My almost 5 year old son started with coughing symptoms at night around the age of 2, he sleeps soundly until about 12AM-2AM and then wakes up with forceful persistent coughs, mostly when a cold is circulating in the house. He was on so much prednisone and eventually we started a preventative inhaler, nasal spray, an antihistamine and vitamins which did little to nothing, we did these daily without fail for over a year. He did not have a month that year when he didn't flare and start these cold coughing attacks. Albuterol does nothing, it even feels like it makes it worse. He peaked at age 3 and we then tried Montelukast which worked but made him crazy, we had to stop. We are nearing age 5 and have figured out that on nights where he wakes up hacking, if we give him Montelukast (we tried it again, even a half dose), it knocks it down within 2 hours. After 3 days, he is losing his mind and his behavior is awful, he doesn't even talk like my son. What are we to do? It is killing us as no one ever sleeps and I have PTSD to the coughing nose. The longest bought of health was Aug through Oct (almost 2 months exactly), other than that it has been monthly. We have resorted to starting and stopping Montelukast when we feel a cold coming on. When, if at all, do kids grow out of this. I'm losing my ever loving mind.
Desperate mama: My almost 5 year old son... - Living with Asthma
Desperate mama
I’m so sorry! It is harder on us when our children are sick than when we are sick! Has he seen a pediatric pulmonologist? I know you want to get to the bottom of this! I’m sure you do have PTSD. Does he take albuterol nebulizer treatments?
I’m so sorry for the whole family suffering through this. I assume he sees an asthma/allergy specialist. I think you should ask for a referral to National Jewish Hospital. There are other things that mimic asthma. Being that albuterol doesn’t help, other problems need to be ruled out. They get done in one week what would take a year to get done with ordinary specialists. They have a pediatric hospital so they have kids like him all of the time. I have total confidence in them. Those steroids do terrible damage, he could be off and on them forever unless someone figures out exactly what’s going on. He could even have reflux. It happens at night, silent reflux, gets in the airway and the coughing commences.
You can try something his pediatrician approves for GERD and get a wedge for his bed. If the Med and the edge do it then it’s GI and not his lungs to blame. I’m certain this is the first thing they will rule out.
I hope this helps.
