Cough Syrup for 1 Yr Old

Updated on February 05, 2013
N.M. asks from Fargo, ND
20 answers

I have a 13 month old daughter that weighs 20 pounds. She has a bad cough along with runny nose and congestion. The last 3 nights she has been up coughing all night. I have a humidfier next to her bed and I also use saline drops with suctioning. I give her tylenol and ibuprofen to try to make her more comfortable. Nothing seems to be working. She currently has an ear infection on top of this and is on an antibiotic. I know the FDA pulled all cough medicine for children under the age of 4 off the shelf. However I have a friend whos son is the same age and weight and going through the same sickness right now. She went out and bought Delsym Nightime Cough and Cold and gives him 1/2 tsp every 6 hours. I am just wondering if that would be proper dosing for my daughter and what peoples thoughts would be with me trying it.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

I have read numerous comments on here and other websites saying with the correct doseage Delsym or cough syrup is fine for my daughter to take. She doesnt need to go to the ER. I willl wait for a call my primary dr. tomorrow. I have decided to NOT give her any cough syrup. I DO have some common sense and i know all about when and why the FDA pulled medicine for children under 6. Just because of that doesn't mean if your Dr recommends something that you shouldn't listen to there suggestions and try whatever they say.I have sent my Dr. an email for my daughter to be seen tomorrow. Some people's comments on here made me sound like a real idiot and like I didn't know how to be a mother. I do know what I am doing! My posted question was to just get some advice not criticism. Thank you though to those who's answers actually helped me!

Featured Answers

D.K.

answers from Sioux City on

Vicks on the bottom of the feet with socks on. I also use the vicks vaporizer liquid in the steamer. It works well when mine have a bad cough.

3 moms found this helpful

☆.H.

answers from San Francisco on

The american academy of pediatrics does not recommend cough syrup for children under 6. You may find that the doctor or the pharmacist will not help you with this. You can't always trust what the internet says. Fact is you will be making a shot in the dark decision about dosage.
I know, it stinks. There were so many times when my son had a racking cough, sometimes hard enough make him puke and the doctor would just sit there tell us we had to wait it out! I hope the medical community comes up with a solution to this issue. It's wrong to make little ones suffer like that just because of the fear of a lawsuit! (steps off soap box....)

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B..

answers from Dallas on

There is NO proper dosage for your little one. Your friend is being very irresponsible. Don't follow her lead, she is making a bad choice.

Don't do it. Get your daughter into the doctor tomorrow. She has been coughing for days, and it's best to make sure she doesn't have something else going on.

6 moms found this helpful

L.L.

answers from Rochester on

They don't recommend cough syrups under the age of six anymore because they are largely ineffective. And think about it...this is one of the biggest money making industries in the world...they wouldn't tell us NOT to use a product unless they meant it.

Do not buy cough syrup and dose your baby. There is no need to introduce drugs into her system when by and large, they will do nothing for her. I think you are better off to bring her in to the doctor tomorrow to rule out other infections, croup, whooping cough, etc. The doctor ought to be able to recommend some homeopathic remedies (raise the head of her bed, a bit of honey, humidifier, things of that nature.)

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

What your friend is doing is dangerous and irresponsible.
I sure hope you don't follow her lead!

NOTHING for a O. year old!
Talk to your doc.

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.M.

answers from Boston on

I would want to see Md and rule out croup.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Houston on

It is so hard when they are that young and there is so little that you can do for them!

As I understand it, the main reason that cough remedies were removed from the market for younger children was that they really aren't all that effective in young children. Something to due with the way that they metabolize the drug...or are unable to metabolize it. Children wouldn't respond to treatment and then their parents would give them more...and end up overdosing them.

I found that warm herbal tea (mint, chamomile, etc.) with honey went a long way toward soothing irritated bronchial passages. I'm also in the camp that believes steam vaporizers are more effective when it comes to coughing.

Before bedtime, run the shower very hot and sit in the bathroom with her to get her sinuses opened up. I'm a big fan of the aerosol salines (Simply Saline aka booger water in our house). Elevate her head.

I spent many a night holding my daughter upright in an armchair just so we could both get a little sleep.

Good luck. It gets better.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.G.

answers from Fort Myers on

You need to talk to a pharmacist. That's the dosage my doctor gave me for my almost 3 year old who's 33 pounds. Some of the major chains like CVS or Walgreens have pharmacies open late or even 24 hours. Don't base anything on what someone told your friend for her son. The medicine for my son was not Delsym, it was a prescription medicine that was FDA approved for children under 4.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Portland on

I don't understand how you could have read the information of a half tsp. being the correct dosage for a 13 month old when the bottle of Delsym Night Time Cough and Cold I have in front of me very clearly states: "Children 4 to under 6 years of age: do not use unless directed by a doctor; Children Under 4 Years of age: **do not use**". Are you sure these people are doctors who have decided this is 'fine'? Do take her in to see the doctor tomorrow,and if you see any rapid, shallow breathing, bluing of the lips, do take her in to the ER immediately.

For what it's worth, our pediatrician said that sometimes a cough suppressant can be harmful; often coughing can be a response to help keep the airway clear and keep the lungs from becoming full of mucus; suppressing this can cause worse problems, which is why they want us to bring the kiddos in to be seen.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Take her to the ER.
She needs to see a Doctor.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I buy infant & toddler cold medications every time Im in any other 1st world country (which all have infant & toddler cold meds, its just the too dumb to live Americans who can't be trusted).

The suspensions are different, though, than children's & adult formulas.

So if I DONT have the appropriate suspension, I get an Rx.

In ALL cases, I check with the pharmacist or consulting g nurse line when I have a dosing question. Don't eyeball meds. And don't go off of what someone else is doing (my son takes double the adult dose in some meds, because his condition is severe. My idiot SIL thought that meant my neice should take what he takes. Sigh. No no no no no.)

I do t think anyone is saying to ignore doctors orders (doctors trump general-for-everyone-rules-of-thumb with case specific best practice), they're saying DONT just copy your friend blindly, or a bunch of strangers online.

See a doctor.
Get appropriate meds -or OTC dose- from them

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.V.

answers from Springfield on

I think calling your primary dr tomorrow is a good idea. It sounds like you are doing all the right things, and now that she is on the antibiotics, she should only get better, not worse. Coughs can hang on for awhile, though! So if there is something else that you can do to help her be more comfortable the dr should be able to tell you about it.

One idea is to elevate your daughter's head at night. You can either literally prop up her crib mattress or regular mattress somehow, or, if she is using pillows, add some extra ones and try to get her to sleep somewhat on an incline. This can be a little tricky but can cut down on the post nasal drip, helping her to sleep more soundly.

I am pretty sure that the dr will not advise cough meds of any sort for your daughter's age, since it is not longer recommended for the age group. They may however suggest some allergy meds as they can have a similar 'drying out' effect. (My child's dr has advised zyrtec and claritin at different times.)

Best of luck - hope your daughter feels better soon!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Call the pharmacy and give them his weight, they can tell you how much to give.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.T.

answers from Dallas on

Call or go talk to a local pharmacist, there's no reason for her to be that uncomfortable... there are meds that can be given safely. I am married to a pharmacist and I can assure you that we safely treated our kid's cold symptoms when they were that age(not that long ago, my youngest is 3). And good grief, I'm glad you have sense enough to realize this is not an ER thing!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Don't try it. Kids have died because of giving cough meds under the age of 4. So please, just do all the natural remedies you can. If you need to use something, a spoonful of honey is sufficient and works just as well as cough syrup. You said she is 13 months right? Over age 1 you can use honey. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.U.

answers from Omaha on

One of the peds in our office gave me the best recipe ever. Heat up some water until boiling in a mug not quite half full add honey i ususally put about 3 Tbs full in there and then add some juice to make it warm. It works awesome for my son. FYI don't use orange juice.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.1.

answers from Duluth on

All I want to add, is that sometimes the humidifier actually makes the cough worse. Some coughs benefit from humid air and some don't. Good luck!

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

N.:

Welcome to mamapedia!!

Have you talked to your pediatrician about your concerns and what you WANT to do? If not, do.

The cough syrup was pulled for a reason. If you want to risk the life and health of your child, that's your business. However, do not come on a site like this and expect caring mothers (and I'm not saying you are not) to sit back and tell you to go for it.

I am NOT a pharmacist nor am I a doctor. I would NOT be giving my child medication that was pulled from the shelves. And even if I were there is no way on God's Green Earth, I would recommend giving a pulled medication to ANYONE...

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.S.

answers from Omaha on

Your daughter sounds like my son, he had snot and a cough from about 13 months till all his teeth were in. The WHOLE time he was teething. I just kept the fluids flowing, seems as if I did give some cough syrup if it got really bad. And of course, antibiotic if the ear infection kicked in. As for the dosage- I think what your friend is dosing is probably ok, I am not a doctor- but I haven't done anything to hurt my child yet as a mother- you should be good.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.S.

answers from Milwaukee on

I know a lot of the other response were very mean but all I have to say is I have and will always use cough medicine for my kids since they were1 year old . I have never had a problem with it I believe they pulled it off the market not because it was harmful(unless overdosed) but because they didn't see that it was effective anyway which may be true on a case by case basis but it works excellent for my children and myself. Delsym is the best!

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions