“What is the treatment for nighttime cough?”
My daughter is 3 years old and constantly gets a cough, particularly at night. How can we treat this?
4 Answers
Nighttime cough can be a sign of asthma, reflux, sinus drainage or allergies. If she has signs of any of these you treat the underlying problem. Keep stuffed animals out of the bed wipe the ceiling fan blades with endust and keep her room a little cooler at night.
If she does not have a viral infection (runny nose, fatigue, +/- fever) she may have allergies or perhaps asthma. Coughing at night for long periods of time (more than 3 weeks which is an acceptable length during/after a viral upper respiratory infection) needs assessment by your family doctor or pediatrician. Children over the age of 1 year can have honey straight (1/2 to 1tsp) before bed to help with cough, it has been shown superior to cough “medicine” prescribed or over the counter. You could do that for temporary relief while awaiting evaluation.
Frequent coughing in a 3-year-old is commonly a sign of a mild type of asthma called "cough variant asthma" and should be treated by her pediatrician with appropriate prescription medications if such a diagnosis is correct. If not, then other illnesses causing frequent cough need to be investigated, as a constant cough at night is not normal in a 3-year-old.
Never give any cough suppressant or expectorant to a child without finding the reason of the cough. Cough is a symptom of something going on in the child. It can be bacterial, viral, allergy, reflux, sinus drainage, habitual, etc. Treat the reason rather than the symptom only.
