Help - Jacksonville Beach, FL

please take him to see another physician.It would due him and you both some good to have some one else look at him.

Hi, check with your pediatrician about childrens mucinex. My son was the same way and the doctor said to try this and it worked great!! It is granules that look like sugar and taste the same. S.

Hey there my son had cough, runny nose and raspy breathing for 6 months then finally a doctor gave him a breathing treatment and he was cured and diagnosed with asthma. You may suggest this to your doc. Hope things get better.

K.,
You need to FIND A NEW PED!!!!! If he has been coughing over a month then he could possibly need breathing treatments. This happened with my son and I finally took him to a different dr in our practice of peds and she said he has pheumenitus. It had only been the FIFTH time I had taken him in and needless to say I was pretty upset. He had been coughing for about 6 weeks and it had gotten to the point that it was making him vomit everytime he coughed. You need to be useing the humidifer, not a dehumidifier until you find a new dr. And when you call the new dr tell them how long he has been sick so he can get quick care.
God Bless,
R.

You can ask your ped for a referral to a pediatric pulminologist (sp?)-a lung specialist. This person could better determine what is happening with your son's lungs. We see Dr.Ajayi in downtown Orlando (right next to the Science Center). His number is ###-###-####.

Good Luck!

Yes, it's true that your little one's immune system is not fully developed, yet. That is the main reason why you need to be so careful. As with many sicknesses that we all experience, "bad" bacterias, germs and viruses get into our systems. Well, even though your baby shouldn't have medication this early on (some exceptions, of course) you can put "good" bacteria into his/her system without any harm. Probiotics work wonders for helping the digestive tract and immune system get back to a healthy balance. chandra4health.blogpost.com

My daughter was like this, she wasn't in daycare or anything, but somehow she got a really bad cough when she was about that age and when I took her to the doc they did some tests and found out she had mild RSV. It was scary because I'd heard lots of scary things about RSV but her case was so mild she got one in-office breathing treatment and then the doc said use the humidifier at night a few nights and she was fine. I'm not saying that's what's wrong, but if it is it can be serious so you may want to try to get another opinion. I would not give any otc medicine unless the doctor tells you to. I hope your little man gets over whatever he has because I know how hard it is to see you child feel so bad. Good luck.

How congested is he? My son started to have allergies at this time (4 months). We also discover he had asthma (he was five weeks early with undeveloped lungs).
The daycare might have something that he is allergic too. This may be a pain in your side but keep going back and calling the doctor about his cough. They should start trying something to help him get over it. If not you might want to get a second opion. My son was congested and coughing. You can sometimes hear the congestion if you place your ear on his back. It would help if he's coughing sometimes you can hear more.
You could also try a bathroom trick. Strip him down in just a diaper and sit in the bathroom with the shower running on full hot. Steam is good for the congestion too.
Good luck

Unfortunately these things have to run their course, so it will take a while, even up to a month or two to totally get rid of it. However, to help the cough, the absolute best out there is called Delsym. It is terrific and no side effects like not sleeping or sleeping all the time, not to mention that it is safe and homeopathic. You will need to ask your pharmacist to get it for you as sometimes they have it under lock and key, due to it being a little pricey. I have 4 children and it is the only way to go for a cough!
Take Care,
T.

You may want to speak with your doctor about the possibility of asthma. He may not have Asthma but could have Reactive Airway Disorder and need Asthma medication to get him over the cough.

I would say take him back in, a cough shouldnt last that long. But also look at the kids in the daycare, some daycares are less than desired and, yes kids will have something, but constant is different. And not to scare you, my daughter had a cough it seemed to go away and came back, took her in and just said it wasnt anything to worry about jusst put her on antibiotics to help, then like 4-6 wks later still having the cough off and on, then one night it made her throw up so I took her back and she had pnemonia, and put her on antibiotics and it was fine for a little bit then they put her on allergy meds. FL is not helpful with all the weather changes to keep kids coughing but be safe. She doesnt take the allergy meds every night, but if the weather changes all of a sudden I can hear it now and she starts a cough and then I give it to her. so just do what you feel is right, and the doctors understand an overcautious mom, its okay, even if you want a 2nd opinion and go somewhere else......good luck I hope your little man gets better.

Hi K.,

I would not give him any over the counter medicine with out the ok from your doctor. They have taken most of the over the counter meds off the market becuase they can be dangerous.

My son is also in daycare and pretty much has a cold all of the time. The 1st year is the hardest. They are buliding up their immune system. I would try and use Little Noses it salen drops that work pretty well and also vicks rub might help. I hope that helps!

I think at four motnhs old they are still too young for OTC cold rememdies.

Use a warm steam humidifier at night and during naps. You can buy a menthol-type liquid that you put in the water that helps supress the cough - that really helps. Keep his bedroom door closed to keep the moist air in. Also, try the BABY Vicks Vapo-rub on his chest.

Here is an old wives tale that I have found really works: If he has a coughing fit during the day, you can give him a little bit of grape jelly from a spoon. The jelly has natural pectin in it which coats the throat and soothes it. Make sure you use just jelly, and nothing with chunks of fruit or seeds in it, and NO honey or syrup! This works to temporarily soothe when the throat is dry or irritated from continuous coughing, but will not do anything to help with the chest congestion. Don't dose him up all day with jelly (OMG, the sugar!) but try it once with maybe a 1/2 teaspoon and see if it helps. Also, check the label to make sure there is pectin in the jelly. Some of the cheaper brands are really just fruit-flavored sugar spreads and might not contain pectin.

Please do NOT give you child medication - especially over the counter, without consulting your doctor. There are children's meds that have killed young kids. It's been in the news in the past few months.

Listen to the doctor. The cough will go away. my child had a similar cough for months. It went away. If you want a second opinio, go see another doctor, but DO NOT give you child meds unless a doc says okay. Overdosing is prevalent and it's so common in this society to reach for medication at every sneeze. Medication can be wonderful, but it can be hurtful too. Please do your research.

Good luck!

K.,

You always want to be extremely careful giving young children, under the age of 3, but especially at your sons age, medicines. If it is a whooping cough that will stay around for a while. Elevate his bed so his head is above his feet while sleeping, this will help keep anything from settling on his chest. Use a humidifier in his room with Vick's in it (they sell them where they have a spot in front of the hole where steam will come from - you put the Vick's liquid in there) and this will help break up any congestion, and sooth his throat. Warm baths, warm compresses. Make sure he doesn't get cold as this will make him more uncomfortable and harden any congestion.
Lastly, get a 2nd opinion. Mom's know best ~ If you feel that something is wrong and your doctor isn't catching it than contact another doctor: I recommend contacting an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) doctor because they specialize in your sons symptoms just make sure they have experience with young children.

Did they say it was an upper respiratory infection? URI
I would think they would have put him on antibiotics. If it hasn't gone away, I would reschedule a dr visit.

My daughter was constantly getting colds stuffed up coughing all the time also. It's because they are in day care and all the other children around it is very easy for them to catch everything. I gave her infant cough and cold medication. Wal-Mart brand worked just fine for her. But talk to his doctor first I went through 3 diffrent ones. I also work at a pharmacy and spoke with the pharmacist here many times. I know every one say not to give your infant any medication but she was tested for allergies and asthma and there was nothing. Her doctor said it was okay to give her an OTC for infants. I only gave it to her at night so she would not be coughing all night. She is 19 months now and in a new day care and has not gotten sick for awhile. Make sure you check with his doctor and get 2nd and 3rd opinoins if you have to it could be something other than just a cold or cough.