What can you do for a cough?

[tjdee]

The kiddo has a cold, and I feel sorry for her, poor thing, all that, but this cough is driving us insane. Sorry, INSANE. She's taking a restless nap right now because every few minutes she's coughing.

I gave her some Claritin (for her nose, but supposedly it helps the cough too?), I have a vaporizer going, I'm trying to get some fluids in her (which isn't going well)...that's all the doc said.

I'm going to give her some cough medicine too, but are there any secret remedies that will have her completely cured by tomorrow?

[JVS]

1. Ice cream sundaes

[tjdee]

2. I thought dairy stuff increased phlegm?

Or do you mean just cause they taste good?

:)

[JVS]

4. Phlegm helps lubricate the throat, making coughs less painful

[tjdee]

6. Ooh...she'll be happy to hear that!

I thought phlegm was bad because it gave you more to cough up.

But you don't have to force me to have ice cream.

Yum.

[JVS]

9. Actually I'm just talking out of my ass

But try giving her ice cream. Maybe it'll help, maybe not, but at least it'll be good.

[tjdee]

13. Ah, ass talking....

Ice cream really works for everything, doesn't it.

:)

[jdots]

7. VICKS VAPO RUB soaked chesterfield kings

Have a yuppy cigar party in the kids room.Make sure everyone is wearing suspenders and talking about the stock market
sorry those are ways to start coughing......stay away from most meds hope it's not allergies.

[tjdee]

14. Vicks Vapo Rub is the devil, LOL.

I think I have some of that around here, but then I worry if she's going to choke from the noxious Vapo-rubby fumes!

[Mojambo]

3. Geez I came in here ready with a shot of whiskey

But not for the kiddo.

Cough medicine is good because it will allow her to rest easier. You just got to ride it out and make her as comfortable as possible.

[tjdee]

5. Well, you can pass that my way anyhow, LOL.

I hate when she's sick, I worry unnaturally about her health, and if I have to call out of work, and if I'm doing enough and.....UGH.

I could use a drink!

[Mojambo]

12. I know how you feel

It is SO hard to hear that coughing and know that you really can't do anything about it.

All little ones get sick though... Hell, I'm a big one and I've had this cough for well over a week.

[ClintonTyree]

8. I was going to say Codeine..................

until I saw it was for your child. That would be a definite no-no. Other than that, honey with lemon is always a soothing combination.

[Maiden England]

10. Robitussin

helps to thin the mucus a bit. Steam can help loosen phlegm too, you can get vaporizers which will help a little.

[Bunny]

22. Second the Robutussin.

Sorry the little one is sick. That's a stressful experience. :hug:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

11. Lemon, honey and a shot of bourbon.

[LizW]

15. Loose cough or tight?

Sorry to be gross, but is the cough bringing up anything loose and rattly from the chest, or is is the scratchy, raspy kind that originates in the throat?

I know what you mean about being driven crazy. My husband had the crud and coughed all night for two weeks, and then my son got it. We didn't sleep a full night for a month, and I thought I was going to lose it.

I give my kids a cough syrup with dextromethorphan (sp?) and guafenesen. The dextromethorphan supposedly eases the tickly, scratchy cough, and the guafenesen thins the chest secretions.

Our pediatrician once prescribed a cough medicine called Tessalon Perle (chemical name benzonatate). It's little clear pills, and it works really well at night.

[tjdee]

24. It's coming from the chest methinks.

I'm contemplating whether to give her the DM with dextromethorphan AND Guaifenesin. I hate this, because I don't want to wake her up and have her take it, but she's whimpering anyway.

[havocmom]

16. Am a firm believer in fenegreek for chest congestion/coughing

I use seeds, soaked then boiled, served hot with lemon & honey. Fenegreek brewed up tastes nasty, but the relief I get is really worth it! I am very chemically sensitive and have very adverse reactions to many medicines. The fenegreek doesn't seem to have side effects, except that I start smelling like the stuff.

My husband is a wimp and can't manage the tea so he takes it in tablet form. Works OK, just more expensive than the $3.50 per pound of seeds for my method. I eat some of the boiled seeds with each cup I have. Keep the rest in the fridge. Usually have a cup in the morning and evening. Helps me sleep to relieve the congestion.

I had 2 cases of pneumonia that nothing the doctors were giving me was beating. I couldn't sleep which made getting better even more unlikely. A dear friend brought me these seeds, brewed up a batch and made me drink down a cup. It was amazing. Been using it for congestion ever since. I get better WAY before everyone else does when the cooties go around.

edited to add: There is a product called OLBAS which I think is from Switzerland. My husband found it when he lived in Austria, far from any doctor. There is an oinment and a liquid. It is a herbal concoction. You can put it in very hot water to inhale as vapor, is is safe to add a few drops to hot tea and drink down. It works better than anything we have used for nasal congestion and does seem to slow a coughing fit down fast too. Think you might get it at some health food stores. We found some online. I am gonna put it in the medicine cup of my hot water humidifier next time my wee pal visits and has a cold.

[grasswire]

17. popsicles...

...might help a bit.

If the cough is so bad that she's not sleeping, I'd call the doctor back.

Oh....can she gargle? Gargling with warm salt water works well for a tickly throat.

[name not needed]

18. My history teacher's cure for the common cold

This has been proven to work.

You need:
2 Tylenol
Tropicana Fruit Juice, specifically the kind that comes in the carton
A banana
Water
Salt

1. Take the 2 tylenol.
2. Drink a pint of juice.
3. Eat the banana.
4. Mix a lot of salt into a glass of water.
5. Gargle the salt water until you are about to vomit, it starts to go back in to your throat and up your nose. Spit out the water.
6. Take a 30-45 minute nap.

[miss_kitty]

19. I find hot water, lemon and honeyed, to be very helpful

I use about 2 Tbs of each in an oversized mug-it's a 'to taste' thing-i tend to go for the strong

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

20. If it's super mucousy, honey and ginger.

I would have died this allergy season if it hadn't been for the honey and ginger. Get fresh organic ginger, which costs about as much as cocaine unfortunately, and chop it up real good. It will burn a little going down but make her feel a lot better.

If she has an infection, and if you can get her to, she should eat raw garlic.

(From someone who had no health insurance for years.)

[davsand]

21. I'm not sure how old she is...

If she can manage to drink warm liquids, you can give her a warm mug of either Tang orange Drink (extra vitamin C doesn't hurt anything!) or else Wyler's Lemonade to sip on. I know it sounds AWFUL, but the warmth and the citric acid in the powdered citrus drinks will loosen up a sticky cough or even laryngitis.

Now, if she's got bad chest congestion and she's not bringing anything up after you put a vaporizer in her room, I echo the suggestion to call your Doc.

You can also put the child in the shower and let her play for as long as the hot water holds out. The steam can help a lot in getting stuff loosened up. I have even been known to get in and play with her if I thought she needed to be supervised. My kid LOVED that, and it was a way to help her without making her feel like she was terribly restricted.

Good luck--it is just so miserable when they are sick!


Laura

[yo-yo-ma]

23. Claritin won't help much

it's an antihistamine not a decongestant (which you'd want to "dry out" her running nose)
There's nothing magic except time.
Any of the child formula over the counter cough suppressants (like robutussin) would be ok - some have decongestants.
Steam from a shower is a great idea.
Hopefully she gets well soon.

[tjdee]

25. Thanks everybody....cept, now she has a fever.

So, there goes that fun weekend!

It's a pretty high fever, I gave her some tylenol so we'll see.

:(