Prolonged Coughing at Nighttime

[DaddyK7]

Very grateful if anyone might have experienced anything similar and has any recommendations. Apologies as a long read!

Our daughter is 4 and generally keeps very good health. She has had 3 episodes overy the past 18 months which have started with cold symptoms. During these times she has had prolonged periods of coughing (up to 2 hours continuously which is upsetting when her nose is blocked and is clearly struggling to breathe) which is pretty much always once she is in bed at nightime after around a 2 hour sleep. She will sometimes bring up some phlegm but can often sound quite dry. Each period of coughing can continue for 1 week plus.

During this time we have contacted the out of hours service several times and had her checked out (oxygen intake, heart rate, chest, ears etc) and everything has been clear. We know it isn't croup as that has been confirmed. Just wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar?

She has had a few bad bouts this week and we are currently trying Calpol, Honey, Air Himidifier, Air Purifier, Albus Oil, Piriton and a Spacer (after advice from Doctor). Appreciate this sounds a lot but keen to try anything for our sleep deprived house.

Hard to feel anything helps particularly well other than letting it take its course. Frustratingly when it's at its worse we feel sleep would help best but that is such a struggle as brings on the coughing.

One of the Doctors has suggested pursuing some paediatric testing once improved to determine if anything could be detected.

Sorry for long thread but just keen to understand if anyone has encountered the same.

Many thanks.

[sportyfool]

Have they checked for asthma ? Milk allergies ? Food allergies ? Does she have milk before bed ? Lots of things to eliminate .

[Sohardtochooseausername]

How long did you try the piriton for? It can take up to 2 weeks to build up in the system.

[AfterSchoolWorry]

Sounds like asthma.

[LakeFlyPie]

DS had these symptoms and was originally diagnosed with post viral wheeze although he doesn't wheeze, just coughs as you describe. Can be fine for weeks / months in between viral episodes.
He now (age 7) has a diagnosis of asthma as his peak flow improved with trial of salbutamol inhaler.
He is on maintenance treatment of low dose Clenil (inhaled steroid) which I think has helped a bit although he can still have persistent coughing and breathlessness when he gets a virus.

Having read around the subject a bit I suspect he has a 'cough variant' asthma