My baby of 6months has this persistence cough. What do I do pls
  • Best Answer
We Paediatricians are usually not comfortable to cough syrup being given first to infants.. I.e below 1 year..... This is because it sedates and makes it difficult for the children to breath well especially a child that has pneumonia with increased work of breathing... Another reason is because most Cough syrup are expectorants but children especially infants don't expectorate the sputum but rather swallow so they don't need expectorants cough syrups. However most important reason is because when mothers use cough syrup they delay in presenting to the hospital for proper evaluation of the child leading to late presentation of conditions like pneumonia which actually kills children fast. The side effect of some cough syrup especially depression of respiration is also a major issue. However if a doctor has examined and ruled out pneumonia or is already treating with antibiotics, use of cough syrup may be useful for very dry irritating cough in children above age 1 year but no need for expectorants cough syrup as most children do not expectorate.... I.e cough out their sputum... They swallow it
If your child is breathing fast or having fever or breathing with difficulty, it could be pneumonia, kindly see a doctor immediately....
Kindly note that most cough and catarrh are due to viral infections and will resolve on their own....There is no need to give antibiotics....Keep warm, and avoid any one adult or child with colds.