Sick toddler question...

blissfullyignorant

You can't actually DO anything, right? T seemed off yesterday and woke up sick. Bleck. He has a tiny bit of runny nose but is mostly just coughing. It's a wet cough but he can't hack anything up (I don't think he knows how). If he lies down he starts choking on it.

I have a cool mist humidifier and vapor rub (both the baby and adult kind). Do I just use those and accept that there isn't anything else I can do? Or can I actually give him something? 

swinsto3

I've never given Ash anything, but put the Vaporub on his feet then put socks over (or jammies). It helps with a cough so, so much. Other then that I just use saline and a Nose Frieda to try and clear out her nose and keep the humidifier going in both our room and hers (since she sleeps in both every night). A friend in Canada swears by one of the homeopathic cold remedies, but I couldn't find them anywhere here - I'll go find the name, maybe you'll have better luck.

Pesky

I just keep an eye on it and if my spidey sense is tingling at all, bring the kid into the pedi.  Sounds like he probably has a bunch of post-nasal drip so I'd push warm fluids.  I give DD warm chamomile tea (make it regular and put some ice in it and put it in a sippy or cup for her).  I'd probably do a saline spray to see if you can coax the mucus down his nose instead.  Otherwise, keep him propped up and humidifier going.  Might want to also try keeping him in the bathroom when you shower for the steam.

jacqueblittle

Call your Pedi and ask for recommedation too but I think I have used daytime stuff that is age appopriate, like the daytime Pedi-sure (?) decongestant.  Also try the shower thing, take them in bathroom and turn on shower to produce steam to help with congestion.  Sorry your kiddo is feeling crummy,

blissfullyignorant

swinsto3:

I've never given Ash anything, but put the Vaporub on his feet then put socks over (or jammies). It helps with a cough so, so much. Other then that I just use saline and a Nose Frieda to try and clear out her nose and keep the humidifier going in both our room and hers (since she sleeps in both every night). A friend in Canada swears by one of the homeopathic cold remedies, but I couldn't find them anywhere here - I'll go find the name, maybe you'll have better luck.

That's what I've always done before too. Luckily, he can blow his nose now (score!!) so we don't have to Nose Frieda him anymore. Do you think warm humidifiers help more than cool? 

blissfullyignorant

My gut reaction is that he just has a cold and the cough is post-nasal drip crap but I don't like the fact that it kind of chokes him. I doubt there's anything I can do about it though. I'll call the nurse at 9 and ask if I can give anything but I think they say you can't give anything until 4 years old now?? I'll pick up some saline spray too.

Good call on the tea. Maybe it will help things work their way out. 

carrierrie

We always ran a warm humidifier.  The biggest help, I think, is to take him in the shower with you and encourage him to blow his nose and get all that stuff out before bed.  The vics baby vapor on the chest is also a winner for me as well.  It's hard to have sick toddlers.

ondrea

Our doctor says use the cool mist humidifier.  If you are doing the steam shower then you should follow up immediately with taking them outside in the cold air for 5 minutes as well.

if his throat hurts you can give him a teas of honey to help coat and sooth his throat. 

if his cough is making him throw up call your doctor.  Whooping cough/pertusis is going around and that's one of the symptoms.

Kmac-06

ondrea:

Our doctor says use the cool mist humidifier.  If you are doing the steam shower then you should follow up immediately with taking them outside in the cold air for 5 minutes as well.

if his throat hurts you can give him a teas of honey to help coat and sooth his throat. 

if his cough is making him throw up call your doctor.  Whooping cough/pertusis is going around and that's one of the symptoms.

Ditto most of this. Always a cool mist humidifier. You can give a toddler over age 1 a teaspoon of honey for cough, but no real meds. 

The steam shower and then going outside in the cold is just if he has a croup cough (sounds like a barking seal). Otherwise you don't want to do the hot/cold thing.

The thing that helps DD the most for a cough (other than the humidifer) is propping up her mattress a little by putting a folded blanket underneath at the head.