Advice for What Type of Cold Med's. to Give 4 Year Old with Wet Cough Symptoms.

I really like the triaminic thin strips: they have them for different combinations of symptoms and I think for the cough and runny nose one you have to call the doctor for dosing under age 6. Read the label, though, I could be wrong!

If he has a cough for a few days I'd go to the dr. it could be asthma, a wet cough could also be pheumonia

Hello K.,

I have two children (now adults) with both allergies and asthma; one with coughing type of asthma. I'm was not one for giving my children a lot of medications whether over the counter or prescribed without seeking other alternatives; of course after discussing with their physician. If your child has not been officially diagnosed with an allergy or asthma you really should consult with their physician first.

However, if they have I have found that a strong cup of black coffee works well and sometimes can assist in warding off an attack if the child is on a maintenance schedule. The caffeine helps to open the bronchial passages without the adverse side effects. If you're worried about the effects it might have don't! Coffee does not have the same affect on children (jitters/insomnia) as it does on adults and despite the old wives tale of it stunting your growth....my son is 6'4" and still growing!!!!

BTW - Black coffee can also ward off a migraine if you catch it early enough!!!

Doctors don't recommend the OTC products for kids under five, so definitely look for anything that gives you the dosage on the bottle. Kaiser wouldn't even give us that information, they're so adamant kids not take the OTC remedies.

I did get our doctor to agree to let our daughter take Benadryl when she had a horrendous cold and it gave her relief. Apparently they're quite confident about the dosing for Benadryl. Don't know that it helps with cough, though, but you might check.

Good luck!

Antimonium Tartaricum 6C which is a homeopathic. Has always worked for my niece when she was ill.

Most OTC medications suppress symptoms, but do nothing to help with the progression of the moving the virus out. In fact, they can sometimes prolong the illness because they feel better and over exert themselves which doesn't allow the body to rest and recoup.

Whenever my kids have colds, I work to boost their immune systems, not medicate. There are all kinds of herbal remedies and vitamins for little ones nowadays. Vitamin C and zinc are great for all ages (my eldest with allergies takes them daily as do I.) I use a formula called "Well Child" by Planetary Herbals which combines a number of great herbs for the immune system and tastes yummy too.

For symptoms, I use Nature's Sunshine's Herbasaurs homeopathic remedy "For Children with Cold." I also cut out (or at least down) dairy and refined sugars until they are better. Sometimes, a humidifier can help keep the fluid moving and breathing easier at night and they have tasty organic cough drops now to help with sleeping too. Last, but not least, if he is willing to drink any kind of hot herbal tea (Celestial Seasonings has some good fruity flavors!) or hot (not scalding of course) water with lemon and honey this will also aid in the movement of fluid during the day. The primary intention with all of these is to boost the immune system and keep the fluid moving that bug out (that's what the phlegmy wetness is about.)

While there is no cure for the common cold, there are lots of good home remedies to help it move along quickly! And if it is allergies, these will all help as well.

we have, occasionally used an exectorant, which helps them cough up the phlegm. It has good results, but is not a cough suppressant. I personally think that coughs/fevers have purposes, and to figure out what's best based on that. Based on what you said, I would be leaning toward an expectorant.

I don't think it's really beneficial to stop the cough completely - your son has to get that stuff out. I would agree with the mom who suggested an expectorant during the day and a cough suppressant at night and definitely lots of clear liquids. Suppressing the cough round the clock could cause it to turn to bronchitis if he doesn't cough the mucus out.

Recent research has shown that cough medications don't actually work on children. We use a humidifier at night (it works great for grown-ups too). We make sure our kids (4 and 2) drink lots of water during the day.

Good luck!
K.

Fluids, fluids, fluids and rest :) Chicken soup...that nice warm clear broth really does wonders. Popsicles I like Raleys/Bel Air brand of all fruit frozen pops (just juice and fruit frozen - they come in Peach and Berry flavors. I would also recommend Pedicare waterless vaporizors but read package carefully before deciding to buy ie. not for babies under 3 months or pregnant women. Lastly, Tylenol for fever.
Hope your little one feels better soon.

I suggest allowing your son to cough it out during the day to get the mucus out...possibly use an expectorant. At night, I use Delsym cough syrup as it is long lasting (8 hours) so my little one can get the sleep that will help fight the cold. Be aware that it is about double the other brands, but it works well. It is one of the only things beside Benadryl that my pediatrician recommends.

I prefer not to use too many medications and if I do, I use single symptom medications or search for a combination one that ONLY treats the symptoms my child exhibits. I feel that we tend to overmedicate and it doesn't help that much.

I use Sambuccol it is an all natural Couge syrup and will help build your sons immunity naturally. It is an extract from the Elderberry I believe and has great anti viral properties. That is all we ever use when any of us come down with something. It fights the flu naturally as well. and it tastes great my young boys love it.
Shalom

Hi K.,

I really like Robotussin(sp?) Also, if the cough is persistent, my pediatrician will give then an inhaler to take twice a day. It breaks up the mucus and relieves the cough much faster. She believes that the OTC items aid some, but for the persistent coughs, it does little. It has worked like a charm for my kids, 6 and 4 who are prone to colds.

It is difficult to know what medication to give a child unless you are sure of what you are treating. there are web sites you can log onto and ask medical proffesionals who can try to help.

Guaifensen helps with loosening it up to cough it out more easily (probably not want you want more of but the sooner it's all out, the sooner your 4yo will be well again)

Hi, Never give a child with asthma a cough medicine!!! Talk to youe Dr. before any cough meds. They have been found to be very dangerous in children under 6 years old.

The only one I use is Emergen-C: 1000 mg of Vitamin C plus. You put it in a cup of water and it tastes a little tangy. My favorite is raspberry. My daughter's favorite is lemon-lime. You can buy it at Trader Joes. All other products suppress symptoms and are not helping you heal. Vitamin C in this easy to swallow form kills cold germs and boosts your immune system. My kids loved taking Emergen-C.

Gale

I would avoid medications that suppress symptoms for children (I avoid them myself.) Colds are no fun, but they aren't dangerous, and the medications are potentially very harmful. My two cents...

Homeopathy has worked great with my boys!!!
Along with ZINC, Vitamin C, A & D...
Much better than Rx...

Love, G.. :0)
http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

Dice several cloves of garlic (really small) in a mixture of honey and lime and give him about 3 tablespoons 3 times a day. Give him plenty of vitamin c (perhaps mix Super C powdered vit c in his juice, you can get this at whole foods). You can also give him a wee bit of goldenseal root in a teaspoon of honey 2xs a day. keep it up until about 2 days after the symptoms are gone.

With my kids I do use a cough syrup. Nothing with a antihistimine in it. Doc told me it can increase pressure in their ears, which can start an ear infection. Also try putting something under the mattress or pillow to get the child to sleep elivated so there is not such a drainage problem at night. That can cause coughing and vomitting. Good luck!

my favorites to use are:
1. Benadryl - it has been around forever and is even safe to take when yo uare pregnant. It can dry up their runny nose, so th epost-nasal drip does not make them cough. It also helps them sleep.
2. Mucinex for kids - works pretty well.

I personally try to buy my kids medicines separate. That way I can give medicines based on how they feel, not everything in the bottle. When my daughter gets what you describe I give her an expactorant, and sometimes a decongestant during the day. At night I give her a cough suppressant. It helps the cough during the day to be productive and get rid of the mucus in her chest, but calms the cough at night so she can sleep well. The ones I use are: Mucinex for kids, Simply Stuffy, and Simply Cough. You could get something that blends them all together, but they usually contain other things like Tylenol or antihisamines that you dont necessarily need. You could look at the Triamenic line. They do lots of safe blends for younger kids, as does the Tylenol line. And then of course...good-old chicken soup does wonders!

Hope your little one feels better soon!!!

P.S. VERY IMPORTANT!!!! If you choose to give your child Zinc as was suggested, its wonderful.... however it is very hard on little tummies. Give Zinc AFTER a full meal to avoid upset stomach. Even my husband throws up if he doesnt eat before Zinc.