Cough-Varient Form of Asthma in my 4 yr old

[family4you]

My daughter's been on a nebulizer with pulmicort for one year (from age 3 to 4), with additional use of albuteral for severe colds. She doesn't have coughing or wheezing on a regular daily basis, but has coughing when she lies down to take a nap or sleep. Those coughs are deep and wrenching and very asthma-like. She does not cough when running or playing hard, only when she cries or gets extremely upset. Her pediatrician and a subsequent pediatric pulmonologist diagnosed that it's "cough variant" asthma requiring twice daily pulmicort.

The problem is that the medicine doesn't prevent the coughing that comes when she's upset...however, the coughing ends immediately when she calms down. Also, when she has a severe cold, the pulmicort and albuteral combination don't really prevent the coughing at night.

I'm worried that she's taking too much medicine that could cause other damage/effects, since there doesn't seem to be any end in sight.

Anyone with experience? Does this variant form "go away" in a year or so? Is it worth all the medication? Are there other solutions -- it seems like her stomach contracts which causes her shortness of breath when she's upset.

[Jovach51]

family4you,

I can only tell you that very often the chronic cough does not go away. If I laugh too hard, or get tense or anxious, or if a room has dry heat the coughing gets worst. My allergist told me to try a warm humidifier (not a cool mist, because bacteria builds up to quickly in the water) in my bedroom at night to moisten the air. And that has helped somewhat with the night coughing.

Speak to your peditrician about alternatives to adding a cough medication.

Hope this helps.

[babiespalace]

I am not ure about that. But have you looked into sinus problems or acid reflux. I would start there.

[family4you]

Thanks, I didn't know about the possible relationship of acid reflux and asthma, and I'm reading up on that right now as a result. I was also using a cool mist humidifier, and will investigate pros/cons of warm mist.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I don't see much about cough variant asthma in most medical sources.

[BYHOPE1113]

I've never heard of it, but that's not saying a whole lot (laughing)

My daughter has asthma, she's 3 years old. She's probably had it all her life, but we didn't know it until her first asthma attack on her 1st birthday. We ended up at the hospital and it's been a whirl wind of doctors visits since then.

I know alot of times, doctors are hesistant to diagnose asthma in small children, but my opinion is..... If it is asthma, then just tell me and let's deal with it.

You mentioned her coughing when she gets upset. My daughter does that or even is she runs and plays too much. When you have easily triggered lungs, it doesn't take much. Emotions can definately trigger it.

The pulmicort and flovent isn't going to stop the coughing. It's going to take Albuterol or Xopenex to help with that.