Coughing… HELP

[Hangingonathread1]

13mo has had a cough / cold (plus other things) since mid September. It’s gets better, but then worse again.

At the minute she is really struggling with her sinuses and they are blocked. Her ears are infected and perforating.

But this COUGH at night is driving us both mad, and she can’t sleep. I’ve tried Vicks on her feet, window open / closed, her cot is tilted as much as I can, nasal spray, humidifier, calpol plug in.

DD has a swallowing delay and reflux, so she struggles to swallow at the best of time and chokes frequently. She has had a mild cough because of this since birth. But she is coughing every 5 minutes and gaging. I’ve tried turning of the things which are thinning the mucas, to try stop the cough, but no luck.

GP said it’s not on her chest (thankfully), due to see pediatrician next week. But any suggestions?

Cough syrup?

@FestiveMayo I’ve tried honey and lemon with no joy unfortunately

Any chance it could be asthma? Although tbh it's more likely to be the reflux, is she on medication for it?

I'm glad you've got the peads referral. This could just be a chronic cough related to the previous illness. Alternatively could be the beginning of asthma. My DD is 3.5 and suspected asthmatic, she got bronchiolitis at 5 months old and has basically been coughing ever since. The cold weather ocer the last has set off an exacerbation and she's been waking frequently in the night because of the coughing. It's absolutely awful, I really do empathise. She has had a ventolin inhaler since she was 1 which helps a little temporarily for acute issues, shes also on salbutamol inhaler on and off as needed for exacerbations since she was about...2? I don't remember. GP prescribed both of those without secondary care input although she was seen by a pead when she was 13m who agreed with the ventolin and did a chest x-ray which was clear. We sometimes use glycerine cough syrups, that seems to help a bit sometimes. Otherwise there's not much else we find helps, shes slept with a pillow since she was 1 to raise her head and used to nap better in the pushchair as it was raised. Word of warning too, we found menthol drops in water/Calpol plug ins etc were actually making it worse so might need to ditch those especially if no noticeable improvement.

@LefttoherownDevizes she’s on omeprazole for the reflux. I think it’s a combination of the reflux, delayed swallow and amount of mucas. Just hoping this congestion ends soon.

@SecondhandTable thank you. She’s been under PEDS since birth, but hasn’t seen them since having the delayed swallow diagnosis. She’s got other stomach issues too, further tests on Monday (if she’s well enough) before finally getting a treatment plan on Tuesday. So I do think it’s all related, just since cold season began she’s not shifted them. More congestion, worse the cough. Sorry to hear your little one is struggling too, I bet your exhausted. DD sleeps better with a pillow too. I think your right about the “decongestants” as they loosen the mucas, causing more nasal drip, which worsens the cough 🤦🏽‍♀️