DS - terrible cough at night only

[VickyandAlistair]

Hi all, hope you can help.

My ds is 15 months old, and has been suffering for about a month now. It started with a awful cold, which seemed to go on until Xmas, and then since then he has been left with a terrible cough at night - he coughs until it sounds like he has been sick, but when I go to him, he hasnt - its so bad it wakes him up sometimes, and happens every night. My mum and brother are asthmatic so have wondered that,but took him to dr who said his chest was clear. Any ideas? I so want my baby to be better so that he can get a good nights sleep again :(

It could be post-nasal discharge - basically mucus from the nose drips into the throat, irritating it. It happens at night because your DS is lying down. Have you tried putting a menthol rub on his chest, back and neck as that can help? Humidifying the air in the room can also help - often a bowl of steaming water somewhere near the cot will do the trick (though obviously not too close!).

If not, then it could well be asthma, but you won't get a diagnosis at his age, I'm afraid. If it continues, take him back to the GP and they may prescribe an inhaler plus spacer device. If he responds to that, then it probably is asthma. But if he is diagnosed with asthma at a young age, he is quite likely to grow out of it.