Kepez Municipality Health Center Child Health and Diseases Specialist Dr. Burak Emre Demir talked about the causes of cough complaints in children and what method should be followed for treatment. Dr. Demir listed the causes of cough that manifests itself with the winter season as follows:
“With the arrival of the winter months, infectious diseases have also increased. Fever, sore throat, cough and fatigue are the most common complaints. Cough is one of these complaints and cough in children worries families. Cough is not actually a disease, but a reaction to protect the body against threats such as foreign bodies, sputum, inflammation and discharge coming into the respiratory tract. Not stopping the cough, but eliminating the conditions that cause the cough is the appropriate treatment method.
Dr. Demir said, “From mild conditions such as colds and nasal congestion in children, more severe respiratory diseases such as flu, ear infections, croup, bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma can cause coughing. Apart from these, factors such as foreign body, allergy, smoking, reflux, cystic fibrosis, tumor can also cause cough. The characteristics of the cough guide the diagnosis. If the cough is in the style of barking, it is suspicious for croup, if it sounds like a sigh, for whooping cough, if it is accompanied by wheezing, it is suspicious for asthma/bronchitis. If the sudden onset of cough is accompanied by bruising, foreign body infiltration into the respiratory tract comes to mind. Coughs due to upper respiratory tract infections may increase at night due to nasal discharge. It can also cause coughing, retching and vomiting.
cough with phlegm
"What should be done if the cough is phlegmatic?" Demir also answered the question, “In the diagnosis, the time of the cough, its shape (phlegm, dry, barking), how it started (sudden, after feeding and exertion, against dust and allergens), which complaints accompany the child (fever, wheezing, shortness of breath, nose). congestion, vomiting, weight loss, night sweats) should definitely be questioned. If the cough has exceeded 2 weeks, is seen with wheezing, continues even though the child does not have a fever, if it recurs, if there is sneezing, nasal congestion and itching, the cause of the cough may be allergic. In children who go to daycare, overlapping colds can cause a cough to last for weeks. If the child's cough lasts more than three days, increases gradually, is accompanied by fever, shortness of breath and bruising,
How does it go?
Explaining how the cough will pass, Specialist Dr. Burak Emre Demir said, “Children in good general condition, without fever or respiratory distress, can be monitored at home. The best cough syrup in such cases is warm water. Plenty of water and fluid intake provides relief by softening the child's throat. If there is nasal congestion, it can be opened with saline. Since dry air can also be a cause of cough, you can use water vapor to provide appropriate humidity. Keeping the humidity environment at 50 percent levels in your home will reduce the coughing problem of your children and babies. If you use a cold steam machine to humidify the house, you should regularly maintain and clean these devices. In infants younger than 6 months, cough should be monitored very carefully. Otherwise, the underlying disease causing the cough can cause more serious problems. Although it may seem like a simple cough, cough in babies can turn into bronchitis or pneumonia if neglected. For this reason, families with small babies should take their children to the doctor in case of coughing.
Natural methods
Explaining natural methods for cough, Dr. Demir said, “Consuming plenty of warm liquids, herbal teas soften the throat and relieve cough. In addition, honey is very useful for children older than one year. Honey can be given as plain or mixed with ginger and turmeric. You can also give it by making honey syrup with warm water or milk. Similarly, molasses can be given. Dried mulberry tea is also beneficial. However, these methods should never preclude the treatments recommended by a doctor's examination.
Specialist Dr. Burak Emre Demir also listed the situations in which a doctor should be consulted. Demir said, "If your child has a high fever, looks weak and tired, says that his chest hurts, if your child is breathing rapidly, if there is a wheezing sound when breathing, if there is a color change close to blue on his face, lips, if he can breathe with difficulty, if he has a If there is retraction in the ribs, if there is also groaning breathing and blood comes out when coughing, you should definitely have a pediatrician examine him, "he said.
