Question
My baby has had a hacking sound in his throat since his last cold. I’ve given him a lot of traditional Chinese medicine for expectoration, but it hasn’t helped. Some people say it could be softened laryngeal cartilage, a typical sign of calcium deficiency. Is that true? What should I do?
Answer
Hello: Considering it may be due to the cold, I suggest the following treatment. In addition to common symptoms like nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing, pediatric colds often include fever, coughing, and may also involve indigestion or symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. The disease progresses rapidly after infection, so timely treatment is essential. It’s not advisable to simply reduce the dosage of adult cold medicine for children; they should take pediatric cold medicine. Common Western medicine for pediatric colds includes Children’s Tylenol, which is specifically formulated for symptomatic treatment of pediatric colds. It can alleviate various symptoms of the common cold such as fever, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing. It is taken three to four times daily; for children aged 2 to 5 years, 5 milliliters per dose, and for children aged 6 to 11 years, 10 milliliters per dose. Common traditional Chinese medicine for pediatric colds includes: Children’s Cold Decoction: Made from mint, hoelen, Platycodon grandiflorus, Isatis indigotica, Periploca sepium, and Gypsum fibrosum. It has the effect of releasing the exterior and clearing heat. It is suitable for general feverish colds in children and can also be used for influenza fever. Take 3 to 6 grams per dose, three times a day. Children’s Cough Balls: They have the effects of detoxifying and clearing heat, as well as expectorating and relieving cough. They are used to treat common colds with cough and sputum in children.