Infant Cough

My wee one (age 18 months) has picked up a nasty cold from a playmate (now we've all got it  ).  She takes Calpol allright, but it does nothing for her cough, which is interrupting her sleep.  She will NOT drink MediSed (she makes herself sick on it).  ANY suggestions appreciated!  TIA!

If memory serves me, there is stuff called Benelyn.  They do a range of stuff for coughs, sore throat, etc., and I think there is a kids version....

We used to find that making my son's bedroom steamy at night seemed to help with a cough. You used to be able to buy a little gadget called a vapouriser which worked with a nightlight, but I'm not sure whether they're still available. However, putting a damp towel on the radiator, and plugging the electric kettle in while we were  putting him to bed seemed to work well.

Both my little ones have Asthma so when they catch a cough its really an ordeal. I invested £35 in a Vicks cold steam vaporizer. I had to order it on the net. It really helps. I usually stay away from cold meds. My doctor said its best for them to cough than let it settle. Also I prop up my babys (7 months) crib mattress. They seem not to cough so badly when they sleep slightly upright.
Also try to take your child out for a walk in the fresh air. I was surprised how much that helped.
Best of luck!

Thanks all for the suggestions!  I got her some Benylin.  She has this habit of puking up meds she doesn't like (Medised) and this was no exception.  Grrr!  She is still taking Calpol, but it may be a rough night.  We do have a vaporiser.  I've also put some Baby Balsam on her b/c she's pretty bunged up.  She still takes a dummy at night, so falling asleep has been hard tonight b/c she is having trouble breathing out of her nose.  Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant, so I've made up a little tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint mix and fired up the oil burner.  This too shall pass . . . (not soon enough!  :\\\'().

I was just about to say tea tree oil, you beat me to it.  When Ethan was bunged up with a cold, the chemist suggested saline drops for the congestion. I  didn't try it but it could be something else for you if she keeps puking up the meds. Also I agree with Pebbles about propping her up. We found Ethan slept better propped up when he couldn't breathe - as I do myself when I have a cold.

OK. So wait a minute. Tell me about Tea Tree oil. How do you use it and where do you get it? I have seen the shampoo at Tesco.

I thought that Calpol was for fever reduction and pain?  So, I'm not sure why it would be advised for an infant cough/cold, but I'm probably missing something here.

Since my kids have pertussis, it is critical we not give them a cough suppressant and probably no expectorants either since the mucus must come out of the lungs to avoid pneumonia.  I agree about being upright as much as possible, not always easy with an infant or toddler.  Depends on what type of cough your child has, of course...more important to be upright if it is a mucusy-cough.

ITA, too about the fresh air, especially this time of year with the cold weather - it really helps!

OK. So wait a minute. Tell me about Tea Tree oil. How do you use it and where do you get it? I have seen the shampoo at Tesco.

Hiya hunny, You can get tea tree oil at most chemist, or any health food store. I use it as well in my oil burner. :-) It is wonderful for fleas, if you have cats. You have to dilute it first.

Leigh, I feel so badly for you. Is there anyway to hide the meds in juice? She may drink it down that way. Also, you could try some warmed diluted apple or pear juice. It works great to sooth the soreness in the throat and acts as a natural cough suppressant, but it will not last all night.

Pebbles, tea tree oil you can find in most chemists' shops.  As Saucy pointed out, it needs to be diluted b/c it's pretty strong stuff!  To burn it in an oil burner, I mix it with a carrier oil - some like sweet almond but I use grapeseed for burning.  I usually mix a 2:10 ratio - 2 drops tea tree for every 10 of carrier oil.  I have a little soapstone bowl I used exclusively for mixing herbs and oils.  I also use tea tree in the laundry in place of fabric softener - a half cup of vinegar w/a few drops of tea tree right in the fabric softener compartment.  If the washing is really soiled, I use another half cup vinegar w/tea tree in the pre-wash compartment as well.  If you make your own cleansers using vinegar, you can bung a few drops of tea tree in to disguise the smell  .  In the hoover, put a bit of cotton wool soaked in tea tree into the bag or canister.  No more icky smelling hoover!

We popped a pillow in her cot and that seemed to help her quit a bit.  It sux to try to sleep when you're bunged up.  She has a slight fever on and off, so the Calpol seems to help.  It doesn't help that she's cutting 3 molars as well.  Uggh.

Saucy, thanks for the tip about warming apple or pear juice!  I think I'm going to try diluting half a dose of Medised into her normal 'juice' combo - I buy frozen berries, crush them w/mortar and pestle, and then bung them into a jug of boiled water.  Then strain and put in cups for flavoured water.  I tried a full dose once, but she sussed it out and rejected it!  Babies are wise!

Yeah, they are smart, aren't they?

I hope she feels better, soon. 

Hope your wee one is on the mend soon.  It's been a bad year for colds and coughs all around, both my kids have been sick as well and I finally gave in and went to the doctor for this blasted sinus infection.  Blechhh! 

I also use tea tree in the laundry in place of fabric softener - a half cup of vinegar w/a few drops of tea tree right in the fabric softener compartment.  If the washing is really soiled, I use another half cup vinegar w/tea tree in the pre-wash compartment as well.

Ok, I'm quite interested in this, but can I ask a couple of questions?  When you use TT and vinegar in the fabric softener compartment, are you using it as a disinfectant or a softener or something that adds a bit of 'smell' to the laundry (or all the above)?

Which type of vinegar do you use and do you have any vinegar smell to the laundry at all?  Are you using essential TT oil?

Thanks!   

Ok, I'm quite interested in this, but can I ask a couple of questions?  When you use TT and vinegar in the fabric softener compartment, are you using it as a disinfectant or a softener or something that adds a bit of 'smell' to the laundry (or all the above)?

Which type of vinegar do you use and do you have any vinegar smell to the laundry at all?  Are you using essential TT oil?

Thanks!   

I use regular Sarson's distilled vinegar, the clear one.  I get it in a gallon-sized bottle from a Chinese supermarket for a little over £3, but I've heard you can get it in a large size from Costco as well.  The Chinese supermarket is closer so I get it from there.

For tea tree oil, I use the essential stuff, Boots brand.  Normally I buy essential oils online, but I go cheap on tea tree b/c we use a lot of it in other applications - cleansers, aromatherapy, etc.  It both disinfects and softens the laundry, but I've found it doesn't work as well unless I tip half a cup in the fabric softener compartment - any less and the clothes are still all hard.  I pour the vinegar in a measuring cup and then the tea tree oil.  The clothes don't smell like vinegar at all, but they do smell lightly of tea tree oil.  The vinegar is also excellent at removing stains, hence, when I do my daughter's laundry I put another half cup w/tea tree oil into the pre-wash compartment and her clothes come out sparkling (for stubborn stains it doesn't work, though!).

Hth!

Very interesting!  Thanks.  Now if I can just find a place that sells large quantities of white vinegar.  *sigh*

This site had some interesting ideas too!