Question
A four-month-old baby has a small amount of clear runny nose and occasionally coughs at night (feels a little phlegm in the throat but cannot cough it out). These symptoms have persisted for nearly a month, and the baby is now almost five months old. Since the symptoms are not severe, the baby has not been to the hospital for treatment. The baby was given medication for four days, and the symptoms improved slightly, but they worsened again after stopping the medication. How should such a young baby be treated? Local hospitals may suggest nebulizer therapy or prescribe medication, but our hospital usually does not prescribe medication for young children unless the symptoms are very severe.
Answer
This is a respiratory system disease, possibly caused by a cold due to catching a chill, resulting in coughing and runny nose. Oral medication can be administered to the child, including children’s cold syrup and children’s lung cough granules, which are used to treat coughs caused by colds. Take these medications continuously for 3 to 5 days and closely monitor any changes in the condition. If the symptoms do not improve, it is important to go to the local hospital for a follow-up visit and have a chest X-ray done to rule out the possibility of bronchitis and pneumonia.