Enlarged Tonsils

[Emmaaa1990]

Hi

My 4 yr old has coughed on and off for about 3 years now. Suspected asthma, allergies, blah blah.

Had antibiotics for 2 weeks at one point which helped. Asthma pumps did nothing she used them for about a year possibly longer. Never had an asthma test due to her age but she may be able to soon. I'm not convinced though. She's had allergy testing, chest xraus, blood work the lot as it's being going on for so long!

She didn't cough at all from May-October then got a cold and started coughing again. It got so bad she was being sick up ton4 times a week. I took her docs last week explained her history etc he said her tonsils looked enlarged, she does always seem to have a stuffy nose and talk abit nasily. He gave her a course of 5 days amoxicillin to see if they would help.

Just finished the course and she has improved abit hasn't been coughing through the night but still coughing on and off during the day.

I'm just wondering what to do next to be honest! She's had it all and the fact no one can figure it out worries me. Maybe the asthma test needs to be done once and for all to see if it is. Just weird how it's not always present.

Wondered if anyone had any advice or experience with this?

Could she have enlarged adenoids and/or causing nasal drip?

My DDs breathing improved a lot once her enlarged adenoids were taken out.

This is what I've seen when researching! How is this looked into is it just but looking down their throat? It's one of the only things I feel that's left that or her tonsils! Just at my wits end now it's been going on too long.

Did your little girl cough a lot with it too?

@LittleGreenDragons

She was snoring a lot and very nasally, lots of catarrh etc and generally not thriving. GP checked her out, noticed her very enlarged tonsils and referred her to ENT who noticed her enlarged adenoids. They operated on them first but a year later took her tonsils out. I mentioned adenoids to you because ENT said that enlarged tonsils in a little one usually (but not always) means enlarged adenoids which is why they are normally operated on at the same time.

@LittleGreenDragons oh that's interesting, I don't notice too much snoring but I have noticed she sleeps with her mouth open a lot. We are under the paediatrician at the hospital so maybe I should chase up another visit and mention they look into this.

She was supposed to have a check In November but not heard anything I probably need to chase them again. Just going round in circles for years and the appointments take so long to even get!

Thanks for your help

As far as I'm aware there's no test for asthma? Who is suggesting this?

Have you tried cutting out dairy?

@camerasupply yeah there is, they have to blow into a tube or something, my husband had it when he was younger which is why they suspected she could have it. I'm still not convinced it is that, but would like to fully know so will book the test in. My docs can do it there or there's actual asthma clinics that provide the test

@camerasupply not tried cutting out dairy, that could also be worth a go, Thankyou

I have asthma myself and I've never had a test to determine it. My kids both had suspected asthma when younger but there was no way of knowing so they were just given inhalers to see if it helped.

They can chart your peak flow by seeing what you can blow on the peak flow meter but that's not an actual test that will say yes/no to asthma.

There's a Feno test but I think that's only used in severe cases?

@camerasupply oh interesting, well apparently there is some way of knowing via this testing process. Just done abit of googling as well to try and educate myself. Does mention some testing but who knows!

She had pumps and they didn't do anything which is why I don't think it is that 😖 they just keep mentioning it to me! I think they see a child with a cough and straight away go to asthma.

I think if the inhalers aren't working then it can't be asthma.

When my ds was little he had a cough for a really long time and the GP said it was bronchiolitis. He was given a ventolin inhaler and it cleared up immediately. (Hence the query over asthma).

One thing that you might want to rule out is silent reflux as that can cause a cough? Any issues with food?

I mentioned dairy as when I went dairy free as a child my sinus/asthma/digestive issues all disappeared.

@camerasupply yes this is my thought! They are very quick to throw the word asthma around.

Maybe I should look into silent reflux and cut our dairy see if that makes a difference.

It's so weird because her cough sounds productive but every time they listen to her chest it's clear but if you could hear her she sounds chesty!

I think I will trial the no dairy and see how we get on, Thankyou

Take videos of her sleeping and ask for a referral to ENT. She might need the adenoids out and maybe tonsils as well.