I'm losing my mind over 6 year olds CONSTANT cough!

[KevinTheKoala]

I know it isn't her fault and she can't help it but I am currently sat here irrationally angry at her because once again I am awake and not sleeping because she's constantly coughing at night. She is awaiting an ENT appointment - but so far heard nothing and not likely too any time soon (there were no appointments at any of the hospitals when I tried to book on the referall site). I've spoken to so many GP's about this and nobody can agree on what it is. She isn't asthmatic (or that's what they tell me despite nobody doing a single test!), she apparently has large tonsils but again nobody is doing anything about them, she's been given antihistamines to take daily that do absolutely NOTHING. Her behaviour is disgusting because she is sleep deprived, my patience with both of my children is 0 because I am so sleep deprived, my hair is falling out in handfuls because I am stressed and tired and run down constantly. I have work tomorrow and I haven't got a clue how I'm going to get through with yet another night of no sleep, she has school and I feel like I shouldn't send her in - but then she would literally never be in school. She's already academically behind her peers. It's like the GP just hears what I'm saying and shrugs. I understand that it's nothing compared to what alot of people are going through but she has had a persistent night time cough since she was 2 and it's only getting worse and not one GP has actually helped her in those 4 years and the lack of sleep is making go insane.

She does get a few weeks of respite sometimes but then it's straight back to constant coughing. There is no rhyme or reason to it, but it's seriously making our lives miserable.

So, to tackle the immediate problem, could you play white noise loudly or use earbuds to sleep?
Then, Have they tried ventolin and qvar (brown and blue) inhalers to at least check if they help? They are pretty harmless if you can get a gp to let you try (ventolin may not even need a prescription).
Does her room have carpet? If possible can she sleep in a room wihtout carpet? Then, I’d look for mould, vacuum, get an allergy proof pillow, pillow case, mattress cover and bedding and air the room daily and see if that helps. If it does, consider an air filter if you can at all afford it, they are a few hundred AUD$ here in oz.

Yes get some background noise.
Is she asthmatic or is your place damp. Has she seen a GP.
The poor child is probably physically and mentally exhausted. Please get her cared for. If you feel tired how do you think she feels?

Get a humidifier for her bedroom to have on at night. It’s completely stopped my child’s cough. It was driving me nuts too! Best money I’ve spent

Also I would insist they try her on an inhaler to see if it helps. I can’t believe no GP has helped in all that time, that’s really bad. I would be kicking up a fuss now and telling them how badly it’s affecting your lives.

I feel your pain. I'm awake right now listening to my 4 year old cough. He's been at it for an hour now. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.

Maybe she's had whooping cough. They call it the hundred day cough. My DC caught it, you can cure it by taking them to high altitude. We tried this with our DC and it worked !

They don't diagnose asthma when they are young but usually they give at least Ventolin inhalers for night time cough. My son was diagnosed aged 4. It sure sounds like asthma, but you don't talk about a wheeze or shortness of breath episodes. Tmi- but Does she cough up mucus? As severe asthmatic can tell you Covid has changed many asthmatic peoples' asthma exacerbations

... that aside... here's some help on dealing with coughing as a symptom of something (but mostly asthma!)

1... sorry but please book appointment with GP again, say you are at wits end and so is DD as for 4 years she gets no sleep and both sleep deprived. Keep diary of hours sleep you or DD got for one week. Ask if they can prescribe inhalers to try to see if it helps. Ventolin (salbutamol bronchodilator) inhaler, serverent (salmeterol, long acting bronchodialtor) / montelukast (singulair tablet, slow release taken in evening) tablets are often prescribed for allergy/ rhinitis type coughs / asthma symptoms overnight

1. Buy a pillow wedge and get DD to sleep sitting propped more upright - look on Amazon . Don't use in a cot or cot bed or bed with railing down side as they are pretty solid (so make sure nothing she could become wedged between). Pillow goes on top for comfort.

1. Steamy shower before bedtime and if you can - a humidifier (she's too young for a bowl of boiling water left in her room to put moisture in the air- re accident risk)

1. Give DD Plenty of water... water bottle by bed too

1. Does she drink lots of milk? Too much dairy can exacerbate some asthma symptoms like coughs or wheezes as it can stimulate mucus . Maybe try a week without to see if it's related .

1. Doing food diary isn't a bad idea at all, as sometimes asthma symptoms are allergy related whether it's hayfever/ pollen/ dust/ from food intolerances/ too much pets dander being breathed in from bedding, etc

1. Hoover your DDs bed and bedroom very thoroughly. Keep Dogs and cats out of their bedrooms as pet dander can be a big trigger for some asthma type symptoms as well as dust and dust mites.

Hope some of those help and that you both get some sleep

Could it be post nasal drip? I wonder if that's why they've given her antihistimines, just in case it's allergies/sinuses causing post nasal drip. There are many other things that can cause post nasal drip though, my DP has it and his is due to a deviated septum:

www.webmd.com/allergies/postnasal-drip

Could you afford for her to be seen privately?

I’m surprised they haven’t tried an inhaler tbh. I have had phases of constant coughing with mine. I was at my wits end when my then 4yo was coughing all the time. The dr booked us a paeds appointment. The consultant thought it was more likely to be adenoids as my daughter’s cough was an early morning rather than a nighttime one and she didn’t tend to wheeze but before then the gp gave us an inhaler to try. I’d insist on a referral to paediatrics.
.

Try cutting out dairy and a spoonful of honey each day.

It’s a bit outside, (along with pp would see about trial of inhalers if you haven’t already). Could you try raising the top if her mattress / put a thinner pillow under her shoulders/ books under the head of the bed & give gaviscon before bed? Older children can also get reflux and iirc it can make you cough.
It’s a low harm thing to try anyway.
Failing that is there anyone she could have a sleepover with so you can get a sleep?

Night time cough needs steroid inhaler. Call GP again and tell them if they dont prescribe the inhaler you're going to A and E each time the coughing starts at night. This is not normal. An preventor inhaler usually starts working after 3 days. It completely stopped my sons night time cough aged 2-8 then we weaned him off it. You should at least be able to try one. If your doc doesn't prescribe one i suggest going to A and E while the coughings happening and say your dd is having and asthma attack. Seems extreme but no one is listening to you.

I'm 50 years older than DD but recently seem to develop an annoying cough at night - it's due to gastric reflux.
I'd been given omeprazole in the past for gastric reflux (following nasal camera check which showed evidence) - I started on it again yesterday (you can buy it over the counter) and my cough is almost gone.
I also have 3 pillows (and loose covers so you can pull them up to your chin when you are half sitting up).
Try her with the pillows and cosy covers if that helps it might be worth following this up.

* She is awaiting an ENT appointment - but so far heard nothing and not likely too any time soon*

If they were very concerned, seen within two weeks.

You need to be on at GP. You need to push push push.

My focus would be on getting professional opinion. Above anything and everything else

Asthma is a definite contender for a night time cough, and easily resolved if that's what it is. Have they trialed any inhalers?

Asthma

Can you go private?

And have you tried phenergan syrup?

Sorry for the late reply, unfortunatley my DD ended up being sick and then we both crashed out. Honestly I know how exhausted she is as well and I am getting her cared for as best I can. To answer a few questions:

• she already sleeps propped up on pillows
• rarely drinks milk
• we live in rented accommodation so everywhere is carperted unfortunatley but we don't have pets
• she was given an inhaler by 1 GP years ago that I do remember helping but then when we moved and had to swap GPs they refused to give her another one to try.
• she has been given anti histamines to try and reduces the swelling in her tonsils.
• unfortunatley I cannot afford to go private.

Also, with the ENT appointment the GP did send out the referral the day he saw her, and I got the letter back within 3 weeks but there really were no appointments on the website at any of the hospitals offered.

Insist upon the brown inhaler. On a trial basis for one month. It worked wonders for my son within a week. One spray at night, one in the morning. I remember I went in with the attitude that I wasn't going to leave until they let us try it. And I'm not a confrontational person.

For short term relief try a chopped onion in her room, see if that helps. It's magic.

So the inhaler they gave her worked but this doctor refuses to prescribe another? Can you change doctors? My friend found taking her husband to the doctors got help faster do you have a bepenised person who can accompany you (I accept this shouldn't happen but sadly if I take my dad in or when I was married my husband in even if I did all the talking there nodding and agreeing carried more weight and I got treatment in one appointment im averaging four before treatment currently)

I don’t know about your country but where I am you can ventolin in the pharmacy. It’s reasonably harmless (well as harmless as anything you can buy without a prescription and obviously use it according to the directions). But it’s definitely worth a try. My only asthma symptom is a cough. I also suffer terribly with post viral coughs after having a cold. Still coughing 3 weeks after my last cold resolved!

The brown inhaler is good because it is a preventer, rather than the blue which is for relieving immediate symptoms. If they offer you blue, do ask for the brown as well.

Apple cider vinegar, mixed with hot water and honey is magic for helping with random coughs.

Our go to here, in this house.

What are her pillows made out of? Could she be allergic to the filling?