Patient's question:
My son is two years and four months old. Recently, for the past two weeks, he has been coughing sometimes, especially after waking up. I can hear something like mucus in his trachea, but he doesn't have a fever. I took him to the hospital, and the pediatric specialist listened to his trachea and said there's nothing wrong. What could be the reason? Is it related to the electric heater we use while sleeping?Also, my son doesn't like to eat. To explain, sometimes when he wants to eat, it's very smooth, and he finishes quickly. But if he doesn't want to eat, no matter how I coax him, he won't eat. Sometimes he even shows signs of nausea when he sees food. What could be the reason? Please advise on how to treat it and how to find the cause.
Thank you!
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.
Medications for treating cough are mainly divided into three categories: cough suppressants, expectorants, and bronchodilators.
Cough suppressants mainly include: codeine, morphine, pholcodine, butamirate, glycyrrhiza preparations, etc. These drugs are effective for mild respiratory inflammation and 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 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 mainly involve relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, facilitating mucus expulsion. When using these drugs, it is important to choose those with minimal side effects and that are safe and reliable for children.