What are the treatments for whooping cough in children?

The main reason for children to suffer from whooping cough is infection with Bordetella pertussis. This bacterium has a certain incubation period, which ranges from 5 to 21 days, so there are no symptoms at the beginning, and then symptoms similar to colds will appear, such as runny nose, sneezing and coughing, etc. The following are methods to treat whooping cough in children.

1. General treatment

Keep the residence quiet, well ventilated, and avoid stimulation; pay attention to nutrition and make sure food is easily absorbed; use sedatives when necessary, such as chlorpromazine, promethazine, etc. Those who are seriously ill need someone to accompany them at all times.

2. Antimicrobial treatment

The catarrhal stage is more effectively treated with antibiotics, and if well controlled, the disease can even be prevented from entering the spasmodic cough stage. If the disease progresses to the spasmodic cough stage before treatment, the course of the disease cannot be shortened. Commonly chosen drugs are:

(1) Erythromycin

Pathogens are highly sensitive, so this is the first choice. Dosage: 30-50 mg/kg/day. Route of administration: oral or intravenous. Treatment course: one to two weeks.

(2) Roxithromycin

It is a macrolide antibiotic like erythromycin. Dosage: 5-10 mg/kg/day (in 2 divided doses). Route of administration: Oral. Treatment course: one week to ten days.

(3) Azithromycin

Second generation macrolide antibiotics. Dosage: 10 mg/kg/day. Route of administration: Oral. Treatment course: 3 days.

Roxithromycin and azithromycin have good oral effects and little irritation to the digestive tract, and can be used as appropriate according to the child's condition.

3. Treatment of complications

(1) Pneumonia or bronchitis

Give antibiotics.

(2) Simple atelectasis

Drainage or use of suction to remove sputum, or even a bronchoscope to "clear" the airways.

(3) Encephalopathy

If seizures occur, give promethazine or phenobarbital. In case of cerebral edema, 20% mannitol (1 gram/kg intravenous drip each time) can be used, and corticosteroids (such as dexamethasone) can be dripped intravenously if necessary. Immunoglobulin (15 ml/kg) can also be used, given intravenously.

4. Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment

(1) Initial cough stage

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that this is caused by the human body being affected by external wind and heat, and the treatment principle should be clearing heat and resolving phlegm. Use mulberry and chrysanthemum drink, and add as appropriate: mulberry leaves, chrysanthemum, mint, forsythia, etc. to boil water for drinking. If the patient has a high fever, add Scutellaria baicalensis and Gypsum gypsum; if there is a lot of phlegm, add Gardenia jasminoides and Fritillaria cirrhosa.

(2) Spasmodic cough stage

According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, this is caused by phlegm blocking the lungs, and the lung heat should be cleared and the phlegm should be eliminated. Generally, Ma Xing Shi Gan Decoction is used, and dried tangerine peel, pinellia tuber, and bitter orange peel can be added if necessary. For those who sweat a lot, add more gypsum, scutellaria baicalensis, etc.; for patients with red eyes, add Scrophularia ningpoensis, Imperata cylindrica, etc. For patients with purulent sputum, Rhizoma Dictamni can be added to eliminate phlegm.

(3) Recovery period

At this stage, the human body's lungs and spleen are very weak, so the main focus should be on replenishing qi and nourishing yin, and regulating the lungs and spleen. To the ginseng and schisandra decoction, if necessary, add astragalus and raw oyster to replenish qi; add aster and Fritillaria cirrhosa to suppress cough.

5. First aid measures

Diazepam, chlorpromazine, etc. can be used to fight convulsions; if sputum blocks the respiratory tract, a suction device can be used to suck out the sputum, and artificial respiration can be used to restore breathing.