Dimatapp

Hi H.. Have you tried sucking out his nose with a nose suction thing? :-). I don't know exactly what they're called. When my son sounds congested, I use one of those. Or I'd give him a nice bath, let him stay in there for a little while. Or you can try those saline drops they sale at the store.

Have you tried saline drops? There is a one that is a mist. My kids respond to that well. We usually steam up the bathroom and then spray some in their noses. Also, don't use the bulb suction so much because that can cause more swelling and irritation in the nasal passage. A humidifier in his room at bedtime and during naptime will help as well. I would not use Dimatapp without talking to your pedi first. I hope this helps!

I've asked my Pediatrician the same question -- can my baby (11 months) take over-the-counter meds. She quickly responded, "NO! No OTC meds for kiddos this small."
Right now, my baby is on loratadine for allergies, as well as Nasonex for the same -- and a very good antihistamine/decongestant suspension liquid named Aldex D. It's quite a "cocktail" of meds, but it works like a charm. Ask your Ped. about the Aldex D...sounds like yours may need a decongestant along with the antihistamine, which Aldex D is a combo of both.

Hi H.. Trust me I completely understand what you are going through. I use the Little Nose Saline (it thins the mucus so it can drain) to suck out his nose. I don't know if you know this or not but if you spray the saline in his nose first then suck out the snot with the aspirator bulb it is much more effective. Then when I don't get anymore snot, then I use the Little Noses Decongestant Drops. You can use it every 4 hours but don't use it more than 3 days consectively (that is what the bottle says and the doctor). But the congestive drops are awesome. I have only been able to find it at a Pharmacy store, for some reason I haven't been able to find it at Wal-mart. I also use Zyrtec with him but when he was your son's age I could only use Benadryl but some doctors will let you use Zyrtec at his age I would ask your doctor. My doctor told me to use Rescon GG (my doctor told me to only use .8mm but don't use it more than 3 times a day, play it by ear and give it when he needed it) you have to get it behind the pharmacy counter but it like Musinex but a lower dose. But before you use it or get it I would talk to your doctor about it first. Each doctor is different about what they want you to use. I also use the vapor rub (baby and regular) at night and during day, and I also use Menthalatum under his little nose. I hope I helped a little. Good luck.

I would not give a 7 month old baby Dimatapp or any other over the counter cold medicine especially if the Dr. already prescribed an ani histamine.

Are you using a humidifier or salene nasal drops?

As far as not eating....I know it seems worrisom, but most kids/people don't have appetites when they can't smell or taste their food. Just make sure he gets plenty of liquids if at all possible and let him recover on his own.

I know it's hard when our babies are sick and we want to help, but sometimes all we can give is TLC and let nature run its course.

please dont. I gave it to my 2 year old and it was unpleasant.. and thats putting it nicely.

There really isn't a ton you can do, and there isn't anything you can give infants for congestion.. Get a humdifier - use it constantly, and take lots of steamy baths to help clear his nose. Most decongestants have been pulled off the market, and those left on the shelves are really for kids over 2 years old, its best to play it safe and skip it. If you feel you must give him something - call your doctor (most have an oncall that will respond to after hours calls) and ask about benadryl and the correct dosage for his weight/age.

The other responses are good as well.. suction the nose, use the saline spray.. along with the humdifier and steamy baths, it should do the trick.

H., I believe that this type of decongestant has been deemed unsafe for infant use. I found the following article:

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WYE 41.65, 0.00, 0.0%) confirmed Thursday that it intends to follow in the steps of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ:Johnson & Johnson
and pull its baby cold medications off the market over industry concerns that some caregivers are misusing the drugs, resulting in accidental overdose. A Wyeth spokesman told Marketwatch the company will stop making Robitussin Infant Cough DM Drops, and will recall two products it discontinued last year, Dimetapp Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops and Dimetapp Decongestant Infant Drops. Wyeth also plans to place a warning on its other cold medications advising they should not be used on children under two years of age. Community

I would suggest a humidifier, warm bath before nap or bed. Be careful with giving anything over the counter

I don't know about the Dimeatapp because my son is allergic to it. But have you tried using Vicks Vaporub on his lungs and around his nostrils? That's what I always did with my son when he was little and it always worked like a charm. The only time we had problems was when he had a cold that turned into bronchitis because he is asthmatic and it would turn into pneumonia very quickly. If nothing else, take him to urgent care and see what they say. Good luck. It is no fun having a sick little one. Bless you both.

I would not give him dimatapp. I have a seven month old as well and he ended up having to be on an allergy medicine. He had clear stringy mucus all the time. Have you tried baby vicks and a vaporizer? That always helps my little one.

You might see if you can get baby saline drops, and follow the directions on the back of the package. Then take a syringe and suck the baby's nose. You can try getting in a steamy bathroom running the shower hot (water not to touch the baby, of course). This makes it like a vaporizer. This helps break up the congestion. Mama L.

I would use some saline nose drops and hold him and send use the nasal aspirator (the one you got from the hospital when he was born) and clean his nose out 3-4 times per day, especially before he takes a bottle or tries to eat. To help hold him down, wrap his arms up in a big blanket and cuddle him tight to suction out his nose. Having 2 kids with runny noses in the past, I have had to do this a lot.

The FDA has cautioned against any cold medicines for children under 2 years old. Please consider looking into something homeopathic or herbal. Although these things need to be used carefully, they are not fraught with the side effects of OTC pharmaceuticals.

You can do an Internet search and also the vitamin consultants at Whole Foods are very knowledgeable and helpful.

they have yanked all OTC congestion/cold meds for kiddos under two. It sounds simple but saline nose can work like a champ to clear nasal passages.

With all the news about dimatapp and strokes, i would never use dimatapp for anyone in your family,

I know that is so miserable. My son would get so stuffy that I would bug my husband (who is also a physician) to give him something. My son just turned two and he is just now taking Dimetap. I would strongly suggest you hold off. The nasal aspirator is probably your best bet. Try squirting some saline nasal drops down his nose right before. If he is anything like my son, he will kick and scream and fight you. I've gotten very fast with practice. Also, try propping him his crib up with pillows to keep him slightly elevated. I've even brought his car seat inside and let him sleep in that when he was super congested. Our son would not eat very well for several days - but he was always ok. Time is really the best medicine for congestion. The risks of cold medicine are just not worth it at this age. I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you different. Could you give the nurse at the drs. office a call for some other suggestions?

Do not give your son Dimetapp, there is nothing scarier than seeing your baby turn blue because his blood pressure drops and he stops breathing! It happened to me when my son was 14 months old-before all the warnings came out last summer to not give children under 2 decongestants. I still don't like to give them to my son because of that and he's over 2 now. And since your Dr. prescribed and antihistamine it would probably be overdoing it. Stick with saline and the bulb syringe, vaporizer, baby Vaporub and running the bathroom shower till it gets nice and steamy then sit in there with him and read some books and play with toys or better yet, give him a bath in his baby tub in the big tub after the bathroom steams up.

Don't use the dimatapp because of all the new studies. This won't hurt him, but will make him upset. Get some nose spray and use it then suction his nose (hold one side closed while suctioning the other). He will breathe out his mouth while doing this. It will get a lot of that mucus out.

I would not give my seven month old any antihistamine unless it was prescribed by my doctor. They can be very dangerous for infants.

Try vicks vapor rub on his feet covered by warm socks first.

If you are already giving him a prescribed antihistamine, DON'T give Dimatapp because you'll be potentially over-dosing your baby with medication. Saline nose drops will help alleviate the congestion. Also, a vaporizer in his room at night should also help. Tylenol will help if he has a fever, but if your baby doesn't have a fever, there is no need to be giving him Tylenol. Your baby's congestion should get better soon. When in doubt always ask/call your doctor before giving any medication, even otc!

I give my daughter benadryl and use those nose "suckers" to get the snot out....it's not fun but it works and the benadryl helps her sleep....just push, push the fluids....my daughter is 2 and my doctor tells me when she's sick like that the nutrition isn't as important as hydration--that is key....if you can't get him to drink my mom suggested a dropperful of water--works and keeps them hydrated---sorry to go on but dehydration is worse than not eating...

Your baby might have food allergies to consider; I would not start loading a baby up on meds. until you rule this out. Hope you find something that works soon.

Another trick is to go in the bathroom and turn on the shower and steam up the bathroom, and hold your baby and walk back and forth for till you run out of hot water. If your bathroom is very large, you might try getting into the shower with him, with the water turned away from you both so you don't burn yourselves... you'll have to turn it lower than if you weren't in the shower, and just let it run and run and run....

It really helps. Then you can use a saline nasal spray which will help break up congestion and reduce the swollen nasal passages just a little bit more.

H., Personally I would not give ANY decongestants. I have taken my kids of all of them since all the reports came out, and my kids have been healthier. What I highly suggest is SALINE, SALINE, SALINE!! I promise it works. You have to do it a lot, but it does work. It will take some time to start working, but be patient it does work. Sadly, I had to hold my 20 mth. old down when she was a baby, but it worked a lot better than the cold meds. I also put a suda-care plug in in the room at night. It smells the room up like Vicks, and then I have a cool mist humidifier going. If there is any way that you can prop hin up, when he is sleeping, that will help as well. I am not against all meds, but as a mother of three, the cold meds do not work. I hope this helps.

It's been in the news for some time now that Dr.s do not recomend giving otc cold or flu meds for children under the age of 4.(I could be wrong) I thought they pretty much pulled them from the shelves?
I use saline nose drops for my son. Along with his humidifier and vicks vapo rub.(they even have it a baby formula now) This seems to work pretty well for us.

My pedi and pharmacist recommended Zurtec for my 15 month old. They said that it is better than even Benadryl, because it helps with the congestion and drip. It works for 24 hours too which is great because I don't have to keep giving it to her every 6 hours. Just give it to them once a day and they seem clearer.

H.,

If you don't have a cool mist humidifier it works wonders for really congested babies - mostly at night when they need to sleep! Also little noses will help break it down and easier to aspirate.

Do not use it on top of what the Dr. has prescribed. It too is an antihistamine. I recommend Eucalyptis oil to rub on his chest to help open him up. You can purchase it at a whole food market not sure about GNC though.

I have never used dimatapp. I use the kids mucinex, it is a powder that dissolves on the tongue. Follow the directions, & you both will sleep better tonight.

If you've been following the latest news, then the answer is a resounding NO. Don't worry about the eating too much . . . it is the drinking that is more important so that he doesn't dehydrate. I am shocked your doctor prescribed medicine considering all the recent bad press about giving cold/allergy meds to children under 2 years of age. Your best bet is a humidifier when he sleeps, and rubbing some Baby Vicks on his chest and back, and some saline nose drops. These worked like a charm for my little one (now 14 months) when she had a cold a few months ago. You may also want to give him some baby Tylenol . . . I wouldn't doubt there is some sinus pain, too.

Mucinex makes an infant formula that works great with congestion!

I use a little Vicks vapor rub mixed w/Vaseline and rub a little on my babies feet, chest and back. I think they make a baby formula one, but I use the regular one and have had really good luck w/it. I also use a humidifier in the bedroom w/him when he is congested. Good luck, I know it is frustrating for both of u.
:(

I have been giving my 11 month son Robitussin DM for the past few months a .8 dose (using the Tylenol .8 dose dropper). This is the adult bottle since they had taken the Infant version off of the shelves. This was suggested by my son's pediatrician. FYI, I actually buy the generic one from Walmart. My son likes the taste and it seems to help him. I have never tried Dimatapp, nor has the Dr recommended it. I would not give anything to your child that has been cleared through the pediatrician and dosage amount double checked by the pharmacist. I hope this helps you.

My mom used to put a little baby vicks sauve under my nose to help and take me to the restroom and steam it up for awhile worked wonders try it and see. R.

I think there is a Infants or Children's Dimetapp. I would check with the doctor to make sure you can add that with the prescriptions antihistamine. Sometimes giving both for a child that young could be over doing it.

There are some baby vapor patches or Johnson's Vapor Rub that works good for some congestion relief.

Hope this helps!