OT: How can I stop DD9's incessant coughing?

[Theta]

DD9 was sick last night during the night and only slept maybe 3 hours total. She coughed the whole night. I gave her some Deslyn (sp?) but it didn't seem to work. She coughed so hard at one point that she felt she was going to vomit.

Any home remedies to help her? She is home from school today and is exhausted from all the coughing.

 

[TifffanyD]

DD9 was sick last night during the night and only slept maybe 3 hours total. She coughed the whole night. I gave her some Deslyn (sp?) but it didn't seem to work. She coughed so hard at one point that she felt she was going to vomit.

Any home remedies to help her? She is home from school today and is exhausted from all the coughing.

I would take her to the doctor. My friend was up all night coughing last night... went to the dr today and found out she has pneumonia and a sinus infection

 

[KigerKat]

I've had a bad problem with coughing for a couple of years now. Mine is mostly due to allergies and asthma, so you might want to have your daughter checked out. I know whenever I get a cold or sinus infection, the coughing is the last thing to happen to me and it lingers the longest.

Try hot tea to open her up a bit, maybe a warm bath. You might want to consider a humidifier in her room at night when she's asleep.

I'm actually coming over a cold right now, so I'm coughing as I type this! I've been taking Mucinex-D, and drinking LOTS of water with it. My cough isn't completely gone, but it is the only thing that makes a difference for me.

 

[kid-at-heart]

Is she sick; such as a cold? A few years back I started nightly, intense coughing, it turned out I have asthma. Once I went on a maintaince program most of my symptoms alleviated.

 

[westjones]

Yes, take her to the doctor. My DD has asthma and can get very bad coughs when she is sick. Only perscription meds would get rid of it. Once she even ended up with RSV and was in the hospital for 3 days due to her awful coughing.

Hoping for a peaceful night's sleep soon.
DJ

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I agree with the humidifier and drinking alot of water, but I think she should go to the doctor. My DS has this problem and it is because of allergies so he takes Zyrtec and when that doesn't work he uses an inhaler. He doesn't have asthma, but reactive airway disease. When the inhaler doesn't help we go to the ER for a breathing treatment.

 

[Theta]

Thank you for the suggestions.

Yes, I had a humidifier on her last night and hot honey lemon tea today. Maybe I should push more liquids.

As for the asthma, she seems to be quite healthly normally, but the cough seems to have come on from a head cold. If it were asthma, would she have other symptoms when she does not have a cold?

 

[Pezalicious]

I have no idea if it works, but I read a ton of reviews for NyQuil on drugstore.com. Tons of people say to put it on your feet! My fiance was having trouble getting over a really bad cough and neither of us got much sleep because of it. We tried tons of medicines before we finally settled on -

Mucinex and Buckley's (the BEST cough suppressant, but it tastes absolutely disgusting - maybe that's why it works) with Vics VapoRub on his chest, neck, AND feet, and one of those VapoRub room scent thingies. The combo got him through 6 hours of sleep with no coughing, and after that it was only a few coughs til the alarm went off.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

I agree with the others when ever there is a health question go to the Dr to get treatment. We might have ideas on how to save $$ here on the budget board but when it comes to health issues no matter how small it is always best to get that information stright from your own health professional. I hope your DD feels better soon my DD is prone to repiratory illness and I know it is no fun for her or for me to have her cough so much like that! Best wishes!

 

[Marek 4]

I did not find out till I was an adult that I had coughing asthma.
Everytime I went through coughing spells, everyone assumed it was a cold or allergies. Now I know that it was my asthma flaring up! Go the the MD!!

 

[xCourxCorex]

This happened to me about 2 years ago. It was terrible, non-stop coughing that literally lasted for about 3 months.
Went to the doctor several times, tested negative for whooping cough, etc. No real solution. Just lots of fluids, and hard candies/cough drops. Hope she feels better!!

 

[SnowWtch]

I've been going through this myself. They can't really give me anything so I have to stick with hot tea and hot baths. Another thing they said was to warm a pot of water and stand over it with a towel over my head. It's strange but these things do work for a little while. Get to the doctor. They may be able to give her something to help her out. My doctor used to prescribe Tussin and it was amazing stuff.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Definetely see a Dr, get a diagnosis, then come back and I am sure someone will have gone through it and we will be able to tell the correct ways to help your DD. I would call and get in today.

 

[melcan]

DS 10 has been coughing on and off for 2wks now. It just started to let up yesterday. Now today he is not coughing much at all. This has been going on this time of year for as long as I can remember. I have had the seasonal cough for at least 20+ years now. People think I have some strange disease, but really nothing is wrong. That being said, I think if this is not a regular reccurance a Dr. visit might be due.

 

[Goofycampers]

You definitely need to take your DD to her Dr. She could have pneumonia or another respiratory infection. Some viruses can trigger an asthma like response in kids that are not usually asthmatic. This would need special nebulized medicines. Sometimes night coughing is the draining of full sinuses when the child is laying down. The fluid drains down their throat and causes the coughing, but you really need to rule out the more serious causes. Hth

 

[firsttimer2007]

I second going to the doctor but since you asked about home remedies I thought I would get out my "The Doctors Book Of Home Remedies".

It says

Take C and see. "Vitamin C works in the body as a scavenger, picking up all sorts of trash - including virus trash," says Keith W. Sehnert, MD a physician with Trinity Health Care in Minneapolis, Minnesota. "It can shorten the length of a cold from seven days to maybe two or three days."
Vitamin C may also cut back on coughing, sneezing, and other symptoms.

It also mentioned --Zinc, rest, Warmth, mild excercise, chicken soup, and liquids.


All that being said, the last time my DS had a cold I called the doctor. He wrote a Rx. The Rx did not work.
So I gave him vitamin C, twice a day and the next day it was better.

It made me a believer!

Good Luck. Consult with your doctor. I hope she gets to feeling better soon.

 

[happymickey464]

Take your child to the DR.Also tea and honey,vit C and let her rest her voice.

 

[kid-at-heart]

Thank you for the suggestions.

Yes, I had a humidifier on her last night and hot honey lemon tea today. Maybe I should push more liquids.

As for the asthma, she seems to be quite healthly normally, but the cough seems to have come on from a head cold. If it were asthma, would she have other symptoms when she does not have a cold?

The symptoms I had when not sick with a cold - my chest felt like someone was sitting on it and chronic coughing. I hated to exercise as a kid, when I tried to run my lungs would hurt and feel like I could not get enough air; as an adult I become short-winded when walking uphill or climbing stairs (and I am a walker - 2+ miles per day and still have problems hill or stair climbing), etc. The cough was/is the main symptom for me, either a deep cough which can end up with my up-chucking or a shallow, wimpy cough which continues until I use my inhaler.

Looking back at my symptoms, it is obvious I had asthma 40 years before a doctor finally decided to test for it. I just was not a wheezer so no one ever thought to check for asthma.

I hope your daughter is feeling better. Keep us posted.

 

[Aye Sea Turtles]

I'll echo other posters who are urging you to consult your pediatrician.

That said...for the past couple of years I've been using those plug-in nightlights that hold a menthol-scented pad, or "waterless vaporizer." These have been more effective than anything I have tried, and believe me, I've tried it all (I have a son with mild intermittent asthma). The replacement pads for the unit can be a bit pricey, but it is SO worth it!

 

[mamalle]

I would also take her to the doctor. giving medical advice really shouldnt be done like this.. I hope she is feeling better. dh has something also that started in his sinuses and ended up in his chest- He is now on antibiotics and prescription cough medicine- He still was up all night coughing. I told him if he doesnt straighten out- he will be getting a chest xray real soon..