How to cure a cough with a lot of phlegm

Patient's question:

Patient Age: Two months
Detailed Condition and Purpose of Consultation: At 40 days, the patient had a cough and took some medication, but it didn't improve. The patient lost water for five days, and the inflammation subsided, but it led to dysbiosis. Now, the cough has returned, and the patient is afraid of losing more water. For such a young baby, what should be done?

Doctor's answer:

Hello: Cough itself is not an independent disease but a defensive response to clear foreign substances from the respiratory tract. A mild cough is harmless to the body and can be treated by addressing the cause without the need for cough suppressants. However, when a severe cough causes significant discomfort to the patient, cough suppressants can be cautiously selected.
There are many causes of cough, such as acute or chronic respiratory inflammation, respiratory foreign bodies, compression of the respiratory tract, allergic reactions, and pleural irritation, among others. Therefore, when treating a patient with a cough, it is essential to first comprehensively analyze the condition, identify the cause, and then select appropriate cough suppressants based on the underlying condition for symptomatic treatment.
Medications for treating cough are primarily divided into three major categories: cough suppressants, expectorants, and bronchodilators.
Cough suppressants mainly include: codeine, morphine, pholcodine, fenoterol, licorice syrup, etc. These drugs are effective for mild respiratory inflammation and irritative dry cough. However, certain anesthetic-class drugs in this category must be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Expectorants include: juniper oil, ammonium chloride, potassium iodide, acetylcysteine, rhododendron, and small cough syrup, etc. These drugs are effective for clearing excessive respiratory mucus and reducing its viscosity.
Bronchodilators include: ephedrine, salbutamol, theophylline, and vitamin K1, etc. Asthma is often caused by allergies or inflammation stimulating bronchial smooth muscle spasm. The pharmacological effects of bronchodilators primarily involve relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, facilitating mucus expulsion. When using these medications, it is important to choose those with minimal side effects and are safe and reliable for children.