When do you see a doctor for a cough?

[NovelMama]

AJ has had a very junky cough for a week now, along with a head cold. The cough has gotten no worse, but neither has it gotten any better. (And actually, now that I say that, today it seems like she is compelled to cough - that wasn't the issue before.) It sounds very productive, but coughing doesn't seem to bring anything up. She keeps sniffing rather than blowing her nose, so I'm sure that's just adding to the problem, and I'm doing my best to keep her drinking water but she doesn't drink if I don't remind her and I keep forgetting.

At what point would you go to a doc for actual meds and not just OTC stuff? I put her on Mucinex two days ago but it doesn't seem to be doing anything.

[ECingMama]

After 14 days.

We use Lypo C and other remedies long before that though!

[CelticJourney]

If you think there is any fluid in her lungs that is not being expelled, I'd do something. If she is clearing or if it is a dry cough, then it's different, though it does really drain the body.

[OnAMission]

We have had this at our house the last few weeks, especially ds1. We went after 17 days without it getting better. Thankfully his lungs were clear (a couple winters ago he had the beginnings of pneumonia because I waited so long), but we still decided on antibiotics. The other kids were developing fever and sore throat feels in addition to the cough and are also on antibiotics.

[mamacat]

In addition to the mucinex you may consider trying steam and deep breathing and coughing. Sometimes you can listen t chest pretty well by putting ear to chest and having them breathe deeply both sides,upper and lower lung sections to see if you can hear any unusual sounds like wheezing or anything other than a smooth air sound. A lot of time a cough can be kind of lingering and dry and hacky or junky from sinus drainage in back of throat.

[Pragmatist]

We've had bad coughs last 3-4 weeks. I am dr. avoidant so I would probably let it go longer than most. I would take a child to be seen if I thought they were having trouble breathing or still significantly struggling with energy after the initial illness had passed. I would also take in for fever if it was after the initial illness, because prolonged cough with fever developing later is a sign of pneumonia.

[believer]

I am wondering about this too, especially now after hearing that Hillary Clinton had an allergic cough that turned into pneumonia. I also read that several people on her campaign team have had pneumonia recently though. Anyway, I was sick 3 weeks ago - fever, body aches and then a cough. The cough lasted the longest - about 2 weeks. A day or two after it ended, the pollen count went up and my allergies started up and the cough is back. I cannot take expectorant - it gives me a stomach ache and does not seem to help with the cough. I did start taking a decongestant this week - Coricidin Hbp - and for the past few days I have been taking a 24 hour Zyrtec at night and then a 24 hour Allegra in the morning. (I asked a pharmacist, who said that was ok.) I still have the cough. Tomorrow I am not going to take the Allegra or Coricidin and see how I am. I also bought some Elderberry cough syrup and have taken it every night - it seems to do nothing. Sometimes the stuff I cough up tastes really nasty. I am getting really tired of this cough.

[knitlove]

I go to the Dr when I am coughing up colored junk for more than 3 days.

Ok always will have my coughs linger on and on and on