Bronchitis??? - Memphis,TN

I was also going to suggest the vapor rub on the feet. We heard about this last year when my oldest had a bad cough that persisted for weeks. You rub it on the soles of the feet and then cover with socks (I think that is mostly to protect the bedding). One of those "not sure why it works, but it does" things - I guess it is related to reflexology, and you may be rubbing on some certain pressure points in the feet that help control lung function? I don't know - it all sounds hokey to me anyway! But it works, so I do it!

My doc also says "allergies" every time one of my kids doesn't get better from something, I think only my youngest actually has them. But from my own experience and my kids' - they CAN develop allergies at any point. Recently my 12 yr old started sneezing around the cat we've had for 6+ years! But also, there could be something within the daycare environment (or certain grasses/plants in the playyard) that he could have an allergy to, that you don't have around your home. I never had hayfever allergies AT ALL until I was 25 and we moved to a different state, only a couple hours away from where I grew up. Now my asthma-related allergies hardly affect me, but I have horrible hayfever type symptoms almost all year round. I pop Zyrtec every day now, and during high pollen times also use Chortrimeton tablets every 4-6 hours...So what works today might not work next month and unfortunately, daycare is the worst place for picking up germs. My son (the 12 yo) started when he was 5 months old and until I took him back out at 13 months old, he had ear infections every month, that usually led to other illnesses. I didn't make enough money at my job to afford the rate of daycare AND all those doctor bills and medications!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery - try the humidifiers and vapor rubs and consult another physician. I would be leary of giving anything herbal or non-regulated products to a toddler without checking with a doc or pharmacist, though...

A.

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I would try a cool mist humidifier in his room and run it at night. Both my kids has something similar to this and the cool mist seems to really help. Also I would try Zyrtec with him. Give it to him at night. It is an allergy medication but it really helps with the nasal congestion. Also you can try the mucinex granuals for children, this helps to break up the congestion and will produce a productive cough, so when he coughs it will bring up the junk in his chest. I hope some of this helps you. I would keep pushing the md to check him out and if that fails change doctors. They are not always right! I fought with one for my daughter for 6 months then changed doctors and the new one knew what was wrong with her prescribed the right medicine and within a week she was all better. Good luck

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Our boys had the same thing, I kept taking them to the doc every 2 weeks and they just were looking at me like I was a crazy mama and kept saying it's a virus nothing can be done.
But Vicks on the feet with worm socks is amazing, I have no idea why it works but it does.

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N.,
My son had a cold a couple of months ago that seemed to linger in his chest forever before finally going away. It may just be the nature of this particular virus/cold to settle in the chest. If he is eating and playing fine, and not running a temperature, I wouldn't worry too much. Just put some Vick's on his feet at night, and that will help with the sleeping situation. If you are still unsettled by this after a while longer, take him back to the doctor as a follow up. Also, you make sure to take care of your self too and see the doctor if needed! :)

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Take him back to the doctor. Ask them to please do x-rays before they make a diagnoisis of allergies. My daughter ended up getting Pneomonia because we didn't ask that question.

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My 2 daughters and I caught a similar bug. We were put on Singulair for the allergies (helps the cough, they say, and acts a little different than Zyrtec). I'm rather confident that my girls don't have allergies, but I have seasonal allergies.

We were given and tried the Singulair wihtout relief. Eventually the girls lost their coughs, but almost 3 months later I had not. I couldn't take a deep breath without coughing. Nighttime was horrible. Benadryl seemed to help make me tired enough to sleep. (Not sure what my husband took to sleep through my coughing, though.) Cough drops stopped working, and that is when I grew more concerned. I scheduled an appointment with an ENT.

I saw an ENT who had worked with my son many years ago when he had recurrent ear infections. He looked at my throat and surrounding area. He said he saw a sinus infection. Prescribed an antibotic for that. He educated me a little on the bronchial tubes. Too much to attempt to recall in writing. Anyway, he did say sometimes there is a type of bronchial thing that takes 2 months to work through. By the way, 2-3 days on the antibotic, and my cough is completely gone.

Long story to share that we have recently been there and kind of done that. If your insurance will allow you to self refer, try an ENT. If not, get a referral. Tell your primary care doctor that you need answers. It is not normal to spend months with a cough.

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Please have him tested for RSV if the Dr. has not already done so. This situation sounds very familiar to me! My son had RSV and we had seen a Dr. we don't normally see. (you know how that big clinic goes that shall remain nameless) Anyway, when we finally saw our regular Dr. he tested him for RSV and he had it! I don't want to scare you, but he had to be hospitalized. Of course, he was much younger than your son. RSV is worse for younger children. But the fact is, you need to know what is going on. My son was only two months old but the symptoms sound close. There are several wonderful medicines and treatments available that can help him sleep and get better. Check into it!

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you can make your own saline solution, just a little iodized salt ( "when it rains, it pours.....") maybe enough to cover half a dime in a cup of warm water. stir it around, and pull it up into a bulb-eared syringe, tilt your head and squirt it into the lower nostril....you will NOT like it the first time, but when the area under your eyes stops feeling like something is trying to pop thru to the outside of your face, and the sinus drip goes away....you will use it until you tire of it, and come back to it when the pain of sinus returns. They used something called a "neddy-pot" on Oprah / Dr. Oz was on there. and Flonase is wonderfull !
Like the ladies say though, find a Dr. to get to the bottom of this.

The cough is probably caused by the sinuses draining at night. It's most likely a sinus thing going on. For yourself, I would suggest what an ENT told us: buy yourself some saline nasal spray (not the medicated stuff, just straight saline) and use it every night and morning. Works like a champ for our family, and I haven't had a sinus infection since I started using it 2 years ago.

summer is the worse time to get a cold they just seam to linger on for a long time but i'd try dimetap its over the counter and usually works well for little ones but if symptoms continue i'd get a secound openion.i've used it with two out of three of my children and it helps with congestion.
and i still use vicks vaper rub have dont that with all three of them.

It's very likely the nasal congestion. This has happened to me and to my daughter, as well. Some of the drainage goes down the back of the throat to the lungs during the day, then when he lies down at night, it drains back up. The coughing is the body's attempt to clear it. Use a nasal decongestant during the day, preferably early so as not to keep him awake at night, and I'll almost guarantee the cough will go away!

Hi N.. I've been a RN for 32 years. I mostly dealt with adults. While I was reading your letter, before you said it, I was thinking of allergies. I have a history of allergies which have caused mild to severe congestion, etc. But this year I have a cough instead. I have observed others with allergies, having just a dry cough. As a professional and a parent, I believe your child's cough is allergy related. Don't forget, there's also more garbage in the air today than ever before. Our lungs are coughing up what doesn't belong. D.

If you don't like what the pediatrician says - you can always go see another one. However, my guess it is a post nasal drip that you are experiencing not bronchitis. Sometimes you can experience severe coughing from it and it can persist for a long time. It could e from the cold or from allergies (just b/c he's never suffered before does not mean he couldn't begin suffering from them. It's based on the allergens and allergen concentration which varies year to year). If it were me I would go back to the pediatrician get one last check on the lungs and then ask her about a nasal decongestant. Explain to her the problem with his lack of sleep and see what suggestions she can offer. I know there was a big scare about decongestants - but used appropriately they do have their merits. Good luck.

I'm all in favor of the cool vaporizer and also suggest perhaps raising the head of his bed (on books?) or if in a crib, maybe raise the head one notch if you can. This could help with drainage. Vicks on the chest creates a menthol that the baby would inhale and that could work, too. Good luck!

my hubby and i are currently going through the exact same thing. we were sick with sinus infections, he had bronchitis, etc. be are both over the initial illnesses but still have the lingering hacking cough. my ob and a fam prac md both said it was just seasonal allergies and the cough was from sinus drainage...he is old enough for childrens benadryl, claritin, or zyrtec and maybe grease his chest with vick vapo-rub. always works wonders fro my daughter. i've been taking claritin and my fam practive md gave me an inhlaer to use when i have coughing fits...seems to be helping a little more each day, but i think i need to switch to zyrtec since is covers a braoder spectrum of allergies.

Hi N.,
He is 30 months, so he is old enough to give him some warm honey and lemon tea. Honey is a natural cough suppressant. You may also think about a vaporizer for him at night, so that he can rest properly.
I would also suggest that you take him to another doctor and get a second opinion about the bronchitis and allergies. He may now have allergies. My son was not born with asthma, but as the years have gone along, he has allergies and asthma. We were hoping he would grow out of the asthma, but it seems to be getting a little worse. Same with the allergies. Now, he can't eat shell fish, nuts nor fresh fruits. So, as they grow, things may change.
I hope something works for him soon, so that he can feel better.