Coughing — Scope | Disability forum
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Coughing

heidibuckell
heidibuckell Community member, CP Network Posts: 9 Courageous
Hi
Over the last 2-3 years I've noticed that I cough a lot more, especially when eating. I'm now 40 and have spastic athetoid CP I just wondered whether anyone else has found that they cough more and if so, do they know what helps to reduce their coughing

Comments

  • April2018mom
    April2018mom Posts: 2,882 Disability Gamechanger
    Perhaps take smaller bites when eating?
  • forgoodnesssake
    forgoodnesssake Community member Posts: 500 Pioneering
    My son (athetoid CP and always had very poor mouth control and has no speech as a result) sometimes coughs quite a lot when eating.  He actually needs a blended diet of normal food as his swallow is weak and poorly controlled and he can't chew well at all.  He has been under speech and language therapist for dysphagia (poor swallow) and has had videofluoroscopy to check that he is not actually inhaling/aspirating food as this can cause serious problems and possible infection.  I would therefore urge you to look at the textures of the food that maybe makes you cough the most, and also as the other poster says, keep mouthfuls quite small and chew well, if you can.  It would probably also be a good idea to ask your GP for a referral to a dysphagia Speech therapist just to be on the safe side.
  • Gwendoline1
    Gwendoline1 Community member Posts: 215 Pioneering
    Hiya heidibuckell,
    I too suffer from an horrendous cough.
    I find anything can cause me to cough, It can be eating, drinking and even just breathing. I’m asthmatic and just assumed it was down to that but people kept saying that it didn’t seem right, I’ve suffered from this for quite a long time.
    I spoke to my asthma nurse and had many appointments with my local hospital under numerous departments and annoying no one as solved this for me.
    Its extremely frustrating and at times embarrassing but I’m yet to find a diagnosis.
    I live in hope but you’re not on your own with the dreaded ‘cough’. 
    Hope some one can give you a diagnosis.
    Good luck ???
  • heidibuckell
    heidibuckell Community member, CP Network Posts: 9 Courageous
    Thank you for all those who have commented on my post re my tendency to be coughing more

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