Many children seem to have never-ending coughs and colds during the winter. But it can leave parents wondering whether it will right itself or if they need to see a doctor.
Now Dr Dominic Greenyer has explained what to watch for that will show you need to seek medical help for your child’s cough. The GP and Director of The Health Suite, said: “Coughs and colds are really common, especially at this time of year. For the most part they are a regular part of childhood and nothing to worry about. Most children will get around eight viral infections a year.
« But it’s normal for parents to worry and if coughs are becoming frequent it can be hard to know when to seek help.”
According to the NHS if your child is feeding, drinking, eating and breathing normally and there is no wheezing, a cough is not usually anything to be concerned about. It is usually working to help clear phlegm or mucus from the back of the throat or chest.
However, it says there is one time you should seek immediate medical help if your child is struggling to breathe. And if it carries on for over three weeks, especially if it gets worse at night or they have a wheeze or breathlessness between illnesses, then it’s time to see a doctor as it could be a sign there’s an underlying cause.
Dr Greenyer says: “Most of the time coughs will resolve with rest and fluids after a couple of weeks. What we want to see is a child recovering fully and having clear periods where they are free of symptoms between illnesses.
« However, if your child has an ongoing cough or wheeze, is struggling to gain weight or needs frequent antibiotics for chest infections, it might be time to see a specialist to look for an underlying cause. Symptoms that are severe, persistent or unusual for your child should never be ignored.”
Some underlying causes could be asthma, a common condition that affects breathing, or immune deficiencies. More rarely there could be structural lung problems or, rarer still, an underlying chronic lung disease such as cystic fibrosis.
Dr Greenyer added: “If your child has any problems breathing then seek medical assistance straight away. If they have a continuous cough with a high temperature, ask your GP for an urgent appointment so they can be assessed as soon as possible as it could indicate an underlying infection.”
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