If your child has a deep cough, it is most likely caused by the flu or a common cold, but it may also be caused by a more serious illness, according to MayoClinic.com in the article "Cough." Your doctor will determine the best treatment for your child based on her particular diagnosis.
Significance
Your child's cough is due to an irritant in the throat or the airways. A deep cough that is accompanied by wheezing may be caused by mucus in the lower airways, according to KidsHealth.org in the article "Your Child's Cough." Common conditions that may be accompanied by a cough include bronchitis, the common cold, the flu, asthma, sinusitis, laryngitis, bronchiolitis, hay fever or pneumonia. In some cases, a cough may be caused by an obstruction or a foreign object in your child's airway that she has accidentally swallowed.
Expert Insight
Giving your child lots of liquids throughout the day may help loosen a cough and reduce its severity by diluting mucus, says Robert C. Beckerman, M.D., professor of pediatrics and physiology and section chief of pediatric pulmonology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans in the book "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Children." Water, clear broth and juice are the best options, Dr. Beckerman recommends.
Benefits
As your child coughs, he may be coughing up mucus, which helps the body expel bacteria and germs from the lungs. Although it may be distressing and tiring for your child to stay up all night coughing, some coughing may be beneficial to speed up the healing of your child's illness. If your child is coughing up green phlegm, has a fever of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit or is wheezing, contact your child's doctor.
Prevention/Solution
Home remedies to soothe a cough while your child is recovering include taking a hot shower, drinking a cup of warm water with 2 tbsp. of honey and drinking lots of fluids. If your child is suffering from a cough in the winter, turning down the thermostat may help prevent your child's airways from becoming irritated due to the air from the heater. Over-the-counter cough medicine may help a child stop coughing for several hours, but will not treat the cause of the cough. A doctor may prescribe prescription medication to treat the cause of your child's illness if necessary.
Warning
Your child may be seriously ill if she is coughing up phlegm that is tinged with pink or is bloody, has difficulty swallowing or has difficulty breathing. Take your child to the emergency room immediately if these symptoms occur. Do not give cough medicine to a child under the age of 1, because it may suppress his breathing.
References
- "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Children"; Denise Foley; 1999
- Mayo Clinic: Cough
- Kids Health: Your Child's Cough
- Mayo Clinic: Honey: An Effective Cough Remedy?
