Patient's question:
The child has only had a cough for two days, and after a hospital examination, it was found that there were wheezing sounds in the lungs, indicating asthmatic bronchitis. The doctor prescribed the following medications:1) Meprilene Tablets
2) Guifeng Methylphenidate and Diphenhydramine Syrup
3) Azithromycin Powder for Suspension
4) At the same time, "Ventolin Inhalation Solution, Aerolizer Inhalation Liquid, and Pulmicort Suspension for Inhalation" were used for nebulization therapy.
I have the following questions for the doctor:
A) What is Meprilene Tablets, and what does it treat (since it is in bulk, there is no instruction leaflet)?
B) Is nebulization mandatory? What are the side effects? Can doing more nebulization sessions avoid the need for medication?
Doctor's answer:
First, consider two possibilities regarding the child's condition: one is low immunity, leading to recurrent infections, which is why the cough hasn't fully resolved; the other is allergic cough.② Diagnostic criteria for allergic cough: Coughing occurs repeatedly for more than one month, characterized by nighttime or early morning onset, dry cough without phlegm; no signs of infection are present clinically, or antibiotics have been ineffective after prolonged use; bronchodilator medications can alleviate the cough.
③ Since allergic cough is essentially cough-variant asthma, it needs to be treated like asthma, with a course of treatment lasting 6 months to 2 years.
④ Due to the long duration of asthma treatment, current therapy should include anti-infection treatment combined with traditional Chinese medicine for about 5 days to assess the effectiveness. If the treatment is effective or the cough resolves, then allergic cough cannot be diagnosed; boosting immunity, such as taking Transfer Factor Oral Solution orally, can be helpful. This medication is simple, convenient, and cost-effective, and I have observed its clinical efficacy. If the above treatments are ineffective, then allergic cough should be treated accordingly.
⑤ Treatment for allergic cough: Singulair can be taken, with a typical course of three months; it should be combined with inhaled budesonide. First, inhale it for a period to see if it is effective. If the results are satisfactory, the treatment should be continued for at least 6 months. It is best to confirm the diagnosis and then provide symptomatic treatment. Wishing the baby a healthy growth.