Toddler coughing for MONTHS

[LittleMilla]

Wwyd? DH wants to me to take ds (2) to docs as he's had a cough for about two months now. Not serious, but enough to wake him up every now and then .

He's a nursery four days a week so bugs a plenty.

Wwyd?

Asthma?

docs I'm afraid - that was asthma for us

DD had a cough for around 3 months - basically all winter. Sounded horrible a lot if the times and she was even sick a few times when coughing. Doctor said its been going around and they've seen loads of children with it this winter. Found nothing wrong, despite it sounding awful. But I would still go to the Doctor's to rule anything else out.

Dd had this last spring. Doc kept saying post viral. But the she had an hour long coughing fit (she was 18 months). I wasn't sure whether asthma or allergic reaction or what so after dithering for a bit I took her to a&e. They were very nice, said I was right to take her, did thorough examination including swab of back f throat. Concluded Gp probably right. But did really set my mind at rest.

In the same situation -took ds (2) last week to doctors with persistent cough. He has an infection on both lungs & suspected asthma. Take your lo better safe than sorry.

Go to the docs if you have concerns, but it can be pretty normal. DD who is 4 had one for months this winter. It was a bit on and off, and we only went to the docs when eventually she was poorly with it, with a temperature for a few days. The doc checked her out and no infection so no treatment required. She's fine again, all be it snotty, yet again......

Ds's persistent cough turned out to be asthma too. Take him to the doctors.

Oh crumbs, hadn't even considered asthma.

His cough is fairly dry iykwim and just seems to agitate versus produce anything.

Will call docs in the morning. Out of interest though, those diagnosed with asthma, what were you dc's coughs like?

Thx

My 15m DD has also had a cough and snotty nose for months... I put it down to bugs picked up at nursery and teething, but every so often I get convinced there's something more to it and off we go to see the GP... Each time we've been told it's viral, then I apologise for over reacting and being being PFB but they say I'm not being PFB and best to get checked over if in any doubt!

Goosy - my concern entirely. GPs tend to have knack for making you feel just ever so slightly neurotic. Then absolutely dreadful that one time that you decide to play it cool (this is what I'm doing now) and it's serious.

Argh.

MN really does help me!

No snotty, runny nose, just a persistent dry cough that wouldn't go away. Sometimes it would wake him up at night. The inhaler stopped it almost immediately.

Ds had a cough for many months, it was asthma (mild) in his case.

Dd1 gets regular persistent coughs and has done for as long as I can remember. As she is only 5 and not wheezy with it they never quite give the diagnosis of asthma but regularly proscribe us inhalers, and the occasional dose of steroids when it has been really bad (e.g. We have had to bring her home from school as she was falling asleep due to being kept awake by it).

My DD has had a lot of persistant coughs this winter and has been to the GP whenever she's had it for several weeks (or still got it several weeks later). Our GP is very happy to see her and check it out but normally it's dianosed as viral. I think twice it's later turned out to be "become" a bacterial chest infection and been given antiBs.
The GP has said there's been a lot of viral things going round this winter but that virus can give a bacterial infection a way in IYSWIM.

Go to the GP, s/he can rule out anything serious and put your DH's mind at rest.

My DD has had a persistent cough since October. She has had a rub if colds, chicken pox, viruses. But we have finally worked it out. She is a very dribbly teether and when she sleeps she inhales the drool so has water on her lungs. Not a problem just life.

Yes she wakes several times a night coughing but she just puts herself back to sleep. Should resolve when she has all her teeth.

Hope that helps!

yes dry and irritating mostly for my asthma dd. sometimes she coughs until she retches, but she doesn't seem to wake up properly. she can cough for about an hour at a go. its heartbreaking to listen to. but it doesn't seem to bother her. not snotty or mucousy.

Hi Milla my DD has barely had a month on the trot free from snotty nose, hacking cough and darth vader breathing since 8 months. It doesn't generally bother her though when the cough gets very bad it does sometimes wake her up. But I had colds/coughs all winter and it often woke me up too. I am sure you can tell whether it's giving him breathing difficulties or whether he's in any pain. If you're worried take him, if you're not then Tell DH all the other toddlers have coughs too!

Thanks all for replies. Decided not to take him in the end. He's a bit sniffly and seems to have a gooey eye which makes me think it's another cold tbh.

Will give it a couple of weeks and see what happens to cough once other symptoms ease up.

X

Please take him to GP - especially if cough worse at night or a dry cough. I know a 2 year old who has just been diagnosed with a heart murmur only picked up because his mum took him to GP (repeatedly, they didn't pick it up to start with) due to a persistent cough. It was thought to be asthma to begin with. Hate to seem I'm scaremongering but it's best to have things ruled out.

I think maybe take him anyway. My son does not have proper asthma but he sometimes gets wheezy and coughy when he's going through a lot of colds in the winter. We have an inhaler for him and it makes a huge difference, he is much more comfortable and sleeps better so he recovers more quickly.

Also, when we took DS for his pediatrician checkup last week (not in UK) she said when they have coughs to give a spoonful of honey at bedtime -- we've been doing it this week and I do think it's helped too.

Hope he's better soon!

Don't usually tell posters off but this annoys me, the majority of responses said get him checked and you just ignore! Yes, it may be nothing, but the job of a doctor is to check. It is not PFB to go to the doctor and say he has been coughing for months and I am worried it might be asthma.

I had a look at NHS website, it said seek GP advice after two weeks.

Eeeek, I've never been told off on here before .

Just because the cough has got a bit more 'fruity' I thought I'd get shooed away from the docs with them muttering about pfb and viruses. Spoke to DH this am though as he heard him have yet another big sesh in the night.

So we're going to take him later. I'll post back and let you all know what they say.

Thank you.

Oh good -- I really think you should take him.

Try to remember that even IF the doctor mutters pfb, that doesn't make him right. You're not clogging up an A&E or anything, you have every right to take him to the GP if he's been coughing for months.

DH is back. Gp said to give it another month and go back if cough still there then.