Do you/are you going to give your toddler a decongestant?

I've been trying to do some research on decongestants and toddlers and all I can find is warnings on antihistamines. The girls have a cough that sounds a little rattley and I thought may be a decongestant might help. I don't want to suppress the cough as coughs are productive. What are you doing or what will you do, will you use a decongestants or let it run its course. TIA T

The girls turned 2 years in July.

 

We just let it run it's course. We do crank up the humidifier in their room, and we apply baby vik's vapo rub (mostly because it just makes me feel better to do something - not sure how much that really helps them). The humidifier I think really does help. It doesn't make it go away any sooner (but then no medicine does that either), but I think it makes them more comfortable as they are going through it.

 

I give them something before bed at night when they are stuffy- I think it helps them sleep better. I know they've changed all the guidelines on meds now- but my daughter was fine with it!! I definitely do not overmedicate, and I let the sickies run their course during the day.
Lanie

 

Nope, I don't give them any kind of OTC medicine except ibuprofen and Tylenol. I did try once (before the official medical opinion switched from "may not work" to "doesn't work") -- and found that it didn't do anything.

Our ped says the "steam treatment" is the best way to loosen up chest gunk -- 15 minutes in the bathroom with the door closed and the shower running full blast on hot. (Close the drain too, so the hot water stays in the tub.) Then pound firmly (not too hard obviously) on their backs for a few minutes afterwards.

 

Nope. I've had bad reactions and won't use them on myself so I don't use them on the boys either. A humidifier, saline nose spray, a long bath before bed, and vapor rub takes care of things well enough.

 

QUOTE(BridgePort @ Nov 6 2008, 08:56 PM) [snapback]1059712[/snapback]
We just let it run it's course. We do crank up the humidifier in their room, and we apply baby vik's vapo rub (mostly because it just makes me feel better to do something - not sure how much that really helps them). The humidifier I think really does help. It doesn't make it go away any sooner (but then no medicine does that either), but I think it makes them more comfortable as they are going through it.

This is basically what I do too. My dh will sometimes give them a decongestant before bed to help them sleep a little better. He only does that if they are really bad. We do usually try not to give them anything as I also try not to take any type of meds either.

 

We use the humidifier and suck their noses out constantly. That is all I plan to do for a long time going forward. Knock on wood - we have never really had a problem with them being up ALL night long with a cold...the humidifier seems to help them get through the night.

 

If you've done everything else, and they're still miserable and can't sleep, I've been told by my ped's office to give them just the plain children's sudafed. I generally avoid meds, but there are times when the poor little guys still can't breathe, they're coughing due to all the junk, and are plain miserable. Though admittedly, I won't give them the full dose b/c I get nervous w/ all the warnings, but I've been told multiple times to give them the sudafed, so I feel comfortable doing so. And I do think it helps.

 

I have a prescription I keep on hand that is a mild decongestant and cough suppressant - only because EVERY time my kids get a cold they get an ear infection from the drainage - I'd rather them take that than an antibiotic all the time...

 

No meds here. Our ped said that the dosage that they could safely have would not be enough to do anything. (my girls are small)
I do the steamy bathroom if they get really coughing at night works great. Also saline/salt spray throughout the day.
Hope they get over it soon we are going on two weeks here.

 

we give the following meds as needed:
Mucinex mini melts (recommended by pediatrician)
benedril to dry them up if they're sleep is being affected
caugh medicine, again only if it's preventing them from sleeping
tylenol

 

I never treat a cold, not for myself or my kids. It's best to the let the body fight the germ on it's own.

 

Our pediatrician said the only OTC meds that really help at all are plain Sudafed (the kind behind the counter that is now controlled), or Benadryl. I've used both, but only if my kids are really miserable. They do help a bit.

Otherwise, it's tons of saline -- just squirt as much into their noses as you can -- the humidifier, Vicks vaporub, etc. And a lot of vitamin C!

 

We use children's Benadryl at night when they have really plugged noses b/c they wake up so much from it. I was REALLY scared the first few times I used it (must have checked on them every hour ALL night) but it has been fine. They are MUCH happier in the morning after sleeping all night, and as my ped. said...they need sleep to get better.

 

QUOTE(LanieK @ Nov 6 2008, 09:33 PM) [snapback]1059762[/snapback]
I give them something before bed at night when they are stuffy- I think it helps them sleep better. I know they've changed all the guidelines on meds now- but my daughter was fine with it!! I definitely do not overmedicate, and I let the sickies run their course during the day.
Lanie


This is what we do too. We usually give half the recommended dosage at bed time. The if she still sounds like she still has a rattle when DH goes to bed (midnightish-4-5 hrs later), then he give another half dose.

 

QUOTE(twinsinjuly @ Nov 6 2008, 01:47 PM) [snapback]1059698[/snapback]
I've been trying to do some research on decongestants and toddlers and all I can find is warnings on antihistamines. The girls have a cough that sounds a little rattley and I thought may be a decongestant might help. I don't want to suppress the cough as coughs are productive. What are you doing or what will you do, will you use a decongestants or let it run its course. TIA T

The girls turned 2 years in July.


i use a humidifier, or a vaporizer or just rub vicks on them

 

Instead I put a humidifier in their room, rub some Vick's on their throats and chests, and give them a pillow to elevate (and ideally drain) their sinuses if they want.

 

Buck Wheat Honey is a natural Cough suppressant that works Better in many trails and tests than OTC cough medicine, safe and Really effective in Children OVER 1, I hope we all know Honey is a no-no for babes under 1! Also Vics Vapour Rub works best in Kiddies if rubbed in the feet and then Socks put over top before betime!! HTH

 

I have a seven month old who has been battling a cough and chest congestions. I was doing the standard humidifier, bulb aspirator etc. after seeing the ped. on Oct. 31. We went to the pulminologist on Friday for their RSV shots... my son came home with a nebulizer, Xopenex, Pulmicort and Singulair and just missed a trip to the hospital. Sigh. I felt like the worst mother. His breathing was WAY more restricted than I imagined, wheezing and whistling because of all the fluid in his lungs. On the bright side, the medication and breathing treatments are really working. He's doing so much better, it really is night and day.

My point... if you are considering OTC medications perhaps a trip to the Dr. (specialist - I think Pediatricians are virtually useless unless you are getting vaccinations..) isn't a bad idea.

Donna

 

I rarely give a decongestant for a cold, but for sleeping I do give Benadryl and either Tylenol or Benadryl. It helps dry them up and sleep better. We also run the humidifer, use saline drops, and put vicks on their feet and under nose. Recently when Ben was really stuffed up we elevated his pillow by stuffing two small child's pillows on the bottom side of his big pillow, in the pillowcase.

With the medicine, I think you just have to be really careful. A lot of those new warnings have come from parents who have made very careless and what I think are pretty obvious mistakes. Plus, I think some people use meds just to use them.

Edited to add: MamaD, don't beat yourself up! Sometimes it's SO hard to tell how bad things really are, especially with a really young one.

 

our ped gave us nasohist, at 1/2 dose and it works great for my babies when they have really bad congestion or a cough. but I only use it when other things aren't working like the humidifier