One of the twins (2 yrs) has this cough at night. He wasn 't coughing much when I picked him up from school, or when we got home. I knew he had a stuffy nose, and had coughed some the day before, so I gave him some Delysm and Sudafed before bed. They went to bed great. Better than any night this week. Then about an hour after being asleep, the coughing spell begins! So I get up with him because sometimes he ends up throwing up when he coughs. My 6 year old hadn't fallen asleep yet, so I just take Luke to lay down with me and Lane (6 yr). I thought maybe it I elevated him some, it would help. But it didn't. So then I decided to give him some Benadryl. But I was worried because I had already given him Sudafed and the cough medicine. Neither one had an antihisimine, so I gave him 1/2 tsp. Well, that didn't help much either. The cough sounds like there is maybe drainage, and it is tickling his throat. It doesn't sound like croup. 4 hours later, I had enough and gave him some more Benadryl. This time I gave him 3/4 tsp. It helped more than the first dose but he still coughed. Does anyone use anything else that seems to help with coughing? I felt so sorry for him because I know he didn't sleep well.
My kids have always done good with the Dimatap when they are coughing. I dont have any right now, so I'm not sure which one I used...sorry. But there is an infant/toddler one for coughing and stuffy nose. My daycare lady was impressed with it too.
You might also want to try using a humidifier in his room. The moisture might make his throat feel better.
Nothing for a cough. Our told us that the over the counter cough medicines do basically nothing for a cough. But then prescription strength stuff is too much for a toddler. So we don't treat coughs.
I have a prescription for Andehist - its a decongestant, antihistimine and cough medicine in one...I only use it when they cleary have a cold because their colds always lead to an ear infection...it is apparently an older medication and its only by prescription...
QUOTE(littletwinstars @ Aug 31 2007, 07:33 AM) [snapback]387689[/snapback] You might also want to try using a humidifier in his room. The moisture might make his throat feel better. Yeah, a humidifier works really great for coughs, too. I was really surprised.
I've never found any cough medicine that really works on myself, so I believed my ped when he said they don't really work on kids either. The best thing is to use a humidifier, or take them into a steamy bathroom for 10 minutes. (Unless they have croup -- for croup, this will make it worse -- but if he had croup, you'd probably know, because he wouldn't only cough at night.) So, we don't treat coughs either -- we just wait them out. I also would not mix OTC medicines, even if they are considered safe for infants. Antihistamine may be the primary concern, but there are other active ingredients that might not combine well, or might counteract each other. However, if it's been going on for more than a week, you might want to have the ped check for an ear infection. Those can cause drainage at night which makes them cough. Or, if you think he is wheezing, the ped could prescribe albuterol. Sarah takes that when her cough gets really settled in, and it helps a lot -- not immediately, but over 2-3 days. It's primarily an asthma medication, but can be used for "Reactive Airway Disease" which is basically when every cold they get turns into a cough that lasts for weeks.
We're goign through teh same thing right now with both boys...up all night coughing. Anyways, we use Dimatap in the purple bottle - i believe it's the one for allergies b/c it is for runny noses and drainage. The drainage when they lay down is what is causing our little guys to cough. We also took the boppies and put them under one end of the matterss so it's propped up and they get propped so it doesnt drain in their throats as bad. I use baby vicks vapor rub which is supposed to help and keep the stuff that runs into their throat loose and helps their coughs be productive and then.....i use the warm mist vaporizer with the vicks inhalent in it to make their room warmer and it also smells like vicks so it gets into their noses. After 2 nights of this, they're showing great improvement on the coughs - they can actually sleep through the night. It seems like alot to do but I hate when they're both sick together and at the sigt of a cold, i do what i can to get rid of it fast. Hope that helps a little bit. amanda
Matthew gets the cough you are talking about. He will have very long coughing fits in the middle of the night. I usually put a cool mist humidifier on, a vicks plug in and give him some Delsym. However, if the coughing is really bad go see your Pediatrician. A few times Matthew has had to be on breathing treatments. He gets cold induced wheezing. So if you notice any wheezing at all a breathing treatment will clear it right up.
