my daughter has an allergic cough

amother

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 10:32 pm

This is how she has finally been diagnosed after years of chronic coughing. At times there is lots of congestion and she was treated with an antibiotic. Eventually, the cough went away but always comes back. It's a dry cough ...sounds like a tickle in the throat but this type of cough can go on the whole night. It's always worse at night. Sometimes she even throws up. In case it is from the laying down position I prop her up with 2 pillows. Just recently we were told that she is allergic to dust particles. Could they be in her mattress, in her blanket?? She has not slept in decently for 5 nights already since the recent coughing attack set in. She is constantly waking up from the coughing. We have tried EVERYTHING. And I mean everything. You name it, we tried it. Please, please can someone tell me how to get my dd to stop coughing all night??? I am at my wits end and haven't slept either. She is on benedryl, on an antibiotic, even tried albuterol ... gave her cough syrup a few times, she drank some potion with garlic from a homeopathic person.... she has a water bottle near her bed and takes sips when she coughs, I bring her warm tea at night -- that does seem to help very temporarily. Vaporizer seems to make it worse for some reason ...maybe my machine has to be cleaned out. She has to sleep tonight! Bedtime was at 7:30 and she has been coughing ever since!

newmother

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 10:39 pm

My dd has asthma and instead of wheezing she coughs a dry cough like you describe.the natural progression for her is congestion, then the cough and if dont treat it then the difficulty breathing. Her coughing is worse at night as well but once we start the albertol and prednisole its better.Could it be asthma?

amother

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 10:43 pm

I doubt it. The albuterol didn't seem to help. Another child of mine has a cough that ends in a wheezing sound and that is asthma. This is just the sound of a small cough as if she just has a tickle in her throat. Only, there is nothing small about coughing the whole night through.

I just read on another thread that Rebbetzin Kanievsky advised to soak an onion in honey and then eat the juice. That is supposed to cure a cough. Maybe I'll try that.

amother

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 10:48 pm

I was using a humidifier / vaporizer and the child was still coughing. Cleaned it out thoroughly - no dust or mold and saw a difference.

Also, I had the same reaction as a teen from several things including dust. The bedroom (including under the beds) should be swept frequently, and mopped at least once a week. Air out the bedroom once a day for a few minutes - if possible when the room is wept. The room should also be dusted and wiped.

MaBelleVie

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 11:02 pm

My child has a cough like that- from environmental allergens like dust or mold. The only thing to do is to eliminate the allergen. Dust can be everywhere- bedding, flooring, stuffed animals, furniture, curtains etc. Go through every possible source and clean or get it out of the room.

zaq

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 1:18 am

She certainly could be allergic to dust mites in the bedding. Dust mites are powerful allergens. The solution is frequent washing of bedding in hot water, encasing pillows and mattresses with dust-mite-proof covers, usually of heavy plastic sheet, and frequent cleaning of surfaces with a damp cloth--NOT a vacuum cleaner, which will just throw all the allergenic particles into the air unless it has a HEPA filter.

Have you taken your dd to an allergist to determine exactly what her allergies are? I don't understand why she's on antibiotics. Antibiotics are effective only against bacterial infections and do nothing for allergies.

Do you have a vaporizer (steam) or humidifier (cold mist)? A humidifier can make allergies worse by breaking up allergens like molds and throwing them into the air. You must clean these early and often. Steam vaporizers usually kill germs in the water and only the steam, not the killed germs or molds, are dispersed into the air. Still, they, too, need to be cleaned regularly to remove slime that accumulates in the reservoir.

Chronic cough can also be caused by postnasal drip that irritates the back of the throat. Irrigating the nasal passages with a spray of plain saline solution a few times a day can sometimes relieve the postnasal drip and thus reduce the cough.

5*Mom

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 1:42 am

I have dust-mite allergic children.

What zaq said.

1. There is special bedding available to encase mattresses,blankets and pillows. You must buy these and wash them frequently, according to the care instructions. Dust mites live in bedding. If you do not do this, you will never get rid of the allergic symptoms.

2. Take her off the antibiotics! They are serving no purpose and can be interfering with her sleep, among other things.

3. Benadryl can often cause restlessness in children. I would take her off of that asap and get a prescription for another allergy medicine like Zyrtec or Claritin which should have no side effects.

4. Don't dry-sweep the room. Only damp clean, often, or use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

Google dust mite allergy treatment for more information.