Coughing only at night?

[lyssie29]

Hi, my 2 year old has PDA and recently has been coughing every night ALL night. She doesn't cough at all in the day. This has been going on since just after Xmas. Is this to with PDA as I know they said she will suffer from shortness of breathe or maybe asthma? I don't want to take her to the doctors just for them to fob me off again saying "it's just a cold".

One of the signs of asthma can be coughing at night. Some dc don't have a noticeable wheeze, they just cough at night. It's been going on a while so in your position I'd go to the GP.

Could be cough-variant asthma. Is it a dry non-productive type of cough-cough-cough-cough-false sense of security-cough-cough type of thing?

Yeah it's a dry cough that just goes on and on and often she ends up being sick and she gets annoyed and starts crying. I tried and failed to get an appointment but I'll take her to gp when they have a free appointment and hopefully they'll give her something.

Hello. When you say PDA, are you referring to a Patent Ductus Arteriosus?
As others have said, coughing at night is not uncommon with asthma, often provoked by our own naturally occurring steroid production which usually shuts off between midnight and 2am whilst we are sleeping.

If your daughter has a cardia PDA as mentioned above, then I would get an appointment with the cardiology paediatrician, just in case she has a little congestion.

If your daughter has asthma medication, then give this at bedtime as your GP has prescribed, and a bowl of hot, steamy water in a safe place, is useful for adding moisture to the atmosphere of the room.

I hope matters resolve soon
Best wishes
Kate

Hi, yeah its patent ductus arteriosus. We are waiting to go into hospital to get it fixed. I'll ask her gp if it could be down to that and I'll try the hot water tonight. Thanks!

You are very welcome. I will do some research this afternoon and see if I can find evidence for linking PDA to persistent cough and get back to you.

Where is your daughter having the PDA fixed?
Best wishes
Kate

She's going to the freeman hospital in Newcastle. Just a waiting game now to find out when the operation is going to be!

Brilliant centre for paediatric cardiac surgery. I would imagine this must be a stressful time for you, so I do hope you get the admission date soon. I hope the steam works so you both get some sleep. Raising the head of her cot with a slim pillow under the mattress, might possibly help her too, just a tad so she doesn't slip down the cot or on her side.

I hope you get some sleep and rest too, as I appreciate you must be feeling frazzled to say the least 💐

Best wishes
Kate

It's been a busy time going backwards and forwards to hospital and we also have an 18 week old who has just got over bronchiolitis and now has yet another cold. I'm hoping for an appointment soon so we can just get it over and done with she can relax. I hate seeing my baby not well and the poor thing gets so frustrated with all the coughing.