Especially in spring and winter, some parents have a nightmare about their children's persistent coughs. Even friends and neighbors may intervene: “Take this child to such and such a doctor!”.
Cough, which is a protective reflex of the respiratory tract, is often a symptom of a simple upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). The characteristics of the cough and other accompanying disease symptoms help distinguish it from viral URTI, which is defined as “cold” or “flu” and gets better within 5-10 days, for example:
- Monthly with the beginning of the school season A dry cough that recurs 1-2 times and begins with a runny nose, sneezing and sometimes fever, eases within 5-10 days, but before it disappears, it starts again with a new runny nose and sneezing symptoms, and this situation continues throughout the winter. The parent may interpret this situation as a lung disease that does not heal. However, each cough episode is an URTI due to a different respiratory virus. During these periods, if a complication such as otitis media, sinusitis or pneumonia is not detected during the examination of the patient, antibiotic treatment is unnecessary and ineffective, it does not shorten the duration of the disease, and it has been shown that it does not prevent bacterial complications.
- During a viral URTI that lasts longer than 7-10 days and Symptoms such as cough that does not ease in severity, nasal/nasal drip and nasal congestion should make us think of acute sinusitis, and persistent dry and severe coughs lasting more than 10 days should make us think of whooping cough syndrome in unvaccinated babies.
- It occurs during or after every viral URTI and sometimes Wheezing accompanied by shortness of breath should make us think of other diseases such as childhood asthma or gastrointestinal reflux that causes airway reactivity.
- Cough with a hoarse sound that resembles a "barking sound", hoarseness, difficulty breathing. and/or symptoms such as a "crowing sound" when breathing suggest Kurup syndrome, most often acute laryngitis.
- Symptoms such as fever, weakness, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, abdominal or chest pain, vomiting should suggest pneumonia. During a viral URI, the fever that initially drops may rise again after a few days, the cough persists or increases, or breathing problems occur. The onset of pneumonia should also remind one of pneumonia. In ALLERGIC CATASTROP, which is also one of the causes of cough, dark circles under the eyes and brush-like eyelashes draw attention.
Children are generally active and irritable.
This Since the eustachian tube in children is swollen and edematous due to allergies, they often suffer from middle ear infections and febrile illnesses.
These are children whose noses and eyes appear red, itchy and swollen.
Children's head and neck parts while sleeping. They are covered in intense sweat. Most of their pillows become wet with sweat. Teeth grinding during sleep is common in children with allergic rhinitis. This is due to the blockage of the Eustachian tube, which provides the ventilation balance of the middle ear, and their efforts to open this tube by grinding.
Respiratory allergies often begin with allergic rhinitis. There is a high risk of developing bronchial asthma after a certain period of time.
- Consecutive severe dry cough attacks that last longer than 15 days and increase at night should also make you think of whooping cough, especially if your child is under 6 months and over 8 years old.
It would be appropriate for those with persistent and unusual coughs to be evaluated by a pediatrician, especially in terms of childhood asthma, which is seen in 7-15% of children. A cough that is prolonged, occurs at night, and increases with movement should definitely be consulted with a physician.
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