Bad Chest Cough

Brianne - posted on 04/04/2013

I wouldn't jump to Pertussis just yet. Whooping cough has a very distinctive cough that most doctors and nurses should be able to identify fairly quickly. My kids cough until they vomit during certain seasons. They have seasonal allergies. I hate to hear that because there's not much you can do and it seems like a crock to be just treating with allergy medicine and no antibiotics. However, it does help after a week of Allegra 2x a day for each of my children. We also use a humidifier and sometimes vaporub. My daughter has asthma, so she does the breathing treatments, but the Allegra helps keep us from having to do them so often. Have you been given any antibiotics this whole time? If not, try the allegra for a week or maybe 2 and if nothing happens, insist an antibiotic and also a throat or sputum culture to identify the true culprit. I hope this helps.

Becky - posted on 04/02/2013

Thank you all for the advice. My daughter just vomited again from coughing so hard and I have taken her the doctor 4 times this year already and I have been told the same thing, it is not in her chest and will pass in due time. It has been 12 weeks and it has gone no where. I give her honey at night and I also have a homeopathic cough syrup I give her which can temporarily suppress the cough but it is typically back within hours. It is scary to watch your child cough so hard and then suffer the after affects of a sore throat from coughing. If anyone receives any diagnosis from a specialist please share

Heather - posted on 02/29/2012

Astrogalus, yes my Dad has COPD and swears by the stuff. Another easy thing and cheap is black licorice it has to be from licorice root, she can chew a piece or steam it drink the waters OR inhale. I give my boys a piece to chew in the mornings for stubborn coughs. It relieves inflamation and can help losen phlem.

Debbie - posted on 02/20/2012

Sounds like Pertussis, also known as whooping cough to me. It is a bacteria and will need an antibiotic.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pertussis

Virginia - posted on 05/03/2010

i would probably suggest trying either the apple cider vinegar idea or the eucalyptus or the echinacea/goldenseal ideas that other moms have posted before doing the honey because raw honey can be fatal for children whereas the other ideas listed have no possible side effects. prayers are good, action is just as good too though, and I would really hesitate about the honey. No offense meant to anyone, I would just hate for somehting bad to happen. It is of course the mother's call.

Brianne - posted on 05/03/2010

I worry about giving your child honey because of botulism... I know it usually happens in those under a year of age, but still, I don't give my son honey.

Kim - posted on 05/02/2010

I would like thank you everyone for their advice! Im going to start off with the vapourisor, and see how that goes for the next couple of weeks. If no success then I'll try seeing a specialist. Once again thank you :) Your advice and comments has made me feel a lot better!

Rabia - posted on 05/01/2010

hi kim i pray to GOD to give ur child health.
do one thing just keep honey with ur bedside always and when ur child start cough just give her a pinch of honey immediatly.it works i always use it.

Virginia - posted on 04/27/2010

also, burning either the Vicks Humidifier Liquid or Eucalyptus Essential Oil in an electric oil burner at night works really well too. We have one that allows you to turn the strength of the light up or down and we turn it far down at night so the light is very faint because that way the light is warm enough to heat the oil and send out the scent but not hot enough to be a fire hazard. Hope this helps.

Virginia - posted on 04/27/2010

I use a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water 50/50 and boil it on the stove. Once it gets to boiling I hold my child above the steam, high enough that its not too hot, and have them breathe it in. Only hold them above it for 15 sec or so at a time because it is potent. I lift them, hold so they have no choice but to inhale the steam, hold them there for 15 seconds or so, move them away from the steam for 20 secs or so, then move them back again. I do that for several minutes at least 3 or 4 times a day. The steam helps open up the airways and loosen the phlegm and the apple cider vinegar is a natural antibiotic. Also works with garlic water, and just plain water. All of the above can be left on a cool burner when you are done until you are done using it even if stays out for a few days. Hope this helps. I also have some very helpful tips for nausea and diarrhea that will allow you to help your child get better without having to run them to the dr. where they are likely to pick up something else. (That happened to my girls. Took them to the dr for a cough and they ended up with a viral infection for 2 weeks.)

BILLIE - posted on 04/27/2010

Hi Kim,
My son has had a never ending cough from the start of daycare. I have taken him to his doctor and many other doctor's and they all say the same thing ... it is not in his chest and it will go away on it's own. Of course as mother's we worry that they are wrong and it is worse then they think. Since no doctor can give me anything for his cough and running nose, I make sure his room is not too warm (as that brings on a coughing fit) and his humidifier is on low. Plus I rub baby vicks all over his chest, back and a little under his nose before bedtime to help him sleep better. I also make sure that his head is propped up just like Jenny said she does for her daughter. His coughs last about eight weeks and then he is better for a while but it has returned a few times over for the same about of the 8 week time line. According to his doctor, the 8 week time line for the cough is about normal these days. People keep telling me that it better he gets sick with colds now so his immune system builds up. For when he starts school at 5, he will be that kid that almost never gets sick. As great as that sounds, we still worry about them because they are our baby's and it breaks our hearts to see them suffer with running noses and bad sounding coughs. Try a few of what we have said and see if your little angel gets better. Hope she and you feel better soon.

Jenny - posted on 04/26/2010

Hi,
My son used to get it and my daughter does now. Is she teething? My two get bad chest colds every time they get teeth in. The doctors told me there is nothing they could do but if it gets worse take them back in or to the ER. They told me to get a cold air humidifier and give them so Tylenol for pain. And plenty of fluid. I also was told to elevated their head which helped. We did find out after my son was done teething that he has asthma but that didn't surprise me because I have it and one of my other kids have it. But, he had a wheezy chest that is one of the tattle tail signs of asthma. We got him under control with medicine and a nebulizer. As for my daughter we are handling each time she gets teeth with propping her head up, the cold air humidifier and Tylenol. I don't know if this helps but it's what we do. Also, a prayer or two wouldn't hurt.

Michelle - posted on 04/26/2010

if you're up for it (some people are funny about it) vicks vapour rub on the bottom on the feet with socks works wonders too...(not sure how old your little one is)

Melissa - posted on 04/26/2010

almost try....soothing vapor bath by johnstons that would work too

Michelle - posted on 04/26/2010

steam your bathroom by closing the door and putting the shower on hot water for about 10 mins before bed..helps a lot

Melissa - posted on 04/26/2010

hi kim...my daughter gets the samething and they gave her a puffer to help her and it works

Brianne - posted on 04/26/2010

Another thing to look for is RSV... A friend of mine's baby had that and it took FOREVER to get rid of and he actually ended up getting pneumonia from it because the pediatricians didn't catch it fast enough.

Brianne - posted on 04/26/2010

My old school family practicioner who has seen me since I was a little one told me that I could give him generic cold medication for a lingering cough that wouldnt subside. he said to give 1/2 tsp liberally.. he warned to not give often because of the new testing they are doing for those under 2. I had taken my son to our pediatrician multiple times with a constant cough and congestion, some of it was due to allergies and they did give him allegra (his dad's allergies are really bad as well) but the cough didn't stop, so I took him to the family practitioner and he has been really good about making sure he is ok. After a few days of giving him the cough and cold meds his cough stopped. It's really up to you whether you would give him cough medicine, but it worked for us.

Charlotte - posted on 04/26/2010

I just read an article linking the digestive tract to immune issues. Basically, if things aren't running smoothly down there (sorry for the punn) it will show up in the body as asthma-like breathing issues, cough, colds and flu. A good bacteria balance won't stop all colds or flu but without a balanced system, you may have longer and more frequent runs of each illness . Anyway, most yogurts don't really have enough of the good bacteria as pasturization kills it. You want live bacterial cultures to get the benefits (especially if you've taken antibiotics...they kill ALL digestive bacteria good and bad). I buy a probiotic supplement. I take the pill whole and stir a small amount into my daughter's yogurt or fruit in the morning (only add it to cold stuff so as to not kill the bacteria). Talk to a natural health prof. if you've never taken one yourself or don't know how to dose a child. Most trained staff in the supplement section at a health food store can help or, but it from a naturopath directly.

Lin - posted on 04/25/2010

Oh, I should have said, she just said use the inhaler sparingly, which we did, but particularly before he went to bed he always had a dose and he slept much better.

Lin - posted on 04/25/2010

My doctor prescribed an inhaler to help him breathe - Salbutamol I think, and it did seem to help. Unfortunately Conor had his cough for around 3 months..so sometimes they do take a while to go!! I had the same cough and it lasted roughly the same amount of time.

Andrea - posted on 04/24/2010

vaporisers are great i use one when my kids are sick. it does sound a little like croup though, be careful because its nasty but the doctor can give you some meds for it that will help!

Karen - posted on 04/23/2010

My daughter seems to stay congested for a long time after having a cold or flu and her cough is wosre at night and in the morning. I have taken her too an Osteopath with amazing results at cleatring her chest and there is no manipulation so it is safe for babies. This is the same Osetopath that after one visit had my daughter crawling as she was 10.5 months and unable to crawl. I don't know what she does but it works and is the only time my 20 month old will sit still ofr more than 5 minutes.

LaToya - posted on 04/23/2010

My daughter has the same chesty cough and after two pediatricians, with no avail, she still has the cough. She only coughs in the morning when she wakes up or sometimes throughout the night. My new pediatrician says it is okay for me to give her 1ml of over the counter childrens cough medicine. It has seem to work. I just really do not like when my little momma coughs.

Charlotte - posted on 04/22/2010

My whole family has had a chest cough for almost 6 weeks and my daughter also had diarrhea. We tried a number of natural things (echinicea, Goldenseal, Homeopathy) and nothing worked. My hubby and I used Nyquil to sleep for a few days but the symptoms came right back. We went to our MD and he said "it will pass its viral" but when something goes on this long, its not ok. At the suggestion of our Chiropractor we tried Astragalus extract 2 days ago. My hubby and I take about 1.5 ml/day and my daughter takes about 0.5 ml and OH MY GOSH it works!! Amazing results and we are all feeling so much better. Apparently echinicea can help prevent a cold but if you take it during, it can actually prolong. Astragalus boosts your immune system and promotes healing. Can't say enough how pleased I am!! You can find it at health stores (we got our from our Chiropractor so, some natural leaning busineses may also have it). Hope it works for you.

Kasandra - posted on 04/22/2010

Keep a close eye on it. Make sure they do x rays and lab work. Not to scare you but my niece was sick like that for awhile and they just kept telling her mom that it would go away. Then she died one night and they said it was SIDS but when my sister got the autopsy back it was pneumonia. Make sure you go through all options to keep her safe

Yvette - posted on 04/22/2010

I experienced the same with my son and in a few words I say take your daughter to see an asthma specialist. The treatments helped my son. Doctors will diagnosis with Bronchlities and it's just another name for asthma.

Rachel - posted on 04/22/2010

I agree with the humidifier and second opinion. I took my daughter to the pediatrician right after she turned 1 and she told me my daughter had the flu, to go home and use saline drops and if she wasn't better in a week to come back. I took her to a different doctor a few days later and they put her on a nebulizer because she was wheezing. Another time, she was coughing and I took her into the new pediatrician and he told me she had bronchiolitis and that it was good I brought her in so quick because lots of babies were ending up in the hospital with it.

Shantell - posted on 04/22/2010

My daughter was the same but she was given xome antibiotics along with the histal DM. after a while she came around.

Natasha - posted on 04/22/2010

My daughter had the same thing! It became so bad that she landed in hospital with Croup.

Mariana - posted on 04/22/2010

Same thing happen goes to my son.. I will consult with doctor. Normally try to avoid cooling (food, temperature) and too hoot. Don't let them eat oily, spicy, seafood.. Give them drink more like fruit juice and plain water..

Samantha - posted on 04/21/2010

Have you gotten a second opinion? My daughter had very bad chest congestion and coughing till she threw up flem and her doctor said she was fine two days later I took her to my sisters pediatrician and come to find out she had bronchitus.

Jami - posted on 04/21/2010

I have been using the vicks waterless vaporizer in small increments and it helped my daughter to sleep better.This was after a bath using the lavender Johnson & Johnson soap and lotion. I encourage her to cough to bring up the phlegm and although kind of icky for her to spit she will try it helps. Her cough is really wet so I don't use the humidifier but if it gets worse I will call the Dr and see if they will call in a nebulizer for her. Usually when I call to ask for other things than an antibiotic to help with symptoms the Dr's usually agree.
When i get insurance i plan to go see an allergist also. Good to have that checked its amazing how allergies can cause so many symptoms. I hope your babe feels better.

Nikki - posted on 04/19/2010

I have taken my son to the chiropractor to help get rid of lingering head and chest colds. He is instantly more relaxed when they finish and within a week the congestion clears. He has never been on antibiotics, not that I have taken him to the doctor, it's just that they never give us anything even when he is really sick. I use the humidifier and the doctor told me B could take 1/4 tsp of Children's Delsym. It seems to help for awhile. I don't take him very often, but for the most part the chiropractor has seemed to help the most. Good Luck. It stinks when little ones are sick.

Evie - posted on 04/18/2010

My daughter had alot of episodes like this when after she turned one. They did so many tests on her, including and MRI and X-rays. Eventually, I took her to an allergy and asthma specialist who discovered she was allergic to a bunch on things and this caused her to have an allergy-induced asthma. They told me to remove the allegerns and start her on nebulizer treatments for her asthma. IT WORKED!!!! I was so happy! She was finally sleeping through the night without coughing all night. She's now 5 and she still gets some episodes, but we have learned how to control it with the asthma meds. She's doing quite well.