Any tips on getting Otravine nose drops into hysterical 24 mo old?

[Elibean]

She could really do with a little help in the airway department (waiting for tonsil/adenoid removal, and has floppy larynx) so GP gave us paediatric Otravine today to unstuff her nose at night..it could help a bit..I can't get them in when she's asleep easily, because her cot is at a 45 degree angle...but I hate the idea of holding her down forcibly, crying and hysterical, seems too traumatic for the potential value of the drops.

Aaargh.

what would you do?

Tricky one, if you give them forceably then she will cry so hard she will probably wash them out anyway and you will just upset yourself in the process.

How deeply does she sleep? Could you put the cot down, prop up the other end and put them in then reverse the process? Hard work trying to do this obviously with stealth like movements but might be worth a go???

I could never ever get nose drops in DD. After 4 rounds of antibiotics in 2 months I cannot get anywhere near her with medicine now and I totally HATE pinning her down, however a child with a temp of 40 is just not safe so needs must when the devil pees in your teapot as they say!

Good luck!!!

Love the devil and teapot expression

Thanks, BBF, will attempt stealth like cot lifting and trickle them in...I agree, think its the only way thats worth it.

Hope your dd stays well now!

Thanks Elibean, sums up life when you are looking after a poorly LO eh? DD is OK at the mo,.... that is Nursery life for you!

Good luck, don't wear anything that russles or clinks...

I know its not much use but if you get a chance go and buy some Olbas oil they are fab I use them for my toddler a little bit of it on a tissue under DS's pillow.

We also put Olbus Oil in a bowl of boiling water under DDs cot, works a treat!

Is it better than Karvol? I have been using that nightly for weeks, but it doesn't seem to do anything for dd. Trouble is, her real problem is only going to be helped by an operation - she needs tonsils and adenoids out asap - but whenever she has a cold (all the time, atm!) her apnoea and struggling to breathe is worse than ever.

So I reckon anything that helps her nose has to be a good thing!

Thanks, both of you, will source some Olbas tomorrow, can't hurt!

I think it is stronger than Karvol. The pack says only use one dose of Karvol but that is no use at all I don't think.... so I use two!

Try Olbus, I put it on the cot sheets too, make sure it is well away from DDs eyes though, it is stronger than Karvol.

Hope the Op comes soon and is a success. DD2 had apnoea from needing tonsils and adenoids out. It worked and she recovered really fast.

Both my older two (step) DDs have had tonsils out plus DH so I expect DD3 will need them out too as she is so prone to infections.

Good luck - hope you get sorted very soon. Whilst you are in Boots have a look at the Vapourizers, we have one that you plug into the wall and it works a treat! I recommended it to a friend who's son kept getting croup and he has not had an attack since.

Thanks, Blue...I will. Any tips on tonsillectomies? You sound like an expert, poor you

Hiya, to be honest I think we were more upset and stressed than the girls were. They don't recommend ice cream any more but they do get you to give 'scratchy' foods to clear the tonsil beds to avoid secondary infection. DD1 was having fish and chips the afternoon after her surgery! DD2 not quite so brave but did pig out on shortbread which can be pretty dry!

As they now use lazers to remove the tonsils it is better and quicker. I think the pain lasted for a few days and we gave 24-hour meds, switching nurofen and calpol. Not much worse than having tonsilitis so they were pretty chilled, nothing out of the ordinary.

Good luck - I am sure it will make all the difference.

x

Wow, thats soo reassuring...thanks v much. I can imagine lasers help a lot. Will bear fish and chips in mind, dd was partial to that before she started not eating

BTW, we've been playing with the nosedrops, as in 'you do mummy's nose' (and I empty the bulb first) and 'you do teddy's nose' and she still hates them, but is much much less scared. I managed to get a couple in tonight, and gave her a milk choc button as reward, and I'm hopeful thats a step in right direction....even though they fall straight out again, I think, when she sits up

Sprays are SO much better than silly drops!

Hiya,

Good for you and the role-play, this was how I got DD to eat first time round. She fed me and dolly and I fed her. It is hard.

Do you have any appointment date yet?

Sorry, missed that last night! Yes, 13th Jan for her op. Roll on January, she's barely eating.

Thanks for asking

Oh bless, roll on the 13th. I am guessing you have tried shakes and soups and all that?

Yup

She did eat a bit more today, so I'm hoping it was more virus-related than pure tonsil-related, iyswim. We did end up in A&E yesterday after HV weighed her, but of course there's nothing they can do....except reassure me her sats are ok.

Oh my goodness how stressy. I got really upset a few weeks back when DD had tonsilitis and had not eaten properly for weeks. I worked out she had only gained 6lbs in a whole year which was between 7 months and 19 months, just when she should have been growing loads! However, she seems well right now and is eating again.

Strange though, all she would eat with sore tonsils was rice cakes. I would have imagined they were too crispy but nope, she ate rice cakes (apple flavour) for 3 days straight!! What can you do? I let her as I did not want her to get scared of eating again as we have been there so many times before.

Your poor little pickle. Not long now and you can start to build her up again. I'll bet she eats you out of house and home and has a massive growth spurt once her tonsils have gone. DD1 grew a couple of inches in height in no time once her tonsils had gone!

Ah, the rice cake phenomenon...yes, dd has been demanding apple flavour rice cakes last few days when nothing else would do

Thanks, am sure youre' right - expecting major growth spurt (though she's fairly tall, just far too skinny) and loads more energy: hard to fathom, dd is pretty bouncy even with tonsils, when well!

DD3 is lean but tall, bags on energy too, always running and smiling.

Good luck with the Op, make sure you post on how it goes!

I will, I promise. She's just woken herself choking on mucous and tonsils, not a nice combination

Sorry, thats gross, but it does help to write it down....its quite scary (for her too, poor thing) when it happens. Usually once a night

Bless Elibean, that is really very stressy and scary. What a poorly little pickle she is. I bet you wished you had a fast forward button to the 13th don't you?

Always write these things down, I usually log in about once a day so am around to check messages and stuff.

Hope you are having some time to enjoy the Christmas build up with your poorly one. Just think, next year she will be stuffing the Mince Pies in with the best of them!

xx

Blue, you are lovely

She's much better eating-wise, just really stuffed up and struggling with sleep. If you saw her bouncing around giggling when awake, you'd never think she could clear a doctor's waiting room with the noise she makes when asleep!

Anytime honey, I know how hard it is to have a poorly one what never seems to get any better and also know what it is like to need a place like MN to vent, the people around you are sweet but I am sure they just want me to stop talking about it sometimes!!

I am always amazed that when they lie down ears hurt more, the snuffles seem to intensify and the toss and turn and cough and cry. Pick them up and they are lovely and cuddly and funny. Put them down and armagedon starts all over again!

I am having a glass of vino - join me won't you?

Ah, I blew that privilege a long time ago, but thanks - will join you in spirit

Righty-ho, cheers in spirit then xxx