Hey David, so my three year old got sick a week or two before Christmas. Took a few weeks to get him back on track, but this cough is just lingering around. I feel like I’m usually pretty decent at treating coughs, but this thing just won’t resolve. It’s fine during the day, just a bit here and there, it’s at night it gets bad. I’m still new to tcm concepts, but wasn’t there a thing about worse at night being a yin deficiency thing? It does sound like a dry cough to me and that’s how I’ve been treating it. Mullein, red clover and a tiny bit of elecampane in an elderberry/goji syrup. A bit of wild lettuce if it’s really keeping him up. Been also doing some slippery elm during the day. I’m still new to dad hood and treating kids 😬. Is this normal for kids? Does it just take some time for their mucosa to re-regulate? Does it just take time? I’ve considered just stopping the herbs to see how he does, but it definitely gets worse and what I’m using calms it down so the kiddo can get some sleep (and myself too). Sorry for being so long winded. Thank you sir.

Hey there thanks for attending to my question in class today. Just to add on, the cough certainly seems dry to me. It was odd because he seemed really congested in his sinuses, so I was attributing it to post nasal drip. So I tried doing a few things to dry up the mucus membrane but it aggravated the cough. When he coughs it ends with this kind of high pitched tone. I have a hard time describing it. It almost sounds hollow, tingy, or echos almost... Anyways, in class you mentioned a formula and I didn't quite have time to jot it down. I remember you mentioned Drosera, Licorice, Wild Cherry (which I do have a hydrolyzed tincture I made)... and I can't remember the rest. I do have Shatavari, but nothing in terms of the TCM herbs (I have been interested in obtaining some Ophiopogon though). So Licorice is ok with kids? Wasn't sure if it was too strong. And yes, if things ever get to be too much we have a really good old school ND we go to. It's definitely tough treating your own kids!! Thanks for your time David.

David's reply: Hey there thanks for attending to my question in class today. Just to add on, the cough certainly seems dry to me. It was odd because he seemed really congested in his sinuses, so I was attributing it to post nasal drip. So I tried doing a few things to dry up the mucus membrane but it aggravated the cough. When he coughs it ends with this kind of high pitched tone. I have a hard time describing it. It almost sounds hollow, tingy, or echos almost… Perhaps Pertussis ? I would do some steams in the bathroom, to loosen mucus, but not will not dry out his throat further Anyways, in class you mentioned a formula and I didn’t quite have time to jot it down. I remember you mentioned Drosera (1-2 gtt), Licorice (1 part), Wild Cherry (1-2 parts), Shatavari, (2 parts) or Sweet Cecily root, Goji Berry also moistens the lungs So Licorice is ok with kids - yes in small amounts., short term.