[mgbridges]

Hi folks,

Well DS has finally come down with one of the bugs doing the rounds at school (record numbers of kids off sick, 64 out of less than 300 pupils the other day). Anyway, I've been using some Calpol I still have to help with his temperature which finally seems to be coming down but now he has a chesty cough.

Any suggestions for over the counter medicines I can get here that might help, particularly so he can get a good nights sleep? He is 6yrs old but well over 35kg and very tall for his age. Oh yes, and it needs to taste nice too, something similar to Calpol flavour would be great.

Thanks in advance,
Anneliese

[Tia Maria]

If he's not allergic to aspirin, I would definitely recommend Nurofen for kids (comes in fruity flavours). We normally use this before Calpol and rarely have to use Calpol at all.

It works on all my 3, takes about 45 mins to an hour to get working. It can be used alongside Calpol if needed.

Its not cough specific, but I tend to find it work on most things. It doesn't make my lot sleepy, if anything it picks them right up untill start to wear off again. But I know it does make others sleepy.

Hope he feels better soon.

Cheers

Tia

[nippa&pippa]

I been told by doctors that medicine over the counter for chesty cough is waste of money, just good old paracetmol, plenty of water and rest do the tricks.

[mgbridges]

Thanks both!

Will get some Nurofen for kids and probably keep him at home tomorrow as well.

Completely agree about rest being the best cure - I have already postponed a swimming lesson, said he won't be at soccer practice tomorrow afternoon and possibly not the match on Saturday this week, just wish I could get him to take an afternoon nap but he won't.

Still got him to bed & asleep by 7pm last night at his request so maybe we can do a repeat performance tonight. Hope he feels better soon though I'm missing out on my day time TV! :laugh :p

Anneliese

[nippa&pippa]

Give him hugs and loving care :yes so he can recover quick...

[mgbridges]

Check! Lots of TLC in action here although I'm worried that with all these hugs and kisses I'm giving him he's going to feel the need to share his germ with me!

I've just suggested a nap again and he said 'no', so I suggested an early bath and bed and he said 'can I just watch to the end of Doodle Bops'... errr... when I said early I didn't mean 'that' early! Bless his cotton socks!

Anneliese

[Georgebulldog]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh
Hope he feeld better soon

[shakyle2906]

HI

We are used to Calpol and it has to be the right 'colour'

We use Paracare out here, about $15 a bottle, same colour and taste as calpol i am told............ and able to buy from pharmacy.

Hope little one is better soon!

Am told chicken pox is doing the rounds in our school at mo!

Sharon
x

[peebles16]

My eldest has barking, chesty cough at the minute - no temp or any other signs of feeling poorly but nightimes pretty evenful :( Have put hankie with olbas oil on in his room but any other suggestions to ease coughing at night?

Thanks
Karenx

[JandM]

Sometimes night coughs are from when the fluids from the nose/sinuses drain straight back into the airway while the sleeper is on their back, and the cough is the natural reaction, trying to clear the tubes for the air to get through. You could try propping him up so he's sleeping more in a seated position, then his nose may stay snuffly but he'd still be able to breathe with his mouth open.

[mgbridges]

We use Paracare out here, about $15 a bottle, same colour and taste as calpol I am told............ and able to buy from pharmacy.


Thanks for the tip Sharon, we're going to run out of Calpol supplies eventually so I'll get some Paracare and along with some kids Nurofen it should do the trick. Would give you some rep but I have to spread it around first!

Well he requested bath at about 5.15pm last night because he was 'cold', said no to any kind of dinner and was tucked up and fast asleep by 6.15pm bless him! He got up around 7.30am this morning so was obviously in need of a lot of rest. Temperature seems to have gone but still coughing like a good 'un as my MIL would say so glad I decided last night that he needed another day off school. Fingers crossed he is OK for tomorrow as I'm meant to be working and I've already missed one day this week.

Thanks for all the sympathy and good wishes and I hope everyone else's kids are all OK and don't come down with any nasty bugs.

Anneliese

[Familyofmonkeys]

Nasty cough doing the rounds :(....my lot have all had it this week and night times have been dreadful. We are being woken up practically every hour with one or other of them coughing. Lucily they are not too unwell.....still sending them to school/kindy anyway. Haven't really found anything to give them for cold, just been trying to get them to bed a bit earlier for extra rest and they haven't been waking up until nearer 7am so obviously needing more sleep :)

[marcia]

Before going to chemist and buying kids paracetamot - try getting a prescrition from the docs next time you take them in! Our youngest had the first of his HEp B injections yesterday and I'd run out of calpol with the middle one having Tonsilitus last week, so asked the nurse if it was possible to get some - no problems and when I collected it from the chemist - no charges either! :nice1

Hope you are all feeling better soon!

[nippa&pippa]

Before going to chemist and buying kids paracetamot - try getting a prescrition from the docs next time you take them in! Our youngest had the first of his HEp B injections yesterday and I'd run out of calpol with the middle one having Tonsilitus last week, so asked the nurse if it was possible to get some - no problems and when I collected it from the chemist - no charges either! :nice1

Hope you are all feeling better soon!

:yes that where I get mine from, free :nice1

[Familyofmonkeys]

:yes that where I get mine from, free :nice1

Can you get children's ibuprofen liquid on prescription as well as the usual paracetamol?

[nippa&pippa]

Can you get children's ibuprofen liquid on prescription as well as the usual paracetamol?

Don't know that one because of allergies, my children advised not to have it.

[Tia Maria]

Can you get children's ibuprofen liquid on prescription as well as the usual paracetamol?

Don't know either, but worth looking into as its expensive!

Cheers

Tia

[mgbridges]

If DS hadn't been so completely traumatised by the idiot of a plastic surgeon we went to see months ago (its a long story) I'd of had him at the Docs today trying to get something on prescription even if it was only paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Useful tip though given how expensive OTC meds seem to be.

Anneliese

[thezorbster]

Our doctor recommended honey to soothe the throat and help the cough. Said the over the counter cough medicines were rubbish and they did nothing for my daughter who has now ended up on a steroid inhaler as her cough went from bad to worse.

[Tia Maria]

My kids love a honey and lemon drink I make them. As it sounds, couple of spoons of honey, bit of a squirt of lemon and some boiling water.

If nothing else its a good way to get extra fluids into them!

I duped my older, more fussy one, into trying it by putting it in a 'grown up' mug and saying that it was for grown ups really but I'd let him try a bit if he was good! :laugh

Cheers

Tia

[Oregonkiwi]

Can you get children's ibuprofen liquid on prescription as well as the usual paracetamol?

Yes - when my boy had an ear infection & fever last year, doctor prescribed big bottles of paracetamol and ibuprofen. Very handy to have in the medicine cupboard - those big bottles have lasted a while so far. :)