Cough treatment for children

With the approach of winter, many children suffer from coughing as a result of colds and flu, but what worries mothers is the frequent coughing of their children, which calls for taking cough treatment for children, whether with medicine or by natural methods, and this is what we explain to you in this report.

Causes of cough in children

The causes of cough in children are no different from the causes of adults, they are:

• Exposure to colds causes mild to moderate cough.
•  The child has the flu, which causes a severe dry cough.
• In children with allergies and sinus infections, a lot of mucus is secreted back into the throat, causing a cough.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease in children leads to vomiting and heartburn that leads to coughing.
• Asthma is one of the causes of chronic cough in children, and the cough increases during the night and early morning.
• If a child does not get the whooping cough vaccine, he may develop it, causing a chronic cough.
• A child may have a sudden cough as a result of exposure to certain irritants, including inhaled vehicle exhaust or cigarette smoke.

Treating cough in children 

used Otosan nasal spray to help treat the cough of infants and young children, as it helps to get rid of congestion and reduce the viscosity of mucus, thus facilitating its removal from inside the child's nose using tissues or nasal aspirator according to the age of the child. 

These drops are very safe to treat a cough in children at home, and can be used two or three times a day. It is especially preferred to use it at bedtime, in order to help the baby sleep well.

One of the ways to treat a cough in children at home is also to increase the child's drinking of fluids, as this can reduce the viscosity of mucus and reduce congestion.

Thus making mucus come out more easily from the nose, keeping the child's body hydrated can help increase the body's resistance to disease. 

For children under 6 months of age, increasing the amount of breast milk or formula is sufficient, and water or juice should be avoided, to avoid the risk of hyponatremia.

For babies over 6 months old, they can have most drinks like water, juice and milk as well as warm liquids like chicken soup. 

Is honey useful for treating cough in children and infants

Of course , cough in children can be treated with honey, as:

• Natural honey is a better option for treating cough in children at home than using cough medicines.
• Honey soothes a sore throat and has anti-inflammatory properties.
• The child is given half a teaspoon of honey before bedtime and a maximum of 4 times a day either directly in the mouth or after dissolving it in a glass of warm water with lemon.
• However, a cough should not be treated for children under the age of one year, due to the risks of honey to children of this age. 

Elevating the head for the treatment of cough in children and infants

the head is a common way to treat a cough in children at home, as it is recommended to simply place a pillow or a folded towel under the head of the child’s bed, which helps the child breathe easily and relieve his cough by reducing back nasal drip and the accumulation of phlegm in chest area. 

However, it should be noted that this method should not be followed in infants under the age of one and a half years, as this may pose a risk to their health, and a doctor should be consulted first before doing this for them.

Massaging the chest or neck for coughing for babies and children

Massaging the chest or neck with oils or creams containing menthol or camphor can help treat a cough in babies at home. 

This helps improve airflow through the nasal passages, and also helps babies sleep better. 

However, there are a number of caveats and advice about using these products, including:

• This method is only for children over two years of age.
• You should also avoid applying menthol or camphor to the face area or under the nose.
• You should consult your doctor before using this method.
• It is recommended to apply these products on the feet rather than the chest and neck area, as in the second case young children can touch the product and then put it in their eyes. 

Humidifying the air to treat cough in children and infants

Humidifying the air in the room using a humidifier helps treat cough in children at home, as this helps reduce the dryness of the respiratory passages and reduce the viscosity of the accumulated mucus in the chest and nose. 

Here are some tips for using a baby humidifier:

• It is recommended to run the device overnight in the bedroom of a coughing child.
• A cold humidifier is safer than a warm humidifier.
• The use of a humidifier that uses hot water should be avoided.
• It is also recommended to use distilled water inside the humidifier to reduce the chance of mineral buildup and calcification that occur inside the device.
• Follow the instructions for cleaning the appliance to prevent mold from forming inside.

Medicines for the treatment of cough in children 

• Mocosolvan Forte Syrup is one of the effective medicines in the treatment of cough, and its effect lasts for 12 hours.
• Prospan syrup  This medicine is extracted from natural herbs and is used in the treatment of cough in children safely as it relieves bronchial infections and reduces coughing.

Preventing a 

Cough Reducing your child's exposure to many irritants can reduce his or her cough symptoms. 

These irritants include smoke, dust, mold, irritants, and other baby allergens. 

Children's exposure to these irritants can be reduced by:

• Avoiding taking your child outside on days when the air quality is poor, such as when the weather is dusty.
• Avoid smoking next to the child or inside the house.
• Keep home humidity between 40-50%.
• Use hypoallergenic covers to cover pillows and bedding.
• Use a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency air filter to clean carpets.
• Use a room air purifier that has a high-efficiency particulate filter.
• Keep pets away from the child's sleeping area.

Although there are a number of effective ways to treat cough in children at home, in some cases the mother must see a doctor to supervise the treatment of the child and give him the appropriate medicines for his condition, and these cases include:

• If the child has been coughing for more than 10 days.
• If the body temperature rises to more than 38 ° C for more than 3 days.
• If the child feels short of breath for a long time, or feels chest pain 
• , if the child appears in a state of severe lethargy,
• blue skin, lips, or nails.

Thus, we have provided you with the best safe ways to treat cough in children and some home methods that reduce the symptoms of cough, but you have to monitor the child well and if the cough persists for more than 10 days, as we mentioned, or if the symptoms intensify, you should see the doctor so that the problem does not worsen .