Children’s Cough – Understand More About This Symptom

Children’s cough is a discomfort that, besides appearing throughout the day, increases and worsens at night, when the child lies down to sleep, causing great discomfort not only for children but for their parents as well.

Tip to Relieve Cough Attacks

The ideal is that during coughing fits, the pillow should be elevated or higher than usual, to prevent the child from choking or suffocating if food comes back up.

Explanatory Video

What Causes Children’s Cough?

Cough in children is usually a symptom of flu, colds, and allergies, and children tend to have it more often than adults due to their low immunity or because their immune system is not fully developed¹. But it can also be a sign of more serious problems that require more specialized treatment, such as:

• Allergic rhinitis – Allergies to animal hair, dust, and mites can cause children’s cough, and also bring a runny nose and watery eyes².

• Asthma – The cough is accompanied by difficulty breathing and a loud wheezing in the chest³.

• Reflux – Persistent cough without any other apparent symptom, with food coming back up after repeated coughing fits. These usually happen at night⁴

• Respiratory Allergy – Can have the same causes as allergic rhinitis, as well as being triggered by eating certain foods⁵.

Conditions such as sinusitis, pneumonia, and laryngitis also have cough as a symptom and should be closely monitored. If the child experiences a continuous cough for more than one week, a doctor should be consulted for further tests.

How to Treat Children’s Cough?

Obviously there is a specific treatment for each case, but there are ways to relieve these bothersome symptoms, such as:

• Taking a tablespoon of honey can help soothe the cough
• Inhalation with saline solution in the case of a phlegmy cough can not only help relieve it but also help expel the mucus
• Making the environment more humid by leaving a wet towel next to the bed or crib, or a basin of water can also help

Can I Give Syrup On My Own?

Syrups are often used and recommended because they are very effective at controlling and soothing cough, especially syrup for dry cough, which tends to be the most bothersome for children. But we do not recommend giving it on your own, always talk to your child’s pediatrician and ask for a prescription for the appropriate medication.

In addition to syrups, there are also homemade teas which help with this discomfort, and ginger tea with lemon is a great option for children. As for cough syrups, you can easily find a variety of options in pharmacies, in different flavors that please children’s taste and that help control and soothe the cough.

See also: How to reduce fever in children?

Photo: D.Reichardt