6 month old chronic cough

[Hjed]

My 6 month old baby has had a cough on and off for the last 4 months . Back to the gp various times and three courses of antibiotics yet this still has not fully gone! Been referred to pediatrics and gp said this may be the start of asthma but hard to diagnose due to his age. I’m really getting anxious about this and why it’s still lingering. Awaiting allergy test results in the meantime . They ruled out whooping cough but did not test for this and just told me it does not sound like whooping Any experiences or ideas??

[ReedB]

Hello, poor you and poor baby! It is so difficult when they're so little. My son was always chesty, even as a baby. Whenever he caught a cold it would always affect his chest. He's properly diagnosed as asthmatic now but it is hard to diagnose below the age of 5.

Did your baby have a temperature when they prescribed antibiotics? If not then it may have been viral or possibly asthma.

It's good that they are looking into it. In the meantime I'd make sure that all possible allergens are removed as much as possible. Make sure bedding is changed regularly, house isn't damp etc. A call to the asthma UK nurses would also be helpful for discussing next steps and to help out your mind at ease.

I hope you find a solution x

[Beth_19]

My sister and I had chronic chest problems from being very young babies (about 2-3 months old). She was back and forward to the GP with us regularly as well and we had multiple courses of antibiotics etc.

A couple of things she found helped with us was steam, sitting with us in a steamy bathroom and also doing chest and back physio (think what they do for kids with cystic fibrosis). The steam helped loosen up any phlegm and the physio helped us actually get it up, which helped overall.

Another thing was she kept strict watch on our diet and when our symptoms flared up and cut some foods which seemed to aggravate us. Trying to identify triggers is always hard but if you can then it might help.

[peege]

Hi, I'm very glad you have a referral to pediatrics. I totally sympathise too having had a child with asthma and a grandchild from babyhood (she's much improved now that she's 13). In my family all of us get a bacterial infection on the back of a viral cold every single time and yet g'childs father who also has asthma doesn't. .

For my son a kettle on with the lid off steaming the room gave a lot of relief from the nighttime coughing but a huge but, steam definitely doesn't suit everyone and in a British winter more damp isn't welcome in any home (we were near the Sahara). I also held him upright through the night. I did wash the floors and damp dust every day (although dust mite isn't the only allergy). It's quite important to keep their environment dry & free from damp/mould.

I realise that there are rules about how babies are put in their cots these days however, at another daughter's home I noticed the younger grandchildren's cots are raised on books at the head end (with their feet touching the foot end).

My g'daughter was prescribed a ventolin inhaler attached to a spacer which had a soft baby mask to put over her nose & mouth, I recall my daughter being told not to worry if baby cried because it was a good way for her to inhale the relieving medication.

If it does turn out to be asthma you'll need to learn as much as possible about it.

I suggest calling the helpline on 0300 222 5800 for advice and guidance. Its open 9.15 to 5pm.

All the best and thinking of you and your baby. P

[MoyB]

The benefits of steam inhalation have been mentioned and I certainly found it helped when my children had croup (although they didn't have asthma). The important thing is to do it safely, so if you use an open kettle, be sure to unplug it and rest it in a place where it can't be knocked over if you are holding a restless, distressed baby who may be wriggling a lot.

I found another good way was to run a steamy bath and just sit in the bathroom (either on the loo or on a chair beside the bath) with my baby on my lap. If your bathroom is small, as many are, close the window and door so you're in a steam room for a while - but, as with all things, don't over do it, and if your baby becomes more distressed, leave the room and the steam behind.

Is there a health visitor who could offer you some advice? I know they seem to be few and far between these days. I certainly agree that calling the Asthma helpline could be useful and peege has put the number in their post for you.

If you have as much information as you need but just need to let people know how it's making you feel, do feel free to come here and let us know. It can be scary enough looking after a little one without adding asthma to the mix.

However, speaking as the aunt of a nephew who was severely asthmatic as a baby, I'm pleased to tell you that he is now a strapping man of nearly 50 who has been to Uni, works for TV, has a wife and two teenage children and has never let asthma stop him doing anything he's wanted to do!

I hope that gives you hope for the future and when your little one is looking down at you and patting you on the head one day (teenagers seem to like doing that, I've discovered!), you might think back to the worrying time you went through in the early years, but it's more likely you'll be wondering what on earth they're going to get up to next!

Best wishes xx Moy

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

Please be careful everyone with recommending or using steam. I appreciate some have said it doesn't suit everyone but it can be an asthma trigger for some people, so it's one to use with caution, even if it does seem to help some people.

[ChrissieMons]

I know it's difficult not to worry, but you are doing all you can and if baby is thriving in other ways, you must be reassured things are not too bad. Baby needs you to be calm and controlled even when you feel panicky, so talk to as many other mums as you can - you might not be the only one worrying about this!