Question
My child is 7 months old and has been experiencing a cough and runny nose for the past two weeks. I have given her pediatric cough syrup and Anqi. There were two days when she seemed better, but then the cough returned and became severe, sometimes with vomiting. The doctor at the hospital diagnosed it as asthma bronchitis, prescribed two days of saline treatment, and gave her symptomatic anti-inflammatory medication, expectorants, and bronchodilators. I have been giving the medicine on time at home, but the baby’s cough has not improved, and I can still hear a gurgling sound in her throat. I am very worried and don’t know what to do. Please advise the doctor. Thank you! Duration of illness and current status: 2 weeks
Answer
Cough and runny nose in babies are often due to wind-cold syndrome, which is more common in winter and spring. Symptoms include nasal congestion, clear runny nose, abundant sputum that is thin and white, frothy in appearance, with a hoarse sound in the throat, and a thin white tongue coating. Treatment for wind-cold syndrome focuses on dispersing wind-cold and relieving cough. Chinese patent medicines include Qingxuan Kechu Granules, Xiao Qinglong Decoction, Chaihu Decoction Granules, etc. Western medicines include pediatric paracetamol sulfonate, Zengong Zaixin, and Xiao Taiyang Syrup. If the baby has wind-heat syndrome, such as symptoms like aversion to wind, sweating or no sweating, headache, conjunctival congestion, nasal congestion with purulent discharge, sneezing, coughing, thick sputum that is white or yellow, thirst, sore throat, red or swollen throat, red tongue quality with thin white or yellow tongue coating, treatment should focus on cough relief and clearing lung heat. Medicines that can be chosen include Chinese patent medicines such as pediatric cold relief syrup, HuLu Powder, Xiao Bao Tai Kang Granules, pediatric Heat Rapid Clear Granules.