Question
A three-year-old child has been suffering from persistent coughing, accompanied by a sore throat and phlegm, with coughing worsening at night, leading to vomiting. The vomit contains undigested food. Additionally, the child has a loss of appetite. How should this situation be handled?
Answer
The current symptoms of the child may indicate a respiratory infection, usually caused by bacteria or viruses. The vomiting may be a reflexive response due to the intense cough stimulateing the throat nerves, or it could be related to dyspepsia. It is recommended that parents take the child to the hospital for routine blood tests and chest X-rays to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment. If the test results show severe inflammation, intravenous treatment may be required.