Coughing-what is normal?

[Rickiesmom]

Can anyone tell me what is a normal cf cough? My little guy keeps coughing-I call the nurse at the clinic and I cannot get a straight answer...

Would appeciate all comments on this, as I am very confused. It's the barking type cough we cannot get rid of.

Thanks!

 

[Rickiesmom]

Can anyone tell me what is a normal cf cough? My little guy keeps coughing-I call the nurse at the clinic and I cannot get a straight answer...

Would appeciate all comments on this, as I am very confused. It's the barking type cough we cannot get rid of.

Thanks!

 

[Rickiesmom]

Can anyone tell me what is a normal cf cough? My little guy keeps coughing-I call the nurse at the clinic and I cannot get a straight answer...

Would appeciate all comments on this, as I am very confused. It's the barking type cough we cannot get rid of.

Thanks!

 

[Rickiesmom]

Can anyone tell me what is a normal cf cough? My little guy keeps coughing-I call the nurse at the clinic and I cannot get a straight answer...

Would appeciate all comments on this, as I am very confused. It's the barking type cough we cannot get rid of.

Thanks!

 

[Rickiesmom]

Can anyone tell me what is a normal cf cough? My little guy keeps coughing-I call the nurse at the clinic and I cannot get a straight answer...

Would appeciate all comments on this, as I am very confused. It's the barking type cough we cannot get rid of.

Thanks!

 

[Rebjane]

Carey,

I think you'll get different answers on this one. If your child with CF "baseline" or normal day does not include a cough, than a cough could indicate something is brewing. A barking cough sounds like it could be viral, or inflammation, or bacterial or a combo. When Maggie gets a cough, I up her nebs/VEST. If her cough is sounding deep, keeping her up at night, she has a fever, or just not acting right, I call the pulmonologist. Depending on her last sputum culture, we'll do antibiotics for at least 2 weeks while keeping up with nebs/VEST. If it's been a while since her last culture, I'll ask to have her cultured to make sure she's not growing something new. When Maggie was 2 1/2 she had such a cough and she was not treated aggresively enough and needed the works, bronch, IV's, hospital. Some docs assume CF'ers cough and they do; but the philosophy of treating aggressively the flare-ups is to keep our CF'ers lungs as healthy as possible to the next best treatment comes out. The reason maybe the CF nurse isn't giving you a straight answer is likely because each CF'er is so different. Or maybe she doesn't know the answer? Anyhow you do what you think is right.

 

[Rebjane]

Carey,

I think you'll get different answers on this one. If your child with CF "baseline" or normal day does not include a cough, than a cough could indicate something is brewing. A barking cough sounds like it could be viral, or inflammation, or bacterial or a combo. When Maggie gets a cough, I up her nebs/VEST. If her cough is sounding deep, keeping her up at night, she has a fever, or just not acting right, I call the pulmonologist. Depending on her last sputum culture, we'll do antibiotics for at least 2 weeks while keeping up with nebs/VEST. If it's been a while since her last culture, I'll ask to have her cultured to make sure she's not growing something new. When Maggie was 2 1/2 she had such a cough and she was not treated aggresively enough and needed the works, bronch, IV's, hospital. Some docs assume CF'ers cough and they do; but the philosophy of treating aggressively the flare-ups is to keep our CF'ers lungs as healthy as possible to the next best treatment comes out. The reason maybe the CF nurse isn't giving you a straight answer is likely because each CF'er is so different. Or maybe she doesn't know the answer? Anyhow you do what you think is right.

 

[Rebjane]

Carey,

I think you'll get different answers on this one. If your child with CF "baseline" or normal day does not include a cough, than a cough could indicate something is brewing. A barking cough sounds like it could be viral, or inflammation, or bacterial or a combo. When Maggie gets a cough, I up her nebs/VEST. If her cough is sounding deep, keeping her up at night, she has a fever, or just not acting right, I call the pulmonologist. Depending on her last sputum culture, we'll do antibiotics for at least 2 weeks while keeping up with nebs/VEST. If it's been a while since her last culture, I'll ask to have her cultured to make sure she's not growing something new. When Maggie was 2 1/2 she had such a cough and she was not treated aggresively enough and needed the works, bronch, IV's, hospital. Some docs assume CF'ers cough and they do; but the philosophy of treating aggressively the flare-ups is to keep our CF'ers lungs as healthy as possible to the next best treatment comes out. The reason maybe the CF nurse isn't giving you a straight answer is likely because each CF'er is so different. Or maybe she doesn't know the answer? Anyhow you do what you think is right.

 

[Rebjane]

Carey,

I think you'll get different answers on this one. If your child with CF "baseline" or normal day does not include a cough, than a cough could indicate something is brewing. A barking cough sounds like it could be viral, or inflammation, or bacterial or a combo. When Maggie gets a cough, I up her nebs/VEST. If her cough is sounding deep, keeping her up at night, she has a fever, or just not acting right, I call the pulmonologist. Depending on her last sputum culture, we'll do antibiotics for at least 2 weeks while keeping up with nebs/VEST. If it's been a while since her last culture, I'll ask to have her cultured to make sure she's not growing something new. When Maggie was 2 1/2 she had such a cough and she was not treated aggresively enough and needed the works, bronch, IV's, hospital. Some docs assume CF'ers cough and they do; but the philosophy of treating aggressively the flare-ups is to keep our CF'ers lungs as healthy as possible to the next best treatment comes out. The reason maybe the CF nurse isn't giving you a straight answer is likely because each CF'er is so different. Or maybe she doesn't know the answer? Anyhow you do what you think is right.

 

[Rebjane]

Carey,

I think you'll get different answers on this one. If your child with CF "baseline" or normal day does not include a cough, than a cough could indicate something is brewing. A barking cough sounds like it could be viral, or inflammation, or bacterial or a combo. When Maggie gets a cough, I up her nebs/VEST. If her cough is sounding deep, keeping her up at night, she has a fever, or just not acting right, I call the pulmonologist. Depending on her last sputum culture, we'll do antibiotics for at least 2 weeks while keeping up with nebs/VEST. If it's been a while since her last culture, I'll ask to have her cultured to make sure she's not growing something new. When Maggie was 2 1/2 she had such a cough and she was not treated aggresively enough and needed the works, bronch, IV's, hospital. Some docs assume CF'ers cough and they do; but the philosophy of treating aggressively the flare-ups is to keep our CF'ers lungs as healthy as possible to the next best treatment comes out. The reason maybe the CF nurse isn't giving you a straight answer is likely because each CF'er is so different. Or maybe she doesn't know the answer? Anyhow you do what you think is right.

 

[amber682]

My son is almost 3 w/ CF. If he's coughing more than normal (which at age 3 is not a lot) then we up albuterol and chest pt. If that hasn't helped in about 4 days (or it's gotten worse), I call clinic and see what they have to say. A lot of times if it's a nasty, sick cough they'll call in a Rx for him. Although my son tends to get this dry, irritated throat cough with NO other symptoms, which turned out to be post nasal drip just bothering his throat. Nasal spray solved that.

 

[amber682]

My son is almost 3 w/ CF. If he's coughing more than normal (which at age 3 is not a lot) then we up albuterol and chest pt. If that hasn't helped in about 4 days (or it's gotten worse), I call clinic and see what they have to say. A lot of times if it's a nasty, sick cough they'll call in a Rx for him. Although my son tends to get this dry, irritated throat cough with NO other symptoms, which turned out to be post nasal drip just bothering his throat. Nasal spray solved that.

 

[amber682]

My son is almost 3 w/ CF. If he's coughing more than normal (which at age 3 is not a lot) then we up albuterol and chest pt. If that hasn't helped in about 4 days (or it's gotten worse), I call clinic and see what they have to say. A lot of times if it's a nasty, sick cough they'll call in a Rx for him. Although my son tends to get this dry, irritated throat cough with NO other symptoms, which turned out to be post nasal drip just bothering his throat. Nasal spray solved that.

 

[amber682]

My son is almost 3 w/ CF. If he's coughing more than normal (which at age 3 is not a lot) then we up albuterol and chest pt. If that hasn't helped in about 4 days (or it's gotten worse), I call clinic and see what they have to say. A lot of times if it's a nasty, sick cough they'll call in a Rx for him. Although my son tends to get this dry, irritated throat cough with NO other symptoms, which turned out to be post nasal drip just bothering his throat. Nasal spray solved that.

 

[amber682]

My son is almost 3 w/ CF. If he's coughing more than normal (which at age 3 is not a lot) then we up albuterol and chest pt. If that hasn't helped in about 4 days (or it's gotten worse), I call clinic and see what they have to say. A lot of times if it's a nasty, sick cough they'll call in a Rx for him. Although my son tends to get this dry, irritated throat cough with NO other symptoms, which turned out to be post nasal drip just bothering his throat. Nasal spray solved that.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Part of the problem with this one is... there is no straight-through normal CF cough. You have to learn each individual person. I know what my normal cough is. I know when I'm getting worse. But I've been paying attention to my lungs for almost 24 years. If your son is 6, you haven't been learning it long enough really to be able to pinpoint which cough is which.

Now that I've said that, I should add... There are many different kinds that are fairly "normal." I have a good number of different coughs that don't worry me when they appear.

Basically you just have to keep listening. It'll be a lot easier when your son is a little bit older and can tell you clearly which is which himself. Some are wheezier than others, some are more productive, some are dry, some hurt, some don't. He'll learn them, and as he does, you will too.

Other than time, I really have no advice. Sorry.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Part of the problem with this one is... there is no straight-through normal CF cough. You have to learn each individual person. I know what my normal cough is. I know when I'm getting worse. But I've been paying attention to my lungs for almost 24 years. If your son is 6, you haven't been learning it long enough really to be able to pinpoint which cough is which.

Now that I've said that, I should add... There are many different kinds that are fairly "normal." I have a good number of different coughs that don't worry me when they appear.

Basically you just have to keep listening. It'll be a lot easier when your son is a little bit older and can tell you clearly which is which himself. Some are wheezier than others, some are more productive, some are dry, some hurt, some don't. He'll learn them, and as he does, you will too.

Other than time, I really have no advice. Sorry.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Part of the problem with this one is... there is no straight-through normal CF cough. You have to learn each individual person. I know what my normal cough is. I know when I'm getting worse. But I've been paying attention to my lungs for almost 24 years. If your son is 6, you haven't been learning it long enough really to be able to pinpoint which cough is which.

Now that I've said that, I should add... There are many different kinds that are fairly "normal." I have a good number of different coughs that don't worry me when they appear.

Basically you just have to keep listening. It'll be a lot easier when your son is a little bit older and can tell you clearly which is which himself. Some are wheezier than others, some are more productive, some are dry, some hurt, some don't. He'll learn them, and as he does, you will too.

Other than time, I really have no advice. Sorry.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Part of the problem with this one is... there is no straight-through normal CF cough. You have to learn each individual person. I know what my normal cough is. I know when I'm getting worse. But I've been paying attention to my lungs for almost 24 years. If your son is 6, you haven't been learning it long enough really to be able to pinpoint which cough is which.

Now that I've said that, I should add... There are many different kinds that are fairly "normal." I have a good number of different coughs that don't worry me when they appear.

Basically you just have to keep listening. It'll be a lot easier when your son is a little bit older and can tell you clearly which is which himself. Some are wheezier than others, some are more productive, some are dry, some hurt, some don't. He'll learn them, and as he does, you will too.

Other than time, I really have no advice. Sorry.

 

[Emily65Roses]

Part of the problem with this one is... there is no straight-through normal CF cough. You have to learn each individual person. I know what my normal cough is. I know when I'm getting worse. But I've been paying attention to my lungs for almost 24 years. If your son is 6, you haven't been learning it long enough really to be able to pinpoint which cough is which.

Now that I've said that, I should add... There are many different kinds that are fairly "normal." I have a good number of different coughs that don't worry me when they appear.

Basically you just have to keep listening. It'll be a lot easier when your son is a little bit older and can tell you clearly which is which himself. Some are wheezier than others, some are more productive, some are dry, some hurt, some don't. He'll learn them, and as he does, you will too.

Other than time, I really have no advice. Sorry.