endless coughing

As it turns out, the doc today did indicate asthma. Now we need to figure
out what is causing it! Carpet in our bedroom, the dogs, etc...

"determined" wrote in message
...
Emily is almost 17 months. Around the end of March, she came down with a
miserable cold. She was pretty unhappy for about a week, but by then the
bulk of the cold symptoms disappeared. Except a cough. SHe is fine
during the day, in that she doesn't cough as much, but at night, she
coughs and hacks, like she is choking on her mucous. It isn't a dry
cough, it sounds like maybe she has post nasal drip that is activated when
she is laying down, or somehow by laying down it causes more irritation.
Anyways, she coughs ALL NIGHT. Many times she coughs until she throws up.
We have elevated the head of her bed, and we run the humidifier with a
little menthol. I am at a loss what else to try. The doctors just say it
has to run it's course, but after 5 weeks, shouldn't it be better? Is
there something else to consider or test?

Betsy

As it turns out, the doc today did indicate asthma. Now we need to figure
out what is causing it! Carpet in our bedroom, the dogs, etc...

nothing is necessarily causing it, asthma is generally thought to be an
immune system response and related to allergies, but it can just be an
overactive response in the airways, to nothing in particular. As others have
mentioned it is something that does appear at this age. It could still be
temporary, about 3 yrs ago, I had exactly what you describe, a cough that
didn't go away after an illness and after examining me, the doctor decided
on an inhaler, I used it regularly for a couple of weeks and irregularly for
about 6 weeks after that. 6 mths later I had another cough that hung around,
turned out to be a different cause and I just needed a cough supressant to
deal with that one.

Anne

determined skrev:
As it turns out, the doc today did indicate asthma. Now we need to figure
out what is causing it! Carpet in our bedroom, the dogs, etc...


Remember, it doesn't have to be allergic. I'm not allergic to anything
we can find - neither is my daughter.

My son is mildly allergic to dust and some other things, but not nearly
enough to cause the level of asthma he has.


And remember again: it's very easily treated and the treatment has no
long lasting effects.

DO NOT - i repeat: DO NOT be afraid of the asthma medicine even if
people tell you that cortisone is bad-bad-bad. It's been proven that
cortisone used with care as in 'asthma treatment' is good-good-good and
has no side effects.

Best wishes from a fellow asthma mom

Tine, Denmark

determined wrote:
As it turns out, the doc today did indicate asthma. Now we need to figure
out what is causing it! Carpet in our bedroom, the dogs, etc...

Did he draw blood? There's a blood test for allergies that's really
good. They don't have to poke around much that way and it's definitely
easier than trial and error at home.

Here are a few links for you:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbas...a6768/what.htm
http://www.allergyuk.org/allergy_bloodtest.aspx
http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/allergies.htm

as others have said: Don't be scared of the medication. Chances are your
daughter will be treated for a few days and you'll need to come back for
a check up. For Sam it took about a week until his cough was completely
gone. He doesn't require medication now. We were told to come back if he
starts coughing again and then we'll see about acute medication i.e. a
spray he'll use when there's an actual asthma attack opposed to the
medication he was on now that he had to take 3 times a day.

cu
nicole

"determined" wrote in message
. ..
As it turns out, the doc today did indicate asthma. Now we need to figure
out what is causing it! Carpet in our bedroom, the dogs, etc...

There is not one thing that causes asthma. Many things can cause a reaction
so to speak, but it's not like allergies in where one thing or many things
can cause problems. You should probably google asthma to educate yourself on
it.

Sue

Oh, wow, thanks for the information. Time to do some reading!

"NL" wrote in message
...
determined wrote:
As it turns out, the doc today did indicate asthma. Now we need to
figure out what is causing it! Carpet in our bedroom, the dogs, etc...

Did he draw blood? There's a blood test for allergies that's really good.
They don't have to poke around much that way and it's definitely easier
than trial and error at home.

Here are a few links for you:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbas...a6768/what.htm
http://www.allergyuk.org/allergy_bloodtest.aspx
http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/allergies.htm

as others have said: Don't be scared of the medication. Chances are your
daughter will be treated for a few days and you'll need to come back for a
check up. For Sam it took about a week until his cough was completely
gone. He doesn't require medication now. We were told to come back if he
starts coughing again and then we'll see about acute medication i.e. a
spray he'll use when there's an actual asthma attack opposed to the
medication he was on now that he had to take 3 times a day.

cu
nicole

"Sue" wrote in message
...
"determined" wrote in message
. ..
As it turns out, the doc today did indicate asthma. Now we need to
figure out what is causing it! Carpet in our bedroom, the dogs, etc...

There is not one thing that causes asthma. Many things can cause a
reaction so to speak, but it's not like allergies in where one thing or
many things can cause problems. You should probably google asthma to
educate yourself on it.

Sue

Yes, definitely. Right now, I am completely ignorant about asthma, but
thank you for the information.