Home treatment of a
cough in children with breathing difficulty 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 Weight | Dextromethorphan 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.
