Help - how to stop congested baby from vomiting

[Ko]

hi there, my 2 year old is recovering from a cold and is very congested (lots of phlegm stuck at back of throat, especially when he wakes up). this had led to him vomiting 3 times in the last 24 hours while trying to clear his throat!

does anyone have any suggestions please? we have a snot-sucker (!) and use karvol to help him breathe at night. the main problem is that he can't clear his throat (and doesn't know how to blow his nose) and while trying to cough up the phlegm he vomits - this is always soon after he wakes up.

any advice very much appreciated, many thanks x

[Ko]

by the way, i'm pretty sure he doesn't have a vomiting bug as he only vomits when he is trying to cough up the phlegm. thanks

[pripolla]

Lots of fluids (water, diluted juice)and steam (i.e. from shower or warm mist humidifier) to ease the mucus. It worked when my daughter was around this age.

[candj]

I hate it when this happens! My 11 month old just went through this. I find cutting down on dairy helps as I think dairy contributes to making phlegm worse so in my case we just cut out the yoghurt and cheesy pastas (but kept the milk he drinks) for a few days. An expectorant might help break up the phlegm and make his coughs more productive, but in my experience it can also make them cough more as the phlegm breaks up.

Agree with pripolla that steam is good whether in the shower or I've even boiled a large pasta pot of water and added a few drops of olbas oil and placed it under the cot when they sleep.

Hope this helps and that your little one is better soon.

[sunbob]

We haven't had congestion this bad, but what we did have we tipped up the cot with books at the head end and put bowl of boiling water and children's olbas oil in room, regularly refreshing this through the night.

[haynes1]

i agree with sunbob propping up the bed really helps. We put a pillow under the head end of the mattress.

[Vanessa3]

I rubbed Vicks on my 2 year olds chest - worked much better than any cough mixture.

[Ko]

thanks so much for all these tips - have been trying them all and they have really made a difference!

many thanks xxx