Hi moms-
My 5 month old had developed bronchiolitis. She is really stuffy and keeps coughing. As a result she's not sleeping well. I know that it's a virus and we must wait it out. In the meantime I could use some advice on making her more comfortable. We run a cool mist humidifier non stop. I've been using saline drops in her nose-her doctor has said she's too young for anything else. We spend a couple hours each day in a steamy bathroom. For the most part she's sleeping on me or on her carseat. I've elevated her crib mattress but it's not enough. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks so much to everyone for your responses! In the end, we had to tough it out. Her doctor said she was just too young for anything other than the saline and bulb syringe. So-lots of steam showers and upright naps. The good news is she's just about back to normal. Thanks again!
My son had this when he was 3 months old. I feel for you! It's terrible!
Our doctor gave us a nebulizer and albuteral for him to be used every 4 hours.
I don't think there's any problem sleeping in her carseat if she's comfortable. I used Baby Vicks on my kid's feet, but if your doc said she's too little, I would respect that.
Good luck!
Hi K.,
I have put a little ground up alfalfa and vitamin C in a bit of juice or water. But make sure your doctor is ok with it.
Are you using the little bulb syringe to clear the nose?
I use Shaklee because they are the safest children's vitamins. At six months you can start the powdered vitamin. You can check them out at http://www.shaklee.net/healthforlife
Good luck and God bless.
Victoria
Look on the bottle and/or ask your doctor, but Vick's Vaporub makes a Baby Vicks version that I've used on both of my boys when they were infants. I'm pretty sure I used it on my youngest at 2 or 3 months. Some people don't think Vicks works, but it ALWAYS seems to help my kids and me as well! A hint I heard years ago that I do (even though this seems nuts) is to also rub it on the heels to help coughing. I swear it really does seem to work even better when you do this!
Dear K.:
I have a 5 year old boy that had a similar problem at age 1 but was never diagnosed. My son had already learned how to bring up mucus from his throat and chest. There is a Homeopathic Expectorant Cough Syrup approved for any age where a child can clear their throat.
This Cough Syrup has been around for 20 years and rarely ever fails children or adults. It has immune stabilizing ingredients and mucus dissolving properties.
The best way to use it for that age would be ¼ tsp. 4 to 6 times a day in the mouth. Keep this on mind if she does not improve very soon. This type of condition needs to be resolved in 7 to 10 days or can lead to asthma later on in life from the inflammation scarring the bronchioles.
You can research the product at:
http://www.ndinutraceuticals.com/product22.html
Good Luck:
Kim (using my husbands sign-in)
Have you discussed with the pediatrician getting her albuterol?
Also is this associated with a fever, or is the fever gone? If she appears to be restricted breathing you may want to go back to the pediatrician and get to a respiratory specialist to rinse out "professionally" her sinuses...
My son had that when he was really small (less than a year), and it seems to me (though my memory could be off-my son is 7 now!) that his ped prescribed a nebulizer and either albuterol and/or pulmacort that helped open his air passages. It helped him. Before using it, he'd cough so much that he'd vomit. Maybe you should ask your ped if that's an option.
My daughter had bronchiolitis alot when she was a baby. I came across this thing in CVS and decided to try it out. It's a vapor plug and it is the BEST thing ever. Basically it's a night light that has this little slot to put these pads in and it fills the whole room with a Vick's Vapor Rub type of smell but without having to actually put it on your child. My doc agreed and they work like a charm. This way they are no where's near the harsh chemicals at all with all the benefits of it. We are actually using them right now as both kids are currently sick and that plus the cool mist humidifier works like a charm. Good luck and hope she feels better.
PS - I've done the vick's on the feet thing before too and that also works!
