genetics..

[Furielsky]

My dr told me part of my having sleep apnea is genetics. It does run in my family. I have a seven year old daughter who coughs all night. Is it possible at her age she could have this? I have tried everything cough meds acid reflux meds.. Even allergy meds and nothing works. Her ped dr is even stumped. Her coughing does not wake her. She sleep walks and talks in her sleep as well. My family thinks im being paranoid... I just want my daughter to get a good nights sleep. After thought she has ADHD and is on meds for that as well.

[bbridge_GA]

Both my sister and father have been diagnosed and I suspect the family trait of afternoon naps is related to sleep disorders. I know that how your chin is conformed or a pronounced overbite would be genetic. Have you had your child tested for allergies? My son had a night cough for several months and it turned out to be a tree allergy that responded well to allergy shots and staying indoors when that type of tree produced pollen.

[Julie]

I wonder about a reaction to the ADHD meds - they are stimulants and could be causing some over-stim in her phrenic reflex involved in coughing... I'd ask the doctors about it and maybe get her on a lower dose to see if it helps.

[Janknitz]

It does run in the family, but coughing should be evaluated for:

Asthma
Allergies
Reflux
Apnea

By "evaluated" I mean diagnostic TESTING, not "let's throw some meds at her to see if anything works." You're going to have to get pushy with her doctor or find a better one.

[BlackSpinner]

It does run in the family, but coughing should be evaluated for:

Asthma
Allergies
Reflux
Apnea

By "evaluated" I mean diagnostic TESTING, not "let's throw some meds at her to see if anything works." You're going to have to get pushy with her doctor or find a better one.

Plus they ALL need to be tested because they are intertwined. Dealing with my sleep apnea reduced my reflux which in turn affected my asthma and allergies.

[nanwilson]

Genetics... how about a father, 4 sons and a granddaughter all with osa. No matter what the cause of her coughing, she need to be evaluated by a doctor.

[teachcsg]

Agree (with genetics playing a role) I see a lot of patients that mention that their father, brother, mother etc.. have sleep apnea and use a cpap machine. Too many to be a coincidence.
The usual treatment for children with sleep apnea is T&A (tonsil and adenoid) surgery. If its just a cough hard to say if she has sleep apnea. May be allergies as the others have suggested.

[Furielsky]

I have had her seen by her Dr repeatedly.. She has Claratin and has meds for acid reflux. The cough is still there. I didnt think about the fact that it could be med related I will def be heading back to her Dr. Thanks for the tips all

[ems]

Thought about the reaction to ADHD meds also, and the need to have her tested.

Genetics doesn't play a role with me. Not one person (on either side) has or had SA.

[BlackSpinner]

I have had her seen by her Dr repeatedly.. She has Claratin and has meds for acid reflux. The cough is still there. I didnt think about the fact that it could be med related I will def be heading back to her Dr. Thanks for the tips all

"Being seen" is not the same as "been tested". One gives an opinion based on lack of data, the other checks for data.

[tattooyu]

I have had her seen by her Dr repeatedly.. She has Claratin and has meds for acid reflux. The cough is still there. I didnt think about the fact that it could be med related I will def be heading back to her Dr. Thanks for the tips all

"Being seen" is not the same as "been tested". One gives an opinion based on lack of data, the other checks for data.

Oh, BlackSpinner, where would we be without you... and Pugsy... and Ozi... and Rested Gal... etc.

Hey, where is Rested Gal anyway?

[49er]

Sleep Apnea definitely runs in my family. Parents definitely had it. It also sounds like an Uncle may have had it. And two other close relatives have been diagnosed with the condition.

49er

[Lazer1234]

I have sleep apnea, my dad snored HUGE, died of a heart attack without having been diagnosed. I suspect that my oldest son who is 28 has sleep apnea, he'll go for a sleep study.
My grandfather, my father's uncle, my father's aunt, they all died suddenly of a heart attack.
My research in this, doing everything I can to my children and grandchildren to get my knowledge and pass it on in turn.

[-tim]

My dr told me part of my having sleep apnea is genetics. It does run in my family. I have a seven year old daughter who coughs all night. Is it possible at her age she could have this? I have tried everything cough meds acid reflux meds.. Even allergy meds and nothing works. Her ped dr is even stumped. Her coughing does not wake her. She sleep walks and talks in her sleep as well. My family thinks im being paranoid... I just want my daughter to get a good nights sleep. After thought she has ADHD and is on meds for that as well.

My grandfather died of sleep apnea related issues but that was before it was well known. My parents both use PAP devices. I think there is a strong genetic connection.

Sleep apena causes people to sleep when they should be awake and be awake when they should be sleeping and that can cause a wide range of problems.
Your daughter may have different issues.
A cough is a reaction to a number of different things but they all are related to the airway or clogging of the airway.

How bad are the molds, pollen, pets, humidity, pollution and dust mites?

[chunkyfrog]

Maybe a recording of the sounds she makes while sleeping would shed some light on her condition.
You could do this at home. Depending on the outcome, the doctor may RX a sleep study, or other tests.