Both girls coughing like mad. Both were up again lastnight coughing, took Lillie to DRs yesterday for her random screaming in the night and all day yesterday (even baffled the DRs and shes fine today). Asked the DR to check her chest as shes had this cough for weeks!!! but now its really bad. she said nope nothing she can do and wont give antibs anymore. so another sleepless night lastnight so went to chemist this afternoon who tell me they no longer allowed to sell any cough medicine for under 6s???

huh since when?!?!?

They sold me cough medicine for Jamie at 3 months even though we never needed it. It said from 3 months on the bottle as well

I know there is some ingredient that isnt allowed anymore for young kids and there was a whole shake up a year or 2 ago with some brands being withdrawn from tesco or put behind the counter.

You can still buy cough medicine though. I got some for Caitlin in a boots chemist cpl months ago. In saying that I think it just contains glycerol? Basically clinically its no more than sugar water but I did find it worked a bit. I got the boots own brand as benelyin etc was twice the price for same thing. x

oh crumbs there is something about taht it doesnt actually work, some research,

maybe someone else knows more,

not sure if it works for coughs but steam, so a warm bath or playing in the bathroom with the hot shower running or hot tap. it might clear them alittle bit

sorry not much help am i xx

yeah thats what the chemist lady said, its not cough medicine its only sugary water the ones you can get.

argh so what am I ment to do?? wait till its broncitus?! lol Im dosing them both up with calpol at mo hoping will do something.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-546909/Cough-medicine-banned-children-100-remedies-taken-shelves.html

There are other links about it. I think that kind of explains it x

oo thanks hun!! ah well calpol it is! honey in their milk... but hollie cant can see?? sure they have to be 1 for honey dont they?? x

lol or whisky as my mum said!! ermmm no

Yeah I dont think they can take honey until they 1. Dont think its allergy related think its a bacteria thing, and a risk of them getting poorly.

You could try the glycerol ones, though Caitlins cough wasnt that bad. It only lasted 4-5 days and using calpol, karvol and that glycerol cough medicine she got over it well. Hope they feeling better soon x

That link Snoops just says they are not on the shelf anymore but behind the counter so you get proper dosage instructions x

and...that was 2008, im sure i pick up medicine on the shelf all the time!

I might be wrong but they dont give antib's if its viral. It doesnt work apparently xx

when Chloe had a bad cough that wasnt on her chest, the doctor told me to put some Karvol or vicks on their pjs at night and a bit into the bath as it can be congestion from the nose going down the throat when they lay down making her cough, it helped Chloe, give Lillie a tsp of honey melted in warm water before she goes to bed and prop them up a bit if you can x

Terri wrote:

That link Snoops just says they are not on the shelf anymore but behind the counter so you get proper dosage instructions x

Thats for over 2's but. My understanding was that for under 2's they were banned all together. I could be wrong, but any one's on shelves iv seen are just the basic glycerol ones x

when Tylers had coughs we've put olbas oil on/around his cot and used a chest rub erm snuffle baby or karvol do one.
if it was a chest infection I think they would give anti b's and so it may just be mucus from the nose going down the back of the throat which the olbas oil and chest rub should help clear.. you can get those vaporiser things too erm.... someone I know swears by a cough medicine called meltus - dunno if that's worth a go... I used to loooove tixylix when I was little and it did work and it can be used from 3 months but not sure if it isn't just sugary water.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/02February/Pages/Childcoldflumedicines.aspx

^ There's the NHS advice and explains again about under 6's avoiding cough meds.

I dont really think cough medicines are that dangerous. The govt are prob being a bit over protective. Karvol or olbas oil sounds like a good plan.

thanks ladies,got kavol and vicks. ahh well sure be ok, only 1more night tonight till I pack them off to my mums for the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!! whoop

IIRC research has shown guafesenin to be linked to seizure activity in young children and there was a similar article on the other ingredient-i think ephidrine but may be wrong. The glycerol is still available to buy but its nowt more than a throat soother. A syrup like maple is a good honey alternative in under 1's.

And they wont give anti bs for most coughs unless bacterial infection suspected as it does sod all except increase antibiotic resistence for when they actually are needed

when leo was a baby it was fine, think it all changed when he was about 4...nothing but calpol/iburofen for under 6's...you can still give them honey and lemon medicine though, but obvs thats only from 1 year xx

I tend to use calpol plug in and vicks rub when callum has a cough x
You can still buy cough medicines in sainburys/boots them places. Ii have tried them when callums cough has been really bad x