And always, when anyone gets it in my household, there is always a domino effect. And I'm particularly worried about Raymund. Raymund has a sensitive pair of lungs. When he was 1 month old, he was admitted in the hospital for a week for bronchopneumonia. At 1 month old, it was serious. He was on oxygen support as the doc said that babies may just give up breathing if he couldn't breath. My little baby at that time had his wind pipes all jammed up, full of mucus. It was so painful to see him go on IV, the needle poking into his tiny hands and then the painful suction of mucus every so often. He was screaming hell.
Anyway, since then and I believe it was because of that illness at such at young age, Raymund has very sensitive lungs. On days when he didn't have flu, he'd still cough when he over exerted - like running and playing. He'd cough and cough, and then vomit. He'd wheeze as well. And no, he does not have a real case of asthma. The pediatricians said that he has what they call exercise induced asthma. So, he had been treated with similar medications like Combivent, Steritide, Ventolin and the likes. When he suffered from cough and flu, many a time, he was given nebulizer and even Singular. I have this aversion for Singular and if possible, I try not to put him on it. I covered my belief separately in my topic on Singular.
I got really worried that Raymund's situation will worsen as he grows up. On normal days, and almost every other night, he would wake up in the middle of the night coughing till he vomit out mucus. He would be crying as I can see that it was painful to him. I tried many things. The medications from pediatrician but I don't like administering too much med on a little boy. I seeked Chinese sin seh's advice and giving him things like snow jelly/suet kap, cordyceps, hou jou san (bear gall) etc. Nothing seemed to work. His cough is easily triggered, If he takes anything cold or junky, that's it. He would definitely wake up that night coughing badly and vomiting.
Checking around, I realized that some of my friends' kids have similar problem. Raymund is not alone. Well, knowing that we are not alone, ain't helping either. I still have to figure out a way to help him.
A friend once told me to try out bird nest. His son was suffering from cough a while back but not as bad a Raymund. He bought the Lo Hon Ka bird nests and fed his son a spoon every day. He told me that his son's cough ended there. I didn't quite believe as I thought that it was an isolated incident.... until recently.
Failing all measures, I finally got Raymund on Lo Hon Ka Bird nest. Feeding him twice a day, each time a teaspoon of those concentrated bird nest. He didn't quite like it and we have to do much 'manja-ing'. He wasn't too consistent as he sometimes just refused it. About 2 bottles later - roughly a month passed - I noticed that I didn't hear him coughing much. In fact, he hardly woke up and cough, much less vomit. And then we ran out of the bird nest. For about 2 weeks, he went without it. His cough came back and the nightly ritual started again. That's enough for test and control. I believe. I quickly bought the Lo Hon Ka again and put him back on. He is better now. Still not completely cure but I'm hopeful.
There... that's my story.
Why not buy the uncooked ones and cook ourselves. Done that. Didn't work. Simple reason. The difference is that with Lo Hon Ka, he gets it everyday. Will you double boil every day?
Lo Hon Ka bird nest is definitely expensive. About RM350+ a bottle if you are member.
But ... and this is a big BUT...start calculating. When the kid is sick, how much do you have to pay for pediatrician and put him on medicine which is just preventive and for symptomatic treatment. It does not stop totally. It does not cut it from root as the Chinese says. You keep paying and if he goes on Singular, that's easily another min RM100 depending on how serious and that is just on medicine each time. Don't forget Singular has a side effect! Worse still, he gets hospitalized! Calculating this, you will find that it is about the same if not cheaper. The other upside is that bird nest helps general health as well. Good for the skin. Etc. Definitely a good option. And it works!
I'm already asking my friends with similar problem with themselves or their kids to try it.
Hope it helps them.
Hope it helps you :)
Cheers
Joanne
5 comments:
Hi Joanne,
congrats on ur successful try, even though honestly I think bird nest belongs to 'cold' stuff that can exaggerate cough? Anyway, no harm trying right as we wn the best for our child. Perhaps try to boil birdnest and add in some korean ginseng, some add in cordycepts sinensis.
Actually cordycepts sinensis can help to strengthen the lung, and it's very expensive. Got several option, take little bit and boil with birdnest (as cordycepts can be quite heaty). Or Eu Yan Sang does sell cordycepts extract, comes in bottle (I saw it during CNY). Cordycepts extract easier to consume mah...furthermore it's already in liquid. Your son can take it since he's already 5 yrs old. My daughter only 1 yr, I'm worried she may get bleeding nose if I give her cordycept! Haha...anyway, Carol got a 'cold lung' (according to chinese sinseh), cough at night, and she was given 2 bottles of cordycept extract to strengthen her lung.
Before I manage to buy more, her cough just stopped after she got a mild throat infection. Kids nowaday are so prune to illness. On rainy season, they caught flu, cold. On hot days, they caught throat infection. My carol caught bug based on weather!
Just my 2 cents.
Hi Alice
Yep I heard abt the cold and the hot body. Tried both. Even cordycept and bear gall powder extracts. I even bought the real cordycepts and boiled for them. Didn't see improvement. Perhaps I was feeding the wrong wall. It was until the bird nest every day that I saw improvement. My kids are down with flu again because of the weather. Can't help there. But at least it is not as bad for Raymund as before. I heard about Korean ginseng. Was also told Bird nest or suet kap with korean ginseng is also good. No harm trying. Different kids have different reactions. Trial and error till it works. My nephew was fed Lo Hon Ka bird nest too. Worked on him. Again, as I said no harm.
And BTW thanks for sharing :)
Hi Joanne,
how's raymond? doing better with the birdnest? my daughter 15 months old only, little doubtful to feed birdnest. but glad that it worked for your son. :0)
Hi Joanne,
My girl is having cough and we can hear the phelgm sound from the cough .
She don't cough frequently but once she playround only then she will cough once or 2 with phelgm stuck on her throat(i assumeing).
We have try chinese way such as Birdnest(once a week) , Ho Chua San 2 botton (server 2 time daily) , Pear with Chuan Bei (川贝)Drink(try 3 time afternate).
Western medicine - singular(daily),nebulize(alternate 3 days)
Still did't see any improvement , i will like to try your new remedy but just want further ask did your raymund got phelgm during cough out time ?
Hi Joanne, I came across ur blog when searching for an answer.. So, bird nest does work ya. My boy is going to 3 this year and has been falling sick (flue, cough, sore throt and a little asthma symptom )since before CNY 2012. Has been in and out from clinics and hospital...doctors even put him on 2 rounds of antibiotics and children's steriod (that is how the doctor told me) which I feel is very harmful to the little body.
I really do hope I found the correct answer this time :)
Cheers!
Mummy Heidi
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