My daughter has been coughing for 3 weeks despite using her pumps 2x a day (Flovent/salbutamol), her nose is not running. What should I do?

Question

She sleeps with the mattress elevated. COVID test negative. No fever and good general condition. We are a bit distraught as a parent since as soon as she starts a cold she starts coughing for weeks this is her 4th cold since July 😔 I would like to know what to do! Is it normal for a 3-year-old to cough so much?

Alexandre Chagnon · Accepted Answer

Hello Ma'am, Sorry for the delay in responding. There is a very useful technique to help children cough less by reducing the amount of mucus that flows from the nose down the throat. It also makes pumping more effective. To do this, you'll need a syringe (without a needle) and saline or distilled water, plain and simple. Then, depending on your child's age, the amount of water to use per nostril will differ a bit (between 3 mL and 10 mL per nostril). For details on the technique and the exact amount to use in your situation, refer to pages 6 and 7 of the following document . In the first 2 days, use this technique about 5 times a day, then in the following days you can decrease to 2 times a day. Most parents see a dramatic improvement in symptoms within 48 hours. I recommend that you try this technique today. If symptoms are still present in 7 days, we'll go back to a doctor. P.S. You have the impression that her nose doesn't run, but that's probably because the runoff is in the throat rather than through the nostrils, which explains a cough that is present as soon as she develops a cold. :)