Cough, Cough, Cough

My daughter was diagnosed with Asthma around 2 years ago, however her symptons are coughing and not wheezing. Her Asthma is worse in winter as her trigger is having a cold, the problem is she seems to get more colds than most! During January/February we had around 5 weeks of colds, one after the other, when her coughing at night was so bad that it would turn into croup and on numerous occasions I would lie awake with the inhaler at the ready or even sit in the bathroom with her with the shower running to create plenty of steam.

My point however is not around the times when she is ill as I can accept that she will have asthma symptons when she has a cold, but more around the times in between when she seems to have this repetative daytime cough, it's a dry throat clearing cough and the doctor seems to think that because it is not bothering her and doesn't devleop into severe coughing unless she's ill, that we should accept that she has a higher cough refelx than normal and not try any alternative preventing medicine.

We are already using the purple preventer inhaler (seretide 50) which seems to have reduced the severity of her coughing when she is ill, but should we accept that a niggly day time cough when she's perfectly well is OK?

One of the side affects on the seretide leaflet is an increased risk of colds, she does seem to have more colds since being on it but the severity of coughing attacks has decreased.

I don't know whether the GP is playing it down because of costs, or whether they genuinely believe that because it is not bothering her that we should not pump more drugs into a 4 year old. They referred her for a chest xray just to make sure there was no pocket of infection they had missed which makes me think they are genuinely trying to do what's right for her never mind the costs, but I'm not sure it's right for her to have the persistent niggling dry cough even when she's not poorly?Does anyone else have any similar experience?

[Hidden]

My little man is 7 and having 2 puffs seretide 125 morning and night. He also still has a niggly cough most mornings and when running around. I would rather not pump any more steroid based drugs into him so he just has his blue inhaler when the cough bothers him. He also has singulair tablets at night which seem to have helped

.

[angievere]

Sorry if this is a bit obvious but have you tried a cough linctus? My son (14) takes Pholcodine Linctus which is great (but only for over 12s) - the GP prescribed it when my son had an irritating dry cough such as you describe. Ask your GP if he can recommend anything or have a look in the chemist.

You mention colds, they are our bugbear and main trigger (I have asthma too). We started taking extra vits (C, D and multi vit) about 2 yrs ago and I'm sure they've helped. We dont seem to get as many colds and my son's last cold didnt go on his chest. Definitely worth trying extra Vit C.

[Hidden]

Go back to your GP

I know exactly how you feel. I think the niggly cough is as frustrating to us parents as the ""little cough"" is just a constant reminder that they have asthma and it could rear it,s ugly head at any time.

I also sit up many nights, scared to go to sleep incase I dont hear him. As you say, I have inhaler at the ready and I still have a monitor attached to my ear.

My son is 11 and has had asthma since he was a baby. He very rarely wheezes and he also gets the niggly cough when well. When the cough comes, I refer to this as his asthma playing up and it is normally a sign that something is about to ""kick off"" or he is fighting some bug. My son again takes Seretide 125, 2 puffs twice a day and singulair. (and a few other meds for allergies).

I have been to my GP in the past with exactly your concern and the hospital paed. I was advised to slightly increase the seretide dose while he has this persistant cough to see if it makes any difference. This did work, I noticed an improvement after a week. Then when the ""better months"" came I then reduced his seretide back down.

I hope this helps. You are not alone. Kind regards. Elaine