My 3 year old has a chronic cough for almost 5months now?

Emma - posted on 03/12/2011

hi my 3yr old had a real horrible cough for about 3mths that got worse at night and kept us all up...
took her to the docs and she was diagnosed with asthma, was given a ventolin in haler which worked for a few hrs at night but the cough soon came back. took her back to docs and was given a preventer inhaler which she has in the morning and at night and so far no more coughing at night.... i would definately ask about asthma being a possibility... hope you get it sorted x

Danielle - posted on 12/29/2010

Get him checked for Asthma. or mild food allergies. Dairy can cause phlegm issues

Halona - posted on 12/29/2010

try 1 -2 teaspoons of honey several times a day, up to every hour. antimicrobial, boosts the immune system, coats the airways, worked wonders for my 18-month-old...hope it works for you too!

Hayley - posted on 12/29/2010

. I had the same problem growing up. I spent my childhood in and out of hospital having adenoids taken out and my sinuses flushed. Nothing ever helped, I got to about the age of 14 and it all just stopped. The only cause that was ever suggested to me was certain pollen and rape seed. Never did get to the bottom of it......the coughing fits were horrendous :(

Savitha - posted on 12/28/2010

Hi, even my daughter who is 3+yrs old is coughing from last 2 months, have showed her to diff docs, have given diff antibiotics but no use. y'day again met a new pedia..he has prescribed antibiotics for next 3 weeks. He says its kind of astama/tonsils/sinus..which is common in age b/w 3 to 9...he asked me not worry so much. He has even prescribed me to give her steam every evening for the next 1 year so that the sinus should not be continued... i hope she would get rid of her cough...

Kylie - posted on 12/28/2010

my brother had cronic coughs and ear and throat infections from birth till about 5 years old. he was always in anti-biotics, and had gromits in at, i think, 5 and his tonsils out at 6. i think taking him to see a new dr is a good thing. but my brother is now 23 and is never sick, it was just one of those frustrating this, his system just couldn't handle most things which would be called common (i am 2 years older then him...i was never sick when he was) hopefully the new dr will offer something that can help, and you little man will feel better

Nancy - posted on 12/28/2010

Thank you all for giving me so many ideas an options on what could my son's cough be. I will def ask for a referral to an ear,nose and throat specialist and hopefully this matter can get resolved soon. I hate to see my son coughing so much out of nowhere. And yes, it is especially during the winter, so I am thinking it could be an allergy or asthma. i will keep you guys posted. Thanks again

Tiffany - posted on 12/28/2010

I would talk to your pediatrician about setting up an appointment with an ears, nose and throat specialist. I'm sure it's nothing major to worry about, but there are many things that could cause a chronic cough. My nephew had one and nasal drip and constant ear infections...they found that he may have needed tubes put in his ears. I can't remember what my sisters pediatrician did, but he didn't end up needing the tubes. It could also be allergies, or asthma or acid reflux. Again, so many things that are treatable. See a specialist if your pedi isn't assuring you.

Nicole - posted on 12/28/2010

My daughter (now 19months) started a chronic cough when she started daycare. We tried anything and everything at that time and nothing helped. Over the summer it went away and this fall she picked it back up. The doctor has concluded that she may have seasonalble allergies since her nose runs CONSTANTLY...never stops-so annoying. Anyway...talk about possible allergies or asthma seems possible too. Good luck

Maria - posted on 12/28/2010

I had this problem with my daughter. IT started for her at about 10 months old. We went through the same thing with trying antibiotics and it not really working. At 15months our pedi referred us to an allergy and asthma doctor. She was tested for a sinus infection (insurance didn't cover this test, so it's not standard (wasn't costly)) and did indeed have a sinus infection. After further tests, she also had allergies. It seems that almost everytime she gets a runny nose it turns into a sinus infection... It has helped knowing what she is allergic to, because I can give her allergy medicine to prevent the runny nose. To get rid of her first few sinus infections it took 20 days of antibiotics instead of 10! When she just had a standard 10 day course, it would come right back because there was some of the infection still left... She is also now on Singular and we do breathing treatments sometimes on a Nebulizer to help her.

Nicole - posted on 12/28/2010

my son at the age 3 developed an ugly hacking cough that would not go away.....I went to two different Dr. and they both said it was post nasal drip......I finally took him to an Allergy specialist and they said it was Allergy induced asthma.....we put him on Allergy medicine (zyrtech) singular prescribed by Dr. and an inhaler and the cough went away.....the only time we hear it now is when he is having an asthma attack.....we just give him his rescue inhaler and he is fine.

Julie - posted on 12/28/2010

Sounds like asthma to me. I have 5 children, 4 of which has had asthma. Asthma isn't just wheezy chest, its also about chronic coughing, and unable to shake the cough. When this happens we usually have to use several different medications on top of the general symptom reliever puffer called a controller, and possibly a liquid (which you shouldn't give them for long term, 3 days at most). This I know from experience, it retarded one of my sons growth, he's OK just short. If it turns out to be not asthma (doubtful) it might be reflux. A good ped should easily be able to rule out either way. I hope it isn't anything more serious! Good luck.

Cara - posted on 12/27/2010

Sounds like your son may possibly have asthma. It could be attacks induced by allergies that are causing problems as well. As a person with asthma I know that I do tend to have a harder time with certain seasons/weather conditions/temps. I would really have him checked for asthma and allergies.

Victoria - posted on 12/27/2010

my daughter is nearly 4 and she has croup bad and asthma but it does get better sometimes it goes away its self over times i have 2 take her 2 the hospital

Dora - posted on 12/27/2010

My cousin had the same problem with her little one. It turned out he was allergic to dust mites. They went out and bought him one of those foam beds because dust mites can't penetrate the material and it worked. She also did the same with his pillow. Hopefully that is the problem with your son if son demand an x-ray of his lungs just to be on the safe side. I hope he feel better soon.

Liz - posted on 12/27/2010

Hi Sarh. I'm no medical expert of course so I can only go by experience. I'm not familiar with Singulair so I looked it up and it is an asthma/allergy treatment but they dont think she has asthma? Presumably then they think its allergies - did the allergy testing bring up any specifics? Was it the pin prick tests? As for whether it would affect the peak flow, you would think so, if it does the same job as my asthma medication . When I go for my Asthma checks every six months they take a peak flow both before I take a puff of my relief inhaler (ventolin) and after. My "preventative" medication is the Becotide inhaler which sounds similr to Singulair - of course I don't know because I'm not a Dr, but certainly if it does the same job the peak flow test WOULD be affected by it because it prevents the asthma taking hold mostly. I would be inclined to check with a Dr as to whether more tests should be run. I'm guessing you are in the USA to my UK which is why the generic brands are different so its a bit difficult to be sure. Hope that is helpful, if a bit rambling!

Kristal - posted on 12/27/2010

another thing I have noticed helps with my daughter is to cut back on her milk/juice intake before she goes to sleep for a nap or for the night. She gets milk now only when she first wakes up, and juice is cut in half. The sugar/lactose reduction has made a big difference in how much she coughs while she's sleeping or when she gets up.

Kristal - posted on 12/27/2010

if the antibiotics aren't working then its not an infection. Be careful about giving too many doses of antibiotics cuz if you give them unnecessarily then they may not work when you actually need them! I would ask if they would check your son for asthma. My daughter has the same cough, she has a nebulizer and we give her breathing treatments every day during the winter. If it comes and goes, or if it seems to be triggered by cold weather or exercise then asthma is a pretty safe bet. Otherwise, it could be allergies.. there are many things that could attribute to long spells of coughing. Good luck!

Sarh - posted on 12/27/2010

Liz, my daughter also has this chronic night time cough which is bad during/after activity. The asthma specialist said she didn't have asthma,but yet they did her peak flow AFTER she had been on the Singulair for about 3 wks. Do you think that could have altered the reading of the peak flow? Nancy, I hope it doesn't seem like I'm taking over the post, just have a question. :)

Liz - posted on 12/27/2010

Its sounding more like Asthma actually the more you say - I am a sufferer and can't believe I didnt think of it! Your new doc should definitely do a peak flow test. Does he ever sound slightly wheezy, especially after activity? Thats another pointer towards asthma. I can't speak to allergies, I don't have any real experience of that causing a cough. If it DOES turn out that he is asthmatic, don't worry - most asthma sufferers control the condition very well with inhalers etc - I've lived with it all my life and it tends to get less as you get older. I'm 41 now and I hardly ever have an attack. Please let us know how you go.xx

Sarh - posted on 12/27/2010

My daughter was born with a chronic night time cough! She will be 5yrs old in January and she is now on Singulair 1x daily and Nasonex 2x daily. Have you taken him to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat specialist) or an asthma and allergist? The allergist did an allergy testing and a peak flow reading. I suggest going to one of those specialist.

Nancy - posted on 12/26/2010

Liz, I worry because he can't do his regular activities like drink cold stuff or sleep comfortably without that cough getting worse. Thank you for your advice and I will def talk to the new pediatrician and demand some tests. His current pediatriciand hasn't done any tests so it will be a good idea to see what is causing the cough.

Nancy - posted on 12/26/2010

Holly thank you so much. I will address an asthma possibility with the new pediatrician, or allergies. Hopefully he can find the root of the problem.

Liz - posted on 12/26/2010

I have a son the same age who had a constant cough for about 3 months last year - it would come and go, sometimes he would go a couple of weeks without it and then back it would come. He had one set of antibiotics as the Dr thought it might be sinus, and they seemed to work but then it came back. The Dr then sent him for some tests but they couldnt find any issues. Then he had a second set of tablets and they did the trick. In between he had warm orange juice (squash not pure) and that seemed to help ease it for him. If its not bothering him unduly I would wait until you see your new Doctor and impress upon him how worried you are, and you think there may be an underlying problem - hopefully then they will run some tests just to check. I don't expect its anything dreadful - some kids are just prone to coughs and splutters, but you will feel much better if you can have some checks to be sure. I hope he's ok, good luck and try not to worry too much.

Holly - posted on 12/26/2010

Hi Nancy, I have not had this problem with my little one as he is only 2 months old, but I've heard of some basic things that can cause coughing. One is acid reflux- does he cough more after eating or eating certain foods? Has he been tested for asthma? Or perhaps it is allergies of some sort? Just some thoughts.. I am not in the medical profession but I just know some of these causes from things I've had personally as well as my cousin has had with her children. Best of luck, hope you have your answer soon.