thread: DS coughing through the night

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    SA
    1,078

    DS coughing through the night

    DS is 14 months old, he's got the usual winter cold & snots right now and probably teething too I think. He's had a cough for the past 10 days or so. Some nights are better than others but last night he coughed through the night fairly consistently. Its just your garden variety dry cough, and he manages to sleep through it, but that doesn't really make me feel any better listening to him. I know cough medicine is a no-go. His room is kept warm and we have the steam vaporiser going. Is there anything else I can do for him?

    We've had him checked out by the GP and its definitely not whooping cough or croup either.

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Jul 2010
    sydney
    2,187

    maybe try steaming out your bathroom with only the hot water on and get him to sit in there for bout 5 minutes.. i know my dad does that with my lil bro and it works everytime

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    country victoria
    1,055

    I was given the tip by nurse on call to give warm apple juice, it is meant to help ease the spasms. My girlfriend in Darwin tried it and said it worked.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    6,706

    Was at the GP yesterday for a similar thing with Sam... three months with a persistent cough that lingered each time the snots or tonsilitis would clear up. Worse at night or when it was cold...

    I'm told it's a typical presentation of asthma - might be something to consider if it doesn't clear up. Especially if there's a family history.

    Also - a pharmacist told me that you can use brauers cough relief in children under the age of 2 - just at half the dose listed on the bottle for kids older than 2. The story I was given was that it used to be available for kids under 2, but when all the cough mixtures and other cold treatments when 2+ only, so did the brauers stuff. It didn't really help us much, but asthma is asthma. If you're comfortable with it, it may be worth trying.

    BW

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jan 2007
    7,197

    I is a bit older but she has had a persistent cough for 3 mths now. We have had her checked for asthma and although she seems to present symptoms when sick it actually isn't asthma yet - no wheezing between or any other symptoms. We are now just waiting on chest x-ray results to see if something else is going on. Having said that though she has a reliever puffer that we use 3 times a day and it does seem to help her. If it persists I would definitely keep getting him checked out as BW said it could be mild asthma presentation or the beginning of it. I had no idea a cough could signify it.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Jul 2010
    sydney
    2,187

    sorry i just thought of something else maybe give him a tablespoon of warm honey before bed?

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    SA
    1,078

    Thanks all.

    BW I hadn't even considered asthma, so thanks for that. If the cough sticks around I will certainly have it looked into. I'll head up to the chemist to look at the Brauers mix too.

    He coughed marginally less last night than the previous night but he did wake up between 1am-2am. Joyful for me with everything else we've got going on right now.

    Amali, DS is a bit too young for honey just yet I think. But thank you for the suggestion.