Question
How should one handle a child’s cough?
Answer
Coughing itself is not a standalone disease but a defensive reaction to clear foreign objects from the respiratory tract. Mild coughing is generally harmless and can be treated by addressing the underlying cause, without necessarily using cough medicine. However, when coughing is severe and causes discomfort, it may be appropriate to consider cough medicine. There are many causes of cough, including acute and chronic inflammation of the respiratory tract, foreign objects in the respiratory tract, compression of the respiratory tract, allergic reactions, and stimulation of the pleura, among others. Therefore, when encountering a patient with a cough, it is first necessary to comprehensively analyze the condition and identify the cause. On the basis of treating the cause of the cough, appropriate cough medicine should be chosen for symptomatic treatment. Cough medications are mainly categorized into three types: cough suppressants, expectorants, and bronchodilators. Cough suppressants include codeine, morphine, cough syrup, cough emulsion, and glycyrrhizin preparations. Expectorants include myrtle oil, ammonium chloride, potassium iodide, phlegm cleaner, holly berry, and small cough syrup. Bronchodilators include ephedrine alkaloids, salbutamol, aminophylline, and vitamin K1. Asthma is often caused by allergies or inflammation that stimulate bronchial smooth muscle spasm. The pharmacological action of bronchodilators is mainly to relieve bronchial smooth muscle spasm, which is beneficial for phlegm excretion. However, when using medications, it is important to choose those with minimal side effects and safe for children.