In autumn and winter, children’s coughs can be a worrying problem. Chinese medicine or antibiotics or folk remedies? Children are not test subjects. Finding the right cause is the key!
I. Causes of chronic cough in Chinese children
1. Cough variant asthma
2. Upper airway cough syndrome
3. Respiratory tract infections and post-infection cough
Wait ……
The first two are not new to parents, but what the hell is “post-infection cough”?
Introduction to post-infectious cough
Due to the physiological characteristics of children and their immune function, more frequent respiratory infections can occur during infancy and early childhood.
These respiratory infections can be caused by bacteria and viruses or by specific pathogens (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, etc.).
For some time after a respiratory infection, a child’s cough remains unresolved, and parents become very worried that
”Why is he still coughing, is pneumonia or bronchitis healed or not?”
That’s when we have to beware if it’s a post-infection cough.
The onset of post-infectious cough may be related to widespread airway inflammation and disruption of airway epithelial integrity, resulting in excessive airway mucus secretion and airway hyperresponsiveness.
III. How to treat post-infectious cough
Post-infectious cough is a self-limiting process and will improve on its own even without medication. However, if the cough has affected your life and studies, you may consider using leukotriene receptor antagonists (cisplatin) or inhaled glucocorticoids (budesonide suspension).
The recommended dose of nebulized inhaled hormone for the treatment of post-infectious cough is 0.5-1 mg/time, with the frequency of use determined by the severity of the disease and a course of 2-3 weeks. Its use can significantly improve cough symptoms, reduce acute attacks, and improve lung function and airway hyperresponsiveness.
Doctor’s words
Through the above introduction, I am sure that parents have a general understanding of cough after infection.
If you come across little ones with a cough that is always bad after a cold, don’t worry too much, it may get better slowly on its own for milder cases, and you can go to the doctor for a consultation if the cough is post-infection or caused by other reasons.