Why does my child keep coughing?

Children's immunity to viruses is inherently weaker than that of adults. Especially when a child has a persistent cough, their immunity will be reduced, making them more susceptible to viruses, resulting in a persistent cough. When a child coughs at night, it not only affects the parents' sleep, but also the child's own sleep. It is easy for the child to become unable to breathe and go into shock. What is the reason why children keep coughing?

1. When children cough at night, the first thing to consider is whether it is due to improper sleeping position. Because improper lying position can cause poor breathing in the lungs or bronchial tubes, which can manifest as shortness of breath, tearing, etc.

2. Inflammation of the throat or dryness and itching that irritates the respiratory mucosa can also cause children to cough at night.

3. Lack of indoor ventilation can also cause children to cough at night. Keeping doors and windows closed when sleeping at night can easily cause the indoor air to become turbid, causing children to cough at night.

4. Because many parents are accustomed to turning on the air conditioner before going to bed, the change in indoor temperature causes children to cough at night.

5. To make the baby cough up phlegm effectively, guide and encourage the child to cough effectively; if the phlegm is thick, the humidity in the ward can be appropriately increased, and the indoor temperature should be maintained at around 60% to humidify the air and dilute the secretions. Ultrasonic nebulization inhalation or steam inhalation can also be used. For sick babies who have a weak cough, it is advisable to change their position frequently and pat their backs to facilitate the discharge of respiratory secretions and promote the dissipation of inflammation. If there are a lot of secretions and it affects breathing, use a suction device to clear the sputum in time and keep the airway open. Those with cough and asthma symptoms can be given oxygen inhalation.

Here’s what to do if your baby often coughs at night.

1. You can raise your child's pillow.

2. When the baby is coughing, you can let the baby change to a side-lying position or hold him/her up to lie on his/her side. Gently pat your baby's back to help the mucus come out. It is important to note that you should not take cough suppressants casually, as this may suppress the cough center and hinder expectoration.

3. Keep the indoor air circulating, not dry and odor-free, and do not burn mosquito coils.

4. It is best not to turn on the air conditioner. You can turn it on for a while before going to bed to adjust the indoor temperature, or take other methods to adjust the indoor temperature to create a comfortable sleeping environment for your baby.