Patient's question:
7 years old, coughing at night, poor sleep, difficulty breathing, needs treatment. How should I handle my son's severe cough?Doctor's answer:
Treatment Methods for Coughing in Children:1. Elevate the Baby’s Head at Night
If the baby coughs persistently while sleeping, you can elevate their head to alleviate the symptoms. Raising the head is helpful for most coughs caused by infections because when lying flat, secretions from the baby’s nose flow easily down to the throat, causing irritation and worsening coughing at night. Elevating the head can reduce the backward flow of nasal secretions. It’s also important to change the baby’s sleeping position frequently, preferably alternating between sides, which helps in the discharge of respiratory secretions.
2. Warm Drinks to Relieve Cough
Drinking warm fluids can make the baby’s mucus thinner, relieve tension in the respiratory tract lining, and promote the expulsion of phlegm. The best options are warm water, warm milk, or rice porridge. Fresh juices can also be given, but it’s recommended to choose less irritating ones like apple or pear juice, rather than citrus juices such as orange or grapefruit juice.
3. External Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Some safe and effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) external application methods can be used. Since many infants and young children may vomit easily when taking medication at home due to their physiological reasons, making it difficult to administer oral medication, external (pastes) can be used in conjunction to enhance the effect. Examples include Baicao Qiongjiang Yiqi (a herbal patch) and Sanfu (a summer-specific TCM patch).