
Suggest Treatment For Dry Cough In A Child

My baby is having dry cough. He is coughed 8 times in 3 hours from 8 pm. His cough is 2-3 dry cough at one time sometimes followed by sound or breathe. I gave him ventryl expectorant 5 drops 11 am 10 drops 5 pm and 8 drops at 11 pm today. He was having cough from 2-3 days. It increased more today so started with syrup. Please suggest
Could be due to a viral cause
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through the details and understand your concern. Most often such symptoms are due to viral infections and antibiotics are ineffective in such cases. Irrespective of treatment it usually spontaneously resolves in 5-7 days. Some children are more prone to catching cold and recurrent episodes are seen.
You need to give steam inhalation to your child. It helps in reducing the congestion. Just sit with your child on your lap and place the source of steam before you. The water vapor will be in the air and automatically the child will breathe it in. Water vapor will reach deep inside and would help in diluting the cough and thus would provide relief. Ventryl expectorant acts in the same manner by making the cough productive. Use Nasoclear Saline Nasal Drops in case of nose block.
To know whether the dose of Ventryl expectorant is adequate I would need to know the body weight of the baby. Also mention the age and let me know if I could help further.
Regards


Ventryl Expectorant need not be given to a child of this age.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. Sorry for the inadvertent delay in replying. Ventryl Expectorant is usually not given in children below 6 months although I guess it would not harm since you have already given it. I do not think that you need to continue it. In this context let me add that in cough in children of this age can also occur due to reflux. The junction of the stomach and food pipe is not tight and the stomach contents regurgitating back to the food pipe can cause irritation and thereby cough. It is not something to be concerned about. Proper burping should provide relief.
Feel free to write back.
Regards


No problem if you continue the medicine
Detailed Answer:
Thanks again for writing back. You can give it as I do not expect any untoward effect from the medicine. Unless the rate of breathing is more than 50 per minute you need not worry (you can count the movement of the abdomen of the baby at rest for one full minute). It is only if the respiratory rate is raised that you need to consider pneumonia and get treatment with antibiotics done.
Regards


Normal. Not a cause for concern.
Detailed Answer:
No, respiratory rate of 35-40 per minute for a child of this age is absolutely normal and nothing to worry about.
Regards

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