does my child have chronic bronchitis?

Hello, My 2 1/2 year old boy has had a bad cough for over 3 months now. It is worse at night, but lately it's been getting worse during the day as well. His nose runs constantly (yellowish mucus). He has no fever, and otherwise is healthy -- he eats well, has energy, etc. I have been to two doctors with him. The first gave him two rounds of antibiotics -- towards the end of each treatment, his symptoms cleared up considerably, but once the treatments were finished, they came right back again. His pediatrician says there is no infection; the lungs are clear, but his ears are filled with liquid (9/10). Both doctors say nothing can be done! Every night, I give my boy Benelyn to suppress his cough so he can sleep; I also put on a humidifier. If this is chronic bronchitis, could it cause damage to his lungs? I worry about that. On the other hand, I do not want him to be on antibiotics all the time either. I've heard they can damage the teeth. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Keyte

[National Jewish]

Chronic cough is not an unusual problem in young children. There are many reasons for this to occur and almost all of them are treatable. It is essential to find out the cause of the cough and then to deal directly with the problem. I would suggest speaking with your Pediatrician about seeing a specialist who deals with this type of problem all the time. This specialist will probably order some further testing or start some trials of therapy. Causes of chronic cough could be minor and easily treated or more serious. The best thing is to pursue the cause.

[cajun54]

Dear Mom have your child see an allergists. some of these symptoms sound like allergy to me and can be easily treated.