Patient's question:
My son is 6 years old. Recently, he has had a long cough for a long time, and it's especially severe before bedtime. When we went to the hospital, they said it was bronchitis. There's no fever or shortness of breath. We've been taking medication for a while, but there hasn't been any significant improvement. It's been almost half a month, and I'm so worried. Does anyone know a doctor who can help me?First follow-up question: Before, he also had a stuffy nose, but it naturally disappeared after taking medication. It's a dry cough without phlegm, and when he coughs, it feels like there's something stuck in his throat.
Doctor's answer:
Children are generally not suitable for using central nervous system depressants such as codeine, pholcodine, and promethazine. The respiratory system of infants and young children is still underdeveloped, with poor cough reflex, narrow airway lumen, rich blood vessels, poor ciliary movement, and difficult expectoration of sputum. If strong cough suppressants are given at the slightest cough, although coughing may temporarily stop, the mucociliary transport function of ciliated epithelial cells on the tracheal mucosa and the contractile peristaltic function of bronchial smooth muscles are inhibited, leading to the inability to expel sputum smoothly. A large amount of sputum accumulates in the trachea and bronchi, affecting respiratory function. Codeine is contained in Fedexin, so attention should be paid to the dosage and timing of administration. Generally, for more severe, irritating dry cough, such cough suppressants can be selected, but they should be used on the basis of treating the underlying disease.For children with cough, it is advisable to choose cough suppressants that also have expectorant and (thickening and expectorant) effects. Syrups are better than tablets. After taking the syrup, it adheres to the mucous membranes of the throat, reducing irritation to the mucous membranes and achieving the purpose of cough suppression on its own. Do not dilute with water when taking it, nor do you need water to swallow it.
According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, cough is divided into hot cough, cold cough, wind-cold cough, and internal injury cough. When selecting traditional Chinese medicine cough syrups, due to different medicinal properties, they are also classified as cold, hot, warm, or cool, and must be taken according to the symptoms. Snake bile and Fuzhen liquid has the functions of dispelling wind, suppressing cough, expelling phlegm, and resolving (nodules), mainly treating wind-heat cough and excessive sputum. It should never be used for cough caused by wind-cold, with white, thin sputum, and worse at night than during the day. Compound loquat syrup has the functions of clearing the lungs, suppressing cough, and expelling phlegm, and is suitable for wind-heat cough, dry throat, and uncomfortable cough. Fresh bamboo juice has a slightly cold nature.