Babies are young, and if they cough and produce phlegm, their ability to expel phlegm is relatively poor, making it difficult for them to cough up phlegm on their own like adults. Many children swallow the expelled phlegm and excrete it through feces, or even vomit phlegm due to coughing. Therefore, parents should learn some correct methods to help their babies expel phlegm. So what should I do if my baby has phlegm and cough in their throat?
When a baby coughs and has phlegm in their throat, the first thing to pay attention to is to help the baby expel phlegm instead of finding ways to help the baby cough.
1. Drinking water method
During coughing, the baby's airway is in a state of dehydration, so during this period, the baby's respiratory inflammation will worsen and the viscosity of secretions will be higher, which will make it difficult to cough up phlegm. So parents need to give their babies more water, especially cold boiled water with a temperature of around 23 degrees. This warm water can moisten the baby's throat and provide physical therapy for diseases. It can also dilute phlegm, making it easier to cough it up.
2. Steam method
To use this method to help babies expel phlegm, first choose a large mouthed teacup, then pour boiling water into it. Parents should pick up the baby and let their mouth and nose suck and release the steam in the teacup. The inhaled steam can dilute the phlegm, making it easier for the baby to cough up the phlegm. At the same time, the steam can also alleviate the swelling of the tracheal and bronchial mucosa, reducing the symptoms of coughing in the baby. When using this method, parents should pay attention to the safety of their babies and not let boiling water scald their faces.
Then deal with the baby's cough. If the baby has a dry cough, it is more likely to be caused by bacteria. Therefore, during the child's cough, parents should pay attention to opening windows frequently in the room to ventilate and dilute the air; If the cough is caused by a respiratory infection and the child's diet and sleep are basically normal, they can use some targeted medication to treat the baby themselves. If the baby's cough symptoms do not improve within three days, they should be taken to the hospital for medical treatment; If coughing is caused by diseases such as bronchitis, asthma, or acute pharyngitis, it is also necessary to take the baby to the hospital for timely treatment, preferably with nebulization therapy, as the baby will recover faster.
