Helpless Mom Needs answers to 8 year old childs chronic cough!!!!!

[Jennibug29]

For the past 6 years my, 8 year old daughter has suffered from a chronic cough.  Every year around September, she either goes to bed with, or wakes up with a terrible cough.  This goes on thru the winter and clears up in late spring.   For the first few years, we believed it to be Asthma because our older son displayed the same symptoms, and was diagnosed with Asthma.  He doctor gave her a puffer and said it would help..it didn't.  Night after night, it was the same routine, and sometimes would get so bad she would vomit..Last year her doctor ran some allergy tests and said she was allergic to mold, and put her on persciption allergy meds along with the inhaler..Agian this year her condition seems to be getting worse.  Now they are telling me it could be Acid Reflux?  Has anyone ever experienced these same symptoms of Acid Reflux?  I am beginning to think these doctors are just guessing.

[selmaS]

Adjusting the meal and bedtime may help more than u know...so glad u r getting all the drs visits taken care of...please post updates : )

Thanks sunsitara for the info on teh natural sugars and acids it is one of the forgotten items to be mentioned.

"selma"

[sunsitara]

Be careful with cold drinks and sugar.Sugar always get matters worse.Good sugars from veggies and  some fruit is enough.For everybody.
Sugar is irritant,changes PH to acidic state and produces mucus.From nose to intestines.
An acidic state is the contrary of health.

[Jennibug29]

Thanks for your good advise, my daughter has an appointment today for a Pulminary Functions test, to rule out the Asthma diagnosis.  The next step will be for her Dr. to refer her to a G.I. doctor.  A clear answer is all I want, and until then, I will try to limit her diet and food intake before bedtime..This will prove to be quite a challenge, since we eat dinner between 5-6 and she goes to bed at 7:30.  We may have to eat dinner earlier and move her bedtime to 8pm.

[selmaS]

Yes a cough can be a sign of reflux...and I would suggest u take her to a GI dr to be sure.

There r other things u can do as well...modify diet and lifestyle...such as no eating prior to lying down, not just going to bed, but lying down at least 3 to 4 hours.
No soda...no spicy foods, and avoid dairy products later in the day as they can slow the motility of her LES and allow the acids up where u do not want them.Check out the Health Pages here on MedHelp for more on foods that are safe and foods to avoid....keep in mind, this is a general list and may not fit ur child exactly so use it to start and change it as u go along keeping a journal of foods that trigger her reflux and which do not.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=236

Please keep us posted
"selma"