Cough variant asthma

[HalfStar]

Hi. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me about this. I have a DC aged 4.5 who has struggled with a persistent cough since babyhood. We find it hard to get GPs and medical professionals to appreciate just how much it knackers her out. Although she does have inhalers and is now trialling montekulast.

Her cough is dry, tight, unproductive, sometimes high pitched. It's worse in winter months. She gets terrible coughing fits that are hard to listen to. Ventolin helps a bit but isn't a cure-all. Steroids sometimes work and sometimes don't.

On occasions when her coughing is at its worst and we worry for her breath, we have taken her to a&e. But always her 'chest is clear' and oxygen levels seem fine.

Latest GP visit, the GP started her on montekulast to see if it would make any difference. We're only 5 days in and so far I'd say not much, though the cough has maybe loosened which is better. The possibility of allergies to something (instead of it being asthma) was raised. Also cough variant asthma mentioned but it is 'rare'.

Just wondering does anyone else's DC have a cough like this. Is it asthma or allergies?

Not sure how helpful this is but as I child i was just like your DD and vividly remember the exhaustion from the constant awful sounding cough, especially at night. My brother had asthma, the "proper" sort but I was not diagnosed (35 years ago I don't think this was considered asthma). I had all sorts of meds and even chest xrays but nothing helped.

I wouldn't say I grew out of it but it did get better as I got older, I also had a few allergies - cats, horses, hayfever and possibly dust mites and treatment for these I think did help the cough.
I was diagnosed at 19 after several bad chest infections and since then have had various inhalers. I find fostair to be the best for me (Not sure if it's ok for children) and tbh I tend only to need it for a couple of months a year now and/or if I get a chest infection which unfortunately happens once or twice a year.

This may be no help to you but I feel for your dd, it's very hard and I still find some medical professionals a bit dismissive - asthma nurses are absolutely the best, you've probably already seen one but I tend to avoid GPs as I find asthma nurses more up to date. Good luck, I hope she finds some relief soon.

Hopefully someone with more up to date knowledge of current childrens' experience will be along soon to give you some helpful advice x

Thank you so much for replying.
Did you eventually get diagnosed with cough variant asthma as well as the allergies?
Dd has a temperature again today (but cough isn't all that bad) and it feels never ending.
I do think dust mites may be an issue.

Be careful with Momtelukast - it’s only meant to be used in short term bursts. My nephew was on it daily for 6 months due to GP lack of knowledge and had 3 hspital admissions due to fitting, heart issues etc

Hi halfstar I did yes but only when I was 19! I'd had it since I was a baby too. It was a great asthma nurse eventually got the diagnosis, I was seeing her due to recurrent chest infections which had got quite bad (unexpected in an otherwise healthy 19 yo) and she went over my history and started me on the inhalers. Once it settled I was much better. 15 years on I'm still prone to coughing but unlike when I was a child I'm not known as the coughing person!

My understanding is that some health professionals still don't think cough variant asthma is actually asthma...and others do. My mum has since been diagnosed with the same after about 5 or 6 a&e visits where she was coughing so badly she required a nebulizer. Took a little while and tests for so many other things before she got the meds even when it was so bad. It seems to be luck on who you see. She's fine now.

Also my allergies do bring on the asthma symptoms so this is something to bear in mind although the allergies have got lots better over the years (except the hayfever!).

Good luck, I hope your daughter gets the right diagnosis and treatment for whatever is causing her symptoms soon.

Have you considered trying giving an over the counter antihistamine? You could try giving it daily for a week or two and see if it makes a difference. If it does then it’s likely to be an allergy.

DS 8 also had a non wheezy cough, exacerbated by viral illnesses and characterised by non stop coughing.
Daily inhaled steroid (clenil) has helped and montelukast has made a massive difference.
If well tolerated (no side effects) it is prescribed as a safe long term treatment.