If you’re a parent, you’ll know that babies and little children get sick really often. On average, children get at least eight colds a year.As your child discovers the world around them, they come into contact with lots of different microorganisms, many of which can cause infection. When they’re young, their immune system doesn’t have the antibodies to fight off these infections. This means they’re likely to get symptoms like coughing, a runny or blocked nose, fever, sore throats, and rashes fairly often.The good news is that all these early infections help to build up your child’s immune system. As they get older, they won’t get ill so frequently and when they do the symptoms won’t be as bad.In short, most of the time a cough is nothing to worry about. But if you’re worried, we’ve put together a guide to coughs in children, including when to see a doctor.What are some common causes of coughs in children?Lots of different things can cause a cough in children. Most of the time the cause will be a cold virus, and the symptoms will pass within a couple of weeks.Other causes include:Ear infectionsCroupWhooping coughMeaslesAsthmaWhen should I talk to a doctor about my child’s cough?The NHS has some basic rules for parents on this topic. You should take your child to the GP if:They’ve had a cough for more than three weeksThey also have a very high temperature or they feel hot and shiveryIt’s also a good idea to talk to your GP if you think your child has croup, measles, or whooping cough.You should take your child to A&E or call 999 if your child is finding it hard to breathe or is having chest pains. Sometimes difficulty breathing can cause the lips to go very pale or even blue. You might notice that their breathing sounds different or that their tummy is sucking inwards.Find out more about symptoms that require emergency care by reading this guide from the NHS.Does COVID-19 cause a cough in children?Yes. COVID-19 causes the same symptoms in children and adults. If your child has COVID-19 they’ll probably have a high temperature and a new, continuous cough. They might cough for longer than an hour, or have more than three coughing episodes in the space of a day.Another symptom of COVID-19 is a loss of (or change to) taste and smell. You might notice that your child doesn’t have an appetite or doesn’t want to eat food that they normally enjoy.Find out more by reading our article on this topic: COVID-19 symptoms in children.How are coughs treated in children?Most of the time, you won’t need to treat your child’s cough with prescription medicine.This is for two reasons:Coughs are nearly always caused by a virus, like the common cold, which means they can’t be treated with antibioticsCoughs tend to clear up on their own within a couple of weeksYou can treat your child’s symptoms at home, using a combination of home remedies and pharmacy treatments. Make sure they drink plenty of fluids, and if they’re feeling any discomfort, give them suitable mild painkillers like children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen.You’ll only need to seek medical help if the cough is more serious, doesn’t go away, or is accompanied by other symptoms like a high temperature.A good home remedy for children’s coughs is warm lemon and honey, which you can give to your child if they’re over the age of one:Boil water and pour it into a child-friendly mugSqueeze in half a lemon and stir in one or two teaspoons of honeyLeave the mixture to cool until it’s safe to drink, but still warm##product-carousel:calcough-infant-syrup-apple-flavour-125ml, bells-paediatric-linctus-200ml, benylin-childrens-night-coughs-6-years, bronchostop-junior-cough-syrup-120ml, calcough-childrens-syrup, benylin-childrens-chesty-coughs-strawberry-flavour, tixylix-blackcurrant-syrup, lloydspharmacy-triple-action-cough-oral-solution-200ml, tixylix-toddler-syrup-100ml##What is the best cough medicine for kids?Cough medicines come in lots of different forms and contain ingredients like paracetamol, decongestants and antihistamines. While they don’t cure a cough, they can help to reduce coughing.If your child is under 12, most over-the-counter cough medicines won’t be safe for them to take. Instead, you can give them ibuprofen or paracetamol for pain, which normally comes as a syrup e.g. Calpol or LloydsPharmacy Paracetamol Suspension. Some simple cough mixtures are also suitable, but check with the pharmacist first.If your child is over six, you can give them certain cough medicines containing other ingredients like antihistamines and decongestants if appropriate. Products like Benylin Children’s Night Coughs can help to clear the airways, reduce allergic symptoms, reduce coughing, and improve sleep.Cough syrups and medicines for children over six should have a label indicating age range – it will normally say 6+ or 6-12 years on the pack. If in doubt, ask the pharmacist.If you do use these kinds of coughs remedies, just remember they’re not curing the cough, simply easing the symptoms. If a virus has caused the cough, the only thing that will cure it is time!Referenceswww.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/health/colds-coughs-and-ear-infections-in-childrenwww.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(20)30135-8www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/coronavirus-in-children/www.nhs.uk/conditions/cough
Free Delivery on orders over £30
Free Delivery on orders over £30