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Suggest Treatment For Dry Cough, Fever And Frequent Clearing Of Throat

Posted on Wed, 28 Jan 2015

Question: My 10 year daughter has had a dry cough for 4 days
fever ranging from 101 - 102 degress for 5 days
today is day 5 - now cough is a bit more productive - clears her throat alot
a little fatigue
no other symptoms

2 doctor visits - no action taken by the doctor - says its a cold
at my daughter school - there is a alot of phemonia and flu

my daughter had the flu shot in Oct 2014

I am worried it could be a flu or phemonia - the fever has lasted for 5 days
yes I am alternating between tylanol and advil

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (17 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No respiratory distress - not pneumonia

Detailed Answer:
Hi...by what you quote this seems like a viral infection. Usually fever like this with just cough and cold without fast breathing or respiratory distress could be a viral illness.

If your daughter is normal in between fever episodes in a single day...I don't think you should worry as its only 5yh day of fever. Danger signs include breathlessness/ rash/ low urine output/ seizures/ unconsciousness/ blood in motion. Don't worry if these are not there & the kid is active.

This doesn't look like flu or pneumonia to me. I feel your doctor is guiding you in the right direction.

Regards - Dr. Sumanth

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (7 minutes later)

If your daughter is normal in between fever episodes in a single day? Yes
Danger signs include
breathlessness...No
rash/ low urine output/ seizures/ unconsciousness...No
blood in motion... No

The kid is active...Yes

This doesn't look like flu or pneumonia to me.... ???
As a father of 5 children ages 28 - 10 years old.. have never experience one of my children with these symptoms and as you can see with all of these kids I have experience alot so I remain concern ... while alieved by your words

I feel your doctor is guiding you in the right direction.... I will take her back and ask for chest x rays - my concern is the beginning of walking phemonia very prevalent at her school right now... my kid is skinny 60 pound and I care about her a great deal

finally what suggestion do you have for home remedy
what about steam to lossen the cough ???

Thank you for your detailed answer

Al

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (10 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Atypical infection - yes, but viral still holds

Detailed Answer:
Hi...I respect your experience sir. Infact in my teaching institution too I keep telling this to my residents that parents are the best judges.

I agree you can take a chest xray and be doubly sure.

One point which you mentioned is quite important.... About prevalence of walking pneumonia in her school now. I agree with your concern. If it is so, I would prefer to give her a course of Clarithromycin or Azithromycin empirically rather going ahead with costly blood tests to prove atypical infections which cause walking pneumonia.

I agree with another point of yours too....steam inhalation will definitely help loosening up the thick mucoid sputum. But it might not help relieve cough.

Actually cough is a protective reflex and it increases when the kid is recovering from viral illness... It helps the kid bring up the sputum to be spat out.

Regards - Dr. Sumanth

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar