the yellow pages under the cot, given him s dose of Tixylix infant cough liquid (the only one you can give a baby under 2) and water.

What else can I do!!! Please help this is driving me nuts ( and him of course! )

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MadMazza · 12/12/2008 21:32

From what I understood from the specialist, the infections/viruses attack the tonsils (the tonsils are there to stop the infection from reaching lower down in the wind pipe), but for some reason some children's tonsils are less resilient and get to the point where they can't cope any more, become acutely enlarged, and block the throat. Dominic was well when he was free from a cold but as soon as he picked up a virus he would get wheezy (due to bronchiolitis) and then would produce huge amounts of phlegm (due to the enlarged adenoids) As soon as he lay down at night the enlarged tonsils and adenoids/along with phlegm blocked his airway and he would cough so much he would be sick - normally all in our bed - it went on for months but the GP never ever checked the tonsils. They thought it was asthma.

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 21:32

I would use a kettle and not buy a humidifier as I found oddly that the humidifier actually made me cough it was a cheap one though.
My ds is propped up on 5 pillows at the moment - they have to be almost sitting up - similar to when you are in a hospital bed sitting (I hope that makes sense).

MadMazza · 12/12/2008 21:35

By the way, my husband had his tonsils and adenoids removed as a young boy so I wonder if there might be aspects of my son's health that are inherited IYSIM

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 21:36

Poor LO's with coughs and they look so upset.
NHS direct always sent me to hospital - I think I have almost given up calling them unless I want information and have no access to internet.
Emergency Dr can advise over phone but if he is being sick so often maybe he needs antibiotics.
Medised a good idea but op lo is under 2? Can you still use it? I now use a nighttime tyxilix but that is also for over 2's.

Original poster
goldilocksandmylittlebear · 12/12/2008 21:36

Can I use pillows for a 12 month old?

Wondering about Medised?? Would that help for now, out of hours tomorrow but not sure what they would do, thinking about the nose spray........

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Original poster
goldilocksandmylittlebear · 12/12/2008 21:36

Can I use pillows for a 12 month old?

Wondering about Medised?? Would that help for now, out of hours tomorrow but not sure what they would do, thinking about the nose spray........

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nappyzonehasastroppytoddler · 12/12/2008 21:39

A basic pediatric linctus has helped my ds to stop irritation but not supress in any way, we have also laid out wet towels in his room and when my dd used to cough really bad we used to set the wallpapaer stripper going in the bathroom before bed.... Good luck

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 21:42

I personally would use medised if you are happy to and definitely get some nasal drops when you can (can someone get you some from a late night chemist or Tesco?).
Also when you speak to a Dr ask if they can give you something on prescription like the night time cough mixture (sometimes a Dr can prescribe something that you cannot get over the counter?)

MrsSanta · 12/12/2008 21:43

dd 7 had a persistant nightime cough and has now been diagnoised Asthma and uses inhalers both blue and brown.

Dr explained to me and that Asthma can have symptoms in 2 ways, night time and cough or weezing.

Just a thought.

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 21:43

If you go to out of hours tomorrow make sure (I am sure you will) they look at his tonsils. Thinking of your little bear.

BlueBumedFly · 12/12/2008 21:46

We used Medised sparingly from a year, then the government warnings came out (via the US advise) and we continued to use it when we really had to. Obviously you need to be careful and it is personal choice, however, DD does respond well to it.

HOWEVER,.... be really careful and give it really really slowly as it tastes quite 'sharp' and can catch the back of their throat making them cough... then vomit.

It is an antihistamine though, did you say you had already given piriton as I am sure they must contraindicate. Cannot remember how to go back a page without loosing this post....

I would get a doc to check tonsils tomorrow if you can.

Sorry you are so far away, you would have been most welcome for a lend!

We have resorted to onions too and it really did help. The whole house smells rank though, like a bad case of teenage BO.

Original poster
goldilocksandmylittlebear · 12/12/2008 21:54

Thanks so much, NHS direct are calling me back but not sure they will say anything helpful. What sort of nose drops could I get tonight??? Would they even be ok for a 12 month old

Whats the main concern over Medised? I can't really use it now anyway as we tried the Piriton.........he has been very sick though so I bet there is none in his tummy anyway!

BlueBumedfly do you offer loans of a bed for the night........no that's mean I have to stay and try very hard to be the best Florance Nightingale I can! I have turned the monitor down 1 knotch though coughing is ethoing

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Original poster
goldilocksandmylittlebear · 12/12/2008 21:56

sorry echoing

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leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 21:57

Don't be it's hard. Make sure you have help coping. Not sure of the name they have Nasal in the name and yes I think they can be used on a 1 yo (sure even younger). Will have a look see if I can find out for you. Sure they can be bought from Tesco shelf and a late night chemist will have them (look in local paper for details or call 118).

BlueBumedFly · 12/12/2008 22:02

Spare and very quiet bed here..

Paediatric nose drops are from 2 years, this is of course as it is unethical to do clinical trials on the under 2s and therefore there is not evidence for their safety. I have never used them but my Mum swears we had them under a year! Do you have a local supermarket still open? Perhaps NHS Direct will know of somewhere.

Goodness me, how stressy for you and your LO. Hopefully he will become so tired that his body will naturally relax and the spasms will get less and less allowing him to sleep.

Does he sleep on his front - lets ignore the back to sleep thing here for one minute, after all, advise changes on this with changes of government. DD has slept on her stomach from 3 months and it seems she coughs less on her front as there is less nasal drip.

Good luck! Got a good book? Perhaps you could write your Christmas Cards?

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 22:04

this is another brand for children over 3 months

BlueBumedFly · 12/12/2008 22:13

Those are the ones I was thinking of Leo - I had not realised the PI had changed to under two years. Just goes to show eh? Perhaps my Mother was right after all! We must have been weaned on them and we are OK... well, sort of!

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 22:16

I think they might know better sometimes but I am exactly the same I wont do anything unless it is written in black and white that I can.
When they are ill you'll try most things to make them feel better. Such a worry.

BlueBumedFly · 12/12/2008 22:21

Yup! If someone had told me last January that I could have avoided 2 months of reflux vomiting every single night but standing on my head and singing the National Anthem in the rain I would have done it!!!

Original poster
goldilocksandmylittlebear · 12/12/2008 22:23

NHS Direct OMG They asked if he had any bumps to the head today. Being some what tired and covered in sick I laughed 'Yes Several!' he is walking, crawling, bumping etc etc as all 12 month old boys do, and when I said he was coughing and being sick the doctor said he may have a head injury and to get to A&E! I am 99.9% sure he doesn't, he bangs his head everyday (that sounds terrible but you know what I mean) He really is being sick because he is coughing so much. They are getting a doctor to call me now

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BlueBumedFly · 12/12/2008 22:28

OMG!!! Did they not take the main thing into account, like the cough? I have never heard such adverse advice from NHS Direct. DD hit her head a number of times today, a couple really quite hard but sadly that happens with toddlers. They toddle, they fall, they bump for goodness sakes.

Goodness me, are you OK? Have they panicked you totally?

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 22:29

Please do not panic they have done this to me time and time again they convinced me once that my ds couldn't breath and I was in such a state they asked if I wanted a ambulance but I said I could get him to A&E quicker.
He wasn't - they ask you questions that are difficult to answer and they are basically following a flow chart.
They might send you to hospital - might be an idea regarding the sickness. Can you not get into an emergency dr?

leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 22:31

You would know if he had hit his head hard enough to need urgent attention.
TBH what child hasn't banged their head today?

Original poster
goldilocksandmylittlebear · 12/12/2008 22:33

They are sending a doctor to the house within 2 hours - feel like a total nut but the doctor over the phone spoke very poor english and I tried to explain but got knowhere!

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leoleomakingalist · 12/12/2008 22:35

BBF just noticed the other nasal drop thread - I always seems to be wearing really noisy combat style trousers with metal buttons banging together as I walk when I need to sneak into ds's room to check on him of administer a sneaky dose of medicine..