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Original poster

Help pleeeeeaase, DS has been coughing continuosly for 48 hrs, is there anything I can do to ease the problem?

30 replies

Chandra · 27/04/2005 23:23

Ok he is 2 yrs old and has been coughing for 3 weeks but continuosly the last 48 hrs, he is obviouysly very tiread as he can not even sleep, the cough doesn't seem dry and according to the doctor of A&E yesterday his lungs are clear but the problem is in the esophagus. Has been having temps ranging from 38.5 to 41 since the weekend, but since yesterday afternoon he has been yo-yo-ing 38-41. Doesn't seem like a normal cold to me, obvioulsy I can give him more calpol/neurofen and continue applying wet towels or giving him baths to lower the temp but the coughing remains.... is there anything else that I can do to help him reduce the coughing ??? BTW he can't have honey because of allergies. Please if you know a way Please let me know.

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Original poster
Chandra · 27/04/2005 23:36

Anyone???

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cab · 27/04/2005 23:37

Given the honey allergy, it could be hayfever/asthma related? If hayfever an antihistimine might help but I would check with your gp first - or nhs 24? Poor wee soul.

Original poster
Chandra · 27/04/2005 23:48

Thanks cab, I was thinking about the anthistamine, I have piriton at home but was not sure if it was ok also for caughing.

The paediatrician suspended the inhaler around 3 weeks ago because he said it was not needed, and doctor yesterday didn't mention anything about the lungs being in need of it.... but don't realy know what is going on with him.... I'm sure hat if I call the NHS direct they are going to tell me just to continue doing the same I have been doing until the end of time...

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zippy539 · 27/04/2005 23:53

I would be tempted to take him back to hospital/emergency doctor. If the dr yesterday thought the prob was the esophagus then did you get any suggestions how to deal with it? Go with your gut instinct but I would want him checked again.

strugstu · 27/04/2005 23:56

no its not much help, but it sounds astho he needs his inhaler back, piriton may help if he is a bit wheezy (only that it might dampen down the allergic response) but that might reduce the coughing a bit (altho not sure of the dosage in young child,but have known it given). have u still got an inhaler u could give him?

Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 00:00

DH went into a cleaning frenzy last week and moved it from where I have placed it, I'm still looking for it

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Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 00:04

the inhaler I meant.

I will try to give him a dose of piriton...

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Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 00:25

5 minutes no coughing, hope it last

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Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 00:27

Talked too soon

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sunchowder · 28/04/2005 01:48

Chandra--I am not an expert, nor am I a doctor, but I would take him back to the hospital/doctor in the morning. Make them take an x-ray of his little lungs to be sure that they are clear. If they are, then you know that for sure and you can follow-up on this esophagus problem that the doctor mentioned. Good luck to you and hope your son will feel better soon.

Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 02:07

Thanks Sunchowder, I'm taking him to the GP again in the morning, if I manage to get an appointment. Love the idea of the X-ray but cows will fly before that happens, but will press for something for the coughing, his little heart is racing after every string of coughs... On top of that, I rang the nursery to tell them he was not attending today and they told me they have had 2 cases of chicken pox.... so maybe there's where we are heading...

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sunchowder · 28/04/2005 03:18

Oh Chandra, I mention the x-ray because sometimes there can be some fluid in the lungs that the doctors can't always detect simply by listening. I had this experience with my own DD which is why I mention this. I hope that they will do this for you tomorrow. Chicken Pox on top of the cough will be just terrible. You can try sitting him up on pillows or lifting the top of the bed so that he is more upright, you can try burning some Olbus oil to soothe him. Good luck tomorrow. XO

FIMAC1 · 28/04/2005 07:10

I can second about chest fluid only being picked up by x-ray - my ds at around 4 months was backwards and forwards to the Doc with severe cough - finally saw one at the surgery who had a Pediatric background who rushed us to the Hospital - he had a collapsed lung and was in hospital for three weeks with Broncilitus - none of which was picked up by the Stetascope - take him to A&E if he is no better today - my ds was seriously ill by the time he was admitted - sorry don't want to scare you. He also had been very prem so had lung probs to start with which made him react in the way he did do which started as a cold - hope ds is better today and you don't need to go

Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 11:49

Oh Sunchowder, I very much agree with you. I wish they would agree to take a X-ray but we have had the experience that they don't authorise them so easily, at least not where I live. DH broke a one of his fingers a couple of years ago and they didn't want to do it, they told him just to go home, that it will mend by itself... and so it did: in the wrong position . DS had an X-ray once, while in hospital, after I had complained for a couple months that he was squeaking and chocking even when he was not feeding, I just imagine the amount of money the NHS could have saved by authorising the X-Ray from the beggining, instead of giving us so many small remedies for something that was easily cought in X-ray... sigh..

Anyways, I wanted to thank you for your advice, I went to the doctor today and they told me, again, that it seemed like a viral infection and to continue just with Calpol, but they prescribed a blue inhaler for the cough as the doctor could heard some wheezing.

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Sponge · 28/04/2005 11:54

Even if his lungs are clear they could still be irritated by the virus and the inhaler can help. We have the blue one for dd as she gets these never-ending dry coughs too. Steam also helps her to some extent.

Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 11:54

Fimac, thanks, I would mention about the fluid in the lungs if he doesn't improve.

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Original poster
Chandra · 28/04/2005 11:56

Sponge, do you also have the brown one or do you rely just in the blue one?

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kate79 · 28/04/2005 11:59

someone might have already suggested this but steam is always very good for a cough. sit it a steamy room with the bath running or lots of pans of water on the stove and kettle really get the room steamy as possible.
if you can get one buy a humidifier you can get them in argos somone bought me one when my son had a really bad flu cold and the steam worked almost instantly

flic23 · 28/04/2005 12:00

taking him to doc again sounds like a good idea but in meantime try tuning on shower in bathoom and get it really steamy an sit in it with him. I did this for my DS when he had a chest infction and offered him relief.

In read to x-ays i has to be remembered that it is ionising radiation and canno just be doled out with the curent blame culure we live in the rules are very strict and an x-ray should not be given without consideraion on several points as it should not be done if not benficial. If they refuse to x-ray though ask for a full explaination of why not, or if still very unsure and no luck a G.P can refer you if they here o agre with you

flic23 · 28/04/2005 12:00

taking him to doc again sounds like a good idea but in meantime try tuning on shower in bathoom and get it really steamy an sit in it with him. I did this for my DS when he had a chest infction and offered him relief.

In read to x-ays i has to be remembered that it is ionising radiation and canno just be doled out with the curent blame culure we live in the rules are very strict and an x-ray should not be given without consideraion on several points as it should not be done if not benficial. If they refuse to x-ray though ask for a full explaination of why not, or if still very unsure and no luck a G.P can refer you if they here o agre with you

flic23 · 28/04/2005 12:00

taking him to doc again sounds like a good idea but in meantime try tuning on shower in bathoom and get it really steamy an sit in it with him. I did this for my DS when he had a chest infction and offered him relief.

In read to x-ays i has to be remembered that it is ionising radiation and canno just be doled out with the curent blame culure we live in the rules are very strict and an x-ray should not be given without consideraion on several points as it should not be done if not benficial. If they refuse to x-ray though ask for a full explaination of why not, or if still very unsure and no luck a G.P can refer you if they here o agre with you

flic23 · 28/04/2005 12:00

taking him to doc again sounds like a good idea but in meantime try tuning on shower in bathoom and get it really steamy an sit in it with him. I did this for my DS when he had a chest infction and offered him relief.

In read to x-ays i has to be remembered that it is ionising radiation and canno just be doled out with the curent blame culure we live in the rules are very strict and an x-ray should not be given without consideraion on several points as it should not be done if not benficial. If they refuse to x-ray though ask for a full explaination of why not, or if still very unsure and no luck a G.P can refer you if they here o agre with you

flic23 · 28/04/2005 12:01

sorry for muliple messages net playing up

zippy539 · 30/04/2005 19:16

Just wanted to check how your ds is, Chandra?

Original poster
Chandra · 02/05/2005 01:27

.... I really don't know , thanks for asking. I took him to the doctor on Thursday and he was prescribed a blue inhaler in case the coughing was caused by asthma. We used it and he had a full night of sleep with very little coughing, but he started again on Saturday, we have been using the inhaler but he still gets these strong coughing episodes that make him very upset. I wonder if it's something else rather asthma.

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