Hi Mammas,
Just need a little advise or reassurance. My 14 mnth old daughter has had a mild to moderate cough for about 8 weeks now. She developed the cough with a cold but it just never has gone away. I took her to the doc about 3 weeks ago and was told her lungs sounded good, so not to worry. Then she caught another cold just after that doc visit. She's over the second cold but STILL coughing! Should I wait it out a bit longer or call the doc again? Is it typical for babies to hold onto a cough for so long? Could it be an allergy? She tends to cough more at night, though it doesn't seem to disrupt her sleep too much. It's a productive cough too.
Humidifier is a great idea.
We have also put Vick's vapor rub on the soles of her feet and then put socks on when she goes to bed. It often (90%) works!
Good luck!
Hi - My son who is now 2 1/2 battled coughs for a long time too when he was younger and actually up until just recently. He seemed to always be coughing and it sounded phlemy and icky. But I would take him to the doc as well and was told his lungs were fine and to just ride it out. I think the stuff going around these days is worse and hangs on longer. My son has sinus issues too so it was really frustrating. But if your doctor says things are clear and there are no other issues then I would just hang in there!
Hi there,
Have you considered taking your son off all dairy products(especially milk) for awhile to see if it clears up? Dairy (cow) products can build mucous, leading to coughing. When my son gets a respiratory virus, he sometimes suffers from asthmatic symptoms. We see a great naturopath in Kirkland and she advised us to keep him off dairy. BTW, he is not allergic to dairy (been tested) but symptoms improve with no dairy. I know also for myself, if I eat ice cream or other heavy dairy products, I get very phelmgy and stuffy. We drink Goat's Milk, or Oat Milk (sweet, but no sugar, my son LOVES it!), Almond Milk, Soy Milk, etc. Just make sure it's fortified so they get all the necesary vitamins/minerals. Good luck!
My son has also had really coughs that hung on for a long time. He had a strange dry cough that lasted for 4-5 months last year. I also took him to the doctor and she didn't seem worried. It eventually went away on it's own. I really don't know why this happens. Good luck.
Take her to the DR. Any other symptoms besides the cough? Is is affecting her sleeping, eating, & drinking? Have them check for RSV and Asthma and know that it could just be a cough out of habit because she's been sick so much recently.
I would use a humitifier!
My son developed the same thing after being in daycare for a couple months.
It comes and goes. The doctor does not seem concerned.
It really concerns me and his mother when it comes back, but then eventually it goes away.
It's very frustrating, I understand, but there does not seem to be anything to be done about it.
Dad
Don't be afraid to be persistent about having your daughter seen, and if possible, seen by another doctor for a second opinion. Take into consideration your home environment (for example, frequent dusting and running stuffed animals through the dryer for 10 minutes on medium every couple of weeks), and your outside environment (pollen/hay fever, smog (?), etc.). Your child may need to be treated for asthma. My children and I live in an area of extremely high grass pollen, and use inhalers seasonally. Trust you instincts. If the cough makes you uneasy, insist on having it rechecked until you find resolution. Also, we use OTC cough medicines, but some of our best success has been with natural cough treatments containing elderberry and cherry bark - most natural nutrition stores have a "vitamin expert" who can help you with this. We also put essential oils of lavender, peppermint, and a little eucalyptus in either a traditional potpourri burner with hot water, or the safer electric versions, depending on your personal preferences.
A persistent cough in our little ones can be one of the most exasperating things we parents deal with, and my heart goes out to you. L.
I'd be inclined to take her to the doctor again if I were as concerned as you sound, N.. It could be something minor, like a mild allergy that has flared up as a result of the colds and has become a chronic irritation. If she's producing thick or greenish mucus, it could be bronchitis caused by infection. In this case, take her in for sure.
If your doctor is treating this more lightly than you'd like, you might consider a naturopath. I've had good results myself for chronic conditions, and have known plenty of mamas over the years who have sworn by their naturopaths. Treatment tends to be gentle but effective.
my 6 year old held onto a cough and sniff for almost three months. it was dry most of the time but went thru a few wet phases. at first we thought it was from the dry air at the place she visited often (almost daily). then we attributed it to habbit. she would cough, cough, sniff constantly. her nose wasn't wet and from what we could hear there wasn't anything to clear from her throat.
the doctor instantly said it was allergies when he saw the way she would habbitualy cough twice and wrinkle her nose (as if to itch something in her sinuses) when she sniffed.
we gave her OTC childrens allergy meds until the "habbit" was broken and aside from the occasional(sp?)"flare-up" every now and again she's been A-O-K!
could it be allergies?
I think its worth taking her to the doctor again. Explain how long the cough has gone on, and ask about the possibility of allergies or asthma. The doctor should listen to her lungs and the quality of the cough, and may still say its nothing to worry about, but it seems like its worth asking.
