Care Advice
- What You Should Know About Coughs:
- Most coughs are a normal part of a cold.
- Coughing helps protect the lungs from pneumonia.
- A cough can be a good thing. We don't want to fully turn off your child's ability to cough.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
- Homemade Cough Medicine:
- Goal: Decrease the irritation or tickle in the throat that causes a dry cough.
- Age 6 months to 1 year: Give warm clear fluids to treat the cough. Examples are apple juice and lemonade. Amount: Use a dose of 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL). Give 4 times per day when coughing.
- Caution: Do not use honey until 1 year old.
- Drugstore Medicines for Cough:
- Cough Medicines. Don't give any drugstore cold or cough medicines to young children. They are not approved by the FDA under 6 years. Reasons: not safe and can cause serious side effects. Also, they are not helpful. Reason: They can't remove the tickle in the throat. They also can't remove dried mucus from the nose. Nasal saline works best.
- No Antibiotics. Antibiotics are not helpful for coughs. Antibiotics may be used if your child gets an ear or sinus infection.
- Coughing Fits or Spells - Warm Mist and Fluids:
- Breathe warm mist, such as with shower running in a closed bathroom.
- Give warm clear fluids to drink. Examples are apple juice and lemonade.
- Age less than 6 months. Only give breast milk or formula.
- Age 6 - 12 months of age. Give 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL) each time. Limit to 4 times per day.
- Reason: Both relax the airway and loosen up any phlegm.
- Vomiting from Hard Coughing:
- For vomiting that occurs with hard coughing, give smaller amounts per feeding.
- Also, feed more often.
- Reason: Vomiting from coughing is more common with a full stomach.
- Humidifier:
- If the air in your home is dry, use a humidifier. Reason: Dry air makes coughs worse.
- Fever Medicine:
- For fevers above 102° F (39° C), give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Caution: avoid ibuprofen until 6 months or older.
- Note: Fevers less than 102° F (39° C) are important for fighting infections.
- For all fevers: Keep your child well hydrated.
- Avoid Tobacco Smoke:
- Tobacco smoke makes coughs much worse.
- Return to Child Care:
- Your child can go back to child care after the fever is gone.
- For practical purposes, the spread of coughs and colds cannot be prevented.
- What to Expect:
- Viral coughs last for 2 to 3 weeks.
- Call Your Doctor If:
- Trouble breathing occurs
- Wheezing occurs
- Cough lasts more than 3 weeks
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.