Constent Cough and Gagging 10 Yr Son

I would get him an appt. ASAP with a pediatric hospital. In the meantime, if you think he needs emergency room care, that is where I'd take him. I had a huge scare with my son for a different reason, and instead of taking him to our local hospital, drove 1 1/2 hours to Houston to Texas Children's to a) get the best care available and b) let him be seen by the Dr's when he was at his worst. Problem solved. You need an accurate diagnosis. This has gone on way too long Best of luck...

Our daughters Asthma was the coughing kind too.. Years of just small coughs, nonproductive coughing. Even at night while she slept. Usually during the allergies seasons and winter.

It is just part of the symptoms. This was from age 18 months till about the end of 4th grade..

Of course it was seasonal. The more she had to spend inside, the worse it was. The winters were the worst.

In the summer if people were mowing their lawns, I kept her inside for a few hours afterwards.

We pulled out all carpets, took down all drapes. Purchases an electric filter for her room (Hunter Brand) and changed the filter every 4 to 6 weeks, during super bad times, it had to be changed every 3 weeks. We kept her bedroom door closed so that her room could be her sanctuary.

As long as she did not have a fever she went to school. She had an inhaler there and during really bad times, I would go up and give her the Nebulizer treatments.

I know this is frustrating. Learn about Asthma so you can understand what is going on. It broke my heart watching her struggle all of those years.

Take him to a pediatric pulmonologist if you don't already have one. It made all the difference in the world for our son who has cough variant asthma and allergies. He also sees an allergist. I would try to get in to see a specialist as soon as possible if you haven't already seen one. Or if you have maybe get another opinion. Make sure it's a specialist who practices pediatrics. Good luck.

My trick. The goo coming from the sinus' is thick and sticky. It is causing all the rest so I take 1/2 dose of liquid children's real Sudafed every 4-6 hours. It makes the mucus runny and I am able to blow it out and I feel better in a day or so. It seems to effect the mucus everywhere to me, it is supposed to only effect the soft tissue in the nasal area but I feel it throughout the whole respiratory system.

The only thing that works on coughs in Teslon Pearls, it's spelled similar to that (very expensive). Anyway, there is NO scientific proof that anything with the DM actually does anything to quiet a cough.

Some things to do to help loosen the cough. Take only an expectorant, not one with any other stuff like DM or Cold. You want the cough and want it runny. Do NOT take any allergy meds, it makes the mucus thick and like super glue goo.

Take a hot steamy shower several times a day, at the very least go in and sit in the bathroom while running very hot water in the shower, stuff a towel under the door so cool air can't get in, cover the vents so the steam can really build, breathe deeply. After using the nebulizer cup your hand and pat him on the back, this breaks up the mucus and helps it to get coughed up.

If he is still sick after a couple of days he needs another X-ray to check for pneumonia, especially if he is running any fever. Bronchitis can turn into pneumonia quit easily and a fever is one of the signs.

This is probably way too simple an answer, but I have had a persistent cough for 1.5 weeks that has kept me from sleeping. My MD prescribed benzonatate and i had my first uninterrupted night's sleep in forever. I was amazed at how well it works; it very simply suppresses they body's cough impulse.
I know it is only fixing the symptom, but that could mean a lot for the little guy. Ask your doctor if it would be safe for him.

Have you tried having him rinse his nose/sinuses out with warm saline using a neti pot often (every few hours if you want to)?
Often a cough sounds worse before it gets better.
I'd go back to the Mucinex and stay on it 4-5 days.
Have him take steamy showers often so he can cough up anything in his lungs.
You might be switching too many meds too quickly and not giving them time to work.

Does he have tonsils/adenoids?
When my son was 3 (almost 4) his tonsils enlarged till they almost touched each other across the back of his throat.
They were not infected - he didn't a fever and the strep test came back negative.
They had become an obstruction and were interfering with his sleeping and eating/swallowing.
We had them out soon as he turned 4 and it was the best thing we ever did.

It's true acid reflex can make you feel like you have something stuck in your throat.
I had it like that (ear nose throat doctor put a scope down my nose and checked it out) and a few weeks on Prevacid cleared it up.

Could be several things.
My daughter had a constant runny nose and dry cough that medicines wouldn't help. Took her to the Urgent care.
U:'Can we test for strep just to rule it out?'.
Me:'Seriously? Its a runny nose and cough.'
U:'Yes, just to rule it out (smile)'.
Me:'Oh sure, why not, what other tests you got while you're at it?'
The test came back positive for strep. 2 months in a row...

My son has viral induced asthma. For him we have to do his daily inhaler - Asthmanex - 2x a day instead of one, plus Proventil (rescue inhaler) every 4 hours around the clock for 3 days. If we just do one dose of Asthmanex or miss a dose of Proventil it doesn't clear up.

According to webmd.com, it could also be sinusitis or acid reflux....