Cough Syrup - Chicago,IL

There really isn't one that is safe. I have used a cool mist vaporizer. My daughter, youngest, gets really bad, almost croupy. The best thing that has worked for me is the vaporizer. Using cough medicine on them at this age is not a good thing. They really don't recommend it, probably why you don't see much of it. The other thing I do for comfort sometimes at night is a little tylenol or motrin, tends to calm them and believe it or not, has helped her with the coughing too. We have had many bouts of croup and I understand what you must be going through and feeling, but for non-productive coughs, there really isn't anything.

Hi M. Call or take her in to see her pediatrican. I read were Tylenol was taken off the shelf so talk to her doctor before giving her anything.

We use 1tsp of warm honey, 1T of real lemon juice squeezed and 1T of water, mix and enjoy. Tastes like lemonade and kids will love it. Ironically, my father use to warm honey on a tsp when we were kids each time we were sick, old remedies don't die.

Good Luck
J. W. MPH
Maternal and Child Health Educator
Chicago Examiner Family Health

I LOVE the purple box Triaminic nighttime cold and cough strips. They work so great that *I* have even taken them at times. The box says for 6 and up I think, but a pediatrician told me to just use half the dose for a 3 yr old.

We use Children's Triaminic Nighttime Cough and Cold( 1/2 teaspoon) It helps them sleep . Also I use Vick's vapo rub on their feet or chest.

Hi M.,
You can try some of the childrens' OTC cough syrup, but check to make sure it is not an Asthmatic cough. My children have developed asthma, so we try to be careful about what we give them.

All the Best!

Delsym. You should ask your doctor first of course, but it's a great non-narcotic cough syrup.

I second the honey recommendation. As long as the child is over 1, you can give a teaspoon of honey before bedtime. I read something last year about vicks being unsafe in children. You're not supposed to give toddlers cold or cough medicine.

I always use Delsym for coughs like that. I *THINK* it would be ok for that age child but you might want to look it up.

We use a humidifier and a teaspoon of honey swallowed before bed and I leave a sippy cup of water by her bed. My daughter has some pretty bad allergies -- mostly food and pets but developing seasonal environmental (she just turned 2 in July) -- so sometimes she gets a cough for a few weeks at a time that wakes her up at night. This has helped a lot.

We also use Zyrtec (Children's) 1 time a day as prescribed. It works pretty well to keep allergy symptoms at bay.

Good luck!

They recommend not using any cold/cough medicine under 6. Try a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup. I've also used the vapor plug ins and those seem to help.

Just talked to my 3 1/2 year old's pediatrician for the exact same thing. He said no OTC meds, they don't work for kids this age. Just push lots of fluids and a humidifier can't hurt. He said it should go away within 6 weeks, but he is sure it will be sooner. After 6 weeks it becomes chronic and then he will pursue other possibilities. Hope this helps:)

Sounds like it might be allergies. Her nose is probably dripping down her throat and that's what is causing her to cough. Try a little Benedryl about an hour before bed. That should dry her nose up enough to make the coughing stop.

a humidifier....none of those medicines are recommended for children. WHy dont you try to find out what is triggering this cough? If its only at night maybe its the low humidity in the room? try a spoonful of honey too. You should be more interested in what is causing this symptom nit in trying to suppress it

a constant non productive cough could be the sign of allergies or asthma. It sounds like she may have post nasal drip too - something like benadryl before bed may help. I would definitely make an appt to see the doctor to rule out anything like asthma or allergies. The other thing that works really well (my Jamaican mother in law gave me the remedy) is roasted lemon and honey. Take a lemon and put it on a cook sheet in the oven on about 350. Once it has "roasted" - I cut it open and spoon out the pulp which will be liquid into a cup and put about table spoon of honey in it. I use a spoon to get my son to drink as much of it as he can. It will be very little liquid in the cup. It isn't horrible but it is sour. Whatever it is about it, it works.

My kids had that cough. My son's has since gone away and my daughter only coughs every great now and then. Our doctor recommended a teaspoon of honey in some warm apple juice. We tried it, but not sure if it worked or not, because we could not get our children to drink it. I don't know why but the vicks on the feet actually does work. I have also heard that vicks isn't good for kids, but we found some baby vicks one time. I'm not sure where, but I think that is better than the adult stuff for kids.

This sounds strange, but it works. Instead of cough syrup, I put Vick's vapor rub on the bottom of my kids feet and cover them with socks. It really does help and the coughing stops. When my son has a cold, he actually asks me to get the Vick's and put it on his feet because it makes him stop coughing and get some sleep. I feel better about this because I am not giving my kids medicine that doesn't seem to help.

My girlfriend swears by this. She puts Vicks Vapor Rub on her daughters feet before bed. Helps instantly. She rubs it in the soles of their feet. Not a huge amount, just like you would on their cheast. I also heard honey works well but Im not sure. I believe not anything over a teaspoon. Ask you doctor about that one. Hope this helped!

W.

Try the honey - it's no miracle but helps, even for grownups!

Try zyrtec or claritin for a few days and see if that helps

Here is a resource that I hope might be helpful for you...

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t081000.asp

You might also find some ideas that would work for you if you take a look in this book (probably available in your local library)...

http://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Nutritional-Healing-Z-...

Health food stores usually have a baby/toddler/child section. I know Whole Foods stores do. They usually include child-safe preparations for coughs in those sections.

Some simple things that you can also try, which usually help are...

--if she doesn't take a multivitamin, start her on one. The ones you can find at health food stores would have less additives and sweeteners and dyes, so would be healthier.

--take her off all sugar sources. I have found that people fight off colds faster when they are off sugar. It seems that sugar lowers the ability of the immune system to fight off diseases.

--see if you can get her to eat a few baby carrots with each meal, and leave a bowl of them out for her to snack on during the day. You could also leave some orange slices out with the carrots. Vitamins A and C do more to fight off colds when they are taken together than they do when they are taken separately.

Best wishes,
J.

Don;t give syrup. Just coat the bottom of her feet lightly with Vicks VapoRub 7 cover with socks before she goes to bed. She WILL NOT cough, I guarantee!

I've had about 3 or 4 doctors tell me that cough medicine for toddlers is all a marketing gimick and they don't really do anything. I'd stay away from it and try all the suggestions below. The only thing that worked for my son was a humidifier and vicks. Lollipops also kept his throat moist. I think it's trial and error - hang in there, I know it's hard!

M., forget the OTC cough medicines! Try slathering a generous amount of Vicks Vapor Rub on the bottoms of her feet and cover with a pair of socks. She'll stop coughing in minutes! I have friends that can attest to this. I've been doint this for her since she was 3. She is 6 now. It still works for my daughter everytime!

There is a fantastic homeopathic cough syrup available at most health food stores called Honey Chestal. It has worked for us better than conventional OTC cough meds like Triaminic (which are also loaded with dyes and seemed to wire my kids).

Also, kids' coughs are often worse at night when they are lying down because muscosal drainage goes down their throat; I place a couple of pillows between the top of the mattress and the boxspring to prop my daughter up at an angle which really helps.

Best wishes!

I use the Vick's plug-ins and about a teaspoon of honey before bed. Helps with no meds!!

Delsym is what our pediatrician has always recommended, but I'd put a call into your own before giving it to your daughter. Cough medicine is not generally recommended for this age and I know our MD always gives us the ok only after she knows what's going on and is confident that it's a good solution. We are told to only do it at night, too, just to allow uninterrupted sleep (for all!).

A spoonful of buckwheat honey helps my kids.

Delsom is the best cough medicine that I have used for my kids (15 and 10). Most pediatricians that I know of recommend it.

I agree with those who recommend getting her checked for allergies.

My daughter's nighttime dry cough disappeared after her newly diagnosed allergies were treated. (We had always thought she just held on to a cold for a long time.)

I wouldn't give her cough syrup, she's too little. Besides, you'd have to medicate her with it every night without finding the cause of the cough.

I agree with some of the posts you received. Delsym is a great cough syrup with nothing else added. Our Ped recommended it. I have also done the Vicks on the bottom of the feet and cover with socks (socks fresh from the dryer are very nice) on both myself and my daughter and it works very well.