Cough - Irritated airways
Published on 04 June 2010
It may also be due to allergies like asthma or allergic rhinitis.The symptoms may last for up to a week before it clears completely. The younger the child, the longer it may take for symptoms to clear completely
Symptoms
- Dry irritating non-productive (without phlegm) cough due to throat infection or sometimes post- nasal drip (dripping of accumulated mucous from the back of the nose into the throat)
- Productive cough (with phlegm), sometimes associated with vomiting
- Coughing at night
What you can do
- Giving the child lots of water is very important
- Monitor the temperature as fever may sometimes develop
- Turn off the air-conditioning, and use the fan instead
- Prop up the child if there is runny nose to reduce post-nasal drip that causes coughing and restless sleep at night
- Do not suppress cough unnecessarily as cough helps protect the lungs
- Only children six months and above can be given some over-the-counter (OTC) drugs from the local pharmacy
- Do not suppress cough unnecessarily as cough helps get rid of mucous, thus protecting the lungs
- Observe for comfort - as long as the child is feeding and sleeping well, there is no necessity to bring your child to see the doctor immediately
Seek medical help
- Loss of appetite to the point of refusing fluids
- Persistent vomiting
- Persistent irritability
- Unusual sleepiness
- Persistent crying
- Sore throat
- Ear ache
- Toothache
- Severe headache
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Swollen glands
- Dehydration
- Coughing up green or yellow mucus for more than seven days
- On and off fever of more than 39°C for 24 hours
Article by Dr Ong Eng Keow and extracted from ?Guide to Childhood Medical Conditions?, available at
Thomson Medical Centre
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