SONS CHRONIC BARKING COUGH

[TLIZZIE]

MY SON IS 6 YEARS OLD AND IT SEEMS AS IF HE HAS BEEN COUGHING ALL OF HIS LIFE. HE COUGHS SO HARD THAT HE VOMITS IN HIS SLEEP AND SOMETIMES DOESNT EVEN WAKE UP. MY SON AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY IS SO FRUSTRATED AND DEPRESSED BECAUSE WE DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. WE HAVE GONE TO THE PEDIATRICIAN, THE ENT, TAKEN COUNTLESS MEDICINES, DONE XRAYS, SINUS CT'S AND STILL HE COUGHS. HE IS ON FLONASE AND SINGULAIR AND INHALERS AND NOTHING HELPS..THE XRAYS WERE CLEAR AND THE CT CLEAR ALSO AND THE DR SAID GOODBYE AND SEE YOU IN 6 MONTHS??? WHAT ABOUT THE COUGH?? I CANT SEEM TO GET THE DR'S HERE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. MY SON IS EXHAUSTED AS HE DOES NOT HAVE A RESTFUL SLEEP AND HAS HAD DARK CIRCLES UNDER HIS EYES FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. LAST YEAR THE PEDIATRICIAN SAID GET HIS TONSILS, ADENOIDS (adenoids) AND TUBES AND HE WILL QUIT BEING SICK...WE DID THAT TO NO AVAIL. I JUST WANT MY SON TO BE WELL SO THAT HE CAN NO WHAT ITS LIKE TO NOT COUGH. HE SETS AROUND AND SAYS " I NEVER STOP COUGHING, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME" AS HIS MOTHER, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP HIM AND I JUST DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. HE DOES HAVE A NASAL DRIP THAT WONT GO AWAY EITHER AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS COULD BE THE CULPRIT, BUT THE FLONASE, THE ANTIBIOTICS, XRAYS WHY ISNT THIS SHOWING UP AND WHY ISNT ALL OF THE MEDS HELPING? I WOULD VALUE ANY ADVICE OF WHERE TO TURN AND OR WHAT TO DO.

[National Jewish]

Chronic cough in a 6 year old is not an uncommon problem, but can be difficult to diagnose and treat.  This is exactly as you have described.  It is a frustration for all, including your son.  Finding the cause of the cough is the first step in controlling the cough.  It could be due to an upper airway problem in the nose and/or sinus areas.  It could also be a lower airway problem with asthma being the most common.  I would recommend seeing a board certified pediatric pulmonologist or allergist as your next step.  Further evaluation is needed to find the cause.  Once this is done, it is much more likely that a helpful treatment plan will be found.

[ozark]

has he had an allergy workup??  the dark circles could be more from allergies than lack of sleep...have you ever noticed him rubbing his nose with the palm of his hand in an upward motion?

[TLIZZIE]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. NO, HE HAS NOT HAD AN ALLERGY WORKUP AND HE OFTEN HAS A RUNNY NOSE W/SNEEZING FITS...I DONT THINK THAT I SEE HIM USING HIS PALM IN AN UPWARD MOTION. HE'S SIX AND TENDS TO USE HIS SHIRT!! I THINK HE COULD USE THE ALLERGY WORKUP, BUT WE HAVE NO ONE IN OUR CITY THAT DOES THAT AND I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A REFERRAL FROM THE PED AND SHE WONT GO THAT DIRECTION!!! SHE HINTS TO ME THAT HE IS DOING IT ON PURPOSE AND I STRONGLY DISAGREE BECAUSE I KNOW MY SON AND HE WOULDNT PURPOSELY COUGH IN HIS SLEEP ALL NIGHT. ANOTHER BARRIER IS THAT WE HAVE LOST OUR HEALTH INSURANCE DUE TO JOB LOSS AND I AM TRYING TO STICK W/THE MEDS THAT THE DR HAS GIVEN US. THANKS AGAIN.

[ozark]

ask if she could at least try him on an antihistamine by mouth and see what happens...it shouldnt hurt to try

[Excess Mucus Tonya]

I had that barking cough too.

I finally worked up enough courage to go to the doctor.  I found out that all of my excess mucus was about disease of the airways.  I was given MEDROL 4 Mg. Dosepak and told that THIS Is the ONLY, ONLY, ONLY, thing that can cure it.

Prior to going to the doctor, I tried to diagnose MYSELF.  I used various antibiotics to try and cure this ailment but NOTHING was successful.

Nevertheless, I'd taken MEDROL before YEARS AGO and it worked WELL.  

I was also given zrytec and an albuterol pump. In the missed of this ailment, (disease of the airways)I was said to have allergies AND asthma.

Asthma tends to develop in a lot of people with allergies.  The cause is unknown.

I went to the doctor on 2-19-04 and got what I KNEW I needed all alone-MEDROL dosepak 4mg.

Good luck to you all and do not be afraid to go to your doctor or to talk with him. Also do not be afraid to make suggestions.

Talk to your doctor and ask them if you have disease of the airways and asthma.  Then ask them if Medrol would be an option for you.

I know how you felt because after every meal and many times before, the fluid would bubble in my chest until I coughed it up. Many times I had an ongoing cough because my airways were infected/inflamed.

This is my 3rd day of taking the medication and I feel a HUGE change. My coughing has been so minimal.

Also, when I first notice having it, it felt as if there was a HUGE ball of dough in my chest. The mucus was thick and foamy and pinkish when I spat. Also at times it felt that something was in my chest.

I figured I'd eaten too much bread, so I cut the breads out and the problem lessoned but it was still valid.

Anyway, if you have a JPS (John Peter Smith) CLINIC near, go there.  

By the way, medrol is a corticosteroid.  Again, it is the ONLY, ONLY, ONLY, thing that can help, per my doctor's advice and learned but once forgotten experienced.  I had not recognized this reoccuring ailment because it was so much worse.  

Due to the length of time between illnesses, I forgot the symptoms.  

However, THIS time seems to have been WORSER for I waited about 2 years before treatment because I was afraid of hearing the results.  

Disease of the airways, is a temporary condition of inflammation in the airways that is briefly cured with the proper medication, MEDROL 4mg Dosepak of 21.

When you take this medicine, be SURE to drink LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of water.  You need the water to help flush the FLUID out.

Perhaps you should drink 1/2 your body weight in water or 1 gallon.

All should clear up TOTALLY in 6 days.  Your medral pack is for 6 days.

May God Bless and Keep Us All

LESS-Excess Mucus Tonya

[angelkiekie mother of three]

Sorry to say this I have been through this same thing you need to have him see by a Palmologist sorry if it isent the right spelling.  Believe me it will be so much better once you see one.  Best of luck.


Nicci

[Barbandel]

I too, cough cough and more cough, everyday and night for years.  I have seen all the drs/tests/drugs/to no avail.  I am age 62 female, good health otherwise.  I have extreme coughing spasms.  It begins with a tickle and the coughing begins.  I have seen a pulmonary dr.  I resist going out in public, and if I do, must have water or mints, or I am helpless if I have an espisode.  My life is on hold, as I continue to cough, I stay at home more and more.  Tussionex (cough suppressent) helps, but the dr. will not prescribe it, even though I only take 1/4 tsp every day.  Please Help.

[littlevicko]

FOR ABOUT 5 MNTHS NOW MY 9 YR OLD DAUGHTER HAS HAD THAT COUGH WITH EXCESSIVE PHLEM ,ONE DR SAYS SINUS INFECTIONS ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER,AN ENT SAYS SEVERE SINUSITUS,CT SHOW POLYP/CIST IN LEFT SINUS BUT HE SAID SHOULNT BE A PROBLEM,GOT SO BAD IN DEC.SHE DEHYDRATED FROM THROWING UP SO MUCH MUSCUS,HOSPILIZED FOR A DAY,ALL THEM SAID SHELL BE FINE,BEEN ON EVERY KIND OF STEROID,ANTIBIOTIC,INHALER,THE WHITES OF HER EYES TURNED REAL RED BECAUSE OF BROKEN VESSELS FROM COUGHING SO MUCH,SHE WOULD JUST ABOUT CHOKE FROM THE THICK MUCUS IN HER THROAT,SHE HAD HER TONCILS AND ADNOIDS OUT LAST JULY,THEN IN NOV.ALL THIS STARTED,ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE,SHES SO TIRED OF BEING SICK AND HAS MISSED SO MUCH SCHOOL THIS YEAR,HELP

[Cole2563]

A related discussion, Anyone found answers for Chronic Croup - 6 yr old Boy was started.