Vomiting mucous yet again

[ArsMamatoria]

DD (3 yrs 7 months) seems to have, well I don't know what - a horrendous post-nasal drip?

This is the third year running that she has had a chesty (and I mean a really fruity) cough which makes her vomit slime, especially at night. It goes on for weeks.

We're now three days in. She hasn't been able to eat much: she has a poor appetite to begin with and swallowing lumps of food makes her gag, probably because there is a waterfall of gunk also going down the back of her throat.

She has woken three times tonight crying hard, which makes things a lot worse as it increases the mucous flow. If I go in I can hear her having to gulp it all down constantly. Poor thing. It's grim. Her nose isn't running outwardly - it just all seems to be rattling around inside her.

Last year the doctor prescribed a salbutamol inhaler - I was a bit about it because she didn't have the dry, hacking wheeziness that I associate with acute asthma (not that admittedly I know much about it). It seemed to help a little bit - not much, though. Same with infant antihistamine - makes things a little bit better, but not much.

I have heard that Singulair can work wonders for reducing this type of mucous production in children. Has anyone any experience of this? Should I push for it? Can't go on like this.

[SlartyBartFast]

poor thing.
should she be on antibiotics?
when my dd was coughing until she was sick, my gp admitted her, to be put on antibiotics.

[ArsMamatoria]

Slarty No one has suggested anitbiotics yet, possibly because this happens to varying degrees every time she gets a cold in winter and often when she gets a cold in summer too. The mucous she vomits also seems clear or white, rather than yellow or green.

Was it the fact she was coughing herself sick that prompted your GP to admit her or were there other symptoms too? Thanks for the reply btw.

[dikkertjedap]

Your poor dd! I had something like that a few weeks ago (I have asthma), the nasal drip made me gag and throw up. I found that anti-histamine helped and nose spray (I use otrivin,but for her you could use saline drops). I also found that if I forgot to switch on the humidifier it was a lot worse and some nights I had to almost sleep sitting up. I also use beconase but I don't think there is something like that for children. And sips of luke warm chamomile tea and teaspoon of Manuka honey. Given her age, you may want to try anti-histamine syrup, nose drops and keeping her room not to dry (humidifier, damp cloths on radiator), sips of warm chamomile to help swallowing if she wakes up and maybe Manuka honey. I don't know about singulair, I was prescribed it ages ago and remember reading the leaflet and not liking the possible side effects and deciding against it but I cannot remember what exactly the side effect were though ... Hope she gets better soon.

[ArsMamatoria]

Thanks dikkertjedap - some very useful tips to try. Yes, the side effects for singulair don't look great. My nephew (asthmatic) uses singulair but only occasionally, when the slime sets in and it just takes the edge off enough to prevent the vomiting and gagging. He's had no side effects, so maybe those are more likely with long term use? Something to ask the doc.

She's feeling a bit better today, but can still only really manage toast and other 'scratchy' foods.

[SlartyBartFast]

sorry not to get back before, i think he thought she had pneumonia, i spose there were other symptoms.
the mucuous did turn green though.

horrible for your dd