Coughing toddler ... anything I can or should do?

[NotQuiteCockney]

DS2 was coughing quite a bit yesterday, with a runny nose. Last night it got worse, he was up in the night, and ended up sleeping on DH downstairs for a while. (I figured being upright would reduce the coughing, which it seemed to do.)

The cough sounded dry in the day, but was sounding productive last night. I did give him Medised.

He woke again before six this morning and is trying to get back to sleep again (coughing a bit, but not shouting or crying).

I don't think he's struggling to breathe or anything, he's talking fine, he was active and happy yesterday, just stopping to cough quite a bit. He doesn't even sound notably wheezy.

Cough syrups are pointless, though, right?

Why are cough syrups pointless? I use them on me and DS - does help a bit. Obv doesn't cure but releives symptoms.

Well, I thought with a productive cough, you should be coughing, to get gunk out. I've never found they did much for me, anyway, and have seen people on here say they're pointless.

With a productive cough a syrup will make the cough more productive to get rid of more gunk more quickly.

Why don't you ask a pharmacist? I know here in Budapest a friend was given two syrups for her DD - a "productive" one for day time and a suppressant for night.

Hmmm, I might have a chat with one. Today is totally insane (nursery clean up in the morning, and a birthday party in the afternoon), but I might ask DH to go chat with someone.

I felt very unhappy about ds's breathing listening to him after having given a suppressant. I wouldn't use one again if there was a choice.

I usually think that unless they are poorly (hot, lethargic) with a cough (and so may need antibiotics), to let it run its course. Pharmacist would help though, you can phone one at eg. Boots for advice.

I always though cough medicines were a waste of time, however I started giving them to dd2 who always went on to develop chest infections after coughs and colds now she gets better sleep at night so doesn't get as run down and she hasn't had a chest infection since I have been giving her it.
I also put a few drops of eucalptus oil in the sink in hot water when she has a bath, this steams up and helps clear her out.
That said I do not give dd1 anything as she seems to fight them off on her own

last time the ds's (all of them at once) were all snotty and coughy, i got an ioniser with essential oil warmer for their bedroom. personally have no idea if ioniser does much of anything useful, but the warmer wasgood for adding some drops of chldrens olbas oil and a couple of drops of lavender too. seemed to help them sleep much better than before.

DD had a runny nose and a cough, cough didn't even sound bad and was not consistant at all. Brought her to the zoo one Sunday as we felt she was much better and that night her temp shot up, had to call doctor and was told she had a chest infection, we really felt bad we didn't realise how sick she was. If you're not happy with the cough I'd take him to the doctor.

i think cough medicines are good! Tixylix always seems to help
plus raising the bed/cot end and using a humidifier.

NQC, sounds like you're doing all the right things but do you know what a croup cough sounds like? It's a bit like a seal bark - it can develop during the night when the cough gets worse (because the body's natural level of steroids drop). If you hear that at all take him to a&e where they'll give him a dose of their steroids. It's not serious if you get it treated but DS1's had it twice now developing from an ordinary cough/cold.

Having said that - he's had a cough for about 3 weeks at the moment and it just seems to be lingering but no complications [touch wood] this time.

Hope he feels better soon.

DH went out and got a productive cough syrup, and we used it late in the day yesterday. It might have helped - at least, he slept nearly all the way through, without any other meds, so that was good.

I'll probably give him some more today.

The cough isn't barky at all, it's v wet. I'll keep an ear out for croup, though.

my 2 are coughing atm, especially dd. i am of the cough medicines are pointless school of thought so haven't given them anything. hate them coughing though.

I don't give cough medicines - I always thought they were pointless and I am a bit of a hippy and avoid any medicines unless there is really no alternative. FOr coughs we raise the head of the bed, put Olbas oil on the special-green-magic-hanky-that-used-to be-Grandmas and waft it about the room (actually that works for all illness including sprained ankles and just remembered I've forgotten my homework so I can't sleep!) , and give little sips of iced water - somehow that seems to ease the symptoms. It's good if it gets croup-y too, helps to reduce the swelling of all the little tubes - what are they called? broncheo-something ot others.

i was raised in the beleif that cough medicines were pointless. but have used them as an adult and on my own dc and they do actually seem to help. hardly ever occurs to me to do it mind..
buttercup syrup a nice innocuous one (or am i just taken in by advertising??)

but the olbas oil for kids in the warmer (or on a damp flannel sitting on a radiator) i KNOW helps them sleep.

benylin and tixylix are good. help them get some sleep too.

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