Patient's question:
The child is five and a half months old. At first, a few days of diarrhea occurred. After applying the "Dinggui Ertu Patch," there was no improvement, so they took two days of "Haoke" anti-inflammatory medicine. The diarrhea improved and worsened intermittently, with several episodes of bowel movements throughout the day. At night, the bowel movements were mostly normal, but at other times, it was what people call diarrhea. Five days after the diarrhea started, coughing began. The first two days, it was just occasional coughs, which were not taken seriously. On the third day, the coughing became severe at night, sometimes accompanied by vomiting (previously, the child had been fed every time they vomited).What should be done?
Doctor's answer:
Children are generally not suitable for the use of central cough depressants such as codeine, pholcodine, and dextromethorphan. The respiratory system of infants and young children is not yet fully developed, and they have a poor cough reflex, narrow airway lumen, rich blood vessels, poor ciliary movement, and difficult expectoration of sputum. If a strong cough suppressant is given at the slightest cough, although the cough may be temporarily stopped, the mucociliary transport function of the ciliated epithelial cells on the tracheal mucosa and the contractile peristaltic function of the bronchial smooth muscle are inhibited, making it difficult for sputum to be expelled 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, more severe and irritating dry coughs can be selected for this type of cough medicine, but it should be used on the basis of treating the underlying disease.For children with cough, it is advisable to choose cough medicines that have both expectorant and (thickening sputum) 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 itself. When taking it, do not dilute it with water, nor do you need to take it with water.
Medical Advice:
Vomiting (Vomiting) is one of the common symptoms in children. It can be caused by digestive system diseases or seen in various systemic and organ diseases. It can be a single symptom or one of the complex symptoms of multiple serious diseases. Therefore, any negligence can easily delay diagnosis or even endanger life. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully analyze vomiting, identify the cause, and treat it promptly.