Treating The 7 Types of Cough Common in Children
Children tend to catch colds more than once
a year, and these colds are oftentimes accompanied by diarrhea, fever,
weakness and, of course, a bothersome cough that makes it difficult for
them to fall asleep and sometimes cause severe pain. This is mostly due
to viruses, and although a cough usually passes after a short period of
time, we all want to help our children and ease the symptom as much as
possible. In the next article, you can learn about the 7 most common
types of coughs in children and how you can help them overcome each of
them. In any case, where you see that the cough isn’t going away, make
an appointment to see your pediatrician. However, thanks to these
treatments and advice, you might never reach that point...
1. Barking cough
Your child went to sleep with a stuffy nose but has been sleeping
peacefully for several hours. Suddenly you hear a bark-like sound, and
when you go in to check on your child you see them coughing and trying
to catch their breath.
What’s the reason?
A barking cough is a phenomenon usually accompanied by hoarseness, a
cold, and lack of appetite. The cough is a symptom of a viral disease
called laryngitis that causes inflammation in the vocal and tracheal
cavity, affecting children aged 6 months to 6 years. Usually, the cough
improves during the day and gets worse during the night.
How to treat it
Several things can be done to treat a barking-cough:
* Since this cough is often a product of the formation of edema in the
windpipe, if it is winter, you should dress your child well and take a
short walk with them outside. The cold outside will reduce the edema and
make the child feel better.
* If you have a cold -air humidifier in your home, you can use it for a
few minutes until the cough gets better.
* Make sure your child drinks enough to keep him/her from dehydrating.
When to see a doctor
Call immediately for urgent medical help if the child is struggling to
breathe, has difficulty speaking or swallowing saliva, or if the cough
causes seizures lasting longer than 5 minutes.
2. Phlegmy cough
This type of cough is easy to identify because it is a wet cough that
sounds heavy and moist. It lasts longer than the dry cough we all know
and is accompanied by a runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes and lack of
appetite.
What’s the reason?
A phlegmy cough is usually the result of a cold and can last from
several days to several weeks, depending on the severity of the cold and
the nature of the treatment.
How to treat it
Since this cough is caused by viruses, antibiotics won’t help. Here are
the things you should do:
* Avoid foods that produce phlegm, such as peanuts, fruit such as
oranges and bananas, and dairy products. Instead, try adding products
known as phlegm absorbing. Some of these food products are bitter, and
therefore won’t be too appetizing for your children, but the tasty ones
are pears, green apples or even boiled grapefruit peel that can be
sweetened with honey.
* Since this cough is a product of a cold, it can be relieved by
maintaining open airways. If the child finds it difficult to blow their
nose, you can use nasal drops or sprays that are suitable for children.
* You can use a cold-air humidifier or give the child a hot bath so
that the steam will help clear their airways.
* Consult a doctor before giving children over-the-counter medicines,
including cough-relieving sucking candies.
When to see a doctor
If the cough is accompanied by green nasal mucus or fever, go to the
doctor to rule out the child developing a bacterial infection in the
sinuses.
3. Dry night cough
The next cough sticks around for a while, sometimes during the fall or
winter, and worsens every time the child performs a certain activity
that exerts the body or when exposed to cold air.
What is the reason?
If you have a dry cough that lasts for many weeks and gets worse in the
above cases, you should consult a doctor to make sure your child doesn’t
have asthma. Although many parents tend to think that wheezing is the
main sign of asthma, an unceasing dry night cough can be the only
symptom of asthma in some children.
How to treat it
In case of a dry cough that doesn’t go away or is accompanied by
coughing attacks that make it difficult for the child to function, it is
important to see a doctor. If asthma is suspected, lung function tests
will be performed and medications given to ease coughing attacks will be
considered.
4. Weak hoarse cough
The child is less active, they play less or get tired very quickly, and
sometimes they suffer from a cough which is weak and husky as well as
fever, muscle pain, and a runny nose.
What’s the reason?
In this case, it is probably the flu attacking the respiratory system.
Among children, the flu has a long incubation period, so they can walk
around with the virus for a few days before symptoms are actually seen,
and infect friends and family.
How to treat it
In addition to the appropriate treatment for fever reduction, depending
on the age of the child, there are several additional things that are
important and can be done to treat the cough:
Liquids - Make sure the child drinks plenty of liquids in order to
return fluids lost through coughing and sweating. Children over the age
of two should drink hot tea without caffeine or a mixture of hot water
with half a teaspoon of honey and lemon, to relieve both cough and sore
throat. Chicken soup, which is a very well-known grandma’s remedy, is
considered a tasty and healthy source of fluids that children often like
to drink.
Flax seed drink - To soften a dry and weak cough, one tablespoon of
flax seeds can be boiled with 3 cups of water for 15 minutes. Wait for
the drink to cool and let the child drink.
Buckwheat honey - In cases of children over the age of one year, try
to calm the cough with a teaspoon of buckwheat honey mixed on tea or
water. This is a special honey produced from buckwheat flowers only and
can be bought in most supermarkets.
When to see a doctor
Check with your doctor if your child has a fever that is over 100
degrees Fahrenheit which isn’t lowered by fever-reducing medication, if
their mouth or tongue is dry, if they refuse to eat, or if their mucus
appears in green hues.
children
5. Wheezing cough in babies
In many babies, a wheezing cough may occur, accompanied by faster
breathing, irritability, and impatience.
What’s the reason?
The phenomenon of wheezing in infants, which occurs most often in the
autumn and winter seasons, doesn’t always mean pneumonia as some parents
might think. At young ages, it can be due to inflammation or infection
of the respiratory tract. When it swells and fill with mucus, it makes
it difficult for babies to breathe.
How to treat it
This is an uncomfortable situation, but it passes quite easily with
proper medical care. See a doctor who can diagnose the problem and rule
out other problems with a physical exam, and be sure to give enough
fluids to prevent dehydration.
6. Long coughing spells
These attacks occur after a cold, leading to a child coughing more than
20 times in one breath. Between coughs, the child may seem to have a
hard time breathing, their face may redden, and their breathing is
accompanied by wheezing. In babies, the lips may become slightly purple.
What’s the reason?
In some cases, the combination of these symptoms may suggest pertussis,
or whooping cough, which is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria
Bordetella pertussis.
How to treat it
If you suspect pertussis, contact your
doctor or emergency room immediately. Because this is a contagious
disease, the infection will be treated with antibiotics and the doctor
may also recommend that other children or adults at home take it as
prophylaxis.
7. Cough that indicates pneumonia
At the end of a cold, some children may experience increased and wet
coughing, while their breathing becomes faster than usual. Some children
may also complain of chest pain.
What’s the reason?
Pneumonia is one of the most common diseases among children and is
caused by an infection caused by a bacteria or parasite that invades the
lungs, creates an inflammatory reaction and causes them to fill up with
fluid. The body's activity against inflammation helps it to heal but
simultaneously creates swelling and fever symptoms.
How to treat it
If you notice that your child's cough is getting worse and is
accompanied by a fever and that the child is suffering from shortness of
breath or pain in the chest area, consult your doctor. Even if the
diagnosis is pneumonia, in most cases there is no cause for concern,
since it is a disease with a usually quick and uncomplicated recovery
time. In cases where the cause of the infection is a bacterium, the
child will receive antibiotic treatment, whereas, in the case of a
virus, the cough will pass on its own itself. Only in rare cases where
respiratory distress is caused, the disease may require hospitalization
and medical follow-up.
A supplementary treatment of the disease can be given after consulting
with your doctor. Cough medication is usually not used in cases of
pneumonia, as coughing has an important role in removing respiratory
tract infections. If it is a particularly severe cough that interferes
with breathing, your doctor may recommend medication that will relieve
the cough slightly to improve the overall feeling.