Your child’s alarm goes off for school and all you hear is a cough echoing from his bedroom as he gets ready. Coughs are a common childhood symptom that have several underlying causes. Asthma, gastroesophageal reflux and several viral infections can cause a morning cough. Take your child to a pediatrician to determine the cause of the morning cough, so treatment can begin as soon possible.
Identification
Asthma causes shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing. The coughing is sometimes worse at night, first thing in the morning, after physical activity or when an irritant triggers your breathing problems. Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux are frequent heartburn, regurgitation after meals, coughing as stomach contents enter the windpipe and wet burps. The cough associated with GERD is also present in the morning. Infections that affect your child’s lungs, such as respiratory syncytial virus, bronchiolitis and bronchitis all produce a cough that’s common at night, in the morning and after physical activity. Respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV, causes a croup-like cough, a stuffy nose, fever, shortness of breath and possibly nasal flaring, wheezing and bluish colored skin. Symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to RSV. The cough associated with these illnesses is productive.
Causes
Asthma is caused by your child’s airways constricting when the airways come in contact with a trigger. If your child sleeps with an open window, cold morning air may be irritating your child’s airways. If pollen triggers your child’s cough, pollen entering an open window during a windy morning or entering the window shortly after a neighbor mows the grass can result in an asthmatic cough in the morning. Indoor triggers are dust mites, mold, animal dander, cockroach debris and secondhand smoke. Gastroesophageal reflux is caused by the acidic contents of the stomach back flowing into the esophagus because of a malfunction of your child’s esophageal sphincter. The sphincter is located between the esophagus and stomach. As your child sleeps, the sphincter closes, but this valve reopens when your child gets up in the morning that causes coughing. Bronchiolitis and bronchitis are common complications of RSV for children since both often follow a virus.
Treatments
A quick relief inhaler is often prescribed to children with asthma to treat immediate symptoms of an attack. Albuterol and bitolterol are two commonly used quick-relief medications. Long-term asthma medications are taken daily to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Long-term medications include long-acting bronchodilators, oral corticosteroids and leukotriene modifiers. Dietary and lifestyle changes for your child are sometimes enough to control GERD, such as losing weight and avoiding secondhand smoke. H2 blockers can block the production of stomach acids and prokinetics can help the stomach empty faster, but surgery is sometimes needed to fix the esophageal sphincter. There are no treatments for viral infections other than drinking plenty of fluid, resting and breathing in warm moist air from a humidifier or shower. Chest clapping and warm lemonade can help break up mucus and ease your child’s discomfort. If RSV is severe, hospitalization is necessary for oxygen, humidified air and IV fluids.
Prevention
If your child has asthma, ensure he takes medication exactly as prescribed to prevent coughing and other symptoms. Do not smoke around your child since this worsens asthma symptoms. If you know your child’s trigger, avoid exposure to the trigger as much as possible. If your child has frequent heartburn, avoid letting him eat right before going to bed. Raise the head of his bed up 6 to 8 inches to minimize the amount of stomach contents that enters the esophagus. Know which foods trigger your child’s symptoms, so these foods can be avoided. A few common triggers for GERD are fried foods, spicy foods and citrus fruits. Avoid viral infections by having everyone in your household wash their hands frequently, especially after using the restroom and before eating. Do not allow your child around anyone that appears sick.
