The cough from hell

[ChunkyThighs24]

Please be kind as I am on the verge of tears after over 2 weeks of very little sleep.

DD, 3.5, is fine from April to October, then all hell in the cough dept breaks loose. She has both brown & blue inhalers which she only takes from October through the winter, fine through the summer. She has a cold & a cough, the cold has gone & a new one come back again.. & with it has come a cough. I took her to the doctors on Thursday night & she was checked, they heard her cough, said it was mild croup & gave her steroids, which she took over 3 days, last dose being today. No improvement. I don't know how, but she's fine in herself during the day. Happy, no temp, etc, but coughing like a dog/seal as you'd expect with a croup cough. Now the issue is the nights, when everything gets worse. I've heightened her mattress, given Piriton, I've put Vicks on her feet & have a humidifier going.. & she's still coughing every 3 minutes. I'm so bloody tired & I'm just gutted for her she can't sleep to try to fight this bloody thing off. I don't feel the steroids have had any effect on the cough. I don't know what else I can do- any advice? Anyone been in the same boat? Thank you if you've read this far :-(

This is my life. DD3+ has had a cough since mid Sept, doc gave antibiotics which temporarily lessened it but it's back with a vengeance and now a high temperature and fever to go with it. She coughs until she throws up and her throat is so sore.
I have no advice, just solidarity. Winter sucks.

@cathyj87 Glad to hear it's not just me but I am so sorry you're in the same boat :-(

Poor you, could you try boiled water with lemon and honey? Is your dd swallowing the mucous from her cold? Would she understand if you asked her to cough into a tissue to clear the phlegm, maybe it is irritating her throat further.

If not, lots of ice lollies and drinks is all I can suggest.

I'm afraid I don't have any other suggestions. I'm in a similar position with my son at present with the constant coughing but getting him to drink is a nightmare.

Both my girls were the same when they were small. Absolute sympathy for you op. Honestly there was no 'fix' they just get out of it/developed immunity eventually.

Thanks @Monkeyrules - she can blow her nose which is good. Just worried about her when she is asleep as the coughing every few minutes comes in such a burst it's like it's a real shock to her. Hope your son is better soon.

Thank you @TooHotTooColdJustRight .. I'm waiting for the immunity to kick in.. she's been in preschool for 2 years so was sort of hoping this would happen now/soon.. honestly the winter is miserable for this sort of thing, I dread it.

Are there any allergy issues? With my daughter when her asthmas aggrivated we have to clean her room and move the stuffiness off her bed.

For me sadly as a child we had to give up our kittens as I was so allergic.

@ButterflyBiscuit I have thought about allergies but given this is just a winter thing & she's fine through summer I'm presuming not but I have been hovering her room daily & damp dusting just incase.

My daughter's is always in Winter - we up her inhalers when she's triggered. But for some reason once she is she is more susceptible to allergies. I struggle to keep on top of it all but it's definitely pets for me unfortunately.

We've also gone and sat on the sofa if it's close ish to morning so she can sleep upright. But yeah unfortunately the constant coughing also hits a nerve with me and I feel cross even though I know she's the one suffering!

@ButterflyBiscuit it's my fault for not thinking about the fact the brown inhaler takes 6 weeks to take effect & I only started her on it 2 weeks ago when I first heard her cough. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Hope your DD is ok.

@ButterflyBiscuit I think anyone surviving on no sleep has the right to feel pissed off quite frankly! I remember DD having a very similar cough last year & it driving me to despair but I can't remember when it eased off/how long it took. It's a long 5 months ahead...I've given myself a stress headache as I'm worried & also know I won't sleep tonight.. or for the next 5 months...

Yes the brown one takes a while to take effect - in our case she's on the brown all year round and then when triggered we up it/add the blue one in.

We're sort of lucky that this current bout I know is covid (as I have it - she's happy and healthy otherwise apart from the cough which is worse at night) so I do know there is an end in sight!

There was a drug that helped -monte something that made us realise allergies affected her when triggered but it also made her wet the bed each night we realised so we didn't stick with it...but it did help!

Just sending you some solidarity - my 3 year old is currently recovering from her fourth bout of croup this year 😣This time it has turned into a nasty chest infection and she’s been really unwell with it. Thankfully she’s on antibiotics now and seemed a bit more herself today🤞🏻

Thankfully it is half term this week but just dreading the rest of winter. We had a terrible time of it last winter (RSV, croup, covid, countless coughs and colds) and I was on my knees by spring - just hoping that it is better winter this year but we are not off to a promising start. GP says that some children are just more prone to croup and that the only thing to do is to get them seen as soon as you hear the croupy cough as the steroids are more effective the quicker they are taken.

So no advice really but I feel your pain - also a member of the exhausted mum’s club at the moment! Hope your DD feels better soon, it really is horrible when they are like this.

@MimPimMim so sorry to hear that. Honestly it's heart breaking isn't it. Hope your DD is better asap. Mine is currently managing averagely 4 minutes between barking coughs.. & has been since 7pm. Bloody awful for everyone isn't it. I don't know if the steroids haven't worked or whether this is just the norm!

@ButterflyBiscuit I'm guessing the drug you mention is probably Montelukast

A friend of mine had this and her son had a 6 week course of antibiotics

Is it possible there is any mould anywhere? I got horribly allergic for awhile. I deep cleaned all the walls, windows and cupboards in my room, kept windows open and used an air filter for a week, and my allergies went away. Mould thrives this time of year, unfortunately.

Currently losing the plot here over my 3 year olds constant coughing. Getting worse every night and it's been going on 7 weeks already and I have a 6 week old to look after too. I'm up and down all night I just want to cry! She's got a humidifier going, cough syrup, lots of water to sip it's just a nightmare I'll be calling the docs Monday morning.

Can you give her a warm infusion of ginger (grated- onky an inch), lemon and a tiny bit of turmeric and honey. It will be an unusual taste but they are all anti inflammatory ingredients

I was thinking about allergies too. Could be worth getting tested for common allergies. We had a very similar experience - but older child- his symptoms appeared in winter. 4 month cold, cough. Tried all the obvious options. result was seeing the hives come up on skin prick test and knowing allergies had played a part .

I had this with my child. Sat in a and e for 6 hours hoping she was given an inhaler but bless the lord had a good doctor who gave antibiotics and it's what she needed. Said it was viral and he normally wouldn't but...this month has been the most antibiotics he's prescribed to children and he hopes it will save them from getting anything nasty when they're older. Local GP never bothers to give it. Cough is less with every dose today.

Just sending a hand hold. I went through this as well.