Patient's question:
My child is 4 years old this year. A few days ago, he caught a cold while taking a bath, and he kept coughing. He took medicine, but it wasn't too bad during the day. However, at night, especially when he lies down in bed, he coughs nonstop.，，，？？Doctor's answer:
Hello: Based on the child's condition, some children's cough syrup can be consumed.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 appropriately. 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, etc. Therefore, when treating a coughing patient, it is essential to first comprehensively analyze the condition, identify the cause, and then select appropriate cough suppressants for symptomatic treatment based on the underlying condition.
Medications for treating cough are mainly divided into three categories: antitussives, expectorants, and bronchodilators.
Antitussives mainly include: codeine, morphine, pholcodine, phenergan, licorice syrup, etc. These medications are effective for mild respiratory inflammation and irritative dry cough but 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 medications are effective for clearing excessive and viscous respiratory mucus.
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 mainly involve relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, which facilitates mucus expulsion. When using these medications, it is important to choose those with minimal side effects and are safe and reliable for children.