Calming Your Child's Cough
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Catching a cold is a normal part of being a child. Coughing that comes along with the cold is a key part of the body’s recovery process, even if it feels and sounds as though your child’s symptoms could be getting worse.
Katie Lockwood, MD, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Primary Care, South Philadelphia, shares ways in which parents can help their child through their cold and soothe their cough.
Coughing is typical when a child has a cold, and rarely indicates something more severe. “The cough reflex clears out excessive mucus and protects the lungs from pneumonia,” says Dr. Lockwood. “This is one of the reasons why we don’t like to give cough suppressant medications.”
Noisy breathing is normal. Sounds result from vibrations from mucus in the nose or pooling in the lower throat. “This is what sometimes causes the ‘rattling in the chest’ you might hear,” says Dr. Lockwood.
Coughing up mucus is actually a sign the cold is improving. “Coughing up mucus tells us the infection is starting to break up and the child is coughing up the damaged cells, although not all children are able to generate a cough deep enough to cough up mucus, and might swallow it,” says Dr. Lockwood.
Despite what it might look like, “yellow or green sputum (phlegm) is part of the normal healing phase of viral bronchiolitis (usually caused by a cold or flu virus). It does not mean there is a bacterial infection,” says Dr. Lockwood.
A cough can last a while longer than the cold itself. “A post-viral cough can take up to three weeks to disappear as the trachea repairs itself,” adds Dr. Lockwood.
Dr. Lockwood recommends making sure your child is as comfortable as possible when battling a cold.
“If your child is coughing up blood that would be a concern,” says Dr. Lockwood. “The color and consistency don’t really indicate a level of severity. We are not too concerned about the color, just whether or not there’s blood. For younger children, it’s rare for them to cough and show you any mucus. But if your child is having difficulty breathing or their temperature increases beyond normal, you should contact your pediatrician.”
Contact your pediatrician immediately if your child is exhibiting:
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Contributed by: Katie K. Lockwood, MD, MEd