OT: How can I stop DD9's incessant coughing?

[FLmomof2]

My daughter who is 6 is going through (again). It has been 2 weeks. Last fall/winter we went through the same thing. I brought her to the doctor several times, said it could be allergies but nothing major wrong.

We had her tested for allergies and she tested negative to everything! They prescribed me DeAllergy PE (wasn't sure why since she didn't have allergies) and the told me to give it to her anytime she was congested.

No one ever had a real answer. The night before last she coughed all night. I was up the whole night. Last night she hardly coughed at all till early morning.

Not that its much help, just wanted to let you know you are not alone!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

She may be coughing from fluid going down her throat while she is lying down. Elevate her head and have her sleep on 2 pillows, continue with a humidifier or vaporizer ( I like those better) and rub Vicks on her chest.

Delsym never worked on either of my kids. I use Robitussin. I would also consult your pediatrician. DS had pneumonia when he was 2 and when he gets a cough needs to use a nebulizer. After only a couple treatments, the cough is cured.

 

[tiggger1]

I have no idea if it works, but I read a ton of reviews for NyQuil on drugstore.com. Tons of people say to put it on your feet! .

It really works, I use it on my kids and myself!

 

[girli565]

When I was 15 I had a cough that lasted almost a full year, bad at first and better as time went on. I was tested for everything and nothing would come up, I was put on broad spectrum antibiotics and after 3 cycles I finally started getting better. My blood was sent to the research lab at the University of Miami and finally they said I had some sort of wicked infection infesting my lungs.

I went to WDW while I had the cough and my aunt bought me Creomulsion, it's gross and looks like tar but it quieted my cough. Maybe try it?

 

[girli565]

It really works, I use it on my kids and myself!

Feet!? really? That's awesome to know.

 

[alexedan]

Mrsbornkuntry...just thought you might want to know that the new accepted medical term for asthma in children is reactive airway disease (for all except coding/billing purposes where we still have to code "asthma" or "wheezing"). I am a pediatrician and we call it that when we're not sure if it will last or not. Medicine loves to change terms for the same disease every few years or so. (I.E. emphysema is now called COPD). Same problem, same disease. The cough that won't stop and makes you gag is usually due to wheezing. The cough is the body's way of opening the airway and getting the trapped air out. I agree she needs a close listen by a md.

 

[Aunt Flancy]

My 15 year old son had a cough like this a couple of months ago. It lasted about three weeks and we went to the Dr. twice for it. He ended up taking antibiotics and steroids to get rid of it. I think she said it was Mycoplasma. I would definitely go to the Dr.

 

[luvmy3]

As for the asthma, she seems to be quite healthly normally, but the cough seems to have come on from a head cold. If it were asthma, would she have other symptoms when she does not have a cold?

Not neccessarily. My ds has asthma but its triggered by colds and allergies. He is virtually symptom free any other time. His worst seasons are spring and cold and flu. He was diagnosed 3 years ago, before that I just assumed his coughing was due to fluids going into the throat. It wasn't until we had a scare with him that we found it was really asthma.
You could be rigt, it may be just a head cold but I would take her to the doc just to be sure.

 

[allyphoe]

I agree with everyone else that it's time to see the doctor - and I'm not one for seeing the doctor if it can be helped.

My DD used to have coughing fits like you described, and the only thing we found that worked was prescription albuterol liquid. That stuff is magic, let me tell you. We've got her on Singulair year-round for allergies (the official diagnosis) now, and that's really cut down on her respiratory symptoms. I can't remember the last time she had a bad bronchial-spasm cough.

She's got a cold right now, and I find that Mucinex at bedtime helps prevent the "waking up with your sinuses draining" cough (and I've taken it myself for a cold, and had the same experience). But it never touched that uncontrollable middle-of-the-night cough.

 

[cndij]

I second this PP about the plugins. If you don't have a vaporiser, these are an excellent 2nd choice. Anything with eucalyptus and/or menthol, always seems to help. A friend of mine whose son had asthma, used an aromatherapy diffuser with eucalyptus in it to quiet his cough at night and help him breathe easier. I keep eucalyptus oil at the house, and when I have bad congestion, head or chest, I put a couple of drops on one of those bean bags that you heat in the microwave, and sleep with it on my chest.

I'll echo other posters who are urging you to consult your pediatrician.

That said...for the past couple of years I've been using those plug-in nightlights that hold a menthol-scented pad, or "waterless vaporizer." These have been more effective than anything I have tried, and believe me, I've tried it all (I have a son with mild intermittent asthma). The replacement pads for the unit can be a bit pricey, but it is SO worth it!

 

[bkreitzel]

home remedies ....
we do the plug-ins w/ vapor strips that put the vicksy scent into the air.
humidifiers.
vicks on the FEET under socks.
extra pillow or elevate head somehow.
BEST tip is ... a tablespoon of corn syrup, it coats her throat and stops her from coughing for quite awhile w/out her feeling sick from meds...esp. good if she already has a med. on board and can't take anything else.
THAT BEING SAID ... our coughing always came w/ a cold...usually finally ended up being treated for a sinus infection.
THEN my MIL said that we should look into it being her tonsils...we asked for an ENT consult and VIOLA we ended up taking out her tonsils and adenoids out. She was five.
We have not had a coughing night since, and colds used to last 10 days, and now seem to be over in a day or so.
We did try the Neti pot but she didn't like that at all ...I can't live w/out it when I have any sort of nasal issue.
good luck

 

[jcgonczi]

I had a persistent cough for 3 YEARS before being properly diagnosed. After dozens of doctor's appointments with no success, I finally decided to see an ENT out of desperation. He diagnosed me correctly in under 5 minutes - Acid Reflux. I didn't have any other symptoms so I thought he was crazy, but after just 3 days on Prilosec OTC based on his advice, the cough was gone. About a year later I had to have an upper GI scope for other reasons, and it did confirm that I do have major Acid Reflux. I take the Prilosec daily and the cough has not returned for 7 years. He told me that most doctors miss this because it is not one of the most common symptoms and doesn't get much "press" in the field. This may have nothing to do with your daughter's cough, but it is one more thing to look at with her doc. Good luck!

 

[FSUDisneyGirl]

There was a thread about the exact same thing (maybe on the Community Board?) a few weeks ago, and people came out of the woodwork talking about Vicks Vapo Rub on the hands, feet (put socks over it), chest, and back. I had never heard of that before, so it was a surprise to me...but it seemed to work for many people! Just an idea! Also, if your daughter is a good sleeper and starts coughing a bit during the night, you can reapply without waking her up! (If you're really good at it.. )

 

[Fulton Corners]

DD9 was sick last night during the night and only slept maybe 3 hours total. She coughed the whole night. I gave her some Deslyn (sp?) but it didn't seem to work. She coughed so hard at one point that she felt she was going to vomit.

Any home remedies to help her? She is home from school today and is exhausted from all the coughing.

It turned out my DD was allergic to the bright blue dye on her bedsheets. Is there anything new that's come into her room/bed around the time the coughing started? We went crazy trying to figure out the coughing. It was only at night...once the sheets went, she was able to sleep soundly.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Our youngest dd8 developed a weird persistent night-time cough last year. I thought at first it was due to drainage down her throat as it was springtime, but when it didn't go away after a few weeks we went to the doctor. Diagnosis: reflux! The cough disappeared almost immediately. And dd is so much happier now.

 

[JandJ]

I would suggest taking her to the doctor, as almost everyone else has. It's probably nothing serious, but why take a chance? I had a bad cough a few years ago and it turned out to be bronchitis and the doctor said if I'd waited any longer it could have become pneumonia. I also have acid reflux and before getting meds for it I had a constantly soar and scratchy throat.

The thing is, you want to make sure it's not allergies or asthma. My mom had a persistent cough for months and finally was diagnosed with a bronchial infection. She ended up on a nebulizer and injectible meds but nothing cured it. She passed five years later of pulmonary failure. I'm not saying this to scare anyone, but through a lot of tests and discussion it turns out her lungs were weakened as a child due to allergies! The fact that they were weakened led to her being very susceptible to infection. They didn't know as much about allergies back then, so her allergies were never addressed. As an adult she self medicated with Afrin and Benadryl and by the time she saw the specialist her lungs were badly infected (it was called pseudomonas). Allergies are not something to mess around with - get your DD checked out

 

[georgina]

We did try the Neti pot but she didn't like that at all ...I can't live w/out it when I have any sort of nasal issue.
good luck

I never quite got the hang of the Neti pot either, but I saw something recently in a catalog - an Himalayan Salt Inhaler, that looked interesting and I may try.