Asthma?

[Smegs1978]

Hi all,

My 9 year old son has had a cough for 3 or so months, it’s a dry cough and he only coughs once but happens every hour or so and sometimes more if he’s talking a lot, it doesn’t bother him at night or when he’s exercising and his chest is clear with no wheeze.

I have severe asthma so at the back of my mind I’m thinking asthma, I asked his dr when we last went and she said it could just be the cold weather irritating his throat making him cough. She said to test his peak flow at home and see how it changes, which I’ve done and the highest he’s managed is 250 and the lowest is 200.

I was diagnosed when I was 7 with asthma so no official tests were ever done, I was just given a preventer and reliever and they helped so that was how they diagnosed me.

So I’m unsure how they diagnose asthma now, any advice?

[twinkly29]

I'm not a doctor but it could be something Iike reflux causing irritation and so the cough. Coughing just once at a time would be a bit odd if it was asthma, although everyone is of course different

The peak flow measurements are kind of only helpful with the whole pattern, rather than just the top and bottom numbers. Sorry, that probably doesn't help much!!

[Poobah]

Hi Smegs.

It could be cough-variant asthma. A dry persistent cough that doesn't produce mucus. No wheeze or typical asthma symptoms. Google it or speak to an Asthma UK nurse about it & how it's diagnosed. It may be that your GP is unaware of the multiple types of asthma. But if you say you've consulted Asthma UK then the GP may be more open to pursuing a diagnosis etc.

Good luck.

[Mariachristina76]

Back in 2015 every few months I was getting a cough which lasted for weeks and the doctor kept saying it would go away it’s self.but it never did.so after a year I was told I had asthma