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Coughs in children COUGHS IN CHILDREN
Coughing is a valuable defense mechanism of the body. It is the body's way of removing any foreign material that enters the respiratory tree (the organs used for breathing). The respiratory tree includes the throat, larynx, trachea, bronchial tubes, and lungs. Coughing is not a disease itself. It is an automatic reflex that is set off by any foreign matter that enters the respiratory tree or by any irritation of the lining of the tree.
In most cases, coughing helps remove unwanted materials from the body, although sometimes coughing does not succeed. The only harm in a cough is that it may keep a person from sleeping, or it may cause sore muscles and exhaustion if the cough is hard and frequent. Coughing may also lead to vomiting.
A cough is only as serious as the disease or condition that causes it. As with a fever, a child with a cough is no less ill if you lessen or stop the cough. A child with a mild illness and a cough is still only mildly ill. To correct the cough, cure the disease.
Signs and symptoms
Coughing is itself a symptom of a disease or of an irritating substance in the respiratory tree. Most coughs are caused by viruses (common colds, croup and bronchitis). Some are caused by bacteria (sinusitis, epiglottitis, bacterial pneumonia, whooping cough). Other coughs are caused by allergies (asthma) or by inhaling irritating particles from the air.
Home care
Since coughing is only one symptom of an illness, you must treat the whole illness - not just the cough. When the illness is cured, coughing and other symptoms will be relieved. There are, however, steps you can take to help relieve coughing.
Give the child plenty of liquids. Use a vaporizer or humidifier to add moisture to the air. Cough medicines are sometimes useful. There are, however, different types of cough medicines, which are used for different types of coughs or for different types of illness.
Cough suppressants are used to reduce the frequency of the cough by suppressing the cough reflex; they may contain a narcotic (codeine, dihydrocodeinone, or hydromorphine) or a non-narcotic (dextromethorphan or benzonatate). Consult your doctor before using a narcotic cough suppressant.
Cough looseners are used to loosen a tight cough; they contain an expectorant (glyceryl-guaiacolate, guaifenesin, ammonium chloride, or antimony potassium tartate), which may help the person cough mucus out of the lungs.
Cough tighteners are used to dry up a loose cough; they contain a decongestant (ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or homatropine).
Anti-allergy drugs are used to fight the allergy causing the cough; they contain ephedrine or an antihistamine. Some cough medicines contain a combination of ingredients and are intended to serve more than one purpose at the same time. Many different combinations of drugs are on the market in liquid form or as tablets or capsules. Before purchasing a cough medicine for home use, consult your doctor about the type of cough medicine (if any) that should be used.
Remember also that sometimes it is better not to try to suppress the cough. In some illnesses (especially asthma and pneumonia), coughing helps the child get rid of excess mucus in the lungs or air passages.
Precautions
• Do not give cough medicine to a child with croup.
• Do not give cough medicine to a child with any breathing difficulty unless you know you are treating asthma, and then give only anti-asthma drugs.
• Do not give cough medicine to a child who may have inhaled a foreign body.
Medical treatment
Your doctor will concentrate on treating the condition causing the cough, not on the cough itself. Narcotic cough medicines and some with antihistamines require a doctor's prescription.
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