what to do for tot who can't sleep b/c of coughing?

[serendipitous journey]

... to be honest, I haven't searched the archives yet, but am off to do that next ...

 

My 2 1/2 year old has a cold. He doesn't need to go to the doctor, but has a mild, on-again off-again fever and runny nose and whenever he starts to fall asleep he has a coughing fit that wakes him & he starts crying. We tried honey, and know that cough suppressants are Evil: any advice to help him sleep?

 

and thanks!

[*LC]

I have a kiddo who can't do cough medicine, and Vick's Vapor Rub lets him sleep when he has a cough.

[AndyJoy]

Have you tried using saline in his nose? I use Little Noses Saline Spray for DS and have him blow his nose a bunch of times. This usually helps dry him out enough so the post-nasal drip doesn't make him cough long enough for him to get to sleep.

[jennynd]

Do u have a humidifier? My Dr always suggest that when dd was coughing.

[three4me]

We've had lots of success with Vicks also. We put it on DS's chest, and we also put it on the bottom of his feet and cover them with socks. I'm not sure exactly what about the feet is so helpful, but I've read it a bunch of places and it really does seem to help.

 

Also, a cool-mist humidifier in the room can help quite a bit. Hope he feels better soon!

[ksr5377]

Are you also using a cool mist humidifier? I find that makes a huge difference! Also, sleeping on their stomach or side is usually better b/c there is less drainage to the back of the throat etc., if you can get him to do that. We also do the vicks and honey as well, just slather us his chest and back under his pj's so he can't touch it.

[Lara in Colo]

vicks.... on the bottom of the feet

 

weird, but it works

[Sameera]

My response here

 

Warm some water, squeeze some fresh lemon, add honey (optional) and let him drink this, or you could make ginger tea - cut a piece of fresh ginger, boil it in water, remove later and add milk/honey. Keep him hydrated, especially when coughing and help him to blow his nose to clear any mucous as this may also prevent the excess coughing. Rub vix vapour on chest, and keep him warm.

[serendipitous journey]

okay, have a game plan.

 

We're Vicks-ing already, but not on feet & not with socks: that's next.

We have both a cold mist humidifier and (because that wasn't helping) a warm one.

The saline mist is news to me: I never thought about it helping the drip. Will get that from the pharmacy.

We also gave him a bunch of honey, supposed to be as good as cough syrup. AFTER it didn't work right away & I dissolved into tears & ran off to the pharmacy to get benadryl, it seems to have kicked in and he fell right asleep for DH. !!!

 

thank you again ... I'm so exhausted and demoralized, which seems irrational but it has been just One Thing After Another for a while ... thanks so much. am hopeful and glad to have things we can try.

[Sameera]

We also gave him a bunch of honey,

 

Depends on the honey - it needs to be from a good source as sometimes honey is from unnatural sources & adulterated with HFCS. Heating honey is not a good idea as it may destroy the beneficial enzymes. Then after heating it and losing its nutritional value, it is a carbohydrate which like all sugars may feed bacteria, viruses etc.

 

Try a warm milk drink, next time, if in case he coughs.

 

Hope he gets well soon, and do get some rest!

 

Best Wishes

[happi duck]

Back in the day we did humidity and elevated the head of the bed.

[ChristusG]

Vicks on the bottom of the feet with a double layer of socks. I have no idea why this works, but it works every time for my kids.

[KrissiK]

I have a kiddo who can't do cough medicine, and Vick's Vapor Rub lets him sleep when he has a cough.

My dd sometimes has this trouble when she has allergies. We give her Claritin and Vicks and it really seems to help.

[MtnMama]

I was skeptical of the Vicks on feet suggestion the first time I heard it, but it really does work wonders!

[mytwomonkeys]

when he's sleeping, prop him up more with pillows. laying flat causes more coughing fits. also, try to have him sleep on his side and not his back - the same issue as above. for cough medicine, i prefer chestal honey homeopathic cough syrup if it's really bad. before bed, you can have him sip honey & lemon water (like tea) and that helps too. i hope your little guy feels better soon. :grouphug:

[BFamily]

I like to give my DC mullein tea when they have persistent coughs. I buy mullein leaf from a local health store, and steep 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in one cup of water for 20 minutes. I filter it through coffee filters into 3 cups (so each DC gets 1/3 cup) and add a bit of honey. I usually serve the tea in the morning, afternoon and before bed.

 

The owner of the health store that I purchase the mullein leaf from, also shared that the best non-herbal treatment they have found for cough is to warm some organic coconut oil to a liquid state and add some honey and a squeeze of lemon to it.

 

Onion poultices are also soothing for a cough - slice up an onion, cook in a little water until almost translucent, wrap in a tea towel or other light fabric and when cool enough, place on chest for 20 minutes covered with a blanket.

[mytwomonkeys]

I like to give my DC mullein tea when they have persistent coughs. I buy mullein leaf from a local health store, and steep 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in one cup of water for 20 minutes. I filter it through coffee filters into 3 cups (so each DC gets 1/3 cup) and add a bit of honey. I usually serve the tea in the morning, afternoon and before bed.

 

The owner of the health store that I purchase the mullein leaf from, also shared that the best non-herbal treatment they have found for cough is to warm some organic coconut oil to a liquid state and add some honey and a squeeze of lemon to it.

 

Onion poultices are also soothing for a cough - slice up an onion, cook in a little water until almost translucent, wrap in a tea towel or other light fabric and when cool enough, place on chest for 20 minutes covered with a blanket.

 

 

 

great info! adding these tips to my arsenal! :)

[Sahamamama]

 

1. Humidifier
   
2. Vicks (the cream version is less goopey than the original)
   
3. Hot tea with honey & lemon (cuts through the mucous) -- if he likes the taste of chamomile tea, that works, too.
   
4. If he starts to get croupy (barks like a seal), put a coat on him and take him outside at night into the moist air.
   
5. When my children get a bit congested, it seems to help to eliminate dairy for a few days. This probably ought to tell me something, right?
   
6. We have one daughter who sometimes needs a child's dose of liquid Benadryl. She has itchy eyes, runny nose, and the Benadryl seems to help.
   

 

HTH. Get rest when you can, sleeplessness is awful. :grouphug:

[BFamily]

Oh my, I think that would kill me...truly. :laugh: :ack2:

 

 

Ha, DS10 feels the same! You'd think it was the end of the world :D , but it does ease up his cough/congestion for a time.

[serendipitous journey]

Depends on the honey - it needs to be from a good source as sometimes honey is from unnatural sources & adulterated with HFCS. Heating honey is not a good idea as it may destroy the beneficial enzymes. Then after heating it and losing its nutritional value, it is a carbohydrate which like all sugars may feed bacteria, viruses etc.

 

Try a warm milk drink, next time, if in case he coughs.

 

Hope he gets well soon, and do get some rest!

 

Best Wishes

 

 

hmmm... just really read this. It's raw honey, but not from a Truly Respectable Manufacturer. Maybe I'll try a good raw one.

[serendipitous journey]

I like to give my DC mullein tea when they have persistent coughs. I buy mullein leaf from a local health store, and steep 1-1 1/2 teaspoons in one cup of water for 20 minutes. I filter it through coffee filters into 3 cups (so each DC gets 1/3 cup) and add a bit of honey. I usually serve the tea in the morning, afternoon and before bed. The owner of the health store that I purchase the mullein leaf from, also shared that the best non-herbal treatment they have found for cough is to warm some organic coconut oil to a liquid state and add some honey and a squeeze of lemon to it. Onion poultices are also soothing for a cough - slice up an onion, cook in a little water until almost translucent, wrap in a tea towel or other light fabric and when cool enough, place on chest for 20 minutes covered with a blanket.

Oh my, I think that would kill me...truly. :laugh: :ack2:

Ha, DS10 feels the same! You'd think it was the end of the world :D , but it does ease up his cough/congestion for a time.

 

:lol:

 

we'll think about the onion ... if we have another night like last night, perhaps we'll give it a go!

 

and we have coconut oil & lemon to add to the honey; that's easy to try ... we actually grew mullein for my little sister's asthma, when I was growing up; I hadn't considered it at all for general congestion. thanks!

[newlifemom]

I was thinking you should check to see if it is an asthma cough. When dd [9] gets a cold or anything that turns into a cough, she has to use an inhaler at night to get rid of it. We have a special one and have to use it once or twice a year. We also stop all dairy if she starts to cough.