Responding to Cough in Children

Efforts to Remove Mucus

As long as the cough in a child does not cause eating, drinking, breathing, and there is no wheezing sound that accompanies, there is really no need to worry. Although at first glance it seems disturbing, coughing is actually beneficial to cleanse phlegm or mucus from the chest and back of the throat. Some causes of cough in children include:

The flu often triggers a cough reaction as the body's natural effort to remove mucus from the back of the throat.

Bacterial or viral infections can also trigger a cough accompanied by shortness of breath and fever.

Asthma symptoms. Marked by a cough that occurs for a long time, after the child runs around or coughs that appear / worsen at night. This type of cough is also often accompanied by wheezing or shortness of breath.

Air or environmental factor. Cigarette smoke or being around pets can make children cough.

Home Care

Some coughs in children are caused by viruses. Viral infections can last up to two weeks. Avoid using antibiotics to treat this condition because it is not effective in eradicating the virus.

As long as the child's sleep time is not disturbed, no medication is needed to deal with coughing. For children under 6 years of age, it is not recommended to take cough medicines that are sold freely without consulting a doctor.

When children cough, parents can help children feel more comfortable, namely by:

Keeping the child's body gets enough fluids. Warm tea, warm lemon juice with honey can help prevent dehydration while overcoming a dry throat. But avoid honey in children who are less than one year old.

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If coughing persists, take advantage of hot steam. Try sitting with your child while the child breathes steam from a bowl of hot water for about 20 minutes. Or you can take your child out of the house to breathe fresh air for about 10-15 minutes.

If available, use an air humidifier in your child's coughing room. Turn on before the child sleeps.

If your child's cough is caused by asthma, ask your doctor about the right plan for treating asthma in your child. Always provide the necessary asthma medication within your reach. Never give leftover antibiotics or other family members to your child who is coughing. If your doctor gives a child cough medicine, make sure you follow the instructions correctly.

Alert If Accompanied by Other Symptoms

If other symptoms that accompany cough arise, immediately consult a doctor or take the child to the nearest health unit to get help as soon as possible. For example if symptoms occur:

• Difficulty breathing or breathing faster than normal.
• The fever is getting worse.
• Pale or blue on the lips, tongue, or face.
• Fever and cough occur in infants less than three months old.
• Breath sounds after coughing.
• The child looks weak, fussy, and uncomfortable.
• Dehydration is characterized by dry mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, crying without tears, sunken eyes, and less urination.
• Cough accompanied by blood.

How to Prevent Cough and Treat Cough in Children

It is not easy to prevent coughing in children, but there are several ways that can be done to minimize transmission.

In the flu season, you can invite children to wash their hands as often as possible to prevent the spread of the virus. Ask adults in your child's activity to do the same. Then, don't let your children approach people who have cough flu.

Prohibit smokers from around the house or place of child activity. Being passive smoking for children can cause him to face various health risks besides coughing, including asthma, allergies, colds, and others.

Pay attention to the child's vaccination schedule. Make sure your child gets diphtheria vaccination, pertussis / whooping cough, and tetanus . If needed, ask your doctor to give flu-specific vaccinations too.

Coughing as the body's natural response to removing mucus or other foreign matter must be addressed appropriately. Perform home care to help relieve your child's breathing, cough medicine for children that matches the type of cough and age can also be used to help relieve symptoms, especially cough medicines with variations in the taste that children love can facilitate the administration of drugs to children. But if the cough does not heal and other dangerous symptoms arise, do not hesitate to immediately ask for help from a medical expert.