Question
A nearly four-year-old girl has been experiencing recurrent cough attacks for a year since being hospitalized for pneumonia at the ages of two and three. The coughing has been somewhat relieved with medication, but it returns a few days after stopping the medication and has not stopped. Treatment at a local clinic was ineffective, and she has been frequently prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, which have failed to cure her condition. Symptoms vary in severity and have persisted for over a year. Guidance from an expert on more effective treatment methods is needed to completely cure the cough, and there are concerns about the impact of long-term coughing on health and the side effects of medication.
Answer
The girl’s condition may be due to recurrent bronchitis caused by post-pneumonia sequelae, which is referred to as lung Yin deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine, characterized by lung Qi not being expressed properly and lung dryness leading to coughing. It is recommended to take traditional Chinese medicine that nourishes Yin, moistens the lungs, clears the lungs, and cools the blood, such as Biliba Gulin Wan, Chuan Bei Pipa Gao, or Pipa Qing Fei Lu. Choose one of these options. In her daily life, it is advisable to give the baby warm water to drink, avoid catching a cold, and eat less spicy and irritating food.