The Duce Scoop: Share the wealth

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Share the wealth

Any advice on dealing with a really yucky cough for a baby? Poor Kristie...

7 comments:

Elder Richards said...: Yes! Borrow my humidifier and use it on her.. It will work wonders!
Dana; February 25, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Brooke Monk said...: At Walmart you can buy a Vicks Vaporizer for about 12 dollars, and you can buy medicine that goes in it to help with a cough-they have a generic and it's only a few dollars. It works pretty well for Emily, and I like to use Baby Vicks Vaporub. Also, her doctor told me that most coughs in babies are caused by sinal/nasal drip. So if you can get your doctor to prescribe a decongestant for you it helps a ton. I use C-Phen drops. Hope this helps!; February 25, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Zak and Allysia said...: Latest research has shown that OTC cough and cold medicines that were previously considered safe for infants over 6 months of age are in fact NOT safe. Medications of any kind should be avoided without the express recommendation from a Pediatrician.

If her cough is caused by sinus congestion the best way to treat is to use saline drops in each nostril to break up the congestion you may then be able to use a suction bulb to extract it. You can do that as often as needed throughout the day. This can also prevent a sinus infection from occurring.

Winter indoor heated air tends to be very dry so using a plain ol' regular humidifier day and night should do the job (Do not use medicated water in the humidifier unless her pediatrician has said it is safe to do so).

Also, because children have a very narrow airway they do tend to cough, often increasing in the night-time hours. If Kristy has no other symptoms and her coughing seems to only be happening in the evening a humidifier should work great! You can put one in her room at night while she is sleeping just be sure the room is well ventilated and the humidifier is on a low setting.

Listen closely to the sound of her cough...if it is a barking sound she needs to be seen by a doctor immediately. If you can hear congestion in her cough, be sure to use the saline and suck as much mucus from her nose as possible many times a day. I recommend that moms own an inexpensive stethoscope (can be purchased at any medical supply store). That way you can listen periodically to your child's' lungs to make sure the congestion isn't moving down into her her chest. If you can hear congestion in her check it is time to see a doctor. Medication shouldn't be necessary unless this happens.

Keep nursing often to make sure she is well hydrated. Breast milk really is a natural cure-all and may help her to feel better more quickly. You can also give her up to 4 oz. of plain water a day (any more than that may disrupt her appetite) to ensure she is properly hydrated. Check periodically for fever as well. Most parents won't notice much change in a child's behavior due to fever, until the fever is quite high.

One more thing, as long as Kristie has a cough it would be advisable to keep her indoors away from other people and children unless it's completely unavoidable simply to keep her safe from contracting something else while her immune system is already depressed and to prevent the spread of whatever it is she may have.

There's my many years of medical experience at work! Hope Kristie starts feeling better soon!; February 25, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Andrew and Kela said...: Hello Duce Family,
My dad is a doctor and recommended that I give Aislyn children's/infant's Benadryl or Triaminic. I also use the saline drops and suck out her nose as often as she needs it. I do not drug her constantly, but if she can't breath and is coughing so much that she cannot sleep then I give her something. It will make both of your lives easier. My dad told me to just give her what I would if I were giving her Motrin or Tylenol. You can also talk to your pediatrician and see if he/she has any ideas. I also have the vicks humidifier and it is wonderful! I do the vapo rub on her chest as well and that seems to help her. They have it for babies and it is no where near as strong as the kind for big people. Just go with your gut. You're her mommy and know better than anyone else what she needs. Hope Kristi feels better, Love the Smiths; February 25, 2009 at 9:19 PM
Michelle said...: Wow, it sounds like they got you covered! :) I was going to say I tried the humidifier with Jack but it didn't seem to help. We gave it a week before we took him to the doctor, but even though the coughing wasn't as bad as it was before I still thought he was being miserable (aka-wasn't eating normal, whiney, etc) The doctor said luckily it wasn't anything serious (which is what we like to hear), gave us a few prescriptions to help him, and he's been a million times happier. I know if your breastfeeding they're right about the natural antibodies your body creates for them - that's all I could really do for Jack when he was sick with his fevers when he was a newborn and they said it does help... Good luck! Hope she feels better soon!; February 26, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Kali said...: Wow. If you ever felt like you were all alone and had no one to help you with Kristie, you now know better! Everyone just jumped to help you-- so wonderful!

I hope Kristie gets better soon.; February 26, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Heidi Pinckard said...: Candace,
I completely agree with what has been said, but I have a little something to add. My pediatrician told me that if you take her into the bathroom and run the hot water and just let her breath in the steam for a while, and then bundle her up really good and take her outside and let her breath in the cool air, the contrast in the air will help to break up the congestion. Corey has been sick too, and this seems to help him when he gets worse at night.
Good luck!
Heidi; February 26, 2009 at 9:58 AM