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Children's health is vital for every family.
When a child is sick, parents often consider cough and phlegm suppressants to relieve coughing and passing phlegm.
Cough and phlegm suppressants are a class of drugs used to relieve cough and promote sputum passage.
However, there may be some potential side effects of using these drugs for children under the age of six.
Experts suggest that children under 6 years old with mild cough, you can not rush to take medicine, look at the following methods, more useful and no side effects.
Side effects of cough and phlegm suppressants in children under six years of age
It is a three-point poison, cough and phlegm drugs are no exception, common side effects include the following.
The use of cough and phlegm suppressants may cause children to feel tired, lethargic, or unresponsive.
For example, a six-year-old child is coughing incessantly, and the cough seriously affects his rest and sleep quality.
To help him relieve his cough, his parents decided to give him a cough and phlegm suppressant.
This medicine may reduce your child's cough symptoms to some extent, but tiredness, lethargy, and unresponsiveness among the side effects may adversely affect his daily life.
When a child feels tired and sleepy, he may have difficulty staying focused and focused in school, affecting learning and performance.
Some cough and phlegm suppressants may contain an ingredient called gentian violet.
Gentian violet is an expectorant that helps dilute and promote the discharge of sputum, however gentian violet may cause nausea and vomiting in children.
Individual children may also be allergic to certain drug components, manifesting as rashes, hives, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms.
Some cough and phlegm suppressants may cause indigestion symptoms such as stomach upset, abdominal pain, or diarrhea in children.
In order to protect the health of children under the age of six, parents should pay attention to the following points when using cough and phlegm suppressants.
The first is to pay attention to the age of the child.
Children under six years of age have not yet fully developed their immune systems and physiology, and they may respond differently to drugs than adults.
Therefore, parents should avoid giving cough and phlegm suppressants to children outside of the guidance of a doctor.
The advice of a doctor should be consulted before using any medication, especially for young children.
Doctors can provide individualized guidance and advice based on the child's specific situation.
Parents must strictly follow the correct dosage when using cough and phlegm suppressants, as overdose may increase the risk of side effects.
During the administration of cough and phlegm suppressants to children, parents should closely observe the child's reactions and side effects, and should immediately consult a doctor if any unusual symptoms occur.
The natural healing process for cold and cough in children under six years of age
When children under the age of six contract a cold virus, coughing is one of the common symptoms.
Colds usually start with a sore throat, a runny nose, and a mild cough.
This is because viral infections cause inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, leading to irritation of the throat and airways.
As the cold progresses, the cough may worsen, especially at night or when lying down, the frequency of coughing may increase.
This is because when the child lies down, sputum builds up in the airways, stimulating the cough reflex.
The cough may be dry and irritating, making the child feel uncomfortable and irritable.
Over time, the cough may gradually turn into a wet cough.
The initial dry cough is due to throat and airway irritation caused by inflammation, and mucosal cells secrete less mucus.
However, as the cold virus continues to multiply and mucosal cells react, the cough gradually becomes moist.
Wet cough is due to an increase in mucus, and sputum produced by viruses and inflammation begins to accumulate in the airways.
This moist cough helps clear viruses and sputum, promoting the recovery of the airways.
Coughing helps purify the airways by draining sputum out of the airways, preventing sputum retention and bacterial infections.
The development of a wet cough is part of the natural healing process of a cold.
During the natural healing process of the cold, the cough will gradually decrease.
A child's immune system gradually clears cold viruses and repairs tissues stimulated by inflammation.
The duration of the cough varies depending on the individual differences in the child and the severity of the cold, and usually gradually resolves over a period of one to two weeks.
During this process, there are steps parents can take to relieve cough symptoms in children.
Keeping the room moist helps dilute mucus and can be achieved by using a humidifier or turning on a hot shower in the bathroom.
Drinking enough water can also help dilute sputum and maintain adequate water intake.
Other ways to relieve cold and cough in children under six years of age
Appropriate measures parents can take to relieve a child's cold and cough.
The first is to keep the room moist.
When it comes to relieving a cold and cough in children, using a humidifier or placing a basin in the room can be helpful.
This is because increasing air humidity can reduce irritation to the throat and airways, thereby relieving coughing symptoms caused by colds in children.
A humidifier is a common tool that increases humidity in a room by releasing water vapor.
When choosing a humidifier suitable for home use, it is necessary to consider the size of the room and the needs of the individual.
There are many types of humidifiers to choose from, such as steam humidifiers, ultrasonic humidifiers, and evaporative humidifiers, among others.
In fact, pay attention to diet conditioning.
Providing children with adequate water and nutrition is one of the important measures to relieve children's cold and cough.
Water intake is essential for diluting sputum, maintaining levels, and improving immune system function.
When your child has a cold, the sputum may become sticky, making the cough more difficult.
Giving your child enough water can help dilute the sputum and make it smoother, reducing the frequency and intensity of coughing.
In addition, a nutritionally balanced diet also plays an important role in children's immune system.
Providing your child with foods rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, can help boost immune function and make your child more resistant to cold viruses.
Eat more fruits rich in vitamin C, including oranges, lemons, strawberries, and spinach.
In addition, protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates are also necessary for maintaining a healthy immune system.
Finally, pay attention to proper rest.
Giving your child enough rest time is essential to relieve a cold and cough in children.
Getting enough sleep can help the body recover and fight cold viruses, while helping to improve the function of the immune system and relieve cough symptoms.
Sleep is one of the body's key processes for repair and recovery, and when a child catches a cold, their body needs extra energy and resources to fight the virus.
Getting enough sleep gives the body the rest and recovery time it needs, allowing the immune system to work more efficiently.
Sleep is also essential for the immune system to function properly.
Studies have shown that lack of sleep reduces the activity and number of immune cells, leading to a decline in the function of the immune system and its susceptibility to infections.
Conversely, getting enough sleep boosts the immune system's ability to respond, helping the body fight off viruses and relieve cold symptoms like coughing.
To ensure that children have enough time to rest, parents can take the following measures:
Establish regular sleep schedules to ensure that your child has a regular amount of sleep each night to give them enough time to rest and recover.
Create a good sleeping environment to provide a quiet, comfortable and warm sleeping environment for children, such as reducing noise, adjusting room temperature, providing comfortable beds and pillows, etc.
Develop good sleep habits, such as avoiding stimulating activities and foods, and establishing a relaxing bedtime routine to help your child fall asleep more easily.
Plan appropriate rest periods, in addition to nighttime sleep, also make sure your child has appropriate rest periods during the day to reduce fatigue and provide additional opportunities for recovery.
Observe your child's sleep quality, including sleep duration, difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking up, etc.
If needed, talk to your doctor or pediatrician for more advice on improving your child's sleep.
Keeping your room warm and comfortable is an important step in helping relieve cold and cough in children.
When your child has a cold, cold and clammy environment can worsen cough symptoms, so it's crucial to stay warm.
Cold temperatures can irritate the throat and airways, causing increased inflammation and coughing.
At the same time, a cold environment may make the child feel uncomfortable and make the body less resistant to cold viruses.
Therefore, by keeping the room warm, irritation of the throat and airways can be reduced.
To keep the room warm and comfortable, parents can take the following measures to relieve children with cold and cough.
First of all, adjusting the room temperature is key.
Parents can use equipment such as heating, air conditioning or humidifiers to ensure that the indoor temperature is suitable.
In cold weather, keeping the temperature within a comfortable range can reduce cough symptoms, relieve throat and airway irritation, and make your child feel more comfortable.
Secondly, it is also important to dress your child appropriately.
In cold environments, parents should make sure their children wear warm clothing, socks and shoes.
Multi-layered wear can provide additional warmth and adjust to changes in indoor and outdoor temperatures.
In addition, it is important to avoid exposing the child to cold and wet cold.
Parents should try to avoid letting their children stay in cold wind, rain and wet places.
When outdoors, parents should wear appropriate coats, hats and gloves for their children to protect them from the cold.
In addition to traditional medical methods, some natural remedies and home herbs can also be considered, which can also help relieve the symptoms of cold and cough in children.
These methods are generally safe and side-effect-free options.
First of all, honey is widely recognized as an effective home herb that can relieve throat irritation and reduce cough symptoms.
Honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, soothes the inflamed throat and forms a protective film that reduces coughing irritation.
You can feed a teaspoon of honey a day to children over the age of six, but honey is not suitable for babies under one year old.
Secondly, ginger tea is also widely used to relieve cough and relieve sore throat.
Ginger has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce coughing and soothe throat discomfort.
Making ginger tea is as simple as thinly sliced pieces of ginger, added to hot water, and then honey and lemon juice to add flavor.
Allowing your child to drink ginger tea slowly can relieve coughing and sore throat.
In addition to honey and ginger tea, there are other household herbs that can be used to relieve cough symptoms.
For example, a saltwater gargle can soothe a sore throat and reduce phlegm, dissolving an appropriate amount of salt in warm water and allowing your child to gently rinse his mouth before spitting it out.
In addition, peppermint tea is also believed to have a calming and throat-soothing effect and can be drunk by steeping peppermint leaves or using peppermint tea bags.
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However, it is important to note that home remedies should only be used as an adjunct and not as a substitute for medical treatment.
If the child's cough symptoms are persistently severe or accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms, a doctor should be consulted promptly.
In response to the natural healing process of cold and cough in children under six years of age, we can see that the development and evolution of cough is a normal response of the body's own immune system to the cold virus.
In this process, a wet cough helps remove viruses and sputum, promoting the recovery of the airways.
Therefore, parents do not need to immediately use cough and phlegm suppressants when facing their children's cold and cough.
Because these drugs may bring unwanted side effects and affect your child's health.