Fiona has been coughing at mealtimes for quite some time now. We have no idea why. It isn't a huge cough. For lack of a better way to describe it, it's more of a quiet, very mild 'clear your throat' cough. She can't really explain why she does it...when asked the best she can do is tell us it's to help her breathe. If she is asked to stop coughing during a meal, she gets distressed and says she can't help it. Dh is quite bothered by it. I don't believe it is caused by anything physiological, but I also have no explanation for it. Dh wants to take her to a doctor, but I'm not convinced that will get us anywhere. Any thoughts?

Possible nasal drainage (spicy food?).

Also possibly food getting stuck in tonsil cavities.

Possibly dry/throat mouth from dry foods (not drinking enough fluids/water).

also dairy can cause extra mucus production in some people. I know my throat sometimes gets a lot of mucus after drinking milk.

a small cough can come when someone is wheezing or has asthma...I know from experience!

Ditto all of the above.

The first thing I thought...was tonsil related. A friend of ours had a son who just could not eat certain things, meat especially, but some other things I don't remember as well. He *liked* them. He would chew them up, but then spit them out because he couldn't swallow.

Come to find out, it was a tonsils issue. His were huge, impeding his ability to eat, breathe and sleep well.

He had them removed and hasn't had a single problem since then. Devours all those foods he once only chewed.

The coughing 'because she needs to' thing just sounded along those same lines to me.

By all means, give it a little more time, see if you can work with her on it, see if you can better determine why she 'needs' to. Then, go ahead and take her in.

I do the same thing at times. Asthma is the problem that I have but it could be any of the things mentioned.

Thanks for your input. I just don't know... I suppose it *could* be something, but it just seems so strange that there are NO other symptoms and she has NO complaints. Even when she is eating. *shrug* Weird.

All of the above are possiblities and I would without a doubt talk to her pediatrician....I know you say she says she 'has to' do it, yet doesn't 'complain' about it...but she very possibly is too young to articulate the complaint of what it feels like or why she has to do it....my father in law has had this problem the past year of constantly clearing his throat only when eating and it is due to the thickening of the throat area and reflux....you should definatly follow up to eleiminate your options so that if it is something treatable, it will be addressed at an early stage and prevent causing further problems. Good luck!

Thanks, Breezy! :)