Now I hear lots of home "remedies" like cutting an onion and putting it next to his bed, putting one side of the bed higher (not working much as he sleeps all over his bed in all directions).
Any other home remedies out there?
Thanks,
Nil
My little boy is coughing since a couple of weeks now. We went to the doctor and she gave us homeopathic pills ( ) and a prescription for antibiotics in case he didn't get better by Monday which he did. But he still coughing on and off and I am not sure if I should give him the antibiotics just now as he kinda got better.
Our youngest had the same problem last week. The doctor should have done a test to discover whether a bacterial infection was present, before prescribing antibiotics.
Personally, I wouldn't use them as it's clearing up. (And I'd get a new doctor).
Put him in the bathroom whenever you or your husband has a shower as the steamy air can help to loosen mucus.
I know how you feel!
Or could also use the humidifier in his room?
Depends on the cough. If it's just a dry cough, get a cold mist humidifier if you can find one and give him some warm milk or water with some honey in it. I don't know why the honey often works, but it does. Herbal tea can be soothing, too.
Also, if he was given a course of antibiotics, you probably should call the doc if you think he's better but some symptoms persist as the antibiotics likely won't help the cough and you don't want to give just a partial course of the prescription since it will be ineffective and it also contributes to antibiotic resistance (writ large, not specifically just your child).
If it's a wet, deep and green snot sort of cough (but no temp or other outward symptoms), I use the humidifier in the bedroom along with some Vic's rub (eucalyptus oil in vaseline more or less) on the chest and/or under the nose. If it's really heavy, I may also drop some eucalyptus oil into a bowl of boiling water and have them breathe in the vapors under a towel which helps loosen up the crud and gets them breathing a bit easier.
If it persists for another day or two though, I'll ring the pediatrician as young lungs are vulnerable to lasting effects of respiratory ailments.
Our youngest seems to get persistent coughs that least for weeks rather than days.
The doctor said he'd only be concerned if the child starts having problems breathing (or sounding like he has problems breathing).
I think the same as you about the sugar pills. But sometimes the coughing can be psychosomatic as it became a habit during the actual illness. In this cases the homeopathic placebos may work better than you think.
Nil, it looks like your doctor needs to be a bit more specific and give you a precise diagnosis. there are so many kinds of cough, as someone else already pointed out. only after a precise diagnosis antibiotics can be prescribed otherwise they can be counterproductive. giving them "just in case" doesn't seem right.
I find it also a bit strange that you should decide if you have to give them or not... this is a doctor's decision.
in the meantime something a typical home remedy my grandma always used with us to calm the cough and disinfect the throat is milk made to boil with a few leaves of sage , then add honey .
alternatively sage tea from the pharmacy. he is still too small for sage lozenges, so keep those in mind for later on (from 3 o 4 years old).
I wish your little boy a speedy recovery!
According to my doctor, coughing syrups for toddlers are dangerous and shouldn't be taken, even OTC. Studies show they can lead to pneumonia and bronchiolitis.
A cough is better left alone, or treated with things such as a humidifier in the room.
If it is bacterial, antibiotics might be needed, but this is not frequent.
Best cure from my mama when I was a little kid: homemade rum-honey cough syrup. No joke.
Whiskey in milk. That's what my mum did. Didn't do me any harm.
Seriously - I found that Vic Vapour Rub (menthol and eucalyptus in petroleum jelly) was quite effective against coughs. I'm not sure why; either the eucalyptus and menthol sooths the throat, or maybe it prevents nasel drip into the back of the throat, provoking a cough.
Ok I am ready:
- baby rub: check
- humidifier: check
- milk with a bit of honey: check
- rum, cognac, whiskey: on the list for mommy
Baby had nine teeth coming out all in once (9!!!!) plus he got a cold as well. The running nose is gone and the green mucus as well. The antibiotics was if he was still breathing rough and had still the green stuff, which he doesn't have anymore. But the coughing still full and deep.
From experience with my daughter I would second the vote for the 'Vicks vapo rub' - is it an Aussie thing ? It really does work...the eucalyptus/menthol really does clear the nose. For littlies, I don't even rub it on their skin, I just rub some onto their singlet around the neck area, and be really careful it doesn't get in their nose, mouth or eyes - it'll burn/sting...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicks_VapoRub
The other suggestion is pretty ordinary - lots of saline up the nose - spray or drops. Mostly the cough is not from the chest, but from the mucous going down from the nose into the back of the throat - clear the nose and the coughing usually stops....
Nil, please make sure you mention the age of your son to the pharmacist before you buy the vic. If im not mistaken he is younger than a year? and I was told vic can be very strong for kids younger than 2 years. In switzerland there is something called pulmex, wich is like vic but less strong and its what I use with my boys. Im sure there will be something like that in Barcelona. In case not, then I would advise you only to rub a bit of vic on the back and chest but dont put it anywhere near the nose as it can be too much for the baby.
Good luck with that cough, send you a big cyber hug!
Coconut is absolutely right. Vic is waaaay too strong for a young child, the camphor could burn his nose when he breathes the vapors!
In Switzerland we have Pulmex baby which is excellent and can be used from 6 mo.
The Pulmex baby does look much gentler for little babies. Ingredients are here: http://www.idruginfo.com/drugs-p/pu/pulmex-baby.html
Only downside is I'm quite sensitive/allergic to rosemary, so probably wouldn't use it myself...
I got baby rub which is very good and gentle for babies. I used it on my daughter and now my son. He got some on his chest before to go to bed and the humidifier is on since a while and until now, he didn't cough.
We parents find it very annoying if your child is constantly coughing BUT coughing is good because it protects the lungs, don't try to suppress it.
coughing syrup is one of the biggest medical fraud ever, can't understand why it is still possible to buy.
If it is a productive cough (ie not dry) honey with a squeeze of lemon can make it easier to cough up the mucus...
There is not much to do with a dry cough, it's a virus "sitting there"...
Still no coughing!
It was certainly very common in Oz when I was growing up.
Well, coughing is good to a point, but after bedtime, no, all it does it rob you and the child of a good night's sleep which is even more valuable in recovery than anything.
Cough syrup in Switzerland might be a bit of a fraud (I still remember rolling my eyes at a pharmacist who insisted I give only some homeopathic stuff to my 5yo thinking, would I be here if I needed 25CHF honey in a jar beyotch? ), but I don't hesitate if a child is miserable, coughing and in desperate need of some sleep, to help achieve some comfort and, hopefully, peaceful sleep. In the US, there's a product called 'Mucinex' and, even for me who rarely takes anything more than an aspirin for a headache, that is some seriously awesome stuff in the adult DM version. The kids version (granted they don't make it for babies), is similarly awesome. I think in thoughtful moderation, it's a very useful approach. Sleep is the real wonder drug.
Coughing is natural and has a purpose, yes, but after a few days of hoping it gets better without any relief, I don't think there's any harm in vaporizers, Vics, honey milk and, at last resort, something a bit stronger to help them stop coughing so they can sleep.