Every 15 seconds!

[tiredmommy]

I'm taking Duckie into the family doctor on Thursday morning. She's had a dry, tickly cough for a week now. She's been coughing, literally, every 15 seconds. It happens at home, school and church, even in the car. It stops almost immediately when she's outside, it isn't affecting her sleep or eating. No sneezing, no fever. The pollen count has been high so I suspect a post nasal drip.

She's regularly been on one half teaspoon of Zyrtec twice a day and Nasonex spray in each nostril nightly. She's been on Delsym since Saturday (one teaspoon twice a day).

We've tried gargling, cough drops, upping her water intake, honey. Nothing has helped! She's driving me, husband and her teacher nuts! Ugh!!!

I really don't think it's a tick (why would it stop outside?). Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[smallworld]

TM, if Duckie's been on all that allergy medicine and the cough's still in full force, I'm guessing it's not allergies. Plus if the pollen count is high, a cough fueled by allergies would be worse outside, not better.

I'm thinking the cough might be related to parainfluenza, the virus that causes croup in babies and toddlers. In older kids, the cough can be dry and tickly as you describe. Parainfluenza can also cause mucus around the voice box. Parents of babies with croup are instructed to take their children into a steamy bathroom or OUTSIDE to clear the cough. Hence the reason Duckie's cough is better outside.

Let us know what the doctor says.

 

[klmno]

It sounds like allergies to me. Unless there are other symptoms of a virus- she hasn't started any new medications has she?

 

[klmno]

I just read SW's post- LOL! I was thinking allergies to something indoors.

 

[tiredmommy]

Thanks smallworld and klmno.

There's nothing new inside at home, I'm confidant it's not an indoor allergy originating at home. Our church is old and gets dusty... but it's always been that way. The school is actually improved over last year in that the ceiling tiles in her section have been replaced. There are two things that make me wonder at school, though... her room now has a portable ac unit due to another student's medical issues. Also, there were a lot of roadway changes on the campus, which has ultimately resulted in the planting of a ton of grass seed. She's horribly allergic to grass.

I'm intrigued by the idea of the parainfluenza virus. I actually looked into croup because her symptoms improve so drastically when she goes outside, but the type and severity of the cough just didn't match up. I'm off to google!

 

[SRL]

ITics can stop or start depending on many factors, including environment, stress, etc. They also can stop when there's a transition or distraction. No hard and fast rules, so I wouldn't rule that out just due to the stopping upon going outside.

Asthma coughs can be a dry sound.

 

[SRL]

Come to think of it, when my daughter had walking pneumonia (microplasma) last year her cough stopped when she went outside in the cool air. She didn't have any other symptoms.

 

[amazeofgrace]

could be the Ragweed, it got me bad last week!

 

[susiestar]

Have her checked for asthma. It can onset at any age, and is a dry cough. The frequency is part of what makes me think asthma. Have you tried having her in the bathroom with a hot steamy shower running (not her in the shower, just in the room). What you are describing is EXACTLY what each of my boys did/do that lead to the asthma diagnosis. There are preventative medications and rescue medications. And they DO work on coughs. If at all possible, try to get the doctor to NOT rx advair until you have tried a preventative like flovent first. Advair has 2 components, the one that is different from flovent has shown long term complications esp if used for many years. So it is best to try the flovent-type medication first. Also a rescue inhaler or nebulized medication should be used. Albuterol is the most common rescue medication. Xopenex is a newer one - maore expensive but works for some people who don't respond well to albuterol. Be warned, for a very very small number of people the rescue medications can cause some bizarre side effects. I used to hold thank you on my lap while he used the nebulizer - but it made me HALLUCINATE. Audio and visual hallucinations. They were terrifying to me, so now he uses the medications while in a different room. It is NOT a common thing, but it can happen.

 

[Wiped Out]

I agree it sounds a lot like asthma. I'm glad you are having her checked out!

 

[klmno]

I wonder if the antihistamines are "drying" her out too much?

 

[tiredmommy]

I'm worried about asthma as well. Every doctor she's been to since I can remember has been a little surprised that she's not asthmatic due to how extremely allergic she is.

 

[tiredmommy]

The doctor is confident the cough is being fueled by a post nasal drip. He cut the Delsym since it wasn't working and wants me to go back to the Dimetapp Elixir to dry up her sinuses. So it's not a tic, asthma, or a nervous cough.

It will still drive me nuts listening to her, but at least I'm not as worried now.

 

[Wiped Out]

Glad to hear it is nothing too serious.