Cough Variant Asthma-8 Yr Old

[Jalva22]

Hi all. Just wondering if any of you have children that are dealing with this illness. My DS has dealt with it his whole life. He is now 8. He came down with RSV when he was 6 months old. Then, when he was 3, he began having coughing attacks. He was finally diagnosed after several spells with cough variant asthma. He never wheezes or has breathing crises, but has major coughing spells. When he has a spell, nothing seems to help him. He takes advair 250, albuterol, claritin, singulair and then uses a strong cough suppressant occasionally at night. Just curious if any of you have experienced the same thing and if you've found anything that controls the symptoms. His doctor is a board certified pediatrician who seems very aggressive in treating asthma, but I'm frustrated at the lack of relief my DS is experiencing. Considering doing a self-referral to a pulmonoligist, but of course don't know anything about the ones in my area. Have considered asking the pediatrician about this, but keep thinking he'd bring it up if he thought it would help. Our insurance is thankfully very good, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Anyway, thanks to all who respond.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I have cough variant asthma as well. It's a pain in the butt because most people just think asthma is the wheezing and gasping and not the coughing until you pass out.

I would absoultely take your son to a pulmonologist. Do you notice signs of allergies as well? Has he been tested? I have to treat my asthma as well as my allergies to keep everything straight. To make it more complicated I was diagnosed with acid reflux this year. I didn't even know I had it but I was coughing like crazy after meals and finally it was found that the reflux was going into my lungs instead of up and causing normal reflux problems.

There are many medications out there to help your son and sometimes it does take trying out several to find the right mix. I only use my nebulizer when I'm having severe outbreaks or very sick. I take a pulmicourt powder inhaler everyday in addition to the allergy med and a singluar.

I also find that somethings like hot showers, humid weather, and the heater up on high triggers my coughing even more. I sleep with a cool mist humidfier next to the bed to help keep the moisutre without the heat overcoming me.

Don't give up, your son can get better and have a normal life.

 

[Magpie]

Hi all. Just wondering if any of you have children that are dealing with this illness. My DS has dealt with it his whole life. He is now 8. He came down with RSV when he was 6 months old. Then, when he was 3, he began having coughing attacks. He was finally diagnosed after several spells with cough variant asthma. He never wheezes or has breathing crises, but has major coughing spells. When he has a spell, nothing seems to help him. He takes advair 250, albuterol, claritin, singulair and then uses a strong cough suppressant occasionally at night. Just curious if any of you have experienced the same thing and if you've found anything that controls the symptoms. His doctor is a board certified pediatrician who seems very aggressive in treating asthma, but I'm frustrated at the lack of relief my DS is experiencing. Considering doing a self-referral to a pulmonoligist, but of course don't know anything about the ones in my area. Have considered asking the pediatrician about this, but keep thinking he'd bring it up if he thought it would help. Our insurance is thankfully very good, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Anyway, thanks to all who respond.

Cough variant asthma! I've got this! It's miserable. The drugs all help - a little. They don't cure it. They don't even stop the coughing. It's incredibly frustrating. I cough so hard, sometimes I throw up. And, it's not fun when everyone's staring at you like you're Typhoid Mary on the bus.

The big trick for me is just staying healthy. That's hard for a kid to do in school, I know! But try to avoid colds. If he starts to get sick, have him rest. I'll actually spend a day in bed when I've got the sniffles, just to avoid triggering the coughing. Dry air helps me, too. Having a dehumidifier running in the house goes a long way. Avoiding dust, and old pillows. Washing my hands religiously!

I've gotten to the point now where I can feel an attack coming on by the tightness or rattling feeling in my chest, and I'll go and lie down. Try to gradually teach your son to listen to what his body is telling him - it'll take a long time, but it'll be a big help to him when he's older. I also practice some meditation and self-control, because the problem is that the asthma inflames my bronchial tubes, which causes me to cough, which further inflames my bronchial tubes - and it can become a never-ending cycle. So the trick when I feel my chest tightening up is to *not* cough. If I can manage to cough as little as possible, then I can shorten the attack. It's hard, but honestly, self-control works just as well as the meds.

Oh... and Tussionex is one kick-*** narcotic drug. If they ever give your son that as a cough suppressant, be careful. It didn't stop my coughing, but man - it put me in such a buzzing, happy place, I didn't care any more!

 

[janette]

My 13yo DD suffers from it but not as severely as your DS. She also had RSV as an infant and has had asthma since, it is now more exercise induced and she does wheeze some but coughing is her main symptom.

It really sounds like your Dr is doing what they can, I've heard of some only using rescue meds but your DS is taking maintenance drugs and fairly high doses. I think I'd ask about a referral; if the standard drugs aren't working then you really need to have better answers and I don't think a pediatrician can give you those.

 

[Jalva22]

Thank you all for the replies! We are going to see the pediatrician this morning and I'm going to ask about a referral. Yes, he does also show signs of allergies, but worse in the spring. The spring is his hardest time.

 

[Mkrop]

My son was diagnosised with cough variant asthma by an allergist. They did the test up and down his arms and found out he is allergic to everything outdoors. He is on Zyrtec, Flovent, and Nasonex every night, and albuterol just in case, but he has been doing great so we havent had to use it. GL

 

[LuvMV50]

My 8 year old daughter has had Asthma her entire life and has been in the hospital more times then I care to remember for it. She had pneumonia at the age of 4 months, which triggered the Asthma and is now on Albuterol (control), Singulair (chewable) and was on Pulmicort (rescue) until recently when they changed it to Symbicort. The Pulmicort wasn't helping at all and DD was having attacks 6, 7 or more times a week!! The Symbicort is working awesome though and she is much better as of late. She only seems to have allergies in the Spring and then she takes Claratin.

I always wondered about the cough though as DD coughs constantly, especially at night. I might have to ask her Ped about this because sometimes it just scares the heck out of me as I think she is choking and I am awake all night because I get scared.

DD has always had a really weak immune system since she was born and I find if I let her sleep over friends houses or she goes to a party with kids, she always is sick the next day for a few days after. She catches every single thing that goes around school, but gets it 4 times worse. A few weeks ago, the flu was going around in her school and she was out a week with pneumonia. Does anyone else get this? Seems like DD is constantly sick and if I could get away with it, I would send her to school with a mask on!!

 

[Mono~rail]

My twins have asthma with coughing. They were born prematurely, and they both spent time on the vent - one for 2 weeks and the other for 7.

The one who was on the vent for 7 weeks will wheeze, but not where it can be heard with normal hearing. I have to listen with my stethescope (I'm an RN). She catches pneumonia very easily, and she also had RSV pneumonia as an infant. I will know her asthma is flaring up because she will have a constant tight, dry cough. Back at the beginning of October she had to go back on daily nebulizers - Pulmicort and Xopenex. She even had to go on a 3 day course of Oropred to finally knock out the wheezing.

The one who was on the vent for 2 weeks doesn't wheeze at all. She will have the tight, dry cough, and it starts while she is trying to sleep. I've been having to give her Xopenex twice a day - before she takes her afternoon nap and at bedtime. Last night, we had to give her an extra treatment during the night because she starting coughing. She's not on Pulmicort.

ETA: We are going to WDW the first week of Dec so I'm going to have to haul our nebulizer machine with us to the parks so they can get their Xopenex during the day. I take it everywhere with us, and I have a plug adapter for the car. The thought of being somewhere without it and them needing their meds scares me so it goes everywhere we go.

 

[Camicar]

My dd has cough variant asthma. It is a huge issue for us.

She initially appeared to have it when she was 4. Unfortunately her doctor at the time did not take it seriously and it wasn't until she was in Ped ICU in a University Hospital that we got proper care. The specialist we then saw had a very aggressive approach and that has made a huge difference, but she is not cured and we still miss too many days of school.

What we do:
1. Identify the triggers. Avoid the triggers when possible. If not possible -- as it is not possible to keep completely free of colds -- all we can do is the best we can, which is to try zinc tablets to head off the cold (often really does work!), stay home the first day of a cold on bed rest and suck down fluids and wash that system out, do not participate in gym while having a cold bec that can trigger exercise-induced asthma.

2. Take preventive medicines. We take fexofenidrene, Singulair, and Flowvent.

3. Teach the child to identify the triggers and avoid them (if someone next to them is sneezing, s/he needs to ask to be moved). Note when the condition is worse (for my dd the middle of June and late September are bad times due to allergies. So we are hyper vigilant then and never schedule trips during that time.)

4. Teach the child to listen to their body and tell an adult that medicine is needed.

5. Be your child's advocate if you get a medical or school staff person who doesn't know what the heck they are talking about.

6. When the asthma is acting up, be aggressive about using the albuterol and prednisone, if appropriate. Figure out what works best on your child -- for ex, my dd's asthma is much better treated by the nebulizer machine than by the puffer.

 

[RadioNate]

My son was diagnosised with cough variant asthma by an allergist. They did the test up and down his arms and found out he is allergic to everything outdoors. He is on Zyrtec, Flovent, and Nasonex every night, and albuterol just in case, but he has been doing great so we havent had to use it. GL

I have cough variant asthma and this is similar to my drug regiment. Normally, I'm on Zyrtec, Flovent and Albuterol as a rescue.

I'd suggest an allergist or asthma specialist that can help you see if there are any allergen triggers.

 

[Aidensmom]

My 8 year old daughter has had Asthma her entire life and has been in the hospital more times then I care to remember for it. She had pneumonia at the age of 4 months, which triggered the Asthma and is now on Albuterol (control), Singulair (chewable) and was on Pulmicort (rescue) until recently when they changed it to Symbicort. The Pulmicort wasn't helping at all and DD was having attacks 6, 7 or more times a week!! The Symbicort is working awesome though and she is much better as of late. She only seems to have allergies in the Spring and then she takes Claratin.

I always wondered about the cough though as DD coughs constantly, especially at night. I might have to ask her Ped about this because sometimes it just scares the heck out of me as I think she is choking and I am awake all night because I get scared.

DD has always had a really weak immune system since she was born and I find if I let her sleep over friends houses or she goes to a party with kids, she always is sick the next day for a few days after. She catches every single thing that goes around school, but gets it 4 times worse. A few weeks ago, the flu was going around in her school and she was out a week with pneumonia. Does anyone else get this? Seems like DD is constantly sick and if I could get away with it, I would send her to school with a mask on!!

Your daughter sounds just like me - I'm almost 40, and I still catch everything going around, and every cold turns into something worse. I really hope she outgrows it because it is not fun to be sick so much, I feel bad for her. The cough at night can come from acid reflux or post-nasal drip, both of which will contribute to asthma symptoms and coughing. I have bad post-nasal drip when I lie down. I can't sleep on my back at all, and I have to use several pillows so I am not lying flat. Maybe try propping her up a bit and see if that helps her..

 

[Mkrop]

I have cough variant asthma and this is similar to my drug regiment. Normally, I'm on Zyrtec, Flovent and Albuterol as a rescue.

I'd suggest an allergist or asthma specialist that can help you see if there are any allergen triggers.

I think the Nasonex is allergy specific plus they had us up in dosage, 2xs a day, bc he recently had an xray and his adenoids are enlarged, and they are hoping this will reduce them.

 

[Green Tea]

My DD's asthma is exactly like that; and also developed after RSV as an infant.

The only thing that makes me question is the cough suppressant. Our allergist/asthman specialist said they shouldn't have the coughs suppressed.

It took a while on inhaled steroids to calm my dd's down.

 

[Mkrop]

My DD's asthma is exactly like that; and also developed after RSV as an infant.

The only thing that makes me question is the cough suppressant. Our allergist/asthman specialist said they shouldn't have the coughs suppressed.

It took a while on inhaled steroids to calm my dd's down.

Mine recommended Deslym but we havent used it in quite awhile now that the other meds are working.