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Can gabapentin be used to treat children for conditions other than cough?
My husband was diagnosed with a condition called neurogenic cough. It has been described as a chronic cough where the nerve that provides sensation to the voicebox and is responsible for triggering the cough reflex has been injured, usually by a virus. When this happens, the nerve's level of sensitivity before it triggers the cough reflex becomes markedly reduced; in other words, it becomes hyper-sensitive. The chronic cough develops as a result of the nerve damage--the nerve damage becomes the reason for more coughing. After 30+ years of developing a chronic cough which would last for about 4-5 months following every upper respiratory infection and being prescribed antibiotics, allergy medication, inhalers, steroids, to no avail, within 3 days of being prescribed GABAPENTIN and TRAMADOL, his cough was immediately arrested.
My 5 year old son had an upper respiratory infection, followed by a throat clearing tickle and a dry persistent cough. Now, 3 months later, he is still coughing. His cough symptoms are nearly identical to his father's. We have seen pediatric ENTS who do not know how to treat a cough with gabapentin and tramadol and have never prescribed it to their pedicatric patients. We have consulted several non-pediatric ENTs who are familiar with the meds for adults, but don't know how to prescribe or dose it for children. So, we are at a loss to find a doctor who is familiar with these meds and has used them to to treat symptoms in children.
What I would like to know is if we can direct a doctor to the right literature on this and he/she is willing to help, can gabapentin and tramadol be used to treat children for this condition of neurogenic cough and how would we find accurate dosing help? Would the typical dosage amounts of these meds used to treat children for seizures be applicable for this condition? If these medications cannot be used in children for neurogenic cough, what other alternative meds would be helpful?
My 5 year old son had an upper respiratory infection, followed by a throat clearing tickle and a dry persistent cough. Now, 3 months later, he is still coughing. His cough symptoms are nearly identical to his father's. We have seen pediatric ENTS who do not know how to treat a cough with gabapentin and tramadol and have never prescribed it to their pedicatric patients. We have consulted several non-pediatric ENTs who are familiar with the meds for adults, but don't know how to prescribe or dose it for children. So, we are at a loss to find a doctor who is familiar with these meds and has used them to to treat symptoms in children.
What I would like to know is if we can direct a doctor to the right literature on this and he/she is willing to help, can gabapentin and tramadol be used to treat children for this condition of neurogenic cough and how would we find accurate dosing help? Would the typical dosage amounts of these meds used to treat children for seizures be applicable for this condition? If these medications cannot be used in children for neurogenic cough, what other alternative meds would be helpful?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi!
Pediatric gabapentin dose ranges from 10 to 15 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses, and that of tramadol is 1 to 2 mg/kg/dose every 4 to 6 hours. However, a much lower dose may be needed to control cough. Also, it is not the usual treatment for pediatric cough of any origin as situation needing these drugs is rare in pediatric population. Also, chronic cough in a child may not have a neurological component. It may be due to low vitamin B 12, reflux or due to allergy. If it is diagnosed to be a neurological cough then please consult a neurologist regarding the dosing as a close monitoring of drug is required in pediatric population. Please do not self medicate. Take care!
The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.
Pediatric gabapentin dose ranges from 10 to 15 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses, and that of tramadol is 1 to 2 mg/kg/dose every 4 to 6 hours. However, a much lower dose may be needed to control cough. Also, it is not the usual treatment for pediatric cough of any origin as situation needing these drugs is rare in pediatric population. Also, chronic cough in a child may not have a neurological component. It may be due to low vitamin B 12, reflux or due to allergy. If it is diagnosed to be a neurological cough then please consult a neurologist regarding the dosing as a close monitoring of drug is required in pediatric population. Please do not self medicate. Take care!
The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.
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