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Original poster

anyone got a child with a COUGH that isnt going away

21 replies

hermykne · 27/09/2006 12:50

and what are you giving them, please
my dd has it now 10 days and its not going, doc founf nothing there in the beginning
i read a cough can take up to 3 wks to go away

any tips

OP posts:
bundle · 27/09/2006 12:53

just night time or day too?

milward · 27/09/2006 12:53

had this last yr - kids coughing all night - interested to see what's recommended

BROWNY · 27/09/2006 12:55

hope someone comes up with a remedy soon, my ds is 2 years old and has also been coughing for a couple of days, the doctor said his chest was clear. So I'll try and keep this bumped .

Original poster
hermykne · 27/09/2006 12:55

both day and night, last night was the worst but she doesnt wake up with it, just barks

OP posts:
ills · 27/09/2006 12:55

Had this last year cough cough all night. Cleared up on its own after a few weeks did get them checked but just a virus

Original poster
hermykne · 27/09/2006 12:55

browny is your ds cough dry? kinda raspy?

OP posts:
Original poster
hermykne · 27/09/2006 12:56

ills, so if its viral there nothing for it in reality?

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 27/09/2006 13:00

dd had this for 2 months

The doc gave her ventolin, apparatnly it is common to get a sort of temporary asthma and that stopped in in a week. I gave it before bed every night

(she is not normally asthmatic)

bundle · 27/09/2006 13:01

nothing for viral but get someone to listen to chest at the end of this week...it can go to secondary bacterial. otherwise lots of comforting drinks, cough syrups don't really work unless they contain dextromethorphan, but even that's debated, and I'm not sure whether it's appropriate for children.

cold research stuff here

BROWNY · 27/09/2006 13:06

Hermykne, yes it is, but the g.p. said it was nothing to worry about. I've been giving him Asda's own children's cough medicine but is hasn't made a difference. He is off his food at the moment too and just asks for juice all the time. I've just put him down for a nap as he looked shattered. How old is your dd?

Original poster
hermykne · 27/09/2006 13:43

browny shes 4 next week.
bundle thats kinda what i found elsewhere
i got a cough mix with codeine in it and it has helped.
i'll have her rechecked with doc.

OP posts:
DumbledoresGirl · 27/09/2006 13:48

My youngest has had a mild cold which has now developed into a chronic cough - how can such a small cold become such a big cough I wonder? Anyway, he has only had it a week or so and IME it can indeed take 3 or even 4 weeks for a cough to go completely.

If the cough is dry and tickly and keeping them awake at night, I do give cough medicine just to help them go off to sleep, but in the case of a productive cough (as ds3 has) I give them nothing. It can feel like a long time for them to be ill, but if they are basically well and lively, I think you just have to endure it.

3littlefrogs · 27/09/2006 14:17

A chronic night time cough in a child can be due to undiagnosed asthma. Does anyone in the house smoke, or are there any pets? My ds had this and turned out to be asthma due to cat in house. Definitely see GP. - however, if it goes away in less than 6 weeks it might be just viral. Hope it gets better soon - it is exhausting for everyone.

Original poster
hermykne · 27/09/2006 15:15

3little frogs
no pets or smokers and wooden floors. so i dont think its asthma or related. doc didnt pick that up thou.

OP posts:
bundle · 27/09/2006 15:18

gps are often too keen to diagnose asthma, imo. dd2 had an episode where her sats dropped rapidly, i rushed her into A&E and she was given steroids, nebuliser, the works. we were sent home with an inhaler, which we never had to use. gp agreed with me, it was probably a one-off.

RnB · 28/09/2006 10:08

Message withdrawn

Mumpbump · 04/10/2006 21:57

DS has had a cold and cough for about 5/6 weeks on and off. Finally took him to A&E tonight with a temperature of 104°(!) to be told he has viral tonsilitis... Definitely get it checked out if it persists this long...

pointydog · 04/10/2006 22:42

asthma can be triggered by the common cold virus too.

Original poster
hermykne · 04/10/2006 22:52

its gone, and it literally took 3 weeks to go, as i had researched. a cough can last upto 3 weeks. i got a lend of a nebuliser and steamed her one night but i t made no diff.
hopefully her body will be a wee bit stronger next time round, as i'm sure it will be back, but so aggrivating.

OP posts:
Olihan · 04/10/2006 22:55

Ds had this last winter and my gp said the night time coughing can be caused by 'nasal drip' where snot basically drips into the back of their throat and irritates it a bit. It did take ds about 3-4 weeks to get over it completely but he was right as rain during the day and it didn't wake him up in the night so I wasn't too worried.

Also remember reading somewhere that cough mixtures are not worth buying because they have no real proven benefits. Hot water with honey and lemon is apparently just as soothing and effective. Will see if I can find it.

Jimjams2 · 04/10/2006 23:09

ds2 had one that lasted 5 months. I now think he had whooping cough. Took me a hilw to work that one out. Anyway I found lots of water at night helped and just sitting with him until he calmed down again.

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