stridor at night/cough in the morning

[Guest guest]

Hi All!

We've been dealing with another cold/respiratory/asthma(?)thing with (4

1/2) for the past 5 or 6 weeks. It hasn't been as severe as most that he/we deal

with, in his lungs remained fairly clear. I listen to his lungs with a

stethoscope, and the squeaks and creaks have been minimal. Neither has his

breathing been tight to the point where that little hollow between his ribs

retracts when he breathes. His breathing was plenty noisy and he had a lot of

coughing, but it seemed to be primarily in his upper airway. We did give him

nebulizer breathing treatments twice a day for a few days during the worst of

it, and I've given him his Xopenex inhaler probably a half dozen times. It just

hasn't seemed to be his asthma that has been the issue, and I'm certainly

thankful for that. What has me baffled is that it should be all cleared up by

now. But at night, his breathing is noisy with that juicy stridor sound for at

least the first 3 hrs, maybe longer. It eventually quiets down and he breathes

quietly the rest of the night. Then, getting up in the morning starts the

coughing. It isn't a chronic cough, although there were days that it was, but it

is frequent throughout the day. When he first gets up, when he is hoarsing

around and/or laughing, when he is upset and crying, and sometimes when he is

eating or shortly after he eats. It is a loose, barking cough that sounds like

it should produce phlegm to spit out, but if there is phlegm, then he must be

swallowing it.

I'm thinking it is post nasal drip that is allergy related. But how am I to find

out? It could be airborn or it could be something he is eating. Just to

appease me, his ped once ordered bloodtesting for food allergies, since he was

having blood drawn for thyroid testing anyway. I don't remember for sure, but I

think it included dairy, wheat, eggs, and a few others, and it all came back

negative. I have doubts as to how accurate the test was. I've been told he is

too young to be tested for airborne allergies. Anyway, I faithfully give him all

kinds of vitamins, supplements, and herbs, but if any of you have any wisdom

from your experience, I am open to suggestions! I'd like to hear your situation

and what has helped. You can also send pertinent links to a particular

supplement or research.

Please don't go off on tangents. His tonsils and adenoids are not enlarged and

do not need to come out. We do not need to do a sleep study. I prefer not to use

allergy meds and decongestants. We see doctors as a last resort, because all

they seem to know how to do is to treat symptoms with laboratory-created,

man-made drugs.

Thanks!