My six year-old son develops a terrible cough every time he has a cold. He can’t sleep, and he misses a lot of school. I have heard that cough medicine may be harmful to children, yet I don’t know what else to do to help him. Any suggestions?
This is a very interesting question, but it is actually somewhat more complex to answer than it may seem. If we deal only with cough and cough suppressants, we still need to understand the type of cough – dry, productive (also known as wet), spasmodic (difficult to stop each event while it is happening, and looks as if the patient will “cough a lung up”).
Dry coughs are typically a result of some irritation to the back of the throat from dry, dusty or particulate air. Moisturizing the throat helps this. This can be achieved by drinking fluids or by taking some honey (for children over 12months old). This will typically calm the cough while the body resolves the irritation.
Productive coughs are often associated with post nasal drip from colds and allergies. The irritation to the throat is also calmed down by some honey. Why honey and not some man made cough medicine? A recent study by Tulane University evaluated the different cough medicines and remedies, and determined that the best available for these sort of coughs is honey – wild honey and buckwheat being most preferable.
A tight spasmodic cough, where it appears to not be able to be controlled, is often associated with lung conditions, such as asthma. This cough presents itself with colds, changes in temperature, and exercise to name a few. Often the children will cough in the middle of the night. These children may be frequently diagnosed with bronchitis, broncho-pneumonia, and even frequent pneumonia. There is no good over the counter medicine to help relieve this type of cough. The child should be evaluated by his/her pediatrician to determine the best treatment for the cough.
Have a safe and happy school year.
Good Luck,
DRTOM
Tweet This Post