Occasional strange bark like cough in DD, 16 months, anyone know what it is?

[SydneyB]

DD, 16 months, has had a pretty constant cough since starting at nursery when she was 7 months old - have been backwards and forwards to the GP over the months and each time it's never been a chest infection, just a build up of mucus from having a constant cold. Sometimes though, late at night and first thing in the morning she seems to cough so much that it ends up being a very hoarse-like barky cough. Does anyone know what this is? It doesn't last long and usually once she's up and about it's gone.

Should have added that it doesn't seem to bother her although it does sound alarming.

It sounds like a croupy cough. Perhaps an infection in her larynx.

A barking cough is often croup - a symptom of a virus which narrows airways, hence alters the sound produced.

Does it tend to come and go like this? I mean, it first happened about 3 months ago and has happened about 5 times since then but is not continuous. But if it's a virus there's no point going to the GP is there?

My DS1 suffered from croup. Yes it does come and go. For him, it was a symptom of a cold, just like getting a runny nose. He would often cough up mucus (and stomach contents).

We believed that he had slightly narrower airways than other children of his size, so any slight swelling which is normal in a cold, would lead to a significant loss in cross-sectional area of his airways.

Croup is mostly a noisy cough, but it can be more problematic. If your little one is struggling to breathe (eg gets recession - sucking in - between her ribs and in her throat), then it's worth a trip to A&E or the GP for ventolin.

The good news is that they do grow out of it - as the airways get bigger, and reduction from swelling is insignificant.

It sounds like croup. Steam helps, I used to run the shower and get the atmosphere very steamy and it helps relieve it a bit. The grow out of it at about 5 yrs.

Thanks all so much for posts. Will keep an eye on her. Doesn't seem to effect her breathing at all and it is always when she has a cold. Which is always! Bring on the Spring