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My Son Has Had A Chronic Cough Since He Moved
Question: My son has had a chronic cough since he moved in my moms house at 7 months old . It started at night witha. Hacking dry cough almost like gag reflux ... he has had a chronic cough ever since and is now 14 months old . I took him to hosptial after. A month of his coughing continued Becuase I was worried and demanded a x Ray and it showed pneumonitis . They think it was due to a virus . But I’m paranoid about hypersensitivity pneumonitis . We had. Chickens in a coop outside that I got rid of a couple months ago and recently also got the house checked for mold and the air sample was clean as can be . Nothing was in the air at the moment but the swan test not he floor came back aspergillus/penicillium. For months I asked his pulmonist and allergist if it could be from any of those things.. they both said they doubt its hypersensitivity pneumonitis and gave him Flovent which he has been on for months .. he has never had a CT Becuase he’s only 1 years old . The allergist also told me that he can’t be allergic to mold until he’s around 2 . It’s not enough exporsue to cause hypersensitivity , but what about the chickens or down feather sofa ? He also had a swallowing disorder where he coughs on thin liquids . Any thoughts ?
Brief Answer:
I need some more information please
Detailed Answer:
I have a few questions and suggestions for you -
Questions:
1. How many days per month do the kid cough or feel breathless?
2. How many nights per month do the kid’s sleep get disturbed due to above symptoms?
3. Does the kid feel breathless when running around or plays with other kids?
4. Are the symptoms when there are seasonal changes?
5. Is there any family history of asthma or any other sort of allergies like skin allergy etc.?
I need some more information please
Detailed Answer:
I have a few questions and suggestions for you -
Questions:
1. How many days per month do the kid cough or feel breathless?
2. How many nights per month do the kid’s sleep get disturbed due to above symptoms?
3. Does the kid feel breathless when running around or plays with other kids?
4. Are the symptoms when there are seasonal changes?
5. Is there any family history of asthma or any other sort of allergies like skin allergy etc.?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
1. Everyday for the past 7 months . Chronic dry hacking cough .
2. He sleeps through out the night for the most part . He has gagged and coughed at night a few nights though like something was stuck in his throat . Dry hacking cough I thought it was whooping cough until the x Ray showed pneumonitis. His mom smoked while pregnant with him and he had third hand smoke exposure as well from her clothing and that's what they think this is all from . That and viruses . But yet he still coughs today even after the 3rd hand smoke was eliminated .
3. He has gotten breathless a few times running I think. But never had refractions or any thing .. he does have fast respitory rate a lot though.. that's really his only two symptoms he has . Is fast respitory rate and chronic dry hacking cough... he has wheezed before when crawling fast . But for the most part no wheezing . More so he has rhonci that is believed to be transmitted noises coming from nasal congestion ... he has never had rales or fever or anything else .
2. He sleeps through out the night for the most part . He has gagged and coughed at night a few nights though like something was stuck in his throat . Dry hacking cough I thought it was whooping cough until the x Ray showed pneumonitis. His mom smoked while pregnant with him and he had third hand smoke exposure as well from her clothing and that's what they think this is all from . That and viruses . But yet he still coughs today even after the 3rd hand smoke was eliminated .
3. He has gotten breathless a few times running I think. But never had refractions or any thing .. he does have fast respitory rate a lot though.. that's really his only two symptoms he has . Is fast respitory rate and chronic dry hacking cough... he has wheezed before when crawling fast . But for the most part no wheezing . More so he has rhonci that is believed to be transmitted noises coming from nasal congestion ... he has never had rales or fever or anything else .
4. It’s not seasonal Becuase he’s only 1 years old and it’s all year around if anything .
5. And yes his mom has smoke induced asthma and his sister I think has it and my father has it . So I guess it does run in the family ..
But I’m mainly concerned about fibrosis . He’s only one years old .. I’m worried about hypersensitivity pneumonitis .
5. And yes his mom has smoke induced asthma and his sister I think has it and my father has it . So I guess it does run in the family ..
But I’m mainly concerned about fibrosis . He’s only one years old .. I’m worried about hypersensitivity pneumonitis .
Brief Answer:
Unlikely to be hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi...by what you say I feel that he may having multi triggered wheezing.
If it's fibrosis, cough would not be the predominant symptom.
As cough is more here, it's an airways disease.
Suggestions:
1. There are certainly alternative management therapies in allopathy now-a-days. Medicine has advanced a lot and not asthma is 100% controllable.
2. Inhalers are the newest management strategies for this. If I were your paediatrician I would have suggested the use of Budecort metered dose inhaler (100mcg) 2 puffs twice a day through a spacer and this is for regular use for 8 weeks. Another metered dose inhaler is Levolin and this can used as rescue therapy whenever the kid is having severe cough in spite of regular usage of Budecort. The technique is very important and very crucial for the drug to be delivered correctly to the lungs. Regularity of medicine usage also matters a lot. So do not discontinue abruptly after you notice some improvement. The technique of administering an inhaler using a spacer has to be taught to you by your doctor and these are prescription medicines. So I suggest you consult your paediatrician for this.
3. Triggers can be environmental changes/ dust/ talcum powder/ seasonal changes/ un-cleaned a/c vents/ cold weather etc....we can specifically say this is the cause - unless we observe the kid closely - best person is the parent.
Kind regards - Dr Sumanth Amperayani
Unlikely to be hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi...by what you say I feel that he may having multi triggered wheezing.
If it's fibrosis, cough would not be the predominant symptom.
As cough is more here, it's an airways disease.
Suggestions:
1. There are certainly alternative management therapies in allopathy now-a-days. Medicine has advanced a lot and not asthma is 100% controllable.
2. Inhalers are the newest management strategies for this. If I were your paediatrician I would have suggested the use of Budecort metered dose inhaler (100mcg) 2 puffs twice a day through a spacer and this is for regular use for 8 weeks. Another metered dose inhaler is Levolin and this can used as rescue therapy whenever the kid is having severe cough in spite of regular usage of Budecort. The technique is very important and very crucial for the drug to be delivered correctly to the lungs. Regularity of medicine usage also matters a lot. So do not discontinue abruptly after you notice some improvement. The technique of administering an inhaler using a spacer has to be taught to you by your doctor and these are prescription medicines. So I suggest you consult your paediatrician for this.
3. Triggers can be environmental changes/ dust/ talcum powder/ seasonal changes/ un-cleaned a/c vents/ cold weather etc....we can specifically say this is the cause - unless we observe the kid closely - best person is the parent.
Kind regards - Dr Sumanth Amperayani
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
So it’s most likely not some kind of irreversible HP caused by mold or anything like that ?
Brief Answer:
Irreversible lung damage at this age presents as interstitial lung disease
Detailed Answer:
Hello...Irreversible lung damage at this age presents as interstitial lung disease, but in that the predominant presenting symptom will be breathlessness and the clinical sign will be hypoxia (low oxygen in blood).
Moreover cough is a symptoms of hyper reactive airways disease in kids and not a interstitial lung disease please.
Irreversible lung damage at this age presents as interstitial lung disease
Detailed Answer:
Hello...Irreversible lung damage at this age presents as interstitial lung disease, but in that the predominant presenting symptom will be breathlessness and the clinical sign will be hypoxia (low oxygen in blood).
Moreover cough is a symptoms of hyper reactive airways disease in kids and not a interstitial lung disease please.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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