loose, productive cough-should I worry?

[herbalwriter]

Ds has a nasty cough, now loose, but that was giving him a hard time during his nap yesterday and once during the night - it gets worse when he lies flat. So after keeping him propped up all night :yawn :yawn :yawn and with a cool mist vaporizer, he was able to lie flat for the last part of the night. I am giving Eldertussin, homeopathic cold and flu, and one dose of Robitussin before bed last night. Should I take him to the ped? I don't want to, because they'll give antibiotics, or send me home to wait it out after tormenting ds, or they'll give me samples of OTC meds. I just thought I'd ask if any other mamas have experienced this, and how it turned out. Ds has not other symptoms, not even a runny nose. Just this cough. And he seems to feel fine, appetite's great, etc. :shrug Could it be asthma?? I hope not.

[hbmamma]

We've all got the cough & cold right now. Warm mist is best to help loosen up the cough. If he gets into a bad coughing spell, turn the hot shower on in the bathroom and sit with him for a few minutes. I checked out Dr. Sears website (www.askdrsears.com) about coughs (under childhood illnesses) and he said that it's normal for a cough to run up to 10 days before it clears up. If other symptoms occur, then it might be time to take the child to the dr's.
If he's feeling alright and acting normal, then I personally wouldn't worry. But you know your kid better than anyone else. It doesn't sound like asthma...but you could have your dr check it out if it would put your mind at ease.
My dd is going on 7 days with her cough, even though she's slowed down a bit, she's still playing and acting normal. I've been giving her cold meds to help the symptoms, which have been helping her sleep better a night. The humidifier is a huge help!

Hope he feels better soon!

[herbalwriter]

Thank you Lea - I am in total agreement with you!

I also forgot to mention we're doing probiotics too.

[cobluegirl]

I wouldn't be worried..just make him comfortable sitting up and take lots of Vit C and probiotics...hot water with lemon and honey juice work wonders for loosening up phlegm too.

[herbalwriter]

Thanks Rachael. I will keep that in mind...he is getting a bit worse, now has a runny nose, some sneezing, and feels warm. But he is still playing and eating fine, except for dinner tonight. Still, I am not too worried... I will just keep doing the homeopathics. I am being rigorous about timing them - I am using 3 different things - and those things are miraculous if you really keep them up. I also got some Vicks vapor rub.

Thank the Lord he is still nursing!

[tiglet]

I've been told (over and over again! :giggle ) that the really important thing is how well he is breathing and how sick he is acting - if he's not wheezing, rasping, or really having to suck hard, and still playful, he's probably okay.

B has been at the Drs with a cough a lot (she had pneumonia at 6 mo, and I've been paranoid ever since) and the only time they gave her antibiotics was when she had pneumonia (suspected by the Dr. with a stethoscope and confirmed on chest x-ray).

Hope he feels better soon!

[herbalwriter]

Thanks Tiglet! I hope so too...this seems to be going on a long time, which makes me think of horrible things like flu or pneumonia. :nails Of course, it has to be the weekend. His fever is 99.6, which isn't bad at all, and I am hoping it will burn this thing off. He is med-free tonight, except the homeopathics and the Vick's. I am just starting to get worried...I hate this so much!

[tiglet]

:pray he feels better soon. 99.6 isn't too bad - at B's daycare, that wouldn't even warrant sending her home. (Not saying they're *right* about that - but Dr. Sears says 99.6 isn't even necessarily a fever too).

ANYWAY - I know how you feel with the long, on-going nature. When they cough and cough, I get worried, too. B had a cough this winter that lasted for 3.5 weeks. Hope your dc gets better *wayyyyyy* sooner than that!

[herbalwriter]

Well, I should have worried - ds went from bad to worse and last night was the worst night of our lives. He was up all night, burning hot, crying, fussing, uncomfortable, choking when he tried to nurse...it was terrible. Thankfully, my ped was on call this morning (an answer to my mom's prayer), and she was there at the ped's office so we went in and out fast - sure beat my original plan to go to the ER. Anyway, he has a huge ear infection, really red, sore throat, and an awful upper respiratory infection. But the good news is, we got lots of meds - I am not really into that usually, but he was suffering terribly and it had been 4 days, 3 with a fever - and his cough was better as of late this morning. So we are doing Robitussin, Motrin, antibiotics, and a nasal decongestant. :phew

I sure hope he sleeps tonight. I don't think I can take another sleepless night. :yawn