Not normal that my child is sick when he coughs?!

[Russell19]

My DS (2.5yo) has had a cough 3 times in the last few months. Negative for covid, just something he's picked up from nursery.

The problem is that every single night he's been ill, he's coughed in bed and thrown up. I have taken him to the doctor who said his chest is clear he just must be making himself gag.

Has anyone else experienced this? I have asthma myself so was just wondering if this is something more.

AIBU to think it's not normal?!

Yeah my dd used to cough herself sick when she was around that age, more so if she was also snotty with the cough, but sometimes even a dry cough ended up quite productive. I don’t think they can help it but she did grow out of it.
Having said that, even I sometimes think I’m going to be sick from a really bad bout of coughing!

Yes, it’s normal. Try not to have anything to eat/drink to close to bed time, so that his tummy is empty before he goes to bed.

Yeah. I have a very bad (non-covid!) cough and keep gagging/coming very close to being sick.

My dd also used to cough herself sick at that age, probably until around 7 ish.

I used to put vicks on her feet and chest, a towel over the pillow, a bowl and a bottle of water to stop the coughing. Twas minging as I hate sick but those things did help. Also used to have a pillow under the mattress to help keep her head more upright.

Yes, DD had this - it was a bloody nightmare. An asthma nebuliser helped a bit, I assume by reducing the mucus? She grew out of it by about 5 years old, if I remember correctly.

Not 100% sure yabu, , but my DS is 10 and occasionally does this. Not usually in bed though!! With my DS it’s usually when he has a very chesty cough or heavy cold with a bit of a cough. I think that he just gets very congested and then ends up vomiting. My DS did have fairly bad reflux as a baby so I always think maybe it’s something to do with that.

Does your DS have a chesty cough?

Mine did this if he was laying flat with a cough. Propping him up a little helped, as did a humidifier.

No fun at all changing sheets and getting no sleep every time he got a cough and I feel for you.

My Dd had this for months after having covid - we were told it was a form of long covid in her case, but also can happen with other types of cough. Thankfully she’s ok now.

Not saying yours is covid but just that we were reassured that it’s fairly normal.

Both of mine did this. The cough causes the whole of the throat including the uvula to swell, the muscles contact placing pressure on the stomach, and become over sensitive. Prop dc up and try to encourage little sips of water to lessen the cough. We kept a sick kit in the bedroom. I generally lay in the bed with mine to save the frantic run to the bedroom.

contract

My DS did this. I had a horrendous chest infection earlier this year and tbh I was very close to throwing up during some of the coughing fits.

We’re all just getting over a bad cold in our house and although DD wasn’t sick, I could tell she came close as she would have a bad coughing fit that would end with retching. Whenever I have a bad cough, especially one that lasts, I often feel close to throwing up from it.

Yep, my DC did this for 2 weeks solid with a cough. Nightmare for all concerned but very common unfortunately.

@Paquerette

Not 100% sure yabu, , but my DS is 10 and occasionally does this. Not usually in bed though!! With my DS it’s usually when he has a very chesty cough or heavy cold with a bit of a cough. I think that he just gets very congested and then ends up vomiting. My DS did have fairly bad reflux as a baby so I always think maybe it’s something to do with that.

Does your DS have a chesty cough?

Yes it sounds chesty but last time I took him to the doctor he said it sounded clear.

He also suffered badly with reflux so I wonder if they are connected...

@NoEyeDeers

Yep, my DC did this for 2 weeks solid with a cough. Nightmare for all concerned but very common unfortunately.

At least it's common but yes it's a pain changing sheets and cleaning carpet at midnight. We bought a spot wash van thing and it's great 🤣

Thanks everyone for your replies,I have propped him up and will try to limit his milk at night but he does love it 🙈

Yes my son did the same at that age, he used to have a bottle of cows milk for bed and that's the worst, snot and milk do not mix so whenever he was snotty, definitely no milk.

Yes it's normal, I have 4 children, 2 had reflux as babies and they are sick when they have a cough, the 2 that didn't have reflux don't do it when they have a cough. I am sick when I cough violently too!

Dd1 was very much like this and still is close to puking with a cough at almost 7. It all started when she got RSV at 3 and pretty much happened with every cold until recently.(DD2 also got RSV and ended up in hospital and has never thrown up with a cold.)

It's usually when it's a very snot heavy cough/cold. As soon as she's vomited, she generally fine. We do have a blue inhaler for her that we use before bed when she has a bad cough.

loads of pillows so she sleeps upright, slathered in vicks and a humidifier seem to ease it.

You say he has reflux. The acid washing up and down an already sensitive throat plus a cough will most definitely make things worse. As I'm sure you know the reflux by itself can causing vomiting, add in the cough and its much worse.

My little one has had cough cold n fever every month since she started nursery 6 months back n lately its every alternate week.. its very tough and sad to see her get am RT PCR done ever so often but cant help it. Now she's been given antibiotics.. but once she gets better after 5 days we start to worry she will get fever very soon.

Oh that's normal! Mine do this. Coughing makes them gag.

This sounds a lot like my youngest DD who was sick nightly for months. We had her investigated for chest and stomach issues but it turned out to be her tonsils. She had something called obstructive sleep apnea. Once her tonsils were out she stopped being sick and has been fine since. It might not be the same thing but the vomiting and the doctor saying his chest sounds clear seems very familiar. Is he very snotty? If you sit next to him at night does he ever stop breathing for a few seconds at a time?

Mine is sick when she has a bit of a cough or cold and also sometimes is sick when she wakes up. She also had reflux as a baby. She sucks her thumb which I think may contribute to the problem.

Anyone who said they had similar, is it worth going to the doctors about as it only happens very infrequently? It’s annoying because they have to stay off school if they have been sick even though they are not poorly, just sick once upon waking then fine ☹️

@SalaciousCrumble

This sounds a lot like my youngest DD who was sick nightly for months. We had her investigated for chest and stomach issues but it turned out to be her tonsils. She had something called obstructive sleep apnea. Once her tonsils were out she stopped being sick and has been fine since. It might not be the same thing but the vomiting and the doctor saying his chest sounds clear seems very familiar. Is he very snotty? If you sit next to him at night does he ever stop breathing for a few seconds at a time?

This is really interesting! When I took him to the doctor he did mention about his tonsils looking swollen and a bit infected but I asked if he meant tonsillitis and he said no.

I'll look into that thanks, haven't noticed him stop breathing but I'll keep an eye out. Thanks.

It's normal with little kids. I think it's because they don't do anything to try and not cough loads. So then are doing so quite violently.