Coughing is more common in autumn and winter seasons. In cold and dry climates, both adults and children are prone to catching colds, leading to symptoms such as coughing and phlegm production. So how to effectively treat cough and phlegm in infants and young children?
1. Absorb water vapor. If a baby coughs and has phlegm, parents can prepare a cup of hot water and hold the child to breathe hot steam, which can make the phlegm thinner and easier to discharge. They can also carry the child to the bathroom to breathe steam, which is very beneficial for the recovery of coughing.
2. Add more water. Parents should give infants and young children small amounts of water multiple times, which can help the body eliminate bacteria and viruses and slow down the frequency of coughing.
3. Use drugs with caution. If infants and young children have symptoms of coughing up phlegm, they can take cough suppressants and expectorants orally under the guidance of a doctor, or undergo nebulization treatment. This can moisten the respiratory tract, dilute and expel phlegm, but cough suppressants should not be blindly used. Cough suppressants and expectorants are two different things. Cough suppressants can cause phlegm to not be expelled properly, thereby exacerbating symptoms.
4. Clap your back frequently. To help infants and young children expel phlegm, parents can hold their hands together and pat their child's back from bottom to top and from outside to inside. The force of the pat should be slightly stronger to promote the expulsion of phlegm.
5. Pay attention to the ventilation of the room. The room should be regularly ventilated to maintain fresh air, and the temperature should be controlled at 20-24 ℃. It is best to keep a humidifier at home to keep the air moist and moderate.
Infants and young children cough and have phlegm. Parents should give their children a small amount of warm boiled water multiple times to help them expel phlegm symptoms multiple times. Diet should also be as light as possible. Breastfeeding mothers should also pay attention to their diet and avoid cold, stimulating, and easily flammable foods that can be transmitted to their children through breast milk. If coughing with phlegm is not good, it is recommended to take cough suppressants and expectorants orally or undergo nebulization treatment under the guidance of a doctor.
