benylin 6+ and tummy ache

[susyp]

Hi , my daughter gets really really chronic coughs and is up all night with them - they can go on for days.

She has just got one and is now nearly 5, so i thought I would bite the bullet and get her 6+ medicine - i gave her benylin chesty cough 6+ which has guaifenesin in it. She's been having very bad tummy ache in the early part of the night and very bad wind - however i often have to wind her anyway and the mucus she gets does give her tummy ache - but it has been a bit worse this time. She woke up at 5am this morning and I gave her some more mediceine - then she came in ten mins later saying the med had given her tummy ache and she had't had it before i gave her the med - this accords with what I was starting to work out - as her wind at night is a lot worse than i would normally expect from mucus. So i looked to see if any dairy in the medicine - but none obviously.

I just found this on net doctor " Expectorants such as guaifenesin are thought to work by stimulating receptors in the stomach, causing a reflex increase in the volume of fluid produced in the airways. This decreases the thickness of the secretions in the airways, thus loosening phlegm and making it easier to cough up."

I am assuming this is what is giving her tummy ache? I only give her one spoon or one 1/2 so not full dose. Is this because she is too young for it or am i doomed with a child with chronic cough who can't take the medicine?! Can anyone recommend any cough medicines without guaifenesin in? Will just get some calpol today to replace it as hopefully she is coming to end of cough, but just thinking about next time.

thanks so much

Susypx

[Fuschia]

Think it might be asthma or an allergy?

[Saffron]

Stomach ache could be psychological/anxiety, esp'y if she's not sleeping well.

[Saffron]

Do you have a link for the website from which you got the drug info... would be curious to read the full page.

[Saffron]

A commonly listed side effect of many cough meds (regardless of mechanism of action) is N&V, which could include tummy ache.

OTC cough meds are aimed at treating acute cough. Is your daughter well in herself in between times when she has a cough, or could the cough be a chronic symptom of an underlying problem? If there is a chronic condition, OTC meds for cough are probably not going to help.

Even in the case of acute cough, many recent reviews of cough meds in children both here and abroad seem to have concluded that most OTC cough meds are not effective in children and that they are often associated with increased side effects. This has led to a maojor rethink about which medicines are effective and safe for children and from what age.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4598006.stm

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/hard-to-swallow-the-truth-about-toddlers-cough-medicines-803077.html

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00408-011-9319-y#page-1

Has your daughter had a paeds assessment specifically aimed at addressing the issue of cough? Can you get a referral from a sympathetic GP?

[susyp]

It's always related to a cold so I don't think it's an allergy or underlying issue? She missed 3 weeks of school last autumn cos it kept recurring - and she vomits mucus with it - sent her in today and she was home by 0930 as had vomited. And even though I take her to a lovely warm private health club to swim she always gets a cold. So just worried as she misses days and days of school with each cough and there is no point her doing swimming lessons as she ll miss tons - so I am trying to teach her but its hard without going every week.

I get very bad coughs so feel it could be genetic.

Is it still worth being referred - surely it ll get better as she gets older?

Just got told off in pharmacy for giving her 6 plus med so we re back to calpol now!

Susyox

[Saffron]

A referral could help diagnose (or rule out) asthma. Keep a symptom diary. Not all asthmatics have a typical wheeze. Cough can also be a sign of asthma.

Paracetamol won't help a cough, and quashing a fever can be counterproductive. A low fever helps the body eliminate cold viruses.

Have you tried Buttercup for cough? We've had mixed success with it in the past. The plug-in or battery-powered methol fans (Karvol does a nice one http://www.karvol.co.uk/karvolvaporiser.htm) have worked wonders for Little Saff. But the battery-powered ones really go through batteries quickly! Some people swear by chest rubs, but Little Saff hates them.

[pripolla]

My daughter was diagnosed with asthma after recurring colds turning into nasty coughs (no wheezing, just cough). It seems the colds trigger her asthma.

[susyp]

thanks so much saffron for all your advice, will look into a menthol plug in.

and pripolla - it may be worth investigating - how did they diagnose? I had a test once and just had to puff into a tube and they said no not asthma as the puff was good ?

I do think that she is just very suceptible but definitely might be worth a referral just to make it more managable come next winter.

i've now got her cold so waiting for my own cough to start in next few days!

I put her to bed tonight after a chilled out day at home with daddy and she was straight off to sleep, with calpol - and not one cough yet. it's just very tiring having a coughing all night child as i know so many people on the forum have experienced!

thanks again

susypx

[EDmummy]

Agree with Saffron about getting referral. My oldest had similar problems and had cold induced asthma (grew out of it) and we had medication to be used only when he had a cold. Other things to try - raise the head end of her bed, vacuum mattress and clean all soft furnishings very regularly to get rid of dust mite. Get rid of carpets in bedroom. Do you have cats or dogs?

[Saffron]

This website has decent info on diagnosis of asthma in children, although they are focused on typicsl symptoms and don't mention that atypical asthmatics can mainly have cough as a symptom. They do mention that asthmatic-type symptoms during a cold are not always indicative of asthma. So you really need a complete assessment for best diagnosis. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/diagnosis.html

xx