tickly chesty cough - really bad advice please

[foxy1]

hello

my little boy has had a terrible tickly chesty cough for about 3-4 weeks now. at night time he coughs all night and in day sometimes he will be sick (not food just spit) from coughing so much. i have tried tickly cough medicine and medised and not really doing anything.

is there anything that you have tried which is good?

would you take him to doctors or will they think i am wasting there time?

Many thanks

foxy

how old is he? - If he's over 12 months, honey especially manuka honey is brilliant

As its been going on so long now I don't think a doctor would say you are wasting their time. They may not be able to do anything but they can at least check him over.

Its really horrid when they cough like that - for you as well as him. Its exhausting!

He is 4 in a couple of months. i have had it a bit as well and my chest hurts from coughing so much it feels like i have either been stabbed or punched in hte upper chest so he must be feeling 10 times worse, bless him.

what do you do with the honey? hot water and honey? fussy toddlers? thank you!!

straight on a spoon, my ds now 7 loves it as it tastes so nice he'll take it anytime cough or not.

is this a runny honey? thank you!

My 5 yr old recently sorted out his own tickly cough, but it deosn't sound as bad as yrs - he sipped warm water throughout the night as the cold made it worse, his idea which did seem to work!Obvious things like keep the room temp the same and warm.See if he will have sleep in day to conserve some energy - don't know why these things are always worse at night but they are - you sound like you need a sleep in the day too!

you can get both runny and thicker foxy, it doesn't matter

My DDs have all had this though not so long lasting. I had them propped upright with pillows at night, tried hotwater bottles on their chests and had water by their bedsides.
I think if an infection has lasted over a week then visit to doctors is ok.

What I am about to write you MUST ask your doctor first before you do it but as a doctor gave me this advice and as I have used it on myself and my 6 and 8 yr old I feel the risk is low.

My doctor told me all children's cough medicines and adult ones are useless.

He prescribed Piriton - whch many of you will know is used for hayfever and other allergies in adults and children and can be bought over the counter. It stops the tickle - cough response.

It works with my children and I told my mum who told one of her friends (over 65) who could not stop coughing. He was desperate and he could not believe the result. First good nights sleep in a week and no cough.

Piriton reacts with certain medicines and MUST NOT be taken without care but as an over the counter drug and recommended for use in children it is already recognised as a being a fairly safe drug.

Its use as a cough medicine is what doctors call 'off label' in other words the leaflet and box it comes in will not say it can be used as a cough medicine but that does not mean you shoud not use it for that purpose.

Ask your doctor first before using to check it is safe for your child.

my gp told me not to bother with cough medicines as they can make it worse.i find honey quite good although dd has inhalers which we use.

Clarityn works too - but only on a post nasal tickly cough. I wouldn't use it in an active infection where you need to cough gunk to keep your lungs clear but for a pointless continuing post nasal drip cough after a cold it is absolutely miraculous.

thanks very much everyone!! i went to doctor and he said hit was a viral infection and he could not give anything! typical. my 2 year old get eczema and he has a antihistamine syrup which we could try maybe in a small dose. he still has his cough which has been about 4.5 weeks now. it seems like there is a new breed of coughs out there!

My little boy has had this too! Hadn't thought of piriton! Hope your little boys soon better

Lol just seen the date on these messages, dohh! Ha ha!

My daughter 3 years old and has a terribly tickly cough if you purchase a dehumidifier for your room often helps if your child is asthmatic or has allergies clears the air especially at night when a tickly cough tends to get worse because it's so stuffy n humided but an old family secret in my family is putting Vix on there feet and putting a pair of socks on i don't know how it works but it's worked wonders for me. Plus paracetamol to settle there throat and put Vix and hot water under there beds with a towel over it this helps to but make sure it's not noticeable or try and not let your child seeing you putting it under there hope this helps