Persistent barking cough day and night - any ideas

[IlanaK]

Ds2 is onto his third year of a persistent barking (think croupy sound) cough. Ds1 had something similar and despite various intervention, nothing worked until he just outgrew it around 6 years old. Ds2 now 6 and showing no signs of outgrowing it.

I finally took him to the GP this week who was totally stumped. No wheezing or other signs of asthma. Not mucus - it is totally dry.

It is especially bad at the moment - people regularly comment on it when out and about. "Oh, what a terrible cough" - they move away from him thinking it is a virus. My upstairs neighbour actually telephoned us in concern the other day after ds was playing in the garden when he heard it.

We now have an appointment with the a paediatric respiratory consultant. In fact, the same one my ds1 saw years ago.

So, has anyone had experience of this (though I actually have experience of this and it is still not helping!)? Any thoughts appreciated.

hopeful bump!

Sorry to ask but do you smoke?

I don't mind you asking - no I don't smoke and neither does my husband. We never have and never are around anyone else that does either.

We have not been given ventolin before. He doesn't have any classic signs of asthma. At least the GP didn't think so.

It does sound like asthma, asthma can show as a cough rather then a wheeze. I'd ask for a referal to a paediatrician so he can be checked over for asthma.

I used to 'bark' as a child, it was due to my father smoking though, it lasted for years.

Sorry, I mean a different paediatrician.

With Ds1, from what I remember, the consultant gave us a pill that was used for asthma (but he was clear that Ds1 did not have asthma). I can't remember the name now. He took in in the evening and it made him a bit hyper. It seemed to help a little, but not much. He really just did outgrow it in the end and has never had it again 3 years later. Which is what I had hoped would happen with ds2.

He doesn't have attacks as you have described. He goes through periods of coughing less, and periods like now of coughing more.

IlanaK, I would ask GP to refer you to paediatric consultant anyway, they would know better. DS has been diagnosed with asthma (well, as official as they can at 2.5 years, he can't do proper blowing tests yet), and after nearly two years of regular coughing and wheezing, 2 visits to the A&E and many sleepless nights, we've eventually been put on asthma medication that works for him, and our lives are so much easier all of a sudden.

I'd try and push for an asthma and allergy specialist, as the GP gave us 2 types of inhalers and daily steroid inhalers, but it still didn't control his asthma properly. With Singulaire (which doesn't work with all children, some hate it), the infections, coughing and wheezing has all but gone away. I don't panic every time someone has a cold around him anymore either, just waiting for the chest infection that is about to follow.

I really wish we've done this ages ago.

Singulair! That was it! He was not given any other treatment with it.

I just looked up "cough varient asthma" . It certainly sounds like what he has. I will ask the consultant about it. If I am not happy with what he says, I will try another consultant!

I just mentioned to dh that I noticed today when they were out on the trampoline that the cough was worse. I think it is worse when he is running around.

Ds's asthma is worse at certain times of the year, the winter and summer are normally quite bad. I'd ask for a brown inhaler (can't remember what they are called) and a ventolin inhaler. The brown one is used in the morning and evening, it's a preventer, the blue ventolin is used when needed, it's a reliever.

Oh I'm so sorry, I somehow missed completely that you have an appointment already.

The consultant started us off with Singulair plus daily steroid inhaler plus other one (blue) as and when needed. The idea was to see how he reacted to Singulair, and then either reduce / remove steroid inhaler or stop Singulair. He reacted so well to the tablets that we were able to stop the steroid inhaler, but should use blue one if needed. So far, we didn't have to.

The consultant said today that September is the worst month for asthma, so this is our ultimate test - if we can survive without brown (steroid) in Sep, we should be ok.

I think some children get nightmares on Singulair, but you won't know until you try, unfortunately.

Thats interesting about September. He is at his worst at the moment.

DS2 had similar - he used to struggle to breathe sometimes as well - especially when cold or running around. He was diagnosed with ? asthma and given an inhaler, but in his case I think it was new strain whooping cough (which presents slightly differently from 'normal' whooping cough). He had been in contact with it. It didn't last anywhere near as long though - about 6-12 months -although coughing with exercise lasted longer.