Pay attention to coughing with mucus in children – Health News
Pediatrics and Children’s Diseases Dr. Burak Emre Demir talked about the causes of coughing complaints in children and which treatment method should be followed. Dr. Demir listed the causes of cough manifesting with the winter season as follows: “Infectious diseases have increased with the advent of the winter months. Fever, sore throat, cough and fatigue are the most common complaints. Coughing is one of these complaints and coughing in children worries families. Coughing is not actually a disease, but a response to protect the body from threats such as foreign bodies, sputum, inflammation and secretions entering the airways. Not stopping the cough, but eliminating the conditions that are causing the cough is the correct treatment method. Dr Demir said: “From mild conditions such as colds and nasal congestion in children, more serious respiratory conditions such as flu, ear infections, croup, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma can cause coughing. Apart from these, factors like foreign body, allergy, smoking, reflux, cystic fibrosis, tumor can also cause cough. The features of the cough guide the diagnosis. If the cough is bark style, it is suspicious for croup, if it sounds like a sigh, for whooping cough, if accompanied by wheezing, it is suspicious for asthma/bronchitis. If the sudden onset of cough is accompanied by bruising, you think of foreign body infiltration in the airways. Coughing due to upper respiratory infections may increase at night due to nasal discharge. It can also cause coughing, retching and vomiting.
Cough with mucus
“What to do if the cough is phlegmatic?” Demir also answered the question: “When diagnosed, the time of the cough, its form (phlegm, dryness, barking), how it started (suddenly, after feeding and exercise, from dust and allergens), what complaints accompany the child ( fever, wheezing, shortness of breath, nose), congestion, vomiting, weight loss, night sweats) should definitely be questioned. If the cough lasts more than 2 weeks, is observed with wheezing, persists even if the child does not have a fever, if it recurs, if there is sneezing, nasal congestion and itching, the cause of the cough may be allergic. In children attending daycare, an overlapping cold can cause a cough that lasts for weeks. If the child’s cough lasts more than three days, gradually increases, is accompanied by fever, shortness of breath and bruising, if it starts suddenly and has a barking cough, a doctor’s examination is imperative.
HOW ARE YOU?
Explaining how the cough passes, specialist Dr Burak Emre Demir said: “Children in good general condition, without fever or respiratory distress, can be monitored at home. The best cough syrup in such cases is warm water. Plenty of water and fluid intake provides relief by soothing the child’s throat. If there is a stuffy nose, it can be opened with saline. Since dry air can also be a cause of coughing, you can use water vapor to provide the right humidity. Keeping the humidity in your home at 50 percent will reduce your children’s and babies’ coughing problem. If you use a cold steam machine to humidify the house, you should maintain and clean these devices regularly. In infants under 6 months of age, cough should be monitored very carefully. Otherwise, the underlying disease causing the cough may cause more serious problems. While it may seem like a simple cough, a cough in babies can turn into bronchitis or pneumonia if neglected. For this reason, families with small babies should take their children to the doctor when they cough.
NATURAL METHODS
Explaining the Natural Methods for Cough, Dr. Demir said, ‘By consuming plenty of warm liquids, herbal teas soothe the throat and relieve cough. In addition, honey is very useful for children older than one year. Honey can be given plain or mixed with ginger and turmeric. You can also give it by making honey syrup with warm water or milk. Likewise, molasses can be given. Dried mulberry tea is also beneficial. However, these methods should never preclude the treatments recommended by a doctor’s study. Specialist Dr. Burak Emre Demir also listed the situations in which a doctor should be consulted. Demir said: “If your child has a high fever, looks weak and tired, says his chest hurts, if your child is breathing rapidly, if there is a wheezing sound when breathing, if there is a color change that is almost blue on his face, lips, if he has difficulty breathing, if he has a retraction of the ribs, if there is also a groaning breath and blood comes out when coughing, you should definitely have him examined by a pediatrician,” he said.