Patient's question:
Still only 12 days old. In recent days, I've noticed that my child always has phlegm in their throat. Whether eating, sleeping, or otherwise, they make a wheezing sound. They don't cough, but it feels like they can't breathe properly. I've tried [something], but how should I treat it?Doctor's answer:
Infants and young children lack the ability to cough and expel phlegm. Phlegm transported to the throat via the bronchial mucosal cilia cannot be expelled. During breathing, airflow through the throat produces a gurgling sound. Medication must be administered to infants on schedule. Infants often have runny noses, nasal congestion, and sneezing. This is because the nasal passages of infants are narrower than those of adults. Sinuses are not yet mature. Nasal mucosa is particularly sensitive. Therefore, after sneezing, when exposed to cold air or crying, they typically experience runny noses and nasal congestion. Additionally, like adults, the nasal mucosa of infants produces a normal amount of secretions daily. If secretions accumulate for a long time at the front end, they become dry and hard, blocking the narrow nasal passages of infants. With each breath, the infant's nose becomes congested. Sometimes, when infants sneeze, they expel nasal mucus from their nostrils.