Most Annoying Cough EVER

My 5 year old has the exact same thing. Delsym cough syrup (2.5 ml) is what he takes and it always seems to help with coughs. Also, elevate the top of her bed by putting extra pillows or blankets between the mattress and box spring. This helps the drainage gravitate downward.

Hope this helps,

M.

It's allergy season. I've had an annoying dry cough for a couple of weeks. Same situation as your daughter, only happens when I'm awake. Finally broke down yesterday and took a Benedryl. The cough is now history. Maybe that's the case with your daughter.

What kind of heat do you have in your home? Some systems make the air dryer than others. I would suggest trying a humidifier.

Okay, I swear by Robitussin.

Have you seen the show "Everybody hates Chris"? There is an episode where the narrator talks about how Robitussin is his Mom's solution for everything....Got a fever, a broken arm, hit by a car - get the Robitussin . Anyhoo, when my son and I watched that episode he laughed and said "Oh, Mom that is soooo you!!!"

I also give my son jasmine tea with honey to sooth his throat - he normally does not like warm teas, but the last time he had an irritated throat he agreed to try it. It worked wonders. Its also caffeine free - but you have to use the honey - doesn't seem to work with white sugar or fake sugar. It just seems to coat a dry throat and soothe the cough.

How about just a plain peppermint to suck on? We have done that also.

Is she mouth breathing during the day? That could be just drying out her throat and causing the cough so when she eats the throat is more lubricated.

Timing her coughs - too funny - but I think we have all done similar things. :)

Good Luck and God Bless

Our grandson started this way and ended up doing that same frequent cough over 3-4 months. It turns out later that we found he was stressed over a situation in their home. What started as a cold turned into a sress cough. He's had it several times over the past 2 yrs. and when the stress is removed the cough goes away, although not immediately.

Does she use a nebulizer? It sounds like that may be what she needs. That type of cough needs to be checked out. I had a friend who's child had terrible allergies and this is what he would do. COUGH all night long and all day nonstop. It wasn't a productive cough, almost like a tickle type of cough!! He would have to do a course of Steroids (3 days) and nebulizer treatments and he would improve. Good luck!!

that almost sounds likeasthma. the albuterol should work on asthma though if it isnt she needs a nebulizer like another mom suggested. i would give her the albuterol every 3 hrs and get her to the doc monday. she is active during the day if she is doing alot of running it is what the docs would call excercise induced asthma and they is why it quiets down at night. try giving her her albuterol every 3 hrs till monday asthma sets in it doesnt usually go away with one dose of albuterol it takes 2-3 days. and put her on a mucus med. when my asthma flairs up i take extra benedryl since my allergies set me off but the mucus meds help ALOT. good luck and call doc monday

It sounds like your daughter is under medical care- with your description & the fact she has an albuterol inhaler. If not, persistent coughs should be checked out to rule out something more serious. Even then, sometimes coughs linger with no real explanation.

Here's a trick we use here with surprisingly good success: Dab a LITTLE Vick's VapoRub on the soles of each foot, it doesn't take much at all, cover loosely with socks to prevent staining & slipping.

I can't explain why it works, just that I was at my wits end a few years ago with several hacking coughers, including me, and decided it wouldn't hurt to try it, even though it seemed ridiculous. It worked! Now whenever we're all in bed at night and hear a hacky cough, my husband gets the Vick's and quiets it down.

Just a word of caution: Vick's VapoRub contains camphor, which can be quite toxic to children- so remember to store it properly. Even though it would taste bad to an adult, small children often put things we wouldn't in their mouths.

Please let me know if you try it and it helps (or even if it doesn't).

Don't know if this will work for you or not but when our son had an annoying dry cough like that, we let him chew half a stick of Juicy Fruit gum. It seemed to help him. Also the doctor said a cough like that can last for up to 6 weeks after a nasty cold so be patient it could still take awhile.

That constant cough is probibly the sign of an irritated throat... You know, that tickle feeling... I always start my kids on allergy meds (otc) to help clear up the post nasal drip that they have when they have a cough... It doesn't have to be a goopy cough or congestion to be a post nasal drip... And it usually does take more than one dose of a med before it works best. (the 24 hr meds really need 2 weeks to fully control allergies)

My almost 7 yr old had that same annoying constant dry cough last spring and the dr gave him an inhaler (albuterol) to help with any inflamation and also had me give him the OTC allergy meds (zyrtec) and it cleared it up pretty quickly.

Did you ever figure out why your daughter was coughing like this? What Sid you so for it? My daughter ids doing the same thing exactly. She has been put on zantac for reflux and was also given an anti biotic just to make sure it was nothing bacterial (even through she wasnt symptomatic, I agreed or of desperation) Help! Please tell me this doesn't last forever! Our NP, also says it may be psycho somatic...or a habit that she has picked up! Ugh...Kids!