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Breathing Difficulty in Children Home Care: Cough
Home treatment of a cough in children includes:
  • Avoid respiratory irritants, such as pollution, pollen, mold, dust and chemical fumes
  • Change A/C and furnace filters regularly.
  • Avoid exposure to secondary smoke.
  • Drink warm liquids to relieve coughing spasms.
  • Use throat lozenges, but do not use them in children under 5 years of age.
  • Place a vaporizer or nebulizer in the bedroom at night.
Cough medicines:
Dosing Dextromethorphan
Childs WeightDextromethorphan Dose (every 6-8 hours)
22 lb (10 kg)5 mg
33 lb (15 kg)7.5 mg
44 lb (20 kg)10 mg
55 lb (25 kg)12.5 mg
66 lb (30 kg)15 mg
88 lb (40 kg)20 mg
110 lb (50 kg)25 mg
132 lb-adult (60 kg)30 mg

Cough medication precautions:
  • Contact your doctor before using cough medicine in a child less than 6 years old.
  • A cough can help clear infected mucus from the lungs. Suppressing the cough may reduce the child's ability to fight the infection.
  • Cough medicine can cause drowsiness.
  • Talk to the doctor before you give cough medicine to a child who has asthma, lung disease, heart disease or kidney disease.
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Last Updated: Nov 27, 2007  References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MDJohn H. Beckett, MDD. Scott Gettings, MD
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