looking for advice about DD's cough

[drivingmisscrazy]

She's 20 months, started nursery 2 mornings a week at the end of august, snotbag ever since. She's got a cough - took her to doc who said lungs clear, ears fine, so just mucous. Doc gave us prescription for antibiotics - but DD is fine in herself - tired because of coughing at night - but lively and eating OK. No temp. Think she has a second cold now too :( But she is coughing a lot at night - although so far it hasn't woken her, which is a minor miracle.

Is there anything I can give her (have Sootha, which she loves, but doesn't do much)? At what point should I start her on the abs (not keen to give them unless they'll help)? How long before I take her back to doc? there's a family history of nasty asthma, but she's not wheezy or struggling to breathe (other than being bunged up)

first child, so not sure what the drill is - first time she's been ill for longer than a couple of days

thanks

MY dd was like this before we went on holiday in august. We took her to gp before we went who said same, just mucus, viral will pass but gave us anti biotics to take on holiday with us and told us to use them should she develop a fever. She was 14 months then by the way. Hope she's better soon. Generally if they're eating, drinking, no fever and playing etc, then don't worry.

thanks - my sense is that it's just a nasty cough and that it will pass, but just get pfb collywobbles sometimes

I would be concerned that it is really bad at night and hasnt been really clearing up between illness. It could still be asthma. i used to put a bowl of steaming water in ds' room when he was bad, but only because i had to sleep in there with him. Have you tried ulbas oil or soemthing like that?

See if it clears when she loses her cold and if so i would speak to the docs again. Note it is practice to issue inhaler to under three but refuse to diagnose asthma ds has no wheeze with his asthma just a really tight chest and coughing at night when he is poorly. I'd keep an eye on it with your family history. odds are she might develop asthma.

thanks - she has a day cough too! and it's only been bad at night for the last couple of days. I'll see how she is in the next couple of days - am perhaps in denial about the asthma thing especially as we've seen no sign of it so far (and her dad was on liquid ventolin by 14 months). thanks

If your child has lots of snot- raise the head of their cot by putting some wood ir hefty books under the legs.
If it is snot related-when they are horizontal in bed it trickles down the back of their throat and causes them to cough as it just sits there. If you raise the bed it drains better....
however if there is a family history of asthma tell your GP as someone has already said a night cough can be a sign of asthma. Even now at the age of 13 my dd doesn't have an audible wheeze until she is in crisis. She tends to cough and have a very tight chest. HTH

did mention the family history, but she didn't seem to think much of it , but think this is quite common from the sounds of things. I think it is the snot hitting the back of the throat tbh, so will try the mattress raising. Thank you agaiin

i did warn you they dont diagnose asthma in the under threes. its a mad policy. keep an eye on it and if it doesnt improve go back and ask about it again.

we had the following conversation.

doc: he needs to use this inhaler three times a day with this spacer, nurse will show you how to use it properally.
Me: so he has asthma then?
Doc: No, he just needs to use this inhaler.
Me: if he hasnt got asthma then why does he need an inhaler.
Doc: oh we dont diagnose asthma in the under threes
Me

Although this was about 5 yo i dont think they have chanced the policy that much from what i hae heard. expection i guess being severe cases that need hospitalisation.

ouch - yes, I've heard similar stories. We'll see if it's just the after-effects of a nasty cold, and then take it from there.

oh dear, I started this thread to try and see if there were any remedies to help DD, and now I am all worried that she has asthmatic symptoms...whereas before I thought she just had a bad cough :(

it will go but make take a while.

DD2 has just turned 6mo and has had a cough for about the lat month. GP said her chest was fine. It was starting to go away and now she has another cold so it has got worse again. She's well in herself though.

It's hard not to worry, i know, especially if sleep is being affected, but I would avoid anitbiotics if there's no infection.

take a ddep breath. ironic i think you are right at the moment it is just a bad cough. but i think you need to keep an eye on her if it looks to be a problem. asthma can suddenly blow up and take you by surprise.

yes ouch have been anxiously looking for possible signs but was starting to relax a bit. I think the first hint of anything problematic and we'll be at the GP!

and probably if you saw her, with your experience, you'd know immediately that it's a cough and not asthma, or that it is IYSWIM. Just I've not got enough experience to know

tbh, i got caught out today badly. And i just though mine was a dust allegery. It happens sometimes. Now i know that this might blow up like this i will know how to deal with it. You cant learn how to tell the difference until you have seen the difference. iyswim. You will know if it gets bad though. just be aware i got caught out by a virus today, there is a nasty one going about. use the medical service if you need to. its what they are there for.

I hope she recovers from her cold with ill effect soon. try not to worry. you will know if it is bad.

cough seems a bit better and looser today - so just going to keep an eye on it