Staceyshoe Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 We started going to the pool about a month ago and ds7 began to have a dry infrequent cough which became more frequent. No other symptoms. Last week we were traveling. After 2 days in the car, I noticed that ds wasn't coughing. A couple days later, it returned with a vengence. When he's sedate he coughs little (or not at all). If he's active, playing, laughing, singing, etc where he's breathing more deeply than usual, he coughs HARD 7-14 times/minute. It sounds terrible. Then he rests and it quits. No sore throat, fever, sinus problems, or anything else. Just this cough. Is it possible that he has some pool water in his lungs???? He plays very hard at the pool, and I know he swallows a lot of water there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzymom Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I don't know about pool water in his lungs causing that kind of cough. My concern would be that it is an asthmatic cough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Chlorine is an asthma trigger for my son. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I don't know about pool water in his lungs causing that kind of cough. My concern would be that it is an asthmatic cough. :iagree: My daughter's exercise induced asthma cough can be triggered by running and playing or laughing and screaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love_to_Read Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Sounds like exercise-induced asthma to me. Or chlorine as a trigger. Have him sit still at the pool one day, and run around elsewhere...that ought to tell you which. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momteel Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Try putting your ear to his back and listen to him breathe. If there was water in his lungs, it would probably go to pneumonia and you can hear crackles or noises in their lungs. If it is asthma, there is more wheezing. Have him take a full breath in and exhale all he can... see how deeply he can inhale/exhale, and if you can hear the wheezing. In asthma, the tubes are tightening and closing up a bit so the air has difficulty going in and out... You will probably need to have him checked by MD. My daughter had exercise-induced asthma for a while until she went off of dairy which she is allergic to. When she got a cold, the wheezing was bad and she needed an inhaler at times... laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I vote chlorine induced allergy attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danybug Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I could have written your exact post. My 5yo dd had the most annoying dry cough for like two months. It finally went away the last two weeks. She had no other symptoms ever. It drove us crazy. My dh thought it was partly becoming mental and a habit. But I started to feel bad thinking maybe it was some type of allergy or asthma. She would have fits of it and then no cough for awhile. She never coughed once she went to bed. I was getting ready to take her to the doctor because my mom bugged me about it and then it just disappeared. Totally bizarre case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Sounds like exercise-induced asthma to me. Or chlorine as a trigger. Have him sit still at the pool one day, and run around elsewhere...that ought to tell you which. :iagree: My son's asthma is triggered by chlorine, and then if I do not get it under control with his meds he will cough hard whenever he plays. Chlorine is so hard on the lungs. I would get it checked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 sounds like asthma to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Try putting your ear to his back and listen to him breathe. If there was water in his lungs, it would probably go to pneumonia and you can hear crackles or noises in their lungs. If it is asthma, there is more wheezing. Have him take a full breath in and exhale all he can... see how deeply he can inhale/exhale, and if you can hear the wheezing. In asthma, the tubes are tightening and closing up a bit so the air has difficulty going in and out... You will probably need to have him checked by MD. My daughter had exercise-induced asthma for a while until she went off of dairy which she is allergic to. When she got a cold, the wheezing was bad and she needed an inhaler at times... laura Not necessarily to the bolded. We recently had a discussion here about wheezing and asthma misconceptions. Many, my daughter included, have asthma and have never wheezed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.m Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 (edited) I think it is asthma. He might need steriods and a rescue inhaler. Have a Dr. check it out! And then you can figure out the trigger. For my son the pool is a trigger because he is active. eta: my son does not wheeze. He just coughs and coughs. Edited July 7, 2012 by jannylynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Happy Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 My daughter has asthma and often coughs. No wheezing at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowTail Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 The chlorine (or mold in the pool, if chlorine levels are not right) is probably triggering asthma, I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Another asthma vote here. Sounds like my kiddo's asthma cough, which is exercise induced and exacerbated by chlorine. No wheezing here, and kiddo has very severe asthma, so definitely keep that in mind. (I sort of envy the people with wheezing, as it makes it all so much easier to identify!) The only other idea I have is that the pool is not properly kept up... Could they be neglecting the chemicals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staceyshoe Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 Fascinating! Asthma would have never occurred to me, but there is a history of it in dh's family. I want to make one clarification and see whether it changes opinions. We just returned from a 2 week vacation, so he hasn't been to a pool in 2 weeks. The coughing during laughter, exercise, etc is still terrible. So that eliminates chlorine as a trigger, right?? But it could still be exercise-induced asthma? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Fascinating! Asthma would have never occurred to me, but there is a history of it in dh's family. I want to make one clarification and see whether it changes opinions. We just returned from a 2 week vacation, so he hasn't been to a pool in 2 weeks. The coughing during laughter, exercise, etc is still terrible. So that eliminates chlorine as a trigger, right?? But it could still be exercise-induced asthma? YUp, still thinking asthma. As a kid the BIGGEST trigger for mine was laughing. I'd start laughing and end up coughing. And coughing was my only real symptom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Laughing is one of my daughter's biggest triggers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love_to_Read Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 yep...,exercise-induced...laughing involves deep breaths, so it's related that doesn't rule out chlorine as an additional trigger, mind you but it does point toward exercise as a trigger exercise is good for you, and good for the lungs...so don't just quit...but see a doc to get him treated so that he can get enough oxygen while still running and playing and laughing and swimming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staceyshoe Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 You guys are just incredible. I'll get him checked out. I guess they can tell from an office visit whether it's asthma--even if he's sitting still and not having a problem? We'll be out of town next week, but I'll call the pediatrician when we return. So so glad that I posted here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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