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Cough At Night, Chocking. Tried Breathing Treatments, Water, Humidifier, But No Improvement. Is It Bronchitis?
My toddler has a bit of a cough, so does the rest of the family. It started for all of us when we started useing the heater again. But my toddler has a bad spell now, when he coughs at night, or sleeping times. he creaths just fine, but when he coughs, exhaling out the cough, he seems to be choking. i am wondering if he might have something stuck in his throght or windpipe maybe. I have looked up todders coughs online, and it is not the same as whooping cough , closer to bronchitis . At the same time not that at all. he still eats, plays and breaths fine, and it wernt for the cough, you wouldn t even know he was sick at all. I have tried a humidifier around the clock, breathing treatments, lots of water, but nothing seems to change it. he also shows no sigh of croup ...what do you think?
posted on
Fri, 2 Nov 2012
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 5 Nov 2012
Answered on
Mon, 5 Nov 2012
Last reviewed on
Hi
Since all of you had same problem, it might be a virus affecting the respiratory tract.
Is it a dry cough or he has phlegm when he coughs?
What do you mean by choking when exhaling out? Do you hear any sound at the end of cough? A whoop is a deep inspiration that occurs after a bout of cough. During cough, air in the lungs are expelled out and when it is severe, the child takes in a deep inspiration to take in air that we hear as whoop. It can happen in pertussis and some other viral infections too(Pertussoid cough).
Cough more at nights can be due to Asthma/ reflux/ post nasal drip from sinus infections/ just an irritating throat. This throat irritation is more common when the season changes, when you switch on heater with out humidifier etc.
If its the throat that causes the irritating cough, cough medicines that contain soothening agents like menthol will be of use along with adequate water and humidification. Cough suppressants can be used in such cases.
What I suggest is to have a word with your doctor, find out the cause of the cough and then take the appropriate treatment.
Hope you find my answer useful.
Since all of you had same problem, it might be a virus affecting the respiratory tract.
Is it a dry cough or he has phlegm when he coughs?
What do you mean by choking when exhaling out? Do you hear any sound at the end of cough? A whoop is a deep inspiration that occurs after a bout of cough. During cough, air in the lungs are expelled out and when it is severe, the child takes in a deep inspiration to take in air that we hear as whoop. It can happen in pertussis and some other viral infections too(Pertussoid cough).
Cough more at nights can be due to Asthma/ reflux/ post nasal drip from sinus infections/ just an irritating throat. This throat irritation is more common when the season changes, when you switch on heater with out humidifier etc.
If its the throat that causes the irritating cough, cough medicines that contain soothening agents like menthol will be of use along with adequate water and humidification. Cough suppressants can be used in such cases.
What I suggest is to have a word with your doctor, find out the cause of the cough and then take the appropriate treatment.
Hope you find my answer useful.
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