How can i treat my son's persistent dry cough ?

other than the cough he feels fine.He's been this way for 2 weeks & i'm starting to get worried! We'd take him to his doctor but we're waiting for insurance cards to get here.
Answers:
take him the doctors
Depending on how old your son is, if it is persisting and you are fussing over him it is probably psychological. I used to do it as a kid aparently. When I was getting attention for actually having a cough I used to make myself cough for the attention. Obviously if your son is older then ignore everything I just said. :)
If he has started a new job you might want to look at the possibility that his cough could be from allergies. A dry cough, especially when you lie down, can indicate allergies. I get this every spring from my seasonal allergies.

Also he might want to discuss this with a supervisor so that he does not get sicker and start to miss work. If there are particles in the air that he is breathing in that are causing this then perhaps he could wear a mask or a better mask.

If it is allergies an antihistamine could do the trick and make his new job go a lot smoother for the time being.

If his cough gets worse, take him to a doctor right away. His health is nothing to fool around with, he needs to be healthy in order to work so make sure he gets appropriate care when he needs it.

Good luck!
Hi he may have a slight chest infection of somesort, have you tried benelyn. Does any of your family memebers smoke as you find young children do seem to have a cough who are around smokers. I would just go and get something from the chemist and give it a few days if it doesnt clear then you may need to see a doctor.
If he wakes at night only it may be a sign of asthma, ensure that he room is clean and dust free, having olbas oil or something simlar to sniff can help, but you would need to visit your doctor really. Why not ask the chemist for advice- they will give it to you for free and are very knowledgeable. Other than that I could only say try the appropriate cough medicine, ensure that the air is moist enough, use a humidifier or place bowls of water above radiators, codeine syrup is very effective, but not sure if it's only for adults, I would want to ask the chemist before giving it to him as it is very strong.
Is he developing Asthma? Its best you get him checked out sooner. best of luck
Try some elderberry syrup.. you can find it at natural foods stores, and some drug stores. It's natural, and sometimes works really good. His throat might just be irritated from all the coughing and making it persist, so any soothing foods would probably be good to keep him from coughing, but a dry persistant cough is usually a cause for concern. You may want to call the doctor and ask their advice, even if you aren't able to take him in.
1) get some dried figs and boil it in water for about one hour,
allow to cool, smash using hands, and filter it through a kitchen sieve,
add Honey to make sweet to his taste, and just let him drink several times a day.
this is a wonderful cold drink for the whole family
In England you can take him to a chemists (like Boots) and ask to speak to the Pharmacist.
You could try cough products containing 'lobelia' on the list of ingredients.
Dry cough can be other stuff though so start with the pharmacist if you can't get to a doctor.
a dry cough is not a big worry. maybe the air is dry. try a humidifier or cracking a window. also if you let him suck on a hard piece of candy like a werthers it will surpres it for a little while good luck
Unfortunately you don't say what age your Son is at present, like some of your other replies I wonder if he has developed asthma - he could be allergic to something in your home (this can be checked out at the Doctor's).

I developed asthma at puberty (allergic asthma) and it has remained with me ever since, my inhalers help a great deal but I can still develop a dry cough - I use Benylin to relieve it - again check with your pharmacist depending on your Son's age regarding use of this medication - I believe there is a junior version.