My 4 Year old Daughter Coughs when she Sleeps until she Vomits for last 3 Years

[Mumtotwogirls]

Hi there,
I am getting increasingly worried about my four year old daughter who suffers from Asthma. She was born 8 weeks early and had respiratory help for the first week of her life but after that she seemed ok until she was around 10 months. She did suffer from severe reflux which didn't rectify itself until she was 3 and half. She developed a persistent cough at the age of 10 months and the cough progressively got worse whenever she feel asleep particularly in the winter months (whether it was day or night). She will cough and cough until she vomits which can take a couple of hours of coughing. She has clear fluid dribbling out of her mouth which is what she swallows and I believe this is what is making her be sick. I worry that all this coughing is damaging her lungs and although she uses a corticosteroids inhaler for her astma everyday and has ventolin regularly it does not seem to help and makes her cough worse when she is alseep. We prop her up and have tried many different things over the years (even when she sleeps propped up in her car seat she would cough and dribble etc until she was sick). After many doctors visits and seeing various GPs (it took 5 GPS and a year to diagnose her with asthma) I do not feel I am being taken seriously. I do believe she has athma as she can get very wheezy especially with colds, bad weather and exercise but I think there may be more to this. The coughing at night is affecting my daughter in the day because she gets so tired because once she has vomited she has to be showered and bed linen changed etc and it really disturbs her sleep (the sad thing is she can become quite delirous as she doesn't seem to know/ understand what is going on as she is so tired and when we shower her she falls back asleep). Once she has vomited she settles down for night. We have anti dust mite bedding and an air purifier in her bedroom and her room is free of teddies etc. The doctors thought she might suffer with hayfever but that obviously wouldn't cause her to have the coughing/vomiting in the winter which is when it is at its worse. She is above average in height and is quite slim. She has a pale complexion and has a poor immune system and will catch any virus going around which makes her worse but she is a very good eater and drinks plenty of water and takes regular vitamins. Does anyone else have a child who coughs at night until they vomit? Or does anyone know what she could be suffering from?

[momof2912]

I wish a Dr or some allergy specialist would see all these comments. I too have a daughter with the same issues as all the rest. She coughs and coughs until she throws up and I am sick of all the drs saying it is just a cold, my daughter hasn't been diagnosed with asthma yet, but the Dr thinks that is the issue. I recently have found my resolution, it doesn't stop all the coughing but it does stop the vomiting. She would cough until she would throw up, and when she would throw up it was phlem. I tried mucinex, and if I give it to her an hour before bed and once or twice during the day, really helps get rid of some of the phelm, so it doesn't get to the point of throw up. She is almost six and this has been going on for years, she is going through a phase right now, I have tried the mucinex and it has helped, I have had to add the pulmacort the last two nights, but after the pulmacort and another dose of mucinex she is sleeping, and sleeping without the cough. She hasnt thrown up this time and for the most part this is the first phase that hasn't been that bad. Yeah. I hope this helps some of you moms going through the same thing. I feel for us all.

[mars26]

My 6 year old had the same problem of throw up in the night coughing and throwing up no sleep for all of use scared that she would chock on her own throw up and tired we went to a doc had a full body check he told use she had a swollen toncles had them removed  doing great now

[Alexandra1977]

Same symptoms. Same exact symptoms with my 3 year old for 2 years. Clear liquid dripping out mouth, coughing coughing coughing until puking. I just can't stand to see her go through this. No answers from 15 doctors, allergist or ENT. Anyone having any luck? I'll try the salt thing. Feels like I've tried EVERYTHING.

[narci6022]

I am just at my wits end also after being up all night (again) with my 5 yr old Daughter.  I am afraid to sleep, all I do is sit up and watch her all night so she doesn't choke to death when she is sleeping.  I have learned the signs over the past yr or so and pretty much know now when we are going to have a rough night.  She starts coughing early in the evening and right after she goes to sleep she gets worse and she starts moving her mouth like she is chewing on something then I just get the bucket and wait because she starts to vomit and she never wakes up.  Her eyes roll back in her head and all she wants to do is sleep, poor thing is just exhausted next morning.  She is sleeping sound right now but I am afraid to sleep and I have to keep her in my bed for fear I may not hear her when it starts again.  I also have a 6 yr old  who has no signs of a sleep disorder.  Have you found any help at all for your childs problem?  Her Dt is an idiot who says she can't die in her sleep but I'm telling you I don't believe it because my child never wakes up during these episodes and I have to hold her up so the vomit doesn't choke her.

[missynick]

This has been a very eye-opening list of comments to read and my wife and I  (first time parents) are curious how many of you have either pets, kids with the coughs in daycare, or both?  Our daughter just started the coughing symptoms at 10 months also and we are trying to get ahead of this problem.  Seems strange how many people report this starting in their children around 10 months.  Makes me wonder if this could be developmental or lifestyle based.

[solodad]

Add my son and I to this list.  He is three years old and very healthy in every other sense.  I am a single father and have been since my son was only two months old.  I found out when he was about one that the apartment I had been living in had mold.  Since he was about four months old he has had breathing problems.  I moved out of that apartment when I found out about the mold.  He has been on the steroid breathing treatment since before he was one also.  Now at three years old he has still shown no improvement, especially in the winter.  The dust that comes from being indoors obviously plays a part in it because the cool winter air is supposed to actually be good for breathing problems like this.  As we have all noticed it worsened in the winter time and we can probably all admit our children spend at least slightly more time indoors in the winter we can deduct from this that household dust and allergins play a small role in it.  At night he coughs in his sleep, sometimes until he throws up.  Putting him on his belly makes a difference.  But as of right now I'm sitting up drinking cup of tea after cup of tea watching him sleep, afraid of him choking to death.  I feel your pain.  It may just be asthma, but the ineffectiveness of the asthma treatments leaves us all wondering, doesn't it?  Also the steroids ruin their teeth.  My son is three and has cavities. :-( it drives me nuts.  I feel guilty as I know the terrors of a dentists office.  Dentists always make you feel guilty for your teeth problems, like you don't brush and floss regularly.  Ugh.  Best of wishes to you all.  

[kh4otickitt3n]

I  have had a cough since I was young. I am still struggling with my cough, however I never had a ear infection. My throat and lungs are always clear every time I go to the doctor. I have never smoked, I take an inhaler that I swear doesn't do anything but makes it easier at my peak attacks aka after I vomit... I struggle with asthma.
My daughter is starting to developing something related to asthma  she is coughing for weeks after a common cold or flu, and this just started at age 10.

There are a few things to consider:

Prior to an asthma attack.
1) animals (especially cats) in the home are bad and actually increase the asthma attacks. It's not their hair but their skin and shedding skin follicles.
2) cold air exchange, encourages cough attacks. Changes in weather.
3) anxiety or dealing with anger or excitement (an increase in emotions/heart-rate)
4) feathered comforters and teddy bears that might contain old dust or mold.
5) paper bonded in books that is usually very dry can dry up the the throat.

During
1) Try to sit with their head laying against something comforting or between their knees.
2) close eyes and let yourself/ child cough and remove yourself/child out of a room or environment that is distracting or loud.
3)pat chest at a slow rate repeatedly until heart rate slows down to a normal rate
4)DO NOT TALK to child who is having an asthma attack. Allow them to focus. Try rubbing/stroking their head while their head is between their knees with their eyes closed.

PLEASE keep in mind that these are all just ideas. What works for one may not work for the other. Children probably wont grow out of asthma but lets hope they will. Medicine is meant to HELP not prevent or eliminate asthma.

[parkerphotography]

I feel for all of you parents too!! My daughter is 7 and we have delt with this since she was a baby. Same story DR after DR specialist test adnoids taken out meds inhalers allergies acid reflux been through it all. NOTHING has made any difference in her attacks. We recently had DFS division of family services called on us bc she is missing so much school. They came to my house and were agrivated bc I havent taken her to the DR and they dont understand why I am not trying to find a long term preventer for her symptoms. SERIOUSLY how insulting!!! My husband and I have done everything possible to try and help her. They have no idea what she goes through as parents we would do anything if there was hope of it helping. We have noticed less attacks the older she gets and our hope is she will grow out of it. They are insisting we continue to take her to DRs which we both think is ridiculous considering all of the test and meds shes been through in the last 7 yrs. I am not allowing them to put her on more meds and more test she goes through enough the way it is. Once the cough starts it will last 4 days and treatments do not help she might not cough for 5 minutes but she will start right back up after that, not to mention the effects it has on her mentally and physically her heart will race and she will get very aggitated. She will be up all night and its hard to send her to school with 2 hours sleep. Then if I send her to school they call me to come get her bc she cant stop coughing. And then they hotline DFS bc shes missed so much. I just dont understand
The only thing I can say to all parents is have patients I know its hard sometimes hopefully one day there will be an answer besides allergies, asthma, acid reflux, or I love this one she just has a common virus go home and continue albuterol treatments every three hours..... Good Luck to you all you arent alone and dont let anyone make you feel like you arent doing enough to help your children bc I have searched for yrs for an answer and what I have found out is this is a common problem found in alot of children that seem the only thing that helps is time. By age 14 most have out grown all of there symptoms, and the colder months are going to be the worst. Any suggestions from anyone would be much appreciated

[greatdayinkentucky]

Our daughter is 7 and has been coughing until she vomits in the winter months since she was just a few weeks old. She was not born early. We have taken her to countless doctors of all kinds and had her tested for everything we can think of. She was diagnosed with reflux, milk allergy, seasonal allergy, asthma, etc. She has been prescribed well over a dozen meds at different times, and nothing seems to work. She coughs all night long with only seconds in between coughs and she vomits many of those nights. We have had to change her sheets up to 4 times in a night from the cough-induced vomiting. I know she is so exhausted the next day, poor thing...we all are. It seems that no one around here knows what is wrong with her or what to do about it. If someone has some great advice, I'd love to hear it.

[shirley948]

Hi Tracy about 3 years ago I had the same symptoms as you, I was 43 at the time, and never suffered with asthma in my life. I did not sleep for 9 months, waking constantly coughing and vomiting clear stringy liquid. My doctor gave the usual steroid treatments, which did not work. I was exhausted, and they did not seem to know what to do, other than the regular inhalers. I researched the internet in desperation for a cure so I could sleep, and found "Lobelia". I took it once, and it makes you vomit, quite violently, it was not pleasant, but I was willing to try anything, and the suffering was worth it. I slept through the night and continued to do so. You have to ensure you take the recommended dosage, it is a licensed product and is sold in homeopathic shops as well as the internet. It is definitely worth a try and I really hope it works for you, as I know how you feel at the moment. Best wishes

[tracymic]

well I am 48 and am having this exact same problem!  Why??? It has been going on for about 6 months and I am longing for a good nights sleep.  As with these kids, I only start coughing when I lay down to go to sleep and then it starts!  I cough until i throw up.  Any other adults having this issue?

[drm2673]

My almost 2 year old has the same problem. She was born almost 6 weeks early and her right lung collapsed. She had a machine breath for her her first week of life. Since then we have battled with a cough and runny nose! I take her to the doctor and get sent home with the same thing everytime! some sort of anti-biotic and saying its broncholitis! For the past month her coughing has just gotten worse, she now coughs uncontrollable at night until she vomits! At first I thought she was making herself do it to get to stay up a little while longer (we recently switched from a crib to a toddler bed and she doesn't like it very much) but she does it every night, sometimes 2 or 3 times a night. I'm at my end with it and called the doctor and told her that we needed to do something about this now. She said she would call me back! I am so tired of them not listening to me and looking at me like i'm making it all up! I've tried to give her claratin, benadryl, and every OTC cough medicine there is for small children and nothing helps her!! There is really something wrong and I wish someone would just help me!!

[jlmat]

My daughter who is 5 years old was diagnosed with viral induced asthma at age 3.   Ever since she was around 18 months or so, whenever she would get a cold or a respiratory virus of any sort, she would always start with this coughing at nap time and at bed time.  At age 3 she was diagnosed with viral induced asthma.  We started inhaled daily steroids which worked minimally and would end up giving her oral steroids.  We have been through so many various types of doctors, had all sorts of tests ( immune system, allergy, cystic fibrosis, whooping cough- you name it my daughter was tested for it)  We went through so many sleepless nights and rough days of exhaustion.  My daughter got very sick over Christmas break and again we started seeing different specialists as we were frustrated none of the medicine was working.  We kept getting the same answer, she had viral induced asthma (AKA cough variant asthma).  A lady my husband works with recommended we take her to a homeopathic Dr.  At wits end we did feeling like we had no options left!  She started taking herbs/vitamins ( all natural things that were prescribed for her) and that day we took her off all her meds.  She got a cold about a week ago and it is the first time she has been sick with a cold/virus that I can remember and did not have an asthmatic episode!  We are now strong believers in natural healing!  God has blessed our little girl by answering our prayers and I believe it is my duty to pass on the information to help another little one who suffers the way my daughter did.  Good luck and please consider seeing a Homeopathic Dr.  It might be the answer to your prayers as well!  God Bless!

[tamlaton]

I live in Barbados and have the same problem with my 21 month old daughter. Up to lastnight she did not sleep due to the terrible coughing, this morning I realised her nose started running again... It crazy so much of us have the same problem ... all I get is different anti-biotics that work for a week or so and then im back to the same thing

Tam

[RachelVaughn]

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. My daughter is now 5 and we have solved her problem. We have been seeing a specialist (immunologist) for the past year and a half. Majority of asthma is caused by allergies. Has you daughter been allergy tested?  We had to change our whole life. We can NEVER have ANY animals and whenever she has a cold, she has to be watched. She takes daily pulmicort and albuterol as needed (rare). I hope this helps. Some doctors rely on inhalers etc. There's always a root to every problem and I hope you find it!!

[vannorm]

We have a 23 month old son having same problem since 10 months. Hes on pulmicort, singulair, prilosec daily and albuteral as needed which is way to often imo. I dont think it asthma the way it comes and goes is not like the asthma i grew up with. it occurs mostly after he eats and when sleeping but comes and goes at all times and places at home, daycare, car, grandmas, the store, etc. so i dont think its an allergy. The medicine has helped with the vomiting but the irritating cough still comes and goes just about everyday.  

Im surprised with all the responses here and you would figure with seemingly a lot of kids having this problem the Drs would know what it is. Instead they just send us home with no answers and little results from the medicine.

[Autumnrayven]

This started about 3 years ago for us.  They diagnosed her with Pertussis the first time.  And then post nasal drip and ear infections and on and on.  This last time I took her to the doctor people kept commenting on just how sick she looked.  It was scary.  My husband actually fashioned a trashcan to attach to the side of her bed to limit the amount of clean up and get her back to bed as quickly as possible.  I have to tell her not to run and play to try and keep the vomiting from happening and it's so hard.  She's 5 now, soon to be six.
The last five days have been the best since September. We go in for a re-evaluation on Monday.  We have her on Flonase, Qvar, and Xenopenex.  (the singulare did not work) We also just finished another round of anitbiotics-augmentin this time-for another ear infection (yay, vomiting AND diaarhea).  We are trying to avoid surgery for now, and this triplet seems to be working.  She's not as limited as she was and we haven't actually had a vomiting fit in the last week.  We also found a couple of other things that worked.

-Emitrol.  Once she vomited the first time she'd have a hard time stopping and this helped stop it faster. Of course giving it to her depends on how bad the coughing fit is.
-Vicks.  A little rubbed on her throat.  She asked for it so it must help somewhat.
-Chloroseptic Sore Throat Losenges.  We were using halls but the Chlorosepic worked wonders.  Maybe the anesthetic?  Should anyone use this one bare in mind that the cough could cause the the losenge to get lodged and choke them.  My husband is a certified in Medic firstaide and we we told her to keep the losenge against her cheek.  Maybe the spray would work?  Not sure.  

These are  just ideas and I AM NOT A DOCTOR. I would talk with your physician before trying any of these just to be sure.   Just thought I would share.

[rprice2010]

I'm amazed at the number of people that have children going through the same thing that I have been for years. My son will be five in January and he started having breathing problems when he was about 10 months old.  It seemed like it was just cold after cold until his doctor decided to put tubes in both of his ears.  She thought the drainage from his chronic ear infections was causing him to vomit. I didn't really think too much about it at the time. Now it's continuing to get worse to the point I sit here and cry with him because there is nothing I can do for him.  In May he had his tonsils and adenoids taken out because they were enlarged and his doctor thought this was what was causing him to vomit. He has also been to a gastroenterologist and he has now done two scopes of his esophagus. The vomiting has caused him to have esophagitis which means his esophagus is infected now.  He takes prevacid chewables in the morning and in the evening he takes 4 vials of pulmicort mixed with 20 packets of splenda. The pulmicort mixture is very thick so that it sticks to his esophagus and the medicine can do it's job.  He can't drink anything after taking this medicine. Nothing is working because he wakes up several times a night coughing until he vomits.  This also happens during the day out of nowhere. He doesn't even need to be active to start coughing.  I feel so bad for him because he can't be a kid. Anytime he runs, dances or does anything active he starts to cough. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm taking him to a different doctor in the morning and I will update this and let everyone know what our doctor has to say. I pray that she has good news for him and has some magical potion that will let him live a normal healthy life. I also pray for everyone else on here to have faith that we will find a cure for this.

[coolmomof3]

I didn't realize that so many parents are going through the same thing. My daughter is 4 and she has a chronic cough for the last 2yrs. She coughs during the day also but it's worse at night. One night she threw up and didn't know it. In the last mth she has been diagnosed w/ broncitis and whooping cough. She also has chronic sinuitis. Now she has to have tubes in her ears b/c she has had fluid in them for over a mth and has to go see a asthma and allergy dr. I'm starting to think that her coughing is asthma related but can someone have asthma and not wheeze, just cough? Her coughing is worse when she gets hot and when she gets upset. Just wanting answers!

[passion1lov]

OMG**** I did not know their were so many of us with children who have the same thing. My blessings, and support gose out to all of you; for i am in the same boat.

God bless.

[megs80]

I feel your pain, i have a 3 year old who does the exact same thing‼
It doesn't matter where she falls asleep, it's the same every time‼ As soon as she falls asleep she starts coughing until she throws up, it could be laying in bed or propped up in her car seat. I too am at my witts end, she has been tested for asthma, but the test came back clear, she is not sick in any other way?
The doctors always seem to say the same thing, prop her up, use a vapouriser, or give her some sort of cough medicine‼
I do hope you find an answer as i am trying all avenues also,
Good luck,

[vanda75]

hi my daughter is nearly 20 mths and she has been in and out of hospital since she was nearly 6 weeks old and it was a very scary time for me and my partner as she was so little and i felt so helpless, the doctors diagnoised broncolitis but i no its asthma as i two suffer from the same as my daughter and i have broncol asthma which is the worse kind you can get, so i no how she feels when she is struggling for breath and she too coughs and coughs in her sleep till she is sick it is scary i have to be like a hawk always on the look out during the day and at night while my partner sleeps soundly i am worrying the doctors say its not asthma but i no fine it is as she is in so much pain sometimes and when she outside for long amounts of time the next day she has a temperture and is really struggling to breath i have asked for them to precribe her with ventolin for the nebulizer but they keep refusing i think if she had that as a back up for her ventolin and becotide inhalers it would really help as it did with me when i was little, it can be so hard sometimes when they get really bad to no what to do but now i just take her up to the docs as soon as she has a cold or anythingso they can check her i am so worry that she is never going to have a normal life and end up like me forever in and out of hospital why dont the doctors listen its so frustrating

[magpie808]

I had this same problem when I was a kid. I would vomit in my sleep... does she wake up when she vomits? or remember the incedent the next morning? if not then it sounds like Epelepsy.
Seizures can effect the body like that. Thats what was wrong with me... the clear fluid adds up too.
It would appear as though she was just coughing until it made her sick, but in fact the seizure would be telling her brain to throw up for no imparent reason.
Luckily there is a high chance of growing out of this.
I would however suggest having her checked out.

Good luck and God Bless.

[mygrlsrmylife]

Our daughter just turned 1 in September. She was born about 2 and a half weeks early, and only had a little trouble clearing her lungs during the first few minutes. They used that long suction tube that they put down their throats to help clear it. She seemed to be fine after that. It was not until about 2 weeks old that she started the coughing, especially at night. At that time she was only coughing but it seemed to be getting worse and worse. At the same time our older daughter (3) was just starting preschool, and seemed to get sick right away and miss the first month of school. She has very bad allergies and gets sick very easily, she also was diagnosed with relux when she was a baby and put on zantac, whiched really helped, she eventually grew out of that. The baby also got sick during that time. That is when she started the vomiting when she coughed. We thought that this was from getting a cold and that it would end when she started getting better. But she never got better, we went through cold after cold with them both and 2 ear infections each and an eye infection for the baby and finally they started to get better. But it was only about a month and they were both sick again. My older daughter got over hers without antibiotics thank god! But the baby was getting sicker and sicker and the doctor said she just had a cold and to use a humidifer and prop her up and blah blah blah the same stuff we had heard for the last 6 months. She was so congested and coughing and vomiting and my last straw we woke up to her with a bloody eye i took her to urgent care where she had a severe sinus infection an ear infection and her eye infection that had never fully cleared from before. I was so mad at her pediatrician that just days before sent us home with nothing but a small cold. She did get over the infections but she never stoped coughing and puking. She still coughs, and pukes mostly at night but during the day too, and it is so sad. I know it is disturbing her sleep at night, we have to wake up 2 and 3 times a night with her coughing and change sheets and jammies and I am so tired of her having to go through this with no answers. I am so sorry to hear that there are so many others going through the same thing. I am searching for any kind of solution for her, so that her quality of life gets better. Any suggestions or soultions would be a blessing for our family.