Toddler won't stop coughing and can't sleep

amother

Puce ↓

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:49 pm

honey36 wrote:

If the room is large a small humidifier won't do much. Make sure the humidifier is on full blast, close door to room, and get a bigger humidifier if it's a small room. Works well for my kids. Sometimes I don't even have the humidifier on, kid will be coughing themselves awake. I'll turn it on and it Takes about 1/2 hour, but then they stop coughing.

When I put the humidifier on the highest setting my baby’s crib /sheet gets soaking wet. Any tips ? Where in the room do you place it? I feel like the floor would get wet if not the crib if I place it further back.

amother

↑ Puce ↓

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:50 pm

amother OP wrote:

It's a tiny room and large humidifier and hasn't helped much tonight.

May not work for tonight but tomorrow before bed do steam in bathroom. Also buy a nebulizer and ask doctor for saline for it. Do it before bed
Or actually if he keeps waking just do the steam tonight. May as well if he can’t sleep anyways. You can also give him some honey to soothe the throat. It’s supposed to work better than cough medicine.

↑ honey36

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:54 pm

amother Puce wrote:

I don't put it so near the crib. Just in the room. Never had issue of it getting anything soaking wet. Maybe a bit damp. Put it in a towel on the floor?

Worked for all my kids coughing at night, but sounds like OP needs to try something else.

amother

↑ Puce

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 9:58 pm

honey36 wrote:

Does it need to be in the direction / aiming at the child’s face for it to work? Or you feel just having it near the crib works? If it’s on the floor it won’t reach my baby’s face. I usually put it on a chair close to the crib. The lowest setting doesn’t make sheet wet but the highest does.

amother

Pewter

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 10:01 pm

If his nose is congestion you must suction it out.
Check your local pharmacy for the nose frida.
Buy saline over the counter for the nose( like little remedies)
If it’s a barking cough, it’s croup.
Croup is going around.
With croup, you can give a one time oral steroid. Pediatrician prescribes.
Either way, bring ur toddler to the dr so they can listen to his lungs and make a more definitive diagnosis

bernadette

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 10:03 pm

Assuming you took child to the dr and it's neither pneumonia, nor strep etc...
It's post nasal drip that is causing the cough. Some ppl give allergy medication daily, others say that you have to cut off dairy or orange juice because makes the mucus thicker...it works for some, it didn't work for my child.
I find very helpful to actually wash the nose with saline spray . And put the child in a sleep bag as they are warmer like this.

amother

Nasturtium

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 10:06 pm

If your child sounds croupy, take him outside, bundled up. Let him breathe the cold air. See if that helps. If he is having retractions (pulling in between the ribs, pulling up his shoulders to help him breathe), nasal flaring, wheezing, his color doesn’t look good, he will need to be seen. If he’s over 1, you can give honey for the cough. It’s a great natural remedy. Under one it can be toxic. Refua shlaima.

amother

Dimgray

Mon, Nov 27 2023, 10:35 pm

Steam shower for 10 min. Let him sleep with you. You can help prop him and his body will calm down when resting next to your body.
Make dr appt in the morning.

Refuah Shelaimah!

amother

Linen ↓

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 9:13 am

Hi, OP. I'm having this my two youngest kids now. Coughing for the last 3 weeks and like you I did everything. How is your child? Did you end up doing anything that helped?

amother

Cornsilk ↓

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 9:26 am

Can't believe no one said this yet

Cut an onion in quarters and place next to child on a plate or in a mesh bag for chicken soup and hang from crib

takes a few min but really works

also give Antihistamine like benadryl for 3 days to help dry up on the insideinside

amother

Steelblue

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 10:46 am

bernadette wrote:

Yes my dc was coughing mainly at night and even vomited from coughing so much. Dr said it’s post nasal drip and told me to do nebulizer with saline and give Claritin.
For those saying to do nebulizer with alburterol which is meant to open the bronchial tubes, if the cough/congestion isn’t in the lungs theres no point in doing it and it must be prescribed by a dr.

amother

↑ Linen

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 12:18 pm

amother Cornsilk wrote:

I've been doing onions near the crib and on the soles of their feet (put inside the pjs). IDK what would be without the onions obviously but I'm not seeing significant enough improvement to say that it's helping. I've been using up onions by the dozens. Fresh one each night for each child for the last few weeks already.

amother

Lightgreen

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 12:46 pm

Try increasing fluids during the day. Staying well hydrated will prevent the secretions from being so thick and easier to cough up.

amother

Zinnia

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 2:57 pm

If it is a wet cough, I would try using chest percussion or back clapping, as I call it. Look it up. It helps loosen the mucus, and it is often really helpful. You can find instructions of how to do it online.

Brit in Israel

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 3:20 pm

It sounds like croup, all of my kids have gotten it at some time.
To stop the coughing you can stick their head out a cold window or in the freezer.
Put some vapour rub in boiling water in the bedroom it will give a minty air which helps the breathing and put them to sleep in the stroller half sitting (this is something I do often when they have a cold).