Cough treatment in children

 Mothers are confused about the treatment of cough in children, especially if the child is young, and the first option is to consult a doctor to find out the causes of this cough, and whether the cough is a symptom of the child or is it due to disease, and then he will prescribe the appropriate treatment or prescribe some medical advice and safe alternative herbal remedies.

Coughing in children

Cough is one of the most common diseases of children, and mothers can fear its severity for their children, but often a cough is not a sign of a serious condition. Coughing is a healthy and important reflex that helps protect the airways, throat, and chest.

Mothers often fear for their children that the cough will continue. On top of it, the treatment of persistent cough will become insomnia, so they seek from the beginning to treat this problem so that it does not worsen.

Causes of cough in children

A cough is usually a sign that a child's body is trying to get rid of an irritant, whether its mucus or a foreign body. Common causes of a cough include:

• Cold and Flu Infection: Colds and flu tend to cause a cough.
• Stomach acid reflux: This is accompanied by symptoms of coughing, vomiting, frequent spitting, and a burning sensation in the chest.
• Asthma: Asthma can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms vary from child to child, but a wheezing cough, which may get worse at night, is one of the symptoms of asthma.
• Allergies/sinusitis: They cause a prolonged cough, as well as an itchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, or rash.
• Whooping cough: It is a series of coughing, followed by a hoarse inhalation. Other symptoms can include a runny nose, sneezing, and a low fever. Whooping cough is contagious, but it is easy to prevent with a vaccine and antibiotics.
• Inhalation of a foreign body.
• exposure to irritants Such as pollution from cigarettes or stove smoke.

Cough treatment in children

Many medical journals indicate that medicines used to treat cough in children do not help with recovery, but may pose a real danger, especially for young children who are not more than two years old.

Do not use cold and cough medicines for children under 4 years of age unless advised to do so by a doctor.

Adult medicines are never given to children.

Pediatricians recommend these strategies that may help treat cough in children

A doctor is contacted immediately if the child is three months old or younger.

Honey is used to treat a cough or sore throat in children, but only if they are over a year old.

Use saline drops or sprays to remove mucus.

Give the child plenty of fluids to increase hydration.

Call the doctor If the child has wheezing, other treatments may be needed to help open the airways.

Using herbs that are appropriate for the child's age, whether in making warm drinks or doing steam sessions.

Children's cough medicine

When a child suffers from a cough, parents resort to using one of the remedies that contain these active ingredients and without a prescription, which is common in pharmacies:

• cough suppressants
• bronchial opener
• decongestants
• antihistamines

The problem is that these drugs have not often been studied on children, but rather in adults, and both adults and children do not react to these drugs in the same way.

Types of cough

Coughs often do not require medical attention, but understanding the different types of coughs can help you know when to treat them at home and when to contact your doctor.

The most common types of cough are:

• Whooping cough
• dry cough
• coughing with wheezing
• night cough
• Coughing during the day
• Coughing with phlegm
• Cough with fever
• Coughing and vomiting
• persistent cough

Complications of cough

When children's cough is not treated, it will develop and lead to successive problems, including:

• Persistent cough.
• The cough turned into a chronic cough.
• Lack of sleep and insomnia at night.
• Urinary incontinence while coughing.
• Pain in the chest and abdomen.
• Fatigue and fatigue.

Cases that require a doctor's visit

When treating a cough in children, be careful of these things, and contact your doctor immediately if one of them occurs:

• If the child cannot take himself easily or approach
• If the child feels suffocated
• If the child's lips or fingernails are blue [1]
• Cases requiring emergency review
• Difficulty breathing or speaking
• continuous vomiting
• The child's face turns red or purple when coughing
• Drooling or difficulty swallowing
• Coughing due to something stuck in their throat
• Chest pain when breathing
• bloody cough
• The child's immune system is weak
• Fever over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, with no improvement with fever treatments.

Medicinal herbs for the treatment of cough in children

Because it is not preferable to use medicines to treat cough in children, it is preferable to use medicinal herbs such as:

• Rosemary: The leaves contain flavonoids, and they help relax the muscles, and rosemary helps to increase heart and lung functions, so it is great medicine, especially for children who suffer from mucous pale cough. Steam session to expand the people.
• Thyme: This plant stimulates the thymus gland, the gland responsible for stimulating white blood cells. Thyme has also been used throughout history for laryngitis, bronchitis, persistent coughing fits, shortness of breath, pneumonia, poor appetite, and low immunity.
• Lemon balm: Lemon balm is an antiviral, as the lemon balm is used to get rid of a cold, and it can be added to food recipes, pies, and juices, as it has a very delicious taste.

Cough treatment for children at home

Honey: Studies have shown that honey is better than medicines in treating cough in children, and honey helps sick child sleep better, and children are happy to eat it because it tastes good, and children are given half a teaspoon of children aged from one to five years. And a teaspoon for children between the ages of 6 and 11 years, and it is worth noting that honey should not be given to children under the age of one year.

Chicken soup: Research shows that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties, and its warm temperature also acts as a vaporizer, helping to expel mucus from the nasal passages.

Hot or cold drinks: Very warm or cold liquids help thin mucus.

Chest massage: If the child is over two years old, the chest can be rubbed with aloe vera, eucalyptus, lavender, or rosemary oils, which will provide better sleep for the little one.