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Parenting

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Original poster

How can i help my little one sleep with such a nasty cough!

13 replies

Lulabellx1 · 11/02/2008 15:54

Hi all

My little boy is 19 weeks and he is usually so good at sleeping. However, he has had a cold now for almost two weeks! Trip to the doctor's today established there is no ear/chest infections and its 'just' a cold... however he has a really nasty hacking cough and its really disturbing his sleep. In the day-time i have been letting him sleep in his bouncer as it's slightly elevated and he manages to nap in there OK. But at night-time it's much worse and i really feel for him. Does anyone have any suggestions of how i can ease his discomfort? We're using Calpol, Karvol and Tixylix at the moment!

OP posts:

Platino · 11/02/2008 15:56

Keep himpropped up a bit in bed and Mediced is a life saver at these times.

oliviaelanasmum · 11/02/2008 15:57

Have you tried raising the head end of his matress and steaming the room? I use medised if it gets bad but everyone has their own views as wether is medicine of the devil or not!

PotPourri · 11/02/2008 15:57

Have you raised his mattress where his head is? Pillow under the mattress works well for this, and try not giving him milk at bedtime, I think that increases mucus production. If the cough sounds dry, try a bowl of water (hot to start with) on the windowsill as that will increase the humity in the room.

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SydneyB · 11/02/2008 15:59

Medised. Dries out all the mucus which generally is causing the cough in the first place.

Original poster

Lulabellx1 · 11/02/2008 16:02

Hmmm, never heard of Medised. I shall look it up. Is it common for a cold to hang around this long in such a young baby? (sorry ladies... its my first). It's just, when i get a cold, Im over it in a few days, he's been poorly for two weeks and i just want him to get better

OP posts:

oliviaelanasmum · 11/02/2008 16:04

My 21 week old dd3 has had a cold for weeks.

SydneyB · 12/02/2008 10:01

Try not to worry Lulabellx - his immune system is getting used to all the germs and I guess it'll take a little longer for him to shift things than you. Also, they can't blow their noses or get rid of the mucus in any way so it can linger on for a while. And this time of year, there is so much around that he could have caught one after another. Hope he feels better soon

Original poster

Lulabellx1 · 12/02/2008 10:16

Thanks guys. Poor baby

OP posts:

Elffriend · 12/02/2008 11:30

Can't really add much I'm afraid. Agree with raising the cost at the head end. I have blocks that I put under the top feet of the cot - puts it to quite an angle! Medised can be very helpful (has an anti-histamine, which calpol does not and your LO is old enough for a small dose) and increase the humidity (I put a warm wet towel over the radiator before he goes to bed). Could also try rubbing a little vicks into his chest. not sure if it helps - but it helpd me feel better as I remember liking it when i was little!

Two weeks is very normal - even when they're a bit older - immune systems are still at novice level. Poor mite, hope he starts to feel better soon.

Jood · 12/02/2008 11:40

if you can afford it or borrow, get a humidifier. you can get thrm from Argos for about £25. this steams up the room which really helps enormously. run if for half an hour or more before he goes to bed then switch it off. some models you can also put karvol into for extra kick!
if you can't get hold of one use lots of bowls of boiling water around the room - as long as he is not able to get at them!

I am also a MediSed fan, i use it exclusively intead of calpol for colds.

Sazisi · 12/02/2008 11:48

DD3 had croup just before Christmas - she was okay really during the day, but would cough terribly at night and constantly wake herself up.

Anyway, this is what helped her loads: sitting with her in the bathroom with an electric kettle on constant boil (does this if you leave the lid off) to make it very steamy, for about 20 minutes. It really relieved her, and she always slept much better after. Sometimes I had to do it in the middle of the night, but better than her coughing and crying!
She was prescribed an inhaler with a spacer device, too, but think the steamy room thing actually worked better

Alambil · 12/02/2008 12:23

I'd suggest keeping a bowl of boiling water with a few menthol crystals in (you can get them from any pharmacy) - the steam and menthol will act like vicks but is not slimey on their skin (I hate that feeling)

They are cheap to buy too - only a couple ££.

Raise the head of his cot or put a couple of pillows under his head to elevate him - helps the mucus drain from his throat.

Personally, I wouldn't touch Medised with a bargepole because it is a sedative and I have been told that to give when a child has breathing difficulties is not clever because it slows the respiration down on top of the struggling to breathe in the first place.

Twinkie1 · 12/02/2008 12:25

Wet towel over a hot radiator or buy a humidifier from Argos - we have a sonic one that doesn't get hot or anything so isn't a danger it just puffs little droplets of water out allowing them to sleep better.

Not sure you can use medised for such a young one?

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