Ok, so Mucinex is not helping at all. Ideas?

[PinkInTheBlue]

I don't normally do much medicating for a cold but with Thanksgiving coming up and one of the grandmothers going through chemo and radiation, I was really trying to knock out this cold that all three boys have. They've been taking Mucinex Cough since last Wednesday and their cough is as bad as it was the first day. Nothing has improved one bit. 5 days of medicine and they are still super congested, runny nose and coughing??

 

I'd really like to try and help them faster since they already are going to have to miss seeing that grandmother (not worth the risk). I'd like to help them enjoy Thanksgiving, at least. I can't possibly tell you the last time they even had a cold. They have no fever, no real body aches; just lots of congestion and mostly in their sinuses rather than chest.

 

Ideas? We have so very, very few colds so I'm not really fluent in what to do with them. :) I feel like I'm probably asking an elementary question but I really want to help them faster, if possible.

[Chris in VA]

Super hydrating helps around here--more water than humanly possible! LOL Anything to thin the mucus.

We use Vicks at night, too.

[OregonNative]

To thin mucus a Neti Pot is fabulous. If my kids get a really bad cough, our Dr. recommends Claritin for kids.

[secular_mom]

It's a virus, it just has to run it's course. It can take a couple of weeks- you can treat the symptoms, but that isn't going to kill the virus. Sorry.

[Tap]

Can you describe the cough?

 

Dry/hacking

Wet/productive or non-productive

 

Does it come in bouts and they can't catch their breath?

 

It is a tickle cough that is just there under the surface?

 

Do they have post nasal drip that is running down their throat?

 

Do they have sinus pressure?

Congestion?

Dry sinuses?

 

Do they feel like they have a hard time breathing even when they aren't coughing?

 

Do they 'bark' when they cough?

 

Is is better or worse during different times of day?

 

Do things like moist heat (shower/warm bath) or cool air (going outside) make a difference?

[Perry]

Any pertussis (whooping cough) in your area? We're having an outbreak here and 2 of my kids had it. You might want to have them tested if there is any pertussis in your community. A persistent cough without a fever is suspicious for pertussis.

[PinkInTheBlue]

1

Can you describe the cough?

Yes, I think so :)

 

Dry/hacking

Wet/productive or non-productive

Dry and, I would say non-productive

 

Does it come in bouts and they can't catch their breath?

Not really. More just sporadic

 

It is a tickle cough that is just there under the surface?

I would say more like this

 

Do they have post nasal drip that is running down their throat?

Yes, it gags them sometimes

 

Do they have sinus pressure?

They don't say much about it but I would guess there is at least some

 

Congestion?

There doesn't seem to be anything to their chest at all

 

Dry sinuses?

How do you know? This morning my 12yr old said his nasal passages were burning.

 

Do they feel like they have a hard time breathing even when they aren't coughing?

No

 

Do they 'bark' when they cough?

No, I wouldn't say so.

 

Is is better or worse during different times of day?

Always much worse in evening and night.

 

Do things like moist heat (shower/warm bath) or cool air (going outside) make a difference?

Moist heat, showers, make them really drain.

[HayesW]

I vote a trip to teh doc to check for walking pnuemonia/mycoplasma. Bronchitis is also a possibility. Both can be helped with an antibiotic.

 

I am NOT saying abx are the answer, but with three kids, all with the same gunk for almost a week, I would consider a trip to the doc.

 

That said, garlic, vitamin C, echinaccea, sambucol are all helpful. Also, you can do vick's vaporub on their feet, or hot socks. You can google for specifics.

[Cedarmom]

steam: long showers, or sitting in the bathroom while hot shower is running, or boiling a pot of water and putting headover it(only do that if your kids are old enough to tell if it is getting too hot-you don't want burns)

[kalphs]

Dh and I have been dealing with "the crud" too.

Drink lots of water

Using a sinus pot/nasal saline spray 2-4 times per day.

Robitussin DM every 4 hours

Hot toddy at bedtime

[swellmomma]

I think if my kids had a persistant cough for 5 days and the cold meds were not doing anything to help even temporarily I would take them to the dr to make sure we hadn't crossed from cold into a sinus infection or other infection that would require antibiotics. If the dr said it was still just a cold I would try a different cold med, if it is something else then it can be dealt with accordingly. That said no matter what it is, it doesn't sound like it will likely be gone my thanksgiving, which means I think staying away from grandma is the best course of action.