Chronic cough in children

Coughing is a very common symptom in life. It can occur alone or as a symptom of other diseases. If the cough lasts for more than 8 weeks, it is considered a chronic cough. At this time, it cannot be treated simply as a cough. The key is to find the underlying cause. Chronic cough in children will definitely cause great harm, and the extent of treatment is what parents are most concerned about. So, can children's chronic cough be cured?

Can chronic cough in children be cured?

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment: Except for pneumonia, which requires Western medicine or hospitalization, for most children's coughs, traditional Chinese medicine has good efficacy and few side effects, and can be the first choice for parents. Traditional Chinese medicine is suitable for children in the early stages of the disease, recovery period, cough, and excessive phlegm.

At present, there are many varieties of Chinese patent medicine preparations for treating colds. If consumers have no knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine and cannot distinguish between cold and heat, they will blindly buy and take Banlangen granules and cold and fever-reducing granules, thinking that antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying products will definitely reduce fever and resist colds. This is a fallacy and inappropriate and should be corrected.

To cure a disease, one must seek its root cause. If one treats a cough without distinguishing between the symptoms and the root cause, and without investigating the cause and effect, and only treats the lungs, it will be difficult to achieve satisfactory results. For example, new coughs are mostly caused by external factors, so dispersing should be the main approach, with astringing as a supplement. Long-term cough is mostly caused by internal injuries, and should be treated with astringency as the main approach and dispersing as the auxiliary approach. Correctly use methods such as clearing the lungs, lowering qi, and eliminating phlegm. The airway is not blocked and the opening and closing of the lung qi are controlled, which is the way to cure a cough.

In traditional Chinese medicine, coughs are divided into six types: wind-cold cough, wind-heat cough, wind-dryness cough, phlegm-damp cough, long-term cough due to yin damage, and lung qi deficiency cough. I will not explain it in detail here.

Common Chinese medicines that enter the lungs include ephedra: it is pungent, warm and slightly bitter, and can clear the lungs and expel evil, relieve asthma and cough, and can relieve bronchial spasms and dilate the bronchi to achieve an antitussive effect. Northern almond: bitter and slightly warm, bitterness can reduce adverse effects, lower lung qi and have an antitussive effect. Licorice can harmonize various medicines and has the effect of eliminating phlegm and relieving cough. In addition, herbs that promote the flow of qi such as Citrus aurantium, Perilla seed, and Radish seed can be added according to the symptoms. Herbs such as Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Scutellaria baicalensis, Fritillaria cirrhosa, and Trichosanthes kirilowii are used to clear away heat and eliminate phlegm. Tangerine peel, scutellaria baicalensis and other products that regulate qi and eliminate phlegm. Asparagus, Ophiopogon japonicus, Platycodon grandiflorum, Adenophora ginseng and other herbs can nourish yin, moisten dryness, promote the production of body fluids and eliminate phlegm. Atractylodes, Pinellia, Poria, Fritillaria thunbergii, etc. are herbs that strengthen the spleen and stomach, regulate dampness and eliminate phlegm.

Common causes of cough in babies

There are two main common causes: one is external stimulation and the other is respiratory infection.

1. Cold air stimulation

After catching a cold, the baby's respiratory mucosa will become congested and swollen, causing coughing. This is probably the reason why babies cough occasionally, so there is no need to worry. But sometimes the condition will worsen. Mothers should give their babies some warm water or ginger juice, and don't rush to take cold medicine. Antibiotics and cough syrups may make babies resistant, and they should not be taken in large quantities for a long time.

2. Respiratory tract infection

Colds caused by upper respiratory tract infections are often accompanied by symptoms such as cough, fever, poor appetite, and lack of energy. If your baby makes a whistling sound when breathing, he may have bronchiolitis and should seek medical attention immediately. If the baby's voice is hoarse and his cough sounds like a barking puppy, he may have acute laryngitis and should seek medical attention immediately. In addition, severe throat edema can cause suffocation, and parents also need to pay attention to it.

3. Allergic baby cough

If mothers find that their babies often cough in a certain season, or cough when they come into contact with something, their babies may be suffering from allergic cough. The coughing will worsen when the baby exercises vigorously, cries, or gets up. Usually, babies cough because of contact with pollen, animal hair and their excrement. If there is a family history of allergies, you should pay special attention and seek medical attention as soon as possible if you discover it.

4. Accidental inhalation of foreign matter

If your baby suddenly starts coughing violently, check immediately to see if anything has entered the trachea. If it is true, immediately let the baby lie on the mother's legs with the head lower than the chest, and pat the baby's back. If the stuff still cannot be expelled, please go to the hospital immediately.