My 6 yrs old came down with yet another cold (2nd one in 1 month). she is completely stuffy and has a history of ear infections due to sinus infections due to colds. vicious cycle. I have never given her nasal decongestants, but it's time i do something about it.
I need to know which nasal decongestant works best?
My husband went to the store this morning and got sudafed PE cough and cold, gave her a dosage but doesn't seem to be doing anything. Maybe because it's not just a nasal decongestant.
Any other ones you guys give to your children that seem to work for your children? I sent an email to her pediatrician so waiting on his response.
EDIT: he just called and said either mucinex or sudafed. What do you girls give to your children?
thank you
L.
newest edit: she got a double ear infection (two days after getting her nose stuffed). she's on antibiotic now
went to CVS and talked to the pharmacist. He knows us as we always fill out my daughter's rx there. he gave me sudafed maximum strength nasal decongestant (i don't know what to do about this one because 1. it's a pill and says 6 years and up. my daughter turns 6 in 2 weeks), also children's sudafed PE cold and cough (gave her two doses already today and does not work), and mucinex cold (the only mucinex they had). i also got simply saline and that one seems to work the best.
I think i will do sudafed PE today since i already gave her 2 doses. but tomorrow i will give her mucinex cold.
To the mom with a child who has already had two tubes in...that is what i am afraid the most. my daughter is on her 3rd set of tubes, has lost one hearing bone which got replaced with a titanium implant. lost her hearing in one ear for 1 year and the implant brought it back. her pediatrician knows about her her history and knows i have never give my children decongestants, but after her last surgery i swore i will do everything to prevent an ear infection.
thank you to all that took the time to answer. i am usually on top of things, but colds are a mystery to me. I just don't know what to do, beside giving teas, vit. c, and take her in to be seen and hope someone will tell me what to do.
Hi L.,
My cousin swears by Triaminic. The one with the yellow writing. It is a decongestant. She said it cleared her son up. It was the only thing that would work. Good Luck!
My three year old also has a history of ear infections. She is now on her second set of tubes which keep it from being painful, but haven't really stopped the infections...they are just more infrequent than before. Her tubes were also often getting clogged from how thick her mucus was.
Now at the first sign of congestion, we do several days on the plain Mucinex (agreed with my pediatrician). You need to keep the dosage schedule (every four hours) and keep her full of fluids. Cut back or eliminate the dairy for a few days...no cow's milk.
Also, break out the saline spray. I like the result I get from the Simply Saline brand. The mist is fine and it is easy to use down to the last drop--it is also preservative free. The preservatives in some brands can cause other issues. You should shoot it up her nose every time you give her a dose of the Mucinex.
On a side note, I always buy brand-name Mucinex. Tried the pharmacy store brand and it just didn't seem to work. Don't know why, I am a big generic.store brand person, but that is one where we always go with the name. I also tried the Mucinex with decongestant, but it didn't seem to really help. Besides, the combination of Mucinex and saline usually opens things up pretty quickly. However, an antihistamine (like Benadryl) can often help with the inflammation of the sinus tissues that can contribute to the stuffy feeling.
When our children are sick we put a pillow under the mattress, use saline spray, put vic on the bottom of their feet with socks on (chest too depending on how bad it is) and then give them some benadryl just before they go to bed. By propping the entire bed up you won't have to worry about her falling off the pillows and it will keep the fluid away from her ears. Johnson & Johnson makes a great bubble bath product product that will also help. I don't believe in herbal stuff, but don't want to drug my children to death either. I don't trust the herbal because it hasn't been tested and can cause severe reactions just like over dosing can cause. I would let her toughen it out during the day and try what you can at night to allow her some good sleep. O also try o.j. several glasses a day.
Good Luck these are tough ones.
If you trust and love your pediatrician, wait to see what he/she tells you and if possible, get a second opinion. My pediatrician (we have three children - ages 6, 4 and 1) does not recommend over the counter decongestants at all - there are more natural / organic ways to treat a cold (check it out online). Does your daughter have any allergies? Allergies might be a trigger to cause the cold - either environmental or food allergies. The decongestant will treat some of the symptoms but not all of them and won't cure the initial problem. Good luck and I hope she is feeling better soon.
I won't use decongestant or antihistamines for my kids or myself - they just wig out or make us feel loopy. I use a neti-pot and Mucinex - it is a never fail combination. Use the neti-pot 2-3 times a day and Mucinex according to directions. There are a few types of Mucinex - regular, plus cough suppressant and decongestant (I don't use this one) - use the one that fits her symptoms. The neti-pot is odd at first, but my kids have using it for years and now ask for it when they are stuffy. They began using it at 4/6 years old. It gives immediate relief to congestion and clears out everything in the nasal cavities. That is one reason it works so well for allergies.
Sorry your little one is feeling yucky - I hope she feels better soon.
Hi L.---You've gotten some good advice. I, too, agree that sudafed pe does not work. I always get the generic sudafed plus when I need something to dry me up. I ususally only use it when I can feel my left ear 'pop'. Funny, it's always my left ear.
My daughter had the same cycle and we had a couple of sets of tubes. Wish I knew then what I know now. I've become passionate about health and more specifically, prevention. I am taking a series of wellness classes taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. I'd like to share a couple of key points.
One post suggested that you stop dairy while your baby has her cold. I suggest you eliminate dairy completely. Dairy is a HUGE allergen and likely part of the 'mucous' problem. Please go to www.strongbones.org to learn more about 'why not milk'. Also, explore www.pcrm.org and I strongly suggest you read The China Study by T Colin Campbell. Don't worry about calcium and D. You can get plenty of calcium from more absorbable sources like broccoli, bok choy, kale, sesame seeds and minimally processed soy products. A great snack to munch on is edemame, the immature soybean. It can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.
The most important thing you can do to is to help strenthen and balance your daughter's (and family's) immune system. An immune system loving diet consists primarily of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, legumes (beans), nuts and seeds. Minimize animal protein as too much increases the risk of degenerative disease (cancer, heart disease, diabetes and immune system disorders). We use is as more of a flavoring for soups and stews, a side-dish of sorts. An adult needs only an amount the size of a deck of playing cards. This is the most important part, as all of the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that help our body to protect and repair itself, to eat in excess of 10 servings of fruit and veg each day, mostly veggies. Servings for kids vary depending on age/weight. I have charts that give that info. Ask for them if you'd like them.
Sometimes, if we are challenged, we might even need more than 10 servings each day, if we're sick, work out, have family histories of disease or just seem to get sick a lot. There are lots of reasons for this and we can discuss that later if you'd like. Another thing to consider is that our food supply does not contain as many nutrients in it because of soil depletion, accelerated growing cycles, etc. We need help! And multi-vitamins are NOT the answer. They can cause health problems as well by creating an IMBALANCE of nutrients in the body.
So how do you eat enough fruit and veg? I have learned a number of really great strategies and I am happy to help share them if you'd like. We are not vegetarians, but we eat a lot of vegetarian and vegan meals. We also use a whole food supplement that is made from 17 differents fruits and veg and is supported by numerous independent studies (not done by the manufacturer) that show immune system support. It comes in a gummie form and it helps to keep us out of the doctors office. My daughter still got ear infections in college. Not any more.
I feel I should apologize for the length of this post, but I am very passionate about taking control of my own health so that we get to the point where we won't need these drastic interventions, needing doctors only for trauma type injuries.
If I can be of futher help, please let me know. Good luck! D.
I am not a doctor, but I have had enough annoying cycles of colds with my child to recommend this that works - lots of garlic sauteed in coconut oil...yeah it sounds weird, but the garlic is the antibiotic and the coconut oil is the salve like vicks. Let the oil sit and cool after you sautee the garlic, then rub your child's nose. A lot of gunk will come out and he will clear of that cold in a flash.
Give her a decongestant of some kind. I have a long history of sinus problems and it makes a big difference. I give my children (who are 4 and 18 months) triaminic which is what my mom used on us growing up. Just read the dosage information carefully (my ped calculated the dosage for my 20 lb. toddler-- just 2 ml, but the medication is okay for her to take). My husband likes Mucinex when he gets sick. You do need to up your fluid intake with it though. Also, the children's version is pretty bad tasting and my kids won't take it. For me the only thing that does the job is the original sudafed formula (now behind the counter and you have to show ID) but I don't know if they use that chemical in any children's formulas that are not prescription anymore. It is available by prescription and I don't know why your doctor has not given it to her by now. The only draw back is with some people the medication will keep them awake at night. I also went to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor who gave me a prescription nasal spray (although it was not that helpful for me and I don't know if it is used for children). If your daughter has such a history of problems I would recommend seeing an ENT.
I am in NJ and my daughter sees a pediatric ENT in the children's hospital in Newark. She has a very small opening between the nose and throat so the mucus doesn't drain very well. When she is sick she is an absolute mess without decongestant. Since you are on LI maybe Stony Brook University is a good place to find a specialist. I grew up on LI and my good friend had a very good specialist there for her epilepsy.
The decongestant in sudafed PE has not been proven to work. The company that makes it markets it because it is the only decongestant left that can be sold on the shelves. I would use nasal saline mist for now (it works a lot better than Sudafed PE) and use Mucinex
