Hello, E.! My daughter has the exact same thing. Sounds like she is barking instead of coughing! She is 11 and her cough started last April and lasted for 6 weeks before I took her to the doctor. I thought she just had a cold and cough. Our pediatrician, whom I love, kept telling me it was allergies and kept prescribing things that didn't work -- Allegra, some blue cough syrup, etc. I finally put my foot down and told them to not speculate but actually do the tests to find out what is happening. I finally called my insurance company to see if I needed a referral to an allergy specialist and they told me I didn't so I called a pulmologist/allergist. He is a wonderful doctor and he immediately told me she had cough induced asthma. He ordered a breathing test at the hospital which she didn't do too well on. He told me that it would take time but our goal is to stop the cough. He put her on 3 medications -- on oral and 2 inhalers. Singulair and Asmanex and Foradil. She has been on this medication now since June/July and her cough is about gone. He told us it would take time. Also, when she gets a cold it flairs up again.
Please stop taking all medication and find a pulmologist who is a allergy specialist also. I live in the Lancaster, SC area and if you are near me I'll send you the name of mine. I got fed up with the prescribing medications just to speculate and not finding the cure! Force your pedicatrician for the referral if you need one. Check with insurance company and make sure you need one. But get one and be firm in your stance and take control. Don't let them control you! This is YOUR child! Good luck and let me know if you need anything! I'm praying for you!