With the onset of winter, the number of children with colds and coughs rises dramatically, especially in the recent dry climate and temperature fluctuations in Beijing, the number of children with colds and coughs is on the rise, and the incidence of pneumonia caused by mycoplasma infections is also on an upward trend. Many parents feel that their child has a “cold” such as a fever or cough, but in fact, after a series of tests, they are finally diagnosed with pneumonia. Therefore, pediatric cough should not be taken lightly and should be actively treated. 1. Don’t blindly stop coughing in pediatric coughs Coughing is a protective reflex action of the body itself, which allows secretions and inflammatory substances in the trachea to be expelled with coughing, prevents foreign bodies from entering the trachea, and prevents the accumulation of bronchial secretions. There is a difference in the meaning of cough and cough, with sound but no phlegm is called cough, and with phlegm but no sound is called cough. Clinically, coughs and coughs are often seen together and are therefore referred to as coughs. Coughs should not be treated blindly with cough suppressants because the secretions of the lower respiratory tract, i.e., sputum, can only be expelled through coughing. However, frequent coughing affects the child’s rest and sleep, consumes energy, causes stretching of the abdominal muscles, and can cause vomiting, which causes greater pain to the child. Cough is a common symptom of pediatric diseases and can develop throughout the year, especially in winter and spring, when changes in the climate are often triggering factors. Common respiratory diseases such as upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis and pneumonia can all cause coughing. Chinese medicine believes that the onset and development of cough is related to the attack of external evils such as wind, cold, heat, humidity, dryness and fire, as well as the dysfunction of the lungs, spleen and kidneys. In clinical practice, coughs are generally divided into two categories: external coughs and internal coughs. In children, external coughs are most common, and the symptoms are mainly coughs accompanied by fever, nasal congestion, dry cough with little phlegm or cough with much phlegm and chest tightness and shortness of breath. The symptoms are mainly cough with fever, nasal congestion, dry cough with little phlegm or cough with excessive phlegm, chest tightness and shortness of breath, etc. External coughs are divided into wind-cold coughs and wind-heat coughs, and the medication for different types of coughs is completely different. 3. Cough treatment should be timely and appropriate Cough treatment should be timely and appropriate, and a combination of Chinese and Western medicine is appropriate. Bacterial infections can be treated with sensitive antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporins; mycoplasma infections should be treated with azithromycin; allergic coughs should be treated with nebulized inhalation glucocorticoids and beta2 agonists, oral leukotriene receptor antagonists, antihistamines and other combined treatments; viral infections should be treated mainly with traditional Chinese medicine. If the sputum is thick and sticky, drink more water to dilute the sputum, and use expectorants such as aminoglutethimide, expectorant spirit, fresh bamboo leech, etc. Nebulizer inhalation therapy also has a certain effect of diluting the sputum and can be used to sedate the cough when the cough is severe. In general, it is advisable to promote the lung and resolve phlegm in the early stage of coughing, to clear the lung and resolve phlegm in the middle stage, and to tonify qi and nourish yin in the later stage. For coughs caused by upper respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis and tonsillitis, the treatment is to promote the lung and dissolve phlegm to benefit the pharynx; for coughs caused by bronchitis and pneumonia, the treatment is to clear the lung and open and close the phlegm. In addition, pay attention to the relationship between the lungs and the large intestine, such as dry stools, should be through the internal organs to diarrhea the lung fire. In addition to medication, home care is also important for children with coughs, and the following aspects must be emphasized: (1) Keep the air fresh indoors The turbid air can cause adverse stimulation to the respiratory mucosa, which can cause congestion, edema and abnormal secretion of the respiratory mucosa and aggravate coughing, and can also lead to repeated respiratory infections. Therefore, windows should be opened regularly to keep the indoor air fresh, kitchen fumes should be discharged, and second-hand smoke should be avoided. (2) Maintain proper humidity in the living room. When the environment is too dry and air humidity drops, mucous membranes become dry and brittle, small blood vessels may rupture and bleed, cilia movement is restricted, and sputum is not easily discharged. When the respiratory organs have inflammation, the effect is more obvious. It is not difficult to maintain a certain humidity in the room. When the climate is dry, you can use a humidifier in the bedroom, or often use a wet mop to mop the floor, or sprinkle some water on the floor. (3) Children should increase or decrease their clothing in time Many parents believe that children are more afraid of cold than adults, and usually cover their children too thickly and dress too warmly, not letting them suffer a little cold. Especially when the child has a cold and cough, the child is covered up tightly, resulting in the child sweating all around and opening the skin pores, making it easier for the child to feel the wind, leading to repeated respiratory infections. Children dressed too warm, the result is that the child is intolerant of wind and cold, the body’s ability to regulate poorly, and resistance is reduced. (4) Diet should be light and easy to digest Adequate sleep, drink more water, eat more vegetables, fruits, etc. will help the child recover from the disease. In general, hairy foods such as fish, shrimp, seafood, beef and mutton, as well as spicy and irritating foods such as chili peppers can aggravate the cough, and excessive consumption of sweet and fatty foods can easily produce phlegm and saliva. The diet of a child with cough should be light, easy to digest and nutritious, avoiding spicy, greasy, fried and other foods.