can't get toddler's constant coughing to stop

[tess911]

my 28 month son has been to the doc three times this week for a chronic cough.  He has had a few asthma attacks (coughing type) in his life but not too chronic.  This week his blood oxygen is at 99%, his lungs sound "great," no ear infection, but such a runny nose and he has been coughing on and off,  mostly one for about seven days.  He has not slept through the night for five nights and his cough is a wrenching rasping hard one most of the time.  We are treating him with Xopenex every 4-6 hours (per several docs), Claritin during the day and Benedryl during the night (to help with post nasal drip), steam, humidifier, the works.  Today he got one dose of prednezone at the emergency room in the hope it would help but he continued to cough until he vomited most of the rest of today.  

for his throat we have tired honey, honey water, popcicles, and vitamin C lollypops but he is getting a bit sick of it all (probably swallowing too much flem?) and has stopped most of it.  (not sure anything was helping anyway)  We seem to be at a standstill finding him any relief and frankly I"m exhausted from being up at night, care for his siblings and him during the day, and worrying myself sick as I listen to him hack until he vomits.  Isn't there ANYTHING a mother can do to help this kid?  He is starting to look really exhausted with a weird tired look in his eyes and he is crying more and more from frustration and exhaustion.  HELP!

[jme1008]

i have a  13 month old, since i can remember she always has flem in her chest. it goes away for a while but as soon as she gets sick it returns for a month and a half.  we just narrowed down she is allergic to cats,but its still doesn't seem like it is the only thing. i have taken her to the doctor so many times for this that they probably think  i'm just paranoied since she is my first. but this is really hard to hear her with her chest so flemy. nothing has worked, honey with lemon,... no
i try the hot shower nothing. i mean i don't know .

[onesickmom]

This sounds exactly like my little girl.  She has been in and out of the doc since jan....same exact symptoms as yours.  Finally! She got really sick the doctor did a treament with a nebulizer in office and she was great, took a neb home also along with antibiotics and steriod(antibiotic; something I thought she needed months ago). Doc couldn't tell whether pneumonia or asthma acting up!!!  Previous to this she had taken albuterol orally which normally cleared her up. After taking the antibiotics she was perfect, doc also prescribed prednezone. we stopped after second treatment(day) b/c she was pulling at her chest and acting all crazy, being mean, turned white as a ghost it was very scary.  She wasn't sleeping or anythiing, took her off it she was fine totally different kid! Mines almost 3, I feel for you its hard when they can't tell you whats wrong. by the way previously also we tried almost every allergy medication on her none worked till 3 visits of complaints of the same thing she finally gave her an antibiotic. I would like to switch docs but its so hard, how do you pick!?

[JocelynKirby]

Hey Tess,
Not sure if your little one's better now but our son has something similar although not as extreme. Coughing and crying all night - no sleep, runny nose. It's been going on since he was born (14mths old now) - with more extreme episodes during a cold - diagnosed as chest infections several times. We were advised to remove all soft toys from his room as the paediatrician suspects 'reactive airways' - a sensitivity to allergens - in particular dust mites. We've blitzed his room, removed anything fabric that's not fixed and have washed all his bedding and mattress cover at 60 degrees. Removing the teddies and other items and a good spring clean seemed to help a little - am waiting to see what effect the inhaler has that he has also been prescribed to suppress the reaction to allergens. Good luck!