What is a deemed a continuous cough?

[bumble79]

DS started with a head cold Friday night. Really congested, bunged up, sniffling, sneezing - no fever or cough.

Still no fever but he has a cough that started yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure what is deemed continuous.

To me it's the tail end of his cold. He will cough once or twice and be okay for a while then cough again maybe a few times an hour. I wouldn't call them coughing spells.

He did not cough at all through the night. He slept soundly.

My children have had the hacking cough that they can't stop quite a few times in the past (including March this year so likely they had void them as also had fevers). They literally couldn't stop.

But do I need to test for a cough that's persistent as in one or two coughs a few times hour but not a coughing spell so not actually non stop?

I'm really confused and anxious and don't know what to do 😭

We were in a similar position and decided it was a cough and needed a test. We now can’t get a test and can’t go to school or work. The cough was and is minimal and clearly related to a cold. I wish we hadn’t bothered going down this route.

Does it persist throughout the day? I think usually a cough related to a cold is worse in the mornings. If he isn’t coughing at all at night it doesn’t seem to be that persistent.

Is he coughing up mucous?

My 17yo is the same. Without Covid in the mix I would say it's a cold. My 20yo told her work and they have put her on SSP and told her to isolate and get a test (Hahahah). My dh has gone to work, as will I. My 17yo is home because she feels unwell. Her school said, and I quote, "it's probably a cold there are lots of kids off with it." Who knows. I still think it's a cold and if a test was easy to get then I would get her one.

I do think it's because he's extremely snotty. He cannot blow his nose so there's obviously snot (🤮) going back down his throat. Like I said he slept soundly and he has an odd cough this morning. Certainly not coughing fits more like clearing his throat - he has autism and often does this anyway 😬 the cough does sound pretty 'loose' and not dry. So I'll probably just sit tight for the day and see what he's like tomorrow! the cough is certainly very mild anyway and not causing him any bother!

We have the same. Our school want a test... logic being we aren’t medics. no tests available so of course. Absolute shower of shite.

My DC has been very snotty and sneezy, no fever and occasional cough (maybe a couple of times an hour) and has covid.

I would say that coughing once or twice, a few times an hour, is definitely not a continuous cough. As you say, one or two coughs is not a coughing spell, nor is he coughing a lot for an hour.

Interesting @Mippi how did their symptoms start if you don't mind me asking? DS started with cold symptoms Friday night and an occasional cough yesterday afternoon.. no coughing through the night though..

Coronavirus guidelines for testing say a persistent cough is coughing more than 3 times in 24 hours.

You need to get a test. If any are available.

@bumble79

Interesting *@Mippi* how did their symptoms start if you don't mind me asking? DS started with cold symptoms Friday night and an occasional cough yesterday afternoon.. no coughing through the night though..

Started with a runny nose and sneezing and a day or two later started coughing occasionally. No coughing at night.

They are saying three episodes of coughing in 24 hours (or one longer episode - I can’t remember exactly how long) is a continuous cough.

So if they are coughing for a few times every hour that would meet the definition of continuous.

I know people think they can judge “it’s not COVID it’s a cold”, but you can’t possibly know that.

I think it’s scandalous that people can’t get tests though.

Impossible isn’t it? Because isn’t this nursery / reception / year 1 etc kids 80% of the time? It is mine at least.

We're in a similar boat. Heard lo cough during the night, and his voice sounds a bit off today, he's coughing maybe once an hour, I've kept him home from nursery whilst I'm confident it's just a cold I think it's best to keep him home today and see how it progresses. My throat feels a little tickly now. No way we're going to be able to get tested if it progresses though so I guess we might have to self isolate for 2 weeks, nightmare!

Well mipis making me question if it is just a cold

My DS has a deep croupy cough now. He is running a mild temp. School says he must get tested. Can I find one or get one? No chance. I feel so angry and powerless.

My daughter lost her voice too @Hahaha88

That’s interesting @Mippi

DC3 has similar symptoms, which I’d assumed were just a cold. All very mild symptoms and he seems perfectly fine in himself.
I’ve just spoken to nursery about whether they want him in this week (his nursery days are at the back end of the week) and they’re all “yes, just send him in, there’s lots of colds going around at the minute”

Thanks all. I'm really anxious and confused. He hasn't had a 'coughing fit' they are best explained as one or two coughs clearing his throat then he's fine. Cough does sound 'mucousy' rather than dry and he's so snotty. There's loads in his class with cold symptoms too so the likelihood is that it's just a cold! 🤷‍♀️

It's bloody September. We got months of this yet which is stressing me out 😭

When they say coughing for more than an hour do they mean continuously?? Like a coughing fit that he cannot stop or? Or just a few random coughs in an hour that are short lived? I'm poop at explaining what I mean!

I wonder if @Mippi 's daughter has both a cold and a symptomatic Covid? Is that possible?

That's totally possible I think @ThinkAboutItTomorrow

Following with interest as DS has same as @mippi DD.

DS started with a soar throat. Then cold. Then cough. Now not lost his voice but sounding bunged up.

Tested this morning due to cough and felt like a test stealing fraud. But this has made me feel more justified. I will report back with result.

Personally, I would say there is a significant difference between a throat clearing cough, and an actual cough.

DD is the same, snotty with a slight cough (coughing a couple of times every hour or two) Tried to get a covid test but none available so we are self isolating as a precaution. We are in the fortunate position that we can do this without too much disruption as DH WFH and DD not at school yet.

Air conditioning makes me cough with the dry air.

If we all isolate every time I have a coughing fit we won't leave the house ever again, not to mention the amount of tests I'll get through (if I can get any in the first place)

DS has come down with a head cold over the weekend. It's a cold. A sore throat and a cough and lots of snot. He's running up and down all three flights of stairs in my house yelling into his walky talky. He's not short of breath in the slightest. He really should be at school but I erred on the side of caution. He will be going back tomorrow.

The NHS define it as "a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)"