colds and coughs - please give advice

[emmywoo]

Hi, my 12mo ds has had a cold for 2 weeks and now has a really nasty cough, when she coughs it sounds as though she is choking. Took her to the doctors today who said that there is nothing that I can give her but make sure she takes in enough fluid. I am giving her medised at night and have elevated her cot, but nothing seems to work, night times are the worse, any ideas

did the doctor check his chest?
if he has an infection then he may need antibiotics ...

Have you tried those vaporiser plug ins?
They always helped the DS's when they were chesty and some menthol rub on their chests.

You can buy Olbas (I think that's right?) Oil for children. I used to sprinkle 3 or 4 drops on a bib and leave it in DS room overnight. Also, those vaporising plug-ins are good.

Calpol also do a menthol type rub for snotty noses, etc...

Can you tell, my DS has had loads of colds/coughs in his 2.3years?

You rub Calpol on his chest not his nose....obviously!

Why would he need antibiotics if he went to the doctor's today and the doctor didn't give him them? It's best not to give them unless they are really needed.

emmywoo - you're doing everything right regarding elavating her cot.

I think I'm right in thinking that medised contains a sedative? If so, I wouldn't give it. Just give calpol if he has a high temperature.

I remember spending nights just sitting up with my dd2, keeping her sat upright and pattting her backs to help hercough.

I mean his cot nother cot!

Medised contains an anti-histamine and does aid sleeping.

When my DS is poorly (and usually coughs badly at night), I find Medised not only helps him sleep better but also stops the coughing.

yes but coughing is actually a good thing isn't it? It helps stop the mucus going down to the chest. Mucus needs to be coughed up. So in that sense, you don't really want to stop the coughing. You want to aid the coughing so they cough effectively.

In addition to previous advice, make sure the air isn't too dry - central heating often makes coughs worse. Damp towel over radiator can help a bit.

sipping warm water with honey in can help a little. There really isn't a magic cure for coughs, unfortunately. if it sounds like he might cough himself sick...be prepared but not too worried, this is not uncommon.