Patient's question:
My son is two years and four months old. Recently, for the past two weeks, he has been coughing sometimes, especially after waking up. I can hear something like phlegm in his trachea, but he doesn't have a fever. I took him to the hospital, and the pediatric specialist listened to him and said there's nothing wrong with his trachea. What could be the reason? We have an electric heater on when we sleep—is that related?Also, my son doesn't like to eat. To explain, sometimes when he wants to eat, it's very smooth, and he finishes it quickly. But if he doesn't want to eat, no matter how I coax him, he won't eat, and sometimes he even shows signs of nausea when he sees food. What could be the reason? Please advise on how to treat it and how to find the cause.
Thank you!
Doctor's answer:
Hello: Cough itself is not an independent disease but a defensive response to clear foreign substances from the respiratory tract. Mild cough is harmless to the body and can be treated by addressing the cause without the need for cough suppressants. However, when severe cough causes suffering to the patient, cough suppressants can be used as appropriate.There are many causes of cough, such as acute or chronic respiratory inflammation, respiratory foreign bodies, compression of the respiratory tract, allergic reactions, pleural irritation, and so on.
Medications for treating cough are mainly divided into three categories: antitussives, expectorants, and bronchodilators.
Antitussives mainly include: codeine, morphine, pholcodine, butamirate, licorice syrup, etc. These drugs are effective for mild respiratory inflammation and irritative dry cough. However, certain anesthetic drugs in this category must be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Expectorants include: juniper oil, ammonium chloride, potassium iodide, acetylcysteine, rhododendron, and little cough syrup, etc. These drugs are effective for clearing excessive and thick respiratory mucus.
Bronchodilators include: ephedrine, salbutamol, theophylline, vitamin K1, etc. Asthma is often caused by allergies or inflammation stimulating bronchial smooth muscle spasm. The pharmacological effects of bronchodilators mainly involve relaxing bronchial smooth muscle spasm, which facilitates mucus expulsion. When using these drugs, it is important to choose those with minimal side effects and that are safe and reliable for children.