My child coughs at night. What can I do I help her to sleep better?
It is important to check in with your health care provider to look for underlying causes of a cough that lasts for more than 3 to 4 weeks. If your child does not have an acute infection, your provider might order some tests to rule out other reasons for the cough. Often, children have what is called “post-nasal drip,” which is linked to allergic rhinitis or hay fever. This can cause a night cough and can be readily treated with intra-nasal steroids (recommended by your health care provider). Cough suppressants are generally discouraged in children. Cough is often a protective reflex that should not be suppressed. Instead, it is better to treat the underlying causes of the cough. From experience, many children cough in relation to snoring. This might need its own attention, assessment, and treatment. Other reasons for coughing at night include gastric esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or under-treated asthma.
