Diagnose my son...

annabelle.27 · May 2009

My son had a minor cold a week ago- just a runny nose and some sneezing. It went away but since then, he has a one-hour coughing fit every night in the middle of the night. The first night I thought he must have inhaled some dust or a hair or something that was irritating his throat, because it was so out of character. But it's been every night since. He doesn't cough for an hour straight, but he'll cough for 10 seconds, get back to sleep for a minute or two, cough for 5 seconds, sleep for five minutes, cough for 15 seconds, and on and on for about an hour. The last two nights he's coughed so forcefully that he's started crying after coughing. Then, after that hour is up, he's fine for the rest of the night.

He's perfectly fine and non-sick seeming all day. No fever, no coughing, nothing- except maybe a slight runny nose.

I'm just wondering what's wrong with him. Since he's so healthy during the day I haven't brought him to a doctor- I had just assumed at first it was a weird one-time thing. But it's been a week now...

kate081206 · May 2009

Do you have a humidifier? My DS has been coughing a lot too and this has helped. The runny nose is probably causing some post nasal drip and causing him to cough. So...sucking out his nose w/ a bulb may help too? It has w/ my DS.

Parks2Be · May 2009

Do you have a humidifier in the room?

annabelle.27 · May 2009

We don't have a humidifier... do they actually help?

WifeofaMarine · May 2009

Running a humidifier helps DS a ton.

SarahBukisi · May 2009

sounds like a post nasal drip. and lying down as he sleeps it probably drips down more.

Parks2Be · May 2009

annabelle.27:
We don't have a humidifier... do they actually help?

Charlotte had the exact same cold that your son has and we put a humidifier in her room and she was cleared up a few days later. So, I believe they do work.

kate081206 · May 2009

I think they work...just from personal experience.

Pelusa214 · May 2009

I'd def. try a humidifier. Don't you cough if the air is too dry? Maybe it's just dry for him with the change in seasons...does he sleep with his mouth open? That could make it worse. See if the humidifier helps.