Question
A three-and-a-half-year-old child has had a cough for nearly two months, which has worsened in the past week. The cough is more severe at night, and the child has dry, continuous coughing. The child has been using nebulization for three days and now produces white, thick mucus. There is also purulent nasal discharge. Should nebulization continue? What medication is appropriate? All tests for Mycoplasma and other infections have been normal.
Answer
The key to treating a child’s cough is to identify the cause of the cough. For children with severe dry cough, short-term use of cough suppressants such as codeine syrup can help alleviate the symptoms. For children with thick, sticky mucus that is difficult to cough up, anti-cough and expectorant medications such as Expectol and Tylenol Cold & Cough Syrup should be used. It is also important to ensure that the child drinks enough fluids to help thin the mucus and facilitate its removal. If there are clear signs of inflammation accompanying the cough, such as fever, yellow, sticky mucus, and an increase in white blood cells, antibiotics such as Kanamycin and Amoxicillin may be added. Additionally, treatment should be directed at the cause of the cough.