Children, Coughs & Sore Throats
What Is Are Coughs And Sore Throats?
A cough is a sign that nerves in the throat, trachea or bronchi (tubes from the throat to the lungs) are irritated. A sore throat will be visibly red and there might be white or yellow spots on the tonsils.
What Are The Causes Of Coughs In Childhood?
The most common cause of a cough in childhood is an upper respiratory tract infection. These can be viral like the common cold or bacterial.
It can be possible for a child to have a recurrent cough due to repeated infection. This can also be indicative of another condition such as asthma, allergy, or cystic fibrosis for example.
Sore throats are viral in small children. In older children they can also be caused by a bacteria.
What Are The Symptoms Of Coughs & Sore Throats?
The sound of the cough can indicate the type:-
- barking cough, accompanied by rapid and harsh breathing – could be viral croup
- spasmodic cough with whooping noise as the child draws breath – whooping cough
- coughs that worsen at night or in cold weather – might indicate asthma
The symptoms of a sore throat include pain on swallowing, and sore or swollen glands.
How Are Coughs And Sore Throats Treated?
Treating a cough depends on its cause. Drinking plenty of fluids and cough medicine can be helpful. Humidifying the room by placing a wet towel over a radiator can also be beneficial.
Sore throats can be soothed with plenty of fluids, jelly and ice cream and throat lozenges and gargles for older children.
Contact your doctor if your child’s cough and sore throat is accompanied by fever of other feelings of being unwell or if the cough and sore throat are recurrent. Your GP might prescribe antibiotics if the cough and sore throat are bacterial.
Seek emergency medical advice if your child becomes drowsy, looks blue around the lips, or struggles to breathe or talk.
Add to del.icio.us
Digg this