Patient's question:
My child is 5 years old and has been coughing for over a month. We have tried many cough and phlegm relief medications, but it hasn't improved. Before this, he had been coughing for two months, and it would only last a few days before getting better. Now, he's coughing again. What should we do? It's not very serious, but it's worse in the morning. He doesn't cough during the day, and there is phlegm.Doctor's answer:
Hello:Coughing is a protective reflex action of the respiratory tract, which can prevent foreign objects from entering the trachea and bronchial system or prevent the accumulation of bronchial secretions. However, frequent coughing, choking cough, or severe cough in children should be considered as pathological and may be associated with the following diseases.
(1) Respiratory infections: ① Bacterial or viral infections, such as acute upper respiratory tract infection, chronic sinusitis, chronic pharyngitis, posterior pharyngeal abscess, acute epiglottitis, diphtheria, acute laryngitis, laryngotracheobronchitis, acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pulmonary tuberculosis, endobronchial tuberculosis, acute bronchiolitis, pneumonia, lung abscess, measles, pertussis. ② Fungal infections: Candida albicans infection of the respiratory tract. ③ Parasitic diseases: pulmonary hydatid cyst, lung fluke disease, malaria, amoebic dysentery, pulmonary larval migration syndrome.
(2) Allergic diseases: Bronchial asthma, eosinophilic pulmonary infiltration.
(3) Pulmonary circulatory disorders: Pulmonary congestion, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism.
(4) Mechanical or other factors: Inhalation of thick smoke or other irritating gases, hypertrophy of the adenoid, inhalation of foreign bodies into the respiratory tract, esophageal tracheal fistula, pleural effusion, mediastinal tumor, cardiac hypertrophy, pericardial effusion, diaphragmatic irritation, diaphragmatic hernia, stimulation of the auditory branch of the vagus nerve (e.g., external ear canal, foreign bodies, eczema).
(5) Psychogenic cough.
(6) Others: Cystic fibrosis of the pancreas, hemorrhagic lung-kidney syndrome, alveolar proteinosis, alveolar microlithiasis, pulmonary hemosiderosis, leukemia or reticuloendothelial disease.