What is going on? - Children's Health Message Board

Sherri-Lynne · 12-18-2007, 10:55 AM

Okay so my 4 year old DD has had a bad cough for 6 weeks now. The first time I took her to the doc they said she had a throat infection and gave her medication. She took all of that and was feeling better but still had the cough. About 2 weeks later she got sick again her tummy really hurt and was throwing up and almost had to go to the hospital for dehydration. But finally was able to start keeping down fluids. But still the cough was there. Took her back to the docs and they said that it was just a viral infection and it would go away. Took her back to the docs a couple of days after because her tummy still hurt after she ate anything and her cough wasn't getting any better. They said her lungs were clear and her throat/ears everything. Nohting was wrong with her tummy when they touch it so they just said her tummy was fine and the cough was just being stubborn. The sore tummy thing has now gone away but not the stupid cough. It has been 6 weeks at least that she has had this cough and it still won't go away. It still sounds awful and hurts her sometimes and keeps her from getting a good sleep. I have had the humidifer on tried the steam shower thing. Honey, corn syrup. I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't give her cough syrup. I tried it one night made no difference so didn't give it to her again. The best I find for her is honey But it only last so long. Oh and there is flem that does come up sometimes when it is a really bad spasum. Any thoughts on what to do? Thanks everyone Sherri

mcr285 · 12-18-2007, 11:16 AM

poor kid! my 2 year old and my 4 year old both have a horrible cough too and i just hate it! i feel so sorry for them! during the day, the one thing that helps my daughters is hot honey and lemon drink. in a mug, i mix about 2 tablespoons of honey with about a teaspoon and a half of lemon juice, with about 3 tablespoons of applejuice, then heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. then i fill the mug to the top with water and give it to them in their sippy cup. it really seems to help soothe their throats and they cough a lot less because of it.

at night, i give them nyquil. it knocks them out and they don't cough for exactly 6 hours - then the nyquil wears off and they're going again! i give them their bedtime dose at around 7, then around 1-2 they start coughing again, so i give them a second dose and it lasts until morning. ***ABSOLUTELY BE SURE TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT PROPER DOSING!!!

other things you might try.... you could have her sleep at an incline, propped on a couple of pillows. make sure your heat isn't turned up too high, or it dries out the air in your house, plus if she is overheated it could trigger coughing. tell her to take deep breaths when she feels a cough coming and to swallow it to her tummy and don't let it out.... after 6 weeks, she might need to retrain her coughing muscles (for lack of an intellectual term!) to not cough! also, make sure she isn't having an allergic reaction to something that could be causing drainage and the cough to continue.

mcr285 · 12-19-2007, 09:14 AM

yeah, i grew up taking nyquil and benadryl (not at the same time!).... my doctor recommended it! he was very old school - you know, if your kid is sick, they need sleep to get better, so at night knock them out with nyquil or benadryl.... if we had colds that kept us awake, my mom gave us nyquil. if we had allergies that kept us awake, she gave us benadryl. it's funny, but we always had allergies just before we left for any long car trips...........

anyway, you can give nyquil, but be careful about the dosing. my mom actually made my brother drunk once because she gave him too much nyquil. she was all panicked at the way my brother was acting and she brought him into the doctor and she was completely freaking out, and the doctor took one look at my brother, asked if my mom had given nyquil, she said yes, he asked how much, she told him, and his reaction was, "well he**, you went and got him drunk!" my mother was so embarrassed!!! anyway, i'm not a math person, but if i can figure it out, anyone can!!! the active ingredients have a little of everything, so if you give nyquil, don't give anything else!

Sannah · 12-20-2007, 01:57 PM

Could it be allergies causing the cough? Does she cough more at night?