One year old has dry coughing fits overnight

[pringlebells]

Hi,

My 1 year old had at least 5 quite lengthy coughing fits (dry cough) throughout the night in his sleep. I was working yesterday so I didn't notice anything but DH said he did cough a few times thinking about it, but no fits of coughing.

At present he has zero symptoms other than the coughing fits in his sleep. The heating was on in his bedroom so I'm hoping that was why (heating gives me a dry throat)

Obviously I am getting him tested today

I can't check temperature as our digital thermometer broke so MIL is picking us up one now and dropping it off outside.

Is there any advice for giving a one year old a test? I've had two and found it horrible so the thought of giving him one is making me cry (I'm 8 weeks pregnant and so emotional)

What symptoms did your little ones have? I started my placement as a student nurse based in a community mental health team on Monday. I hadn't done visits but I worked with nurses who'd been out to care homes and now I'm paranoid I'm a carrier and I've past it to my baby.

I have health anxiety.

DD tested positive beginning of November. She had a cough and generally very tired and emotional. She slept with me for the duration as was easier to comfort her and meant only one of us was coughed in all the time! None of the rest of us tested positive or were ill after she had it. Obviously we isolated for the 14 days.

For testing as I could get out the car I had to hold down her hands with my knee and use one hand to steady her face and other to do the swab. It’s not pleasant. If two of you can go, one to hold down and one to swab it will
Make things much easier.

Should say couldn’t get out of car

The thought of him gagging and being scared is making me so upset, he won't understand what's going on I know we have to get tested, DH and I feel fine. DS is so far fine in himself, but that cough was loud enough and long enough to wake us up. He was coughing for over an hour on/off and really dry. He managed to settle back to sleep but we knew it was a bad cough

For a one year old the advice is just to do the nose swab, not the throat (or at least it was when we had to do a test on DS a couple of weeks ago, double check when you get there). Still not nice, but better than doing the throat.

I was told to only swab the nose for under 12's dd is 6 and that's what I did. If you're in a drive through then leave her in a care seat and a walk in in her buggy. It's not too bad and over in 10 seconds. Try leaving a bowl of bocks by the radiator and making sure room is as dust free as possible

*bowl of vicks

Yes definitely just nose rather than throat. It'll be over before you know it but there will be screaming. Even my three year old screamed but he was fine within a minute. I think it was just the panic of it being something weird and unexpected rather than it hurting or actually being distressing.

If it were my baby I would get a telephone consultation with the GP. If the coughing only occurs at night perhaps it is post-nasal drip or mild asthma? Neither of these are anything to worry about but can be managed. Good luck with the test.

I'm sure it's only nasal swabs for babies.
It may just be that the heating has been on. I always put a bowl of water under the radiators in the winter as the dry air always makes me have a dry throat and makes me have a tickley cough.

I tested my 14 month old using a home kit. The instructions said you could swab in both nostrils instead of the tonsils. I did it whilst he was breastfeeding with no issues.

Thanks for all the helpful advice

@Candlesinthewind it's not a frequent thing, just last night. If he's negative and it continues then I will arrange a GP appt

@pringlebells sorry I didn’t realise it was just last night. Sounds like a good plan.

I think the pinning down is hard but maybe necessary.

I'm also a big fan of bribery if needs be. It it takes promise of chocolate buttons afterwards then go for it!

Zipping in coat with arms out of sleeves and under the coat or wrapped in a duvet at home. Hold head with one arm.
Works for eye drops,

We got through it relatively easy! There was some tears and so many cuddles needed but he's napping now as we drive home. Thanks so much for the help everyone

It's bad enough doing the tests on ourselves let alone our little ones

It could also be croup. Tends to happen at night in the winter. But please get him tested if it persists.

Good advice if they do cough like this is steam the bathroom and sit in there for 20 minutes.