17 month old with chronic cough

[Dad RBB]

My 17 month-old son has a chronic cough going on 2.5 weeks.  He has a hx of tracheomalacia secondary to TEF repair on day of birth.  He is on Prilosec (5 ml BID) and Reglan (0.9 ml QID) for reflux, which seems to be well controlled.  He was hospitalized for cough and fever June 12 and discharged June 16.  Pneumonia was diagnosed at the time, and he finishes a 10-day regimen of Amoxicillin tomorrow (6/25).  

His fever subsided on 6/21, but the cough remains with no improvement.  His cough is deep and forceful, lasts for a minute or two and subsides for anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, then repeats.  He often wakes up 2-3 times at night for 2 hours at a time with the cough.

His pulsox levels remain steady in mid-90's.  The pediatrician prescribed a 5-day Prednisone regimen which he finishes tomorrow AM.  He is also on an Atrovent inhaler 2 puffs TID.  We are going back to the pediatrician this afternoon and trying to speak with a pulmonogy specialist at Children's Hospital in Phila.  Any help you can offer is much appreciated.

[cindy152]

A related discussion, pneumonia was started.

[National Jewish]

This is obviously a very complicated case.  Seeing the Pulmonologist is an excellent idea.  The cough could be from reflux, possibly a sinus infection, asthma, or even from a persisting pneumonia. It is difficult to tell with the little information you have described.  A good physical examination and possibly some x-rays should be able to clarify the source of the problem and lead to correct therapy.

[Inanga]

could the cough be from excess mucous from the sinuses or past nasal area? I had a persistant cough for years that never got solved until I eralised it was due to food allergies for me - gluten and dairy give me tons of mucous and coughing fits. I suppose the child is on solids and may be reacting to wheat and dairy. Did the diet change around the time the cough started? Just a thought. Best of luck.

[littlevicko]

HI,MY 10 YR OLD DAUGHTER HAD CHRONIC COUGH FOR OVER 5 MNTHS-DOCTORS HERE KEPT TREATING FOR ASTHMA AND WOULD GIVE HER PREDISONE(STEROIDS)AND INHALERS-FINALLY GOT SO BAD SHE BEGIN TO SPIT BLOOD AND BLOOD IN STOOL,GOT FED UP AND TOOK HER TO LEBONHEUR CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IN MEMPHIS 3 HOURS AWAY,THEY TOOK HER RIGHT IN AND BEGAN A SERIES OF TESTS FOR CYCTIC FIBROSIS,TB,WHOOPING COUGH,THEY DID NOT STOP UNTIL THEY FOUND THE ANSWER,THEY SCOPED HER LUNGS,UPPER AND LOWER GI,SHE HAD A PULMINARY SPECILIST A GI SPECILIST,AN ENT,AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE DR,AND A IMMUOLOGIST,ALL TOGETHER WE SPENT OVER 2 WEEKS THERE,WELL SHE HAD SEVERE GERD(ACID REFLUX)WHICH AS YOU KNOW CAN CAUSE A BAD COUGH,SEVERE SINUS DISEASE WITH 100 PERCENT BLOCKAGE,AN INFECTED ESOPHAGUS,AND THE THING ABOUT IT SHE DIDNT EVEN HAVE ASTHMA AND THOSE MEDS SHE WAS ON ESPECIAALY STEROIDS DONE HER BODY HARM AND MADE HER GAIN OVER 20 LBS IN THESE MNTHS,THE STEROIDS MORE LESS MESSED HER ESOPHAGUS UP THEEY TOLD ME,SHE HAD SINUS SURGERY A FEW WEEKS AGO AND GOT EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER CONTROLL AND DOING ALOT BETTER-SO PLEASE DONT LET THEM KEEP PUMPING PREDISONE INTO THIS SMALL CHILD UNLESS DIAGNOSED FROM A SPECILIST-HOPE YOU FIND YOUR ANSWERS-LIITLEVICK0