Continuous coughing at night (tried all remedies)

[Brooklet405]

My DD is 2 yr 3 mth and she's been suffering from continuous coughing (only at night) for over 6 weeks now. During day she has runny nose but rarely any cough. Every single night the initial couple of hours are fine but around 1 or 2 am or so her coughing starts and it's literally continuous after that and we get no sleep at all from that time onwards. For 6 weeks, been barely sleeping just a couple of hours daily and it's really taking the toll on us, especially DH as daughter insists on having him next to her all the time at night while I sleep many times with my other DD (I've twins).

I have read numerous posts on Mumsnet about this but nothing seems to work for us. We have been to GP 3 times and paediatrician one time. Every time they said chest is very clear and there's no asthma (she does not wheeze and no one in our family has history of asthma). The GP prescribed blue inhaler which worked first day but then back to coughing from second night. We have tried humidifier, honey/turmeric, changed bedsheets, mattress, (we don't have any pets) etc. but nothing is working.

We are at our wits end especially as we cannot go on any longer this way with just a few hours sleep daily. Desperate for help!

My son who is 4 now has had this on and off since he was born i agree with the brown and blue inhaler as he is on this and it does reduce it but doesnt ease it all together i would try rubbing vicks on feet at bedtime and keep socks on this also worked at times x

Do you have any black mould in your house?

My son never had a wheeze or asthma attack, only a night cough, this is how he was diagnosed. Took a peak flow for 1 week twice a day and recorded it on a chart, then used the brown inhaler twice a day for 2 weeks and recorded the peak flow on the chart. The difference was obvious.

thank you folks, I finally got a brown inhaler....i hope this works.

The GP and two paed said it's not asthma because DD doesn't wheeze, her chest is clear and after performing some active tasks isn't short of breath. But they accept yes it's very difficult to diagnose for <5 years. GP said a 2 year old would not be able to do a peak flow test.

That's great news. No, 2 year old can't do the lung function tests needed to diagnose asthma but a trial of treatment is definitely the best way forward at this point.
With the runny nose and the eczema, she does sound 'atopic' so asthma is quite likely. May still be worth getting a steroid nasal spray and a different antihistamine (GP can prescribe a liquid version of cetirizine).

Hi All, wanted to give an update on the situation - have started using brown inhaler and it's been now 5 days or so and there is a significant difference in DD. She still coughs and wakes up a couple to few times in the night but it's definitely not like before where entire nights were slept sleepless. Thank you very much to all of you - really appreciate your advice and suggestions.

Amazing news 🙏

Fantastic to hear - may the improvement continue!