Clockwork cough

[Bloodyhellfire]

Every so often (approx every 2 months or so), my 5 year old develops a cough that starts at night. She will cough and cough until she throws up and then after about an hour will eventually fall to sleep. The cough then stops until the following night . This normally happens over 2-3 nights. She is fine in the day - no temperature or anything and once has fallen properly asleep (after the hour of coughing) is fine in the night . As mentioned, this happens over 2- 3 nights then stops and then happpens all over again 2 months later. Doc not really shed any light on it. Anyone had this happen to their DC?

I used to cough till I threw up as a child. Only did it now and then. Turned out to be the start of asthma.

That's what someone else suggested and that's my gut feeling too - but the doc didn't seem too convinced. I may have to return! Thanks so much for replying with your experience x

I hope you get an answer soon.

Could be asthma. 2 of my boys have asthma and it's always worse at nighttime for some reason. Ask the dr if you can try an inhaler next time to see if it helps.

Your natural steroid levels drop at night, hence the increased coughing. My DS is the same, he coughs and coughs until he's either sick or has his blue puffer. Asthma nurse has prescribed a brown inhaler twice a day and it's made a huge difference, thankfully.

Thank you all. I feel a bit more confident going back to 'argue' now I know others have had similar experiences.

Nighttime cough is a pretty clear indicator of asthma in children, I'm surprised your GP was so dismissive.

I agree... I think the fact it's not consistently ongoing threw him though - i.e. Just a few nights every 2-3 mths.

It could be after exposure to an allergen- visiting someone with a smoky house? Going on public transport?

Nothing out of our everyday routine ... I had initially thought that too - and had even blamed dairy at one point.

@bloodyhellfire that's exactly our experience. 2 or 3 nights every few months, every time he's got a cold etc. DD has had bad colds that haven't affected him at all now, and he's currently got a cold but no night time coughing- I guess it's due to the brown inhaler.