My child keeps coughing when he lies down. What's going on?

If a child lies down, he will cough non-stop. This is mainly because there will be some phlegm in the throat that cannot be coughed out, which will cause itching in the throat and thus cause coughing. Such symptoms are common in common colds or bronchitis. In addition to medication, you should drink more water, eat a lighter diet, and eat more foods that have a expectorant effect.

1. Drink water properly, drink small amounts frequently

As long as your child has a cough, he or she should drink more water instead of waiting until he or she is thirsty. If children drink a certain amount of water every day, the phlegm can become thinner within a certain range, making it easier to cough up. Drinking water also helps promote blood circulation, speed up the excretion of metabolic waste and toxins in the body, so as to alleviate the adverse effects on the respiratory tract.

2. Eat light food and avoid raw, cold and greasy food

When children are coughing, it is appropriate to eat light food. They can eat some fresh fruits and vegetables and a little lean meat and eggs. However, they should avoid eating greasy, fishy foods, and especially sour foods, which will hinder the elimination of phlegm. If you have a cough caused by wind-heat, do not eat oranges.

3. Maintain indoor air humidity

Frequent ventilation is required to ensure that the indoor air reaches a certain humidity, which can effectively prevent the respiratory mucosa from becoming too dry and help to eliminate phlegm.

4. Focus on expectoration and use medication with caution

Avoid using medication to treat your child's cough in the early stages. Children's respiratory system functions are not yet perfect, and it is not easy for them to cough up phlegm smoothly. Drug treatment will suppress coughing, making it impossible for phlegm to be discharged smoothly, making it difficult to breathe, increasing the intensity of coughing, and even causing lung infection in severe cases. Therefore, when a child develops a cough, it is recommended to focus on expectoration.

5. The correct way to pat the back to expel phlegm

Let the baby lie on his side. In between coughs, you can make a fist with one hand and gently pat the baby's chest, sides and back. Pat the left side to make the baby lie on the left side, pat the right side to make the baby lie on the right side, and pat both sides alternately. Parents should note that the order of patting is from top to bottom and from outside to inside; the patting time is three to five minutes on each side, and two to three times a day. Patting can loosen the phlegm in the bronchi and lungs, speed up the blood circulation in the lungs and heart, and have a certain relieving effect.