Re-occuring cough

DS has a cold (again thanks - day care) he's not sick with it but does have a horrid little barking cough - like a seal rather than a dog IYKWIM. He's not coughing the whole time but when it does its fairly intense and is causing him to vomit - twice today oh joy don't you just love vomit! He's had the same sort of cough quite a few times before when he's got a cold in the begining I would take him to the docs who would check chest ears nose etc and say clear clear clear. We also got him tested for whooping cough about a month six weeks ago the last time he was coughing like this and was clear so don't think that it is that and it is not a whooping sound more like a barking sound.

I feel a bit of a neurotic taking him to the docs each time he gets a cold and don't want to put him on anti-biotics if I can help it but you know the way in the back of you mind it just lurks maybe it is sometime else this time?

Any ideas on what it could be and/or if I should be concerned and should get it checked out. He's not sick with the cold just snotty nose (clear muscus at the mo so no infection) and this cough. He is also not having any difficulty breathing.

Any thoughts or anything I can do to help him get over it quickly would be great. I've put Vicks Baby Balsm on him tonight and have vapouriser on standby.

Could he have croup??

I know it also has the seal sound and often doesnt show much more than a cough.. well thats what ive experienced anyway..
Have you tried steaming up your bathroom and just sitting in there for a while to see if it breaks up some flem, if he has any?

It could be asthma. Cab't reply right now but colds often bring it on in your children

Was thinking croup or asthma too. Dd1 needs her ventalin now it's cold. Dd2 is being treated for croup this week and if it doesn't clear up she will be on redipred and then ventalin too.

Our dd had coughs all winter ling since she was born.

We started with a vaporizer particularly if her nose was stuffy, that helped heaps. On occasions when it didn't help or we got sick of cleaning the walls and roof we used a column heater to keep the room warm. That helped to. But finally this year the doc decided to try ventolin through a spacer twice a day and once before bed and low and behold we have no cough!!!!! It was immediate!! We had 5 days sleeping sitting because the only way she could get any sleep was upright I gave in on good Friday and took her to the only dr open. That night she coughed maybe 3 times!!!!

We did that for 5 days and now she is off it and isn't coughing at all so we will play it by ear and see what happens but I was so glad not to put her on antibiotics again. The last time they tried then they stained her baby teeth :(

I hope you get some answers. Trying ventolin won't hurt (unlike antibiotics) and you can get it OTC. If you feel you want to try something else.


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Thanks girls ............ its always soo good to get other opinions. Had a shocker of a night last night with coughing and eventually took him into bed with us where he did sleep though don't think DH and I got much sleep!

Sparklez doesn't have flem at the moment so hadn't done the steamy bathroom and Mummy Duck didn't use vapouriser last night as he's not blocked up but have used it in the past it works a treat. He's got air con in his room so it stays nice and warm but only down side is that air con might dry out the air somewhat which could cause him to cough more?

Still coughing today but not as intense and not so much bark but a bit more under the weather with cold. Had been wondering if it was croup and in the back of my mind had also considered mild asthma. But had kinda discounted the asthma as his breathing was okay with no wheezing. However in saying that DH used to get mild asthma when he was a kid and still has inhaler that he used every now. So perhaps a little bit of ventolin might do trick and help open up his airways that are constricted. Will have a chat with pharmacist this arvo I think and then go to docs if thats the way I'd need to get some. I thought you had to have script for ventolin but maybe it depends on strenght or something.

Thanks again for all your input.

Ventolin is cheaper by script but because it's so widely used and needed EVERYWHERE (schools shops first aid kits) you can get it without one. I've had to a couple of times urgently so I know you can.


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Ps.... We found it really inaffective without the spacer. My dd just couldn't grasp breathing in when it was sprayed.


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Being dumb now - lol - but what is spacer?
DS is only 19 months so definitely won't get the breathing in bit!

It costs around $25 in your case get an attachable mask. If you ask at the Chemist they will know. It's a tube that looks a bit like a bottle you attach the puffer at one end and the mask at the other. Spray it in and breath normally through the mask or you can try with out the mask.

If you do try it let us know how you go.

It's not a dumb question I wouldn't have a clue what it is without having one when I was a kid lol.


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I have always had an asthma related cough. I don't get any wheezing, but i do get a cough that is only relived by asthma medication, so it is possible that's what is causing his cough. My cough is always worse at night when lying down, so i prop myself up on pillows, raising the head of his bed might help....

I don't think you should give ventolin without speaking to a dr though. Even though it is widely available, i think it is super important to discuss the possibility of asthma with your dr first.

double post

I agree with Junglemum I would start using ventolin without seeing a doctor first.
Croupe lasts 4-5 days and is usually worse at day 2-3 and at night with the cool air.
I hope your little man is better soon.

Well took DS to docs today as wasn't getting any better and he got sent home from day care as he vomited again. Hadn't done so since Friday so I'd been hoping that it was improving. They didn't think it was necessarily from coughing but who knows when you are not there so see what happens!. Cough has changed over last few days and is now wetter and not bark like than when I originally posted. Everything was clear ears, throat and chest (as it always is when I take him). Spoke to docs about the type of cough he had had but doc didn't think it was croup as cough now is just like a standard cough with cold - ie virus. Also mentioned asthma to him and mentioned that DH had had when child but again because there was no wheezing he didn't think it was that either!

While I am really glad he doesn't have either I'm still not 100% convinced that is just a cough with a cold. What I don't like is that he gets the same type of cough each time he gets a cold - but maybe that's just what happens.

We haven't put him on anti-biotics yet as docs wants to see if he can shake it himself which I'm okay but am hoping it clears up soon. He's off his food so obviously isn't feeling that crash hot. He's just over gastro which he had a Easter so am keen to get him back eating asap as he lost weight with the gastro and is a skinny minney at best of times so doesn't have any excess weight to lose.

That's great news he doesn't have neither. But if your unsure do you have another gp you can try?


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I know it won't make you feel much better but dd had a cough a couple of winters ago when she would vomit too.

I was told It's not necessarily that they are really sick but young toddlers and babies bits (tummies and windpipes) are well enough developed to cope with a lot of coughing or uncontrollable crying so naturally they vomit. By the age of 3 it should improve.

Had your ds been a little older I would have said you can also try a baby antihistamine...... I'm not sure what age you can start but I don't like cough Medicine and it's apparently better as it doesn't just coat the throat but acts to stop the irritant. However the cough has changed from dry to wet so it still wouldn't be effective.

Gl. Hope your little monkey gets better soon!!!


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Poor little man and poor mummy! :hug: I hope it clears up soon hon but yeah, could you try a different doctor?