Question About Congestion

Try getting him off of Dairy products- if you're breastfeeding, this means you too. Dairy (lactose) causes excess mucus, and when kids are sick it wont allow for an infection to heal as quickly. Reintroduce it once he's better, and then you'll also know if its an allergy/sensitivity.

Some of the most recent viruses have been lasting for about a month. Our daughter had a case of RSV and it was the same. She was so congested and had trouble breathing at times. It lasted about 3-4 weeks. I bought the baby vicks rub and put it on her chest. I am also still breastfeeding and I took some airborne so she would get the extra vitamins. We have a cool mist vaporizer and it gives off some Vicks vapors which seem to help. I just tried to keep her as hydrated as possible with water and breast milk. Unfortunately these things have to clear up on there own unless your child gets a secondary ear infection from the congestion and then they will give anti-biotics which will not treat the root cause - the virus. As far as OTC meds I would suggest just some saline drops to thin out the mucous. the Academy of Pediatrics is now saying not to use any of that OTC medication unitil @ 6yrs because of all the possible side effects.

Hot or warm mist humidifiers can actually make things worse, they create a warm moist enviroment which is bacterias best friend. I would stick with the cool mist humidifier, making sure you air hims room out every day when you use it so you don't get mold or mildew (which if he does have allergies can make them worse). I use vapor bath before bed, schmear him up good with a vapor rub before sleeping and prop him up on a pillow. Also, saline and suction is very important, though I know it's hard, it takes me and my husband to pin my son down and do that, but it's over fast and makes such a big difference. And in lieu of running a hot humidifier all night, run the shower in your bathroom super hot and fill it up with steam, wrap your son up in a towel and sit in the steamy room for 5-10 minutes.

Good luck! I went through this with my son (and still am!), it's not easy to see your little guy sick.

does he have a cough, and if it sounds barky then he has croup something in 17yr got a lot as an infant and toddler. and u have to let it run its course. I am sure you son will be okay just comfort him as much as possible and it will run its course and everything will be okay.

He may have an allergy to the chemicals that are being used in the house. I have found that products that do not contain harsh chemicals can cure congestion. Ecosense products really work and they do not contain the harsh chemicals. I can tell you more about these products.
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not sure where you live but if you are near San Dimas there is a place called Vitamin City, near Active Board shop. It is on Arrow Hwy. Any way they have a lot of homeopathic meds and are pretty knowledgable. I often use a brand called -Heel. They have formulas for allergies, cough, cold, etc. They are tablets that dissolve in the mouth and work awesome. My daughter gets allergies and these knock them out for the day. For an infant you would only give 1/2 to 1 tablet a day.
Hope that helps.

Be careful with Lavender oil, lavender can cause an allergic reaction in young children even in adults. Check out tea tree oil. It is supposed to help with allergies and colds, also put some infant vick's vapor rub on the bottom of your babies feet at night it helps with the coughing, it works for adults, too. Hope this eases the discomfort your baby and you are going through.

I had the same problem with my son and he ended up with serious bronchitis three times before he turned one! The thing that helped the most was getting an air purifier because it was allergies. I've heard you should remove all stuffed animals and pillow from you child's room and if you have pets you might want to send them on a vaction to see if it helps your son. I wish the doctor had a magic cure for me but the doctor never seemed to help.

I'm copying some information I got from www.askdrsears.com, in the past when we've had congestion, I've done several of the mentioned natural remedies and they have worked. Hope this helps and he is feeling better soon!
M.
NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR COUGHS, RUNNY NOSE, AND CONGESTION
Steam cleaning. Give your child steam, steam, and more steam. For infants and young children, turn the bathroom into a steam room with the door closed and the shower on full hot. Sit in there for 10 or 15 minutes. For older children, use a facial steamer or pot of hot water (carefully!). The steam will help loosen the nose and chest congestion, and help your child cough it up or blow it out. Do this steam cleaning every morning and before bed, as well as during the day if possible.
Clap the chest and back. While you sit in the bathroom steaming, clap on your child's chest and back (where the lungs are) firmly (harder than burping) with an open hand. This helps shake the mucus loose so your child can cough it up better.
Sleep upright. If possible, allow your child to sleep in a slightly upright position. This allows for easier breathing during sleep.
Nose hose. For older children, it is crucial to have them blow their nose several times during a steam cleaning, as well as frequently throughout the day. Getting out all the junk will help prevent this from turning into a bacterial infection. An alternative to steaming is to use nasal decongestant spray to loosen up the nasal congestion before blowing it out. For infants too young to blow their nose, you can suction them out using a blue rubber bulb syringe.
Hot steam vaporizer. Use a hot steam vaporizer in the bedroom at night (not a cool mist humidifier). This warm, humid environment can help keep noses and chests clear at night. Be sure to air the room out well during the day because mold can start to grow in the room due to the warmth and humidity.
Dr. Sears suggests: To prevent burns keep your hot mist vaporizer out of reach of infants.

Eucalyptus and lavender oil. Add only one drop of each of these to a facial steamer, pot of hot water or some vaporizers. They can help clear up the congestion faster.
Vapor rubs on the chest. Occasionally, these can cause wheezing because the vapors may be too strong for some children, but overall they will work well. It is safe to try, but do observe your child to make sure it doesn't cause wheezing.
Drink twice as much liquid. This will help to thin secretions and prevent dehydration.

E.,

If your son has had this congestion for longer than usual (over a month or so) you need to have him checked out by the doctor again. He could have a sinus infection and that requires antibiotics. My son had a sinus infection after doing everything possible to ease his congestion.

While you're sitting on the edge of your tub,sit him on your lap while you run the hot water in the tub so he can breathe in the steam. Also have him drink plenty of fluids. See if saline drops will work for him as well. Some of the older ladies at my husband's job recommend rubbing Vicks Vapor Rub on the bottom of his feet then putting socks on him.

Hope your little guy feels better soon!

Sounds like allergies. You should use nontoxic cleaning. products. A Air Cleaner would help. Go to http://www.shaklee.net/naturalhealthylife. Mu son has allergies and these changes helped him.