How to Get Rid of Child's Cough
When your child is experiencing a cough, it is best to familiarize yourself with the four different types of cough before you treat him. One type, dry cough, is caused by an infection of the nose and throat, usually influenza or cold, and can also be a sign of bronchiolitis, asthma, pneumonia or exposure to cigarette smoke. Croup cough often sounds like a seal's bark and occurs when the upper trachea becomes swollen. When infections and asthma produce mucus in the lungs and windpipe, your child will experience wet cough. Finally, whooping cough is perhaps the most serious of the four coughs as it can lead to difficulties breathing, and is brought on by the disease, pertussis. If your child breathes deep after a rapid succession of coughs, he probably has whooping cough and should see a doctor immediately.
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Things You'll Need
- Hot liquids or soups
- Water
- Humidifier or shower
- MilkpPowder
- Honey
- Eucalyptus oil
Instructions
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Keep your child hydrated with plenty of water and hot liquids, including soups and teas. This should soothe the throat as well as loosen the mucus found in a child with wet cough.
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Combine 1 cup milk, a little turmeric powder and 1 tbls. of honey. Have your child drink this as it relieves the pain brought on by cough.
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Run a hot shower or a cool-mist humidifier. Have your child breathe in the steam from the shower or the humidifier, as this should reduce the coughing fits. If your child has dry or Croup cough, take him outside and let him breathe in cool, fresh air.
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Massage the child's chest with eucalyptus oil. The oil has been shown to alleviate coughing.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep your child away from cigarette smoke, as it can irritate the lungs and make the cough worse.
Do not let your child exercise if he has dry cough.
Be wary of cough medicines. There are two types: expectorant and suppressant. Expectorants should be used for wet cough as they loosen mucus, while suppressants help to stop a child's cough, and should only be given for dry cough
American College of Chest Physicians Guidelines Committee suggests that over-the-counter cough medicines are not very effective, so a consultation with your doctor would be helpful in determining which medicines if any to choose.
