Bad Cough

If it sounds like a barking seal she has Croup and should be on Albuterol which is administered by a nebulizer (breathing machine). My triplets get this all the time.

Sometimes it is a good idea for us moms to find out what is going on with our children for ourselves. What to look out for, what kind of cough is it. Attached are a few of many websites that hold useful information. There are tons of websites out there with sound bites of various different coughs, which will help you determine how serious your childs cough is. Your 7 year old might have croup. The first website here is on croup. It might even have a sound bite so you can hear what croup sounds like:
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_vir...

http://www.pediatricplanet.com/aftercare.aspx?i=26

http://anywherepediatrics.pediatricweb.com/web105/whatisg...

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/symptoms/coughing.html

Good Luck!!

C.

If it sounds like a seal barking (she could have 'croup')....it could be that she needs oral steroids or breathing treatments. Definitely take her in to your pediatrician. They may refer you to a specialist if necessary. Don't worry, this isn't something that will hurt her long term - but you do want to get it taken care of!

Have you tried putting her in the bathroom with hot shower, for the steam? Or a cool-mist vapor? That sounds like to long for a cough. We own a nebulizer and our ped will prescribe Albuterol to break the congestion out of the lunges, as that is the way my kids body's deal with infection!

Mom of 3 yr. girl, 1 yr. boy and one on the way!

see her reg dr...ER docs from my experience often make mistakes my son had a lung infection(pneumonia) and I just knew it (mothers instincts) so i refused to leave the hospital ER (third time in a week) until they took an x-ray and guess who was right? ME!

if your questioning it see her reg pedi....

I would absolutely call for an appointment with her regular pediatrician as soon as possible.

It sounds like she has Bronchitis with a croupy cough. Andrew's doctor referred to the croup type cough as sounding like a rooster crowing. That could be your barking seal. Steam helps for a croupy cough as well as moistening an over used throat during Bronchitis. Do you have a cool-mist humidifier you can use in her room? If the cough gets out of hand and you get worried, turn on the hot shower and sit with her in the bathroom while she breathes in the steam.

I am so sorry to hear she has been sick this long. The doctor will probably prescribe phenergan with Codiene. It tastes awful, but it really works great!

Good Luck,
D.

I am a Certified Medical Assistant at a local Dr. Office in my area. We have seen alot of patients lately with this type of cough. If she has had it for a month with no improvement she could be at risk for pneomia they may give her a presription for a nebulizer for breathing treatments. So yes I think you should get her in to her own Dr. It could be something very simple like her sinus's are draining in the back of her throat and causing the cough.

My daughter just got over croup, and her doc said a croup cough sounds like a barking seal. It's a very dry cough. Since it is a virus antibiotics won't help, but what I was told was to run a cool mist humidifier. If that doesn't seem to be helping bundle her up and take her outside for 5-10 minutes, the cold air will reduce the swelling in her throat and help her breath, and help with the cough. I thought croup was only a baby illness, but a 7 yr old might get it... Also, have your doc check her blood oxygen levels, if it is below a certain percent they may be able to give her a steroid breathing treatment. Also, ask your doc if a liquid steroid might help strenghten her lungs so she can get over this before it turns into something very serious.

To me, it sounds like she has bronchitis. I had it for a month and an half. The only way they could treat my cough was with albuteral through an enubulizer(sp), steroids, antibiotics, and a REALLY strong cough medecine that contained codien(sp). You might want to check with your doctor to see if that is it. I hope that she gets better very soon, and you find out what it is soon!!

I know this is late, but it could still be going on , so here's a suggestion.
I got this in an email from a friend. Haven't tried it yet.
Not sure why, but, rubbing Vicks on the bottom of the feet heavily and putting on socks to protect everything, seems to work in about 5 mins.

C.,

I would take her to the doctor. I was in a similar situation with my now 5 year old daughter a few years back. It turned out she had asthma that was set off by the bad chest cold. I'm not saying it is asthma, but you should get her checked out by your normal physician...ER doctors don't take as much time as is needed for some things.

~J.