What could be wrong with my daughter?

[ChristineSmartyPants]

Hello. This is my first post on this webstie, but I was wondering whether I could have some help, please?

My daughter has had a really annoying little cough for about three months now. At first, I thought it was a virus because it started with a cold, but the cough never seemed to go away.

It is a throat clearing sort of cough a lot of the time, so I wondered whether it could be a tic (?) sort of thing, but she seems to do it in her sleep a lot and it is worse at night and bad in the mornings.

I have asked her why she does it and she says that she can't help it. So I was wondering whether to take her to the Doctors about it?

I will give any more information if you need it, please help, it's driving me to the end of my tether!

My daughter is 11, by the way and will be starting Secondary School in September.

Just take her to the docs. Should be fine, but you really need a doctor for this kind of thing, not randoms on the internet (you never know what kind of advice you might get!)

Could it be anything to do with the time of year - like hayfever do you think? My eldest is 8 and had a terrible cough all last summer, the GP prescribed antihistamines and he also had an inhaler for a while. He didn't sound wheezy but he was given a peak-flow meter and his capacity was definitely reduced. It's definitely seasonal for him, although not so bad this year. Just the fact that you said it's worse in the mornings and nightime made me wonder. I'd go to the GP if I were you and get it checked out. Good luck

Loopy's right by the way, best to go to the GP rather than pondering on the net

Thanks - I will take her to the GP, I am just wondering whether anybody has experiendced anything like it before?

I don't think it's hayfever because she they have to have other symptosm,don't they? And nothing else is bothering her,.

WHat is a Peak Flow Meter?

Could be something like a dust mite allergy,which could tie in with it being worse in bed and in the morning.That sounds very likely to me.Hoovering your mattress when you change the bed,using an anti mite mattress protector and generally hoovering as much as possible around her bed area might help a bit if its a mite issue.The doc should have a good idea.

I hadn't thought of it being an allergy - I thought it was something more to do with her mind or her being naughty.

What is a Peak Flow Meter?

DS (7) did this, and then started doing weird tics (waving hands round head etc) and it took all my resilience not to shriek 'stop doing that!' but I ignored it, and it got worse than better and now he doesn't do it. Much. Sometimes, maybe they do things unconciously and it might be easier (after seeing GP) to try to ignore it. DISCLAIMER : That's after ensuring it isn't medical/physical and can be treated.

A peak flow meter is a tube you blow in to measure lung capacity, I think.
I did this at the same age for months. Was given inhalers etc. Then I was a bridesmaid and didn't dare cough in church... the problem went away. I'm sure I didn't know I was in control of it in any way. Maybe I wasn't. Good luck.

Thanks! Grumpypants and belindarose did you/your son cough in your/his sleep though?

I have also noticed that sometimes there is some phlehm with the cough and sometimes she has coughing fits where she needs to sit down for five minutes.

I will make a doctors appointment first thing in the morning, but any other comments or ideas would be really really welcome.

Could easily be mild asthma being trigged by a mild allergic reaction to house dust mites hence coughing in bed and worse in mornings. Def a trip to the drs.

Sounds very similar to what my DD had 2 summers ago - just before her 10th birthday. Several GP visits later and she was diagnosed with mild Asthma. She takes a peventative inhler every night and morning. She has a blue asthma inhaler too but has rarely needed it.

Thanks for all your responses.

We've got an appointment at the doctors this afternoon, so I'll let you know what he says.

She was bad again this morning and last night. Cough cough cough cough cough.

Sounds like asthma.

Thanks abr1de and Pxiie!

Well, we went to the Doctors and it was a total waste of time. We were in and out in five minutes. She did the cough while we were in there but he didn't listen to her chest or do a peak flow or anything. He just said it was probably a nervous cough.

I don't know whether to go back or just let her live with it?

DS2 (nearly 9) has developed exactly this this summer - after a cold which turned into rhinitis. He's been checked over by the GP for infections of all sorts (ears, nose, throat, chest) and asthma (he is mildly asthmatic) and the conclusion was that it's probably allergic rhinitis of some kind. We're trying Piriton now to see if it reduces the post-nasal drip.

It also has turned into a bit of a tic too, though, as he's constantly throat clearing. He has had other transient tics, including sniffing and finger-twiddling.

Not sure if this is any use, but you could try an anti-histamine with your DD for a while to see if it helps.

Thanks, singersgirl! I will give Piriton a go perhaps, then. I am also thinking about taking her to see a different GP who will, at least, listen to her chest.

I'm going to make another doctors appoiontment with a different doctor tomorrow because I think she needs to be seen again.

However, she's just announced that 'there's nothing wrong with me, mum, and I'm not using a freakky puffer thing'.

I can see this being difficult!

If it was an allergy, would she still have to use a puffer?

Personally I would take her back to see another GP and actually ask if they think it could be Asthma. Actually ask them to listen to her chest, do peak flow and look at her throat.
Over the summer my DD developed her cough she saw 3 or 4 different Drs. All of them saying stuff like - bring her back in X weeks if its no better or well her chest is clear, there is no infection so thank you and goodbye.
Eventually I had to stand my ground a bit and actually ask WHY she would cough for so long and what the causes may be.
Let us know how you get on.

I think as she is doing it at night and when she sleeps ,more than in the day,then it is highly unlikely to be a tic or habit and much more likely to be an allergic response or mild asthma ,which is also an allergic response.You are being sensible seeing another doc,even if you have to see a private GP its worth it.Your GP sounds hopeless tbh.Hope you get it sorted.My DD was coughing at night for a while and then I hoovered around/under the bed really well,the bits I normally skip or do quickly as we had a rubbish hoover( also its tricky as we have a mattress on the floor as we co sleep with toddler)Anyway,it stopped.So clearly the dust was aggravating her chest,and as we have a massive family history of asthma and allergies then I am keeping an eye on her.

Hi!

I just want to say that she was diagnosed with asthma today, although she hasn't been given any medication.

Thanks for all your help!