Patient's question:
My baby is ten and a half months old. She has a cold and coughs very badly. The doctor at the hospital prescribed Zuckamu Granules, Erythromycin, and Children's Digestive Cough Syrup. After taking it for two days, she improved significantly and coughed less. I then stopped the Erythromycin and Digestive twice, but suddenly her condition worsened again. Now it's even worse than the first day. What should I do?First follow-up question: Now my mother-in-law has changed the medication again, giving her Hongtai Children's Cold Granules, Erythromycin, and Digestive Syrup. But I think changing the medication is not good, as it may increase drug resistance. Seeing my child in such pain, I am very anxious!!!!
Doctor's answer:
Hello: 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 as appropriate. 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 a patient presents with cough, a comprehensive analysis of the condition is necessary to identify the cause. Based on treating the underlying cause, appropriate cough suppressants should be selected for symptomatic treatment.Medications for treating cough are mainly divided into three categories: antitussives, expectorants, and bronchodilators.
Antitussives mainly include: codeine, morphine, pholcodine, butamirate, glycyrrhiza preparations, etc. These drugs are effective for mild respiratory inflammation and (irritating 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 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 primarily involve relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, which facilitates mucus expulsion. When using these medications, it is important to choose those with minimal side effects and that are safe and reliable for children.