Recognize respiratory diseases in children through cough symptoms

MSc. Dr. Le Anh Trong, Department of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, cough is a natural reaction that helps clear the airways, most of which are benign… Through coughing, parents can recognize some respiratory diseases in children, from which appropriate treatment is provided.

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A dry cough is a loud cough without mucus. This is often a manifestation of laryngitis, allergies, congenital heart disease or other causes of airway irritation. With laryngitis, the upper respiratory tract is swollen, making it difficult for the child to breathe, with loud, noisy breathing. Your baby coughs suddenly, often appearing in the middle of the night. Children with allergic diseases often cough more at night and early morning or when there is a change in weather. Children with congenital heart disease often have scattered dry coughs that increase when they exert themselves.

Cough with phlegm

Coughing with phlegm is often a manifestation of inflammatory diseases of the lower respiratory tract such as pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, bronchitis… Babies often cough sporadically during the day, which can increase at night.

Whooping cough

Whooping cough is a respiratory infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella Pertussis. Children with whooping cough have continuous coughs, chest tightness, wheezing, and a lot of mucus secreted at the end of the cough. In addition to the cough, the child sneezes, has a runny nose and has a mild fever.

Cough at night

Children who cough more at night may be a sign of a cold or asthma. During a cold, mucus from the nose and sinuses can flow down the throat, causing increased coughing while sleeping. Children with asthma often cough at night because their respiratory tract is sensitive at this time, related to the child’s circadian rhythm.

Cough with wheezing

If the cough is accompanied by a wheezing sound when exhaling, it may be a sign of lower respiratory tract inflammation, which often occurs in children with asthma or bronchiolitis caused by a viral infection. Wheezing also occurs if the airways are blocked by a foreign object. When this happens, parents need to pay close attention to their child to take timely measures.

Prolonged cough, possibly accompanied by vomiting

Children infected with the virus often have a persistent cough that lasts for a week. Asthma, allergies or chronic infections in the sinuses or respiratory tract are also causes. In many cases, children with flu or asthma may cough a lot, causing mucus to flow into the stomach, causing nausea and vomiting. When a child vomits non-stop or vomits unusual green or yellow fluid, is tired, has pale or pale skin, they need to go to the hospital immediately.

Cough due to foreign body in the respiratory tract

When choking on a foreign object, children cough and choke to try to clear their airways. In some cases, the baby has a pale face, has a hissing sound, and is stuffy. When the foreign object is deep and stable, coughing and shortness of breath are reduced. If a foreign object causes infection, the child often coughs with phlegm or blood, has a persistent cough, high fever, and chest pain.

According to Dr. Trong, most common respiratory diseases in children are benign and symptoms gradually decrease and can be self-monitored at home. However, in some cases the disease can progress abnormally. Parents should take their children for medical examination and timely treatment when their child has a persistent cough and fever for 5-7 days, accompanied by loss of appetite, weight loss, difficulty breathing, and faster than normal breathing. Children with signs of coughing up blood need to be hospitalized urgently.