Why is my Ds coughing?

[lancslass17]

Any mum ideas,

My Ds has had a cough since March (following a temp for which we self isolated) the cough is not every day and not all the time.

He usually coughs in the morning then sneezes then is OK for a while.

Last Sunday he didn't cough all morning but did when we got back from a walk.

Thursday he coughed after swimming but not once we got home.

Spoke to doc 3 times but not actually seen anyone have been given an inhaler with a spacer but didn't do anything and in the end Ds wouldn't have it he's not wheezy and doesn't cough at night, have tried antihistamines as we were going for our daily walk to a local field so assumed hay-fever but not sure if they work and he is still coughing now (can you get hay-fever if October).

He goes to nursery 2 days a week and they never say hes coughing or needs his meds when I take them in.

Any ideas??
Oh and he's had a covid test in September prior to an op which was negative

Sounds exactly how my dd presents with asthma.

Cough on waking, exercise induced cough, temperature change cough (after a walk). You need a preventer inhaler, what colour did they give you? We rarely need to use the blue one but keep up the brown one morning and night as it does mostly keep the cough at bay unless she has a cold.

Our 6yo has had wheezing, a bit of breathlessness and an intermittent cough since a ‘cold’ in March.
At first we thought it might be hay fever - now we think it might be the aftermath of Covid.

@twinmum2017 what age did that start? I haven’t taken DS to the GP as it seems mild at the moment

I would think mild asthma or maybe pollution?

I though asthma too @twinmum2017 some asthma presents more with persistant coughing than a wheeze.

My son started like this last November. Took him to the GP in early January as it had been going on for 6 weeks. GP said it was viral and would settle. It did, but he would cough every now and then. In March it worsened and we isolated for 2 weeks as it was persistent. It settled again but he would cough now and then. Probably 7-10 times a day. I only twigged in July that something was amiss. I realised it was most likely asthma. GP agreed. It sounds similar to your son. He also had negative covid tests. I'm also asthmatic and have a strong family history. Yet it took all that time to figure it out!

@twinmum2017
He was given a blue inhaler but we struggles to get him to take it I was all poised if it carried on when we got home Thursday to try him with it but no cough.

Me and dad are OK but cousin has eczema and allergies but not asthma as far as I know though my dad got a brown inhaler a few years ago 🤔.

Ill go back to gp and have a chat. It's really difficult when they wont actually see you!

It sounds like asthma . You need to find a way of trying the inhaler as if it works it is a good diagnostic test. If he has asthma then using a blue inhaler( via a spacer) is a mainstay of management. I think you need to work on the use of the puffer , if it helps your DS will soon realise as it is quite instant . He might not have asthma of course but your doctor has given advice and an intervention,I think you should give it a good go and report back .

Have you tried a face mask with the spacer and inhaler. Then you can get him to do tidal breathing, which he may find easier to cope with. Have a look on asthma uk for a lot of information and advice. The asthma nurses on there are brilliant.

The blue inhaler is not the main stay of management. It's a reliever, he needs a preventer if it's asthma.

@GalOopNorth when she was about 2. She's only 3.5 now so not officially diagnosed because they can't at this age, but her dad is asthmatic with the same symptoms.

@lancslass17 did they give you a spacer? My DD was resistant to begin with, we did a lot of teddies and dollies having the inhaler first and now she's completely fine with it, just part of our routine.

@lancslass17 I've had similar, 22 month old persistent cough several viral infections (tested negative twice for corona) and unable to see a GP since February

I ended up crying down the phone to the gp after another weekend of coughing, temperature, congestion and very little sleep so they agreed to see him I couldn't believe it!! He's got a viral infection but he's being treated for possible asthma, the twice daily brown inhaler does seem to be working

I'm annoyed about the whole GP situation he could have been diagnosed months ago if someone had only seen him

Allergic rhinitis and possible asthma. Sounds a very normal presentation tbh.

I've booked a Gp appt for Monday and am making a note of when he coughs and what we are doing, yesterday he coughed in the morning a little none all day till after tea then coughed regularly until he fell asleep. Wondered if he could have an allergy to eggs as he had poached egg for tea???

Today no coughing at all ( been at nursery but they never said anything). It's so frustrating.

Have you tried anti allergy pillows/duvets? Asthma/allergies go hand in hand so it all fits.

Good luck for the GP

He doesn't have pillow or duvet yet he has the same 2 blankets he's always had (which I have washed). Not coughed today yet but swimming soon.....