Help with CONSTANT Cough Due to Cold!

Updated on October 25, 2010
K.D. asks from Truth or Consequences, NM
16 answers

My 4 year old has a cold and is coughing every couple of seconds! He has thrown up 2x. He can't sleep and is miserable. I have tried honey, steam bath, humidifier.....any other recommendation???

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T.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

I feel for him. I throw up when i cough also. I have been using a nebulizer. Maybe that would help him? Hope the little guy feels better soon.

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J.C.

answers from Tucson on

It's an old wive's tale but it works for my kids. I put the baby Vick's vapor rub on their feet and then socks before they go to bed and it really helps. Hope he's feeling better soon.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

out pediatrician always says if they are coughing hard enough to cause them to vomit its definitely time to bring them in. It could be something worse then just a cold. If your ped has office hours I'd try to get him seen in the morning.
edited: my oldest gets like this when his asthma flares and my youngest gets like this when he has a sinus infection because of all the post nasal drip I have spent many nights when they are sick sleeping in the double recliner with them which seems to help a lot. They never stay propped up in their beds. Benedryl makes my boys hyper if it is colored but you can get dye free which doesn't seem to make them as nutty. Another thing is he could have whooping cough even if he was vaccinated.

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D.S.

answers from Tulsa on

I also agree with the asthma. I have it and you will cough so much your lungs feel like they are going to come out of your throat.

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J.M.

answers from Boston on

Call your doc and ask if they okay benadryl. It works really well for my little one who has cold-induced asthma. It dries him out so that post-nasal drip isn't irritating his throat. And it helps knock him out so he can sleep through the coughing. But if your son does keep coughing like that and his abs seem to be pulling up and in under his sternum a little bit when he's breathing, do consider getting him checked out ASAP. Mine never really "wheezed" with asthma, but the constant coughing is a sign we need to start his meds. Good luck.

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S.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

Yes. Get him seen ASAP by doctor.
AND . . . . I wonder if there's anything in his bedroom
that he is having an allergic reaction to.

A.H.

answers from Phoenix on

My youngest son (I have 4!) caught R.S.V. when he was four months old. It was a nightmare. Because of this, he has seemed to be more susceptible to getting a cough - and when he does, these are the things I do. First of all, my pediatrician informed me that despite the warnings on Bendryl, children can be given it starting at 22 pounds. Since your son is 4 I'm going to guess he's at least that big, if not bigger. 1 tsp./22 pounds. My son is not quite two but weighs 33 pounds and I give him 3/4 of a teaspoon just because he responds well to that amount. Delysm is an awesome cough medicine and I'm sure they took it off the market for kids, but ask the pharmacist - they will tell you, and maybe even recommend something better. Vicks rubbed liberally on the bottom of the feet works amazingly well. Apply it and then put socks on. You will have to probably do this several times during the day and at night too, but it seems to calm the cough very effectively. A cool mist humidifier won't necessarily help his symptoms, but provide him with needed moisture and make him more comfortable. Make sure it's as close to his bed as possible. Elevated sleeping is helpful. And last but not least...your doctor might be able to precribe you something stronger for his cough - a cough suppressant with an expectorant. While he seems like he just has a cold with a cough, taking him to the doctor will rule out he doesn't have something like walking pneumonia or the croup or even bronchitis - all things that someone can get and not have a fever. He may need a nebulizer (sp?) to help open up his lungs. If he doesn't show signs of improvement soon, I highly recommend getting him seen ASAP. Good luck. Poor little fella - hope he gets well soon!

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C.W.

answers from Washington DC on

Yeah, I have been coughing every couple of seconds for past week due to a cold, so I feel his pain. I live off of vicks. I have a little vicks vaporizer next to my bed that helps clear my nasal passages which is triggering the cough. they also make them in a nightlight form for kids. There are some homeopathic cough medicines out there if you can get him to take medicine, mine refuse. My doc once told me that a little cough medicine won't hurt as long as I understand what meds were in there and I didn't over dose him. He said that was the big problem with the medicines, parents didn't understand that tylenol and acetaminophin were the same things and often overdosed their kids when they were present in the cough medicine and they didn't know how to figure out the dose. One word of caution about Benadryl, some kids become really hyper on benadryl, mine included, so I would test it out in the afternoon before you give it at night if you decide to go that route.

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R.H.

answers from Boston on

take him to the doctor!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Not sure if this works but have you tried Vicks on his feet with socks over it?

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L.S.

answers from New London on

I swear by benedryl (the generic) and ibuprofen. My son usually coughs and throws up in the middle of the night if he has a cold but if I use both he doesn't. The ibuprofen will take the swelling down, which could be causing mucus in the airways and nasal passageways and the benedryl will dry up any post nasal drip. Just make sure it's just a common cold though.

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A.M.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi K.D.,

None of these good recommendations are going to work if your little one has Phnuemonia (not sure on the spelling). I don't mean to alarm you but Seriously it is not that hard or uncommon for kids/adults to get it.

In other words take him to the Doctor just to make sure and they could probably prescribe a really good cough medicine that has codeine in it to help them sleep. Probably the best cough medicine out there that works all the time (pricey though but it works) is "Delsyum".

Hope that he gets better soon,

A.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Take him to the Doctor or urgent care office or ER.

Pertussis.. .is also something that is epidemic in some States.

Regardless.. take him to the Doctor since he is coughing so much AND throwing up because of it... and cannot sleep.

K.C.

answers from Albuquerque on

try getting a dust mask/filter (the kind they put on during flu season in dr.s offices) and put a single drop of eucalyptus oil on it. He will breath in the oil and it clears the lungs.

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J.D.

answers from Albuquerque on

my son (3 years) has allergy induce asthma. has been through a long road of testings and overnight stays in hospital. take him to a dr. and request to see a specialist. we had to see a pulmonologist and an ent and allergist to diagnose the problem. it has been a long road of testing with different medicine. i wish i could tell you there is an overnight solution but it may take a while to find what is best for your child.

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S.D.

answers from Phoenix on

I swear by putting Vicks on their feet with socks. Try it. You'll be amazed. Also, make sure you're proping his head up at night if you can. A cut pool noodle under one end of the mattress works well.

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