Productive Cough Medicine

Guaifenesin is the ONLY expectorant medication that is sold over the counter.

It is the med in Robotussin, Tussin, and Mucinex. They are all the same medication in the same dosages.

You pay more for one brand than the other but if you buy the Walmart brand you get exactly what is in the expensive Mucinex that is nearly 3 times more expensive.

I'd say your doc would say it's okay but you don't really know. If this is something that your little one gets often you should discuss the option of getting a home nebulizer. The little vial of medication that you put in it has a lot of water in the med to make it vaporize better. I often find that the moisture in it helps as much to make the goo runny as the actual medication that opens the airways up.

Using a nebulizer is a good way for even a newborn to get meds in their lungs. We use Albuterol with one kid and Xophenex for the other.

When I have a dry hacking cough I take 4 tsp. of Tussin every 4 hours and use the nebulizer every 4 hours but not at the same time.

Like this.

Tussin-noon, Nebulizer-2pm, Tussin-4pm, Nebulizer-6pm, and so forth. This routine usually makes the goo very runny and very easy to cough up.

I sometimes will use sterile water alone in the nebulizer too but my doc told me how. I have a prescription for the vials of water. I don't need it but it makes it easier to get it from a pharmacist. They understand what it's for and what kind to give me.

After taking some X-rays to make sure your little one doesn't have pneumonia the doc should give you a routine that will break this goo up so it won't linger. If he keeps having this problem I'd make sure to see a doc that treats asthma and lung diseases so you can learn what it wrong and perhaps how to keep him from getting this so often.

I had croup every time I was outside after dark. My parents sat up with me night after night. I know how hard this can be for you.

Our doc also told us that there is no proof that the DM meds actually work. I know that if we use Delsym to stop a cough during the nighttime it wears off after about 4 hours then they cough and hack all night and can't take anything else.

Alergy meds may help but be aware THEY DRY THEM OUT TERRIBLY. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO, DRY UP MUCUS. Then it's not going anywhere and it just dries and makes spiderweb like structures in their lungs. As soon as it gets moist again it starts coming loose and trying to come up again.

I would really make sure what the doc said. I would also go to a lung doc to try and heal this issue instead of just treating it over and over.

I would not recommend Mucinex for a 2 year old. I think you should probably ask your doctor or pharmacist as those kinds of meds aren't really encouraged for young kiddos (like anyone under 6). My husband is a pharmacist and he said he wouldn't give it to our kids who are 3 and 5, so I'd think about it and see if you can come up with an alternative. We do give our kids (generic) Zyrtec for coughs and it helps quite a bit but it's not necessarily productive, so it might not be right in your case. Good luck though, sounds rough.

My son gets strider with croupe so we give the steroid - and in all the times (10 at least) my son has suffered croupe I do not recall a productive cough. However I do like to use Tincherbenzoine (sp) with a vaporizer when I have a productive cough.

I would check with your pediatrician first but ours suggested we use Delsym for our girls who are soon to be 3 and 6.

Peace and Blessings,
T. B

I've not experienced a lingering productive cough. It's been a dry, hacking cough that wakes us up. Does his cough rattle? If so, yes, it's productive and a Mucenix type medication does help. I use the generic one. It's much less expensive.

For the dry, hacking cough, steam may help. And a medication with Dextromethorphan may help. Guaifenesin is an expectorant meaning it helps the body expel mucous. Dextromethorphan is a (can't think of the word). It helps to shut down the cough. Cough drops can contain Destromethorphan.

I suck on hard candy and cough drops with D. Hot liquids with honey also helps.

Later: I didn't realize he was only 2. I agree with Tori H. Definitely ask the doctor before giving him anything.

If the cough is goopy I'd also ask the doctor about this. It's my take that he still has the cold and you could continue to use the same measures that made him more comfortable to begin with. I'm just thinking it's more like a dry cough because that is usually what happens once one is over the cold.