My four year old has had a cough for 4 months that will not go away?  Cough syrups aren't working.  What now?
138969
Cough syrups have been shown to do nothing to cure, prevent or even treat symptoms of a cold or cough.  Your child might have an infection that if not treated could spread into his/her ears or other part of their body and cause a lot of damage, and cost a lot of money to treat.  Infection can also cause menengitis and sepsis which are lethal diseases.  Please, take your child to the doctor. Coughs shouldn't last more then one month, even if you smoke, which I hope your 4 year old does not do.  (If you smoke go outside till the little one gets better) If you do not have insurance Look in the phone book for Free clinics.  Usually children that young can get insurance that is covered by the State.  Whatever the problem is, it is long past time to take this child to the doctor, sign up for some vaccinations while you are there.  Here's a Web site from the national institute of health in case you want to research a little.
557795
Well, listen to the advice of your doctor and get rid of things that can gather dust.  I found that a HEPA filter really helped my son as did putting anti-allergy covers on his mattress, box spring and pillows.  I also vacuum out my son's room every single day with a HEPA-filtering vacuum.\n\nManagement is definately the key.  You may not be able to completely get her off meds but you MIGHT be able to reduce her need for some of them.  Good Luck.
971782
My mom used to make a cup of warmed honey, lemon juice, water and a small amount of whiskey.  It used to make me sweat and broke up my cough.  I hated the taste of it, but it did seem to work.  I have recently used that Airborne stuff mentioned in the previous post and it works also.  My doctor recommends Robitussin with the expectorant, that thins the mucus and allows you to cough the junk up out of your lungs.  Hope you're feeling better soon.
170177
You can try an over the counter expectorant.  If the problem persists you might want to see a MD.  you may have an upper respiratory infection, that can only be treated with antibiotics.
216805
just drin kfluids and go to your doctar maybe its just not a cold maybeits a n infection.\nheres some info i got online read it its interesting \n\n\n\nincrease air moisture \npetroleum jelly on the skin under the nose to soothe rawness \nhard candy or cough drops to relieve sore throat (for kids older than 3 years) \na warm bath or heating pad to soothe aches and pains \nsteam from a hot shower to help your child breathe more easily \nBut what about chicken soup? There's no real proof that eating this soothing, warm concoction can cure a cold, but sick people have been swearing by it for more than 800 years. Why? Chicken soup contains a mucus-thinning amino acid called cysteine, and some research shows that chicken soup helps control congestion-causing white cells, called neutrophils.\n\nThe best plan, though, is not to worry about whether to "feed a cold" or "starve a fever." Just make sure your child eats when hungry and drinks plenty of fluids like water or juice to help replace the fluids lost during fever or mucus production. Avoid giving your child caffeinated beverages, though, which can cause frequent urination and, therefore, increase the risk of dehydration.\n\nWhen to Call Your Child's Doctor\nYour child's doctor won't be able to identify which specific virus is causing your child's cold symptoms, but can examine your child's throat and ears and take a throat culture to make sure the symptoms aren't from another condition that may need specific treatment. (If your child's symptoms get worse instead of better after 3 days or so, the problem could be strep throat, sinusitis, pneumonia, or bronchitis, especially if your child or teen smokes.) Taking a throat culture is a simple, painless procedure that involves brushing the inside of the throat with a long cotton swab. Examining the germs that stick to the swab will help the doctor determine whether your child has strep throat and needs treatment with antibiotics.\n\nIf symptoms last for more than a week, appear at the same time every year, or occur when your child is exposed to pollen, dust, animals, or another substance, your child could have an allergy. If your child has trouble breathing or wheezes when he or she catches a cold, your child could have asthma.\n\nYou should also see your child's doctor if you think your child might have more than a cold, or if he or she is getting worse instead of getting better.\n\nAlso call the doctor if your child has any of these symptoms:\n\ncoughing up a lot of mucus \nshortness of breath \nunusual lethargy/tiredness \ninability to keep food or liquids down or poor fluid intake \nincreasing headache or facial or throat pain \nseverely painful sore throat that interferes with swallowing \nfever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.3 degrees Celsius) or higher, or a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.0 degrees Celsius) or higher that lasts for more than a day \nchest or stomach pain \nswollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck \nearache \nLike most virus infections, colds just have to run their course. Getting plenty of rest, avoiding vigorous activity, and drinking lots of fluids - juice, water, and noncaffeinated beverages - all may help your child feel better while on the mend.\n\nKeeping up regular activities like going to school probably won't make your child's cold any worse. But it will increase the likelihood that the cold will spread to classmates or friends. So you might want to put some daily routines aside until your child is feeling better.
596806
Sounds like she should get checked by a doctor first.\n\nSteam is good for a cough and helps to get phlem up of the chest. If you have a vapouriser put it in the room. If not, a bowl of hot water; get her to sit with her face over the bowl so that she can breath in the steam for a few minutes with a towel over her head. BE VERY CAREFUL SHE DOES NOT TIP THE WATER OVER.
620433
I feel your pain. I struggled with an asthmatic child from the time he was 2 weeks old. Brown inhaler sounds like PULMOCORT??\nother Albuterol. Albuertol is a bronchial dialator to help open up the lungs. Whats the pill she is taking at night?? Is it singulair??\nReasons for the antibiotic is to prevent of treat pneumonia.\n\nSuggestions to try to help reduce her flair ups\n1. ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING around the child. Cigarette smoke \nis one of the biggest culprits.\n2. Limit contact with animals for some children this can be their trigger.\n3. No carpeting, carpets harbor dust and dust mites which can make it worse for some asthmatics\n4. Have your child evaluated by a pediatric pulmonologist.\nTheir are so many new medications available to treat and help reduce the number of asthma attacks.\nIf you child has seasonal allergies. How about an allergy tablet. My son is using claritan. Pulmocort and his albuterol. I am happy so report he has not had an asthma attack in an entire year. This from a child who had more than 20-30 a year with multiple trips to the ER.\n\nJust because your GP prescribed the BROWN medicine does not mean it is the best one for your child. There any many others to choose from. When you child uses her inhalers are you sure it is being used correctly? If not ask for a prescription of a SPACER. Which helps the medicine get where it has to go.\n\nAll the best and hope some of this helps.
782315
Sounds like you are just coughing so long that you gag yourself into finally throwing up.\nMaybe you need an antibiotic or just cough syrup to get that mucus (phlegm) up.\nAcid Reflux is a good possibility as well. Throwing up daily is not a good sign. If the cough syrup (DM) doesn't work, make an appointment with a doctor.
100196
First of all, take him to a physician.  Even if he is in day care, he should not be getting sick so often.  Maybe he needs an antibiotic, maybe he has asthma...who knows.  The second thing is the excessive use of Tylenol.....Tylenol can be very toxic and damage the liver.  If you are using Tylenol for 5 days a week...week after week, you could create another problem with Tylenol toxicity and liver damage.\n\nIf day care is the major source for his viruses, it may be time to look for in home babysitting, where your child is not around so many other children.  As sick as you are of having a sick toddler, he is sick of being sick....get him to a physician!\n\nA room humidifier in his room when he is sleeping is good.  Hot dry air can be harmful because it can cause microscopic breaks in the airway surfaces and allow viruses to invade the body.  Keep the humidifier clean, it too can ve a source of molds and viruses.  Don't overheat your home.  Cooler (not cold) air is healthier for breathing.....for the whole family. Good nutrition will also help in the fight against viruses....orange juice, cranbery juice, apple juice for fluid intake.  Wash your hands and his hands frequently and use paper towels to dry hands with.  Terry cloth towels hold viruses and bacteria.
1033158
I wouldn't gamble with a home remedy for an eight month old. It's possible that he's experiencing drainage due to a cold or other respiratory illness but there's too many cons (such as permanent loss of hearing) to rely on a home method. Return to his pediatrician for re-evaluation. If he's been on an antibiotic for less than 24 hours, it may need time to kick in. If it's been over, he may have a tolerance to the antibiotic prescribed. Good luck!
1080817
This home-made cough remedy comes highly recommended by someone whose child was coughing so hard she was making herself gag.  She stopped coughing almost immediately. \n\nCough Remedy\n\n¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper\n¼ teaspoon ground ginger\n1 tablespoon honey\n1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar\n2 tablespoons water\nMix and take by the teaspoon.\n\nGargling with warm salt water is always good for a sore throat.\n\nTry aspirin or tylenol for the aches and/or fever.\n\nHope you feel better soon.
20512
well if you have any other medical conditions(hypertension or diabetes) you should ask your pharmacist or md.  if the cough is productive go with guaifesin (like plain mucinex) this will thin the mucous. also drinking plenty of water will help.  if you have a dry cough and it is interfering with work or sleep a DM product will help.  the dextromethoraphan will suppress your cough.  hope this helps!
434908
Did you recently have a cold?  If so, this cough can be the final stage of your cold, which in itself, is a virus.  This cough can linger for a long time (as much as 6 months!)  You may need to get something to suppress your cough.  As with all virus's, you will have to wait it out.\ngood luck!
979492
any cough lasting more than a few days requires the doctor...could be something very serious...go to the doctors...let him check you out...
758751
yes, I had this about 14 years ago...It was terrible!  like this really big cold and extreme cough.  You are so congested in your chest and lungs and you have no control over your coughs.  I would sit up in bed coughing like crazy and phlegm you just come out (sorry, not to be gross but that is happens).  Thank God I was old enough because if you catch this as a baby you have to check on them so they can breathe and not choke.  I cant remember exactly what I took as medecine but something was given to me to help.
580926
Could be croup cough.  If it is hard for him to breath, go the the ER.  They can give him a breathing treatment and IV steriods or oral steroids.  He might be vomiting because of secretions in his throat draining down into his stomach, which can be too thick for some children to digest.  Good Luck!!!
921720
take it 1 hr apart from your meds. I have a cough today, got meds from the doctor.  I had my coffee first before I went to see the Dr.