According to the latest influenza monitoring released by the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the positive rate of influenza virus testing in the southern and northern provinces of China has continued to decline since January. However, the number of respiratory disease visits in various regions still maintains a high level, and cough patients account for a relatively high proportion of the patient population. Some hospitals have even opened cough clinics specifically for this purpose.
The doctor explained that coughing is actually a protective reflex of the human body, which is a natural response of the body to clear foreign objects and secretions in the respiratory tract. During the interview, the reporter found that many patients, especially children, have recovered from respiratory diseases, but their cough is still not good. Most of them present with irritating dry cough or cough accompanied by a small amount of white mucus sputum. Chest X-ray examination shows no abnormalities, and prolonged coughing makes many parents feel anxious. The doctor suggests that the first step is to determine whether the cough is acute or chronic. If it is chronic, it is recommended to confirm whether there is a potential disease.
Shen Kunling, Chief Physician of the Respiratory Department of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University: If it exceeds 4 weeks, we call it chronic cough, but if it is less than 4 weeks, it is called acute cough. Therefore, some children, such as those who have recovered for 2, 3, and 4 weeks, are basically fine, so there is no problem. But for some patients who experience persistent coughing for more than 4 weeks, several reasons should be considered. The first reason is that the previous H1N1 infection may be particularly severe, or there may be a second infection after the H1N1 infection, or there may be Mycoplasma after the H1N1 infection, or there may be a bacterial infection after the H1N1 infection. This mixed infection will cause significant damage to the epithelium, so he will continue to cough; Another situation is whether the child has a basic problem, and the most common basic problem is that the child has allergies.
【 Expert Tip 】 Avoid blind cough suppression and overuse of antibiotics
The doctor stated that coughing after respiratory tract infection is very common, and if it lasts for less than 4 weeks and there is no worsening of the condition, there is no need to go to the hospital repeatedly for treatment. The most common misconception in home care for coughing after infection is blind cough suppression and overuse of antibiotics. Overuse of cough inhibitors may inhibit the natural clearing process of the respiratory tract and prolong the course of the disease.
Shen Kunling, Chief Physician of the Respiratory Department at Beijing Children's Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University: Children still do not advocate the use of central cough suppressants. Firstly, coughing has its own protective effect on the body. Secondly, after removing the cause, many coughs will actually be relieved. Many parents are very anxious and start taking medication immediately after coughing. They take medication indiscriminately and ask them what medication to use. They say I used antibiotics, but when you ask what antibiotics to use, they don't know. These antibiotics are the ones left over from the last illness, I will use them for him now. In fact, these are not standardized. First of all, they are abused, and then when they need to be used, they are not used, and when they need to be treated enough, they are not treated enough. These can cause the child's condition to persist and not heal.
Experts remind that antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections, and children's organ function is not yet fully developed. Improper use of drugs may cause some adverse reactions, leading to organ damage, and so on. Children are not a scaled down version of adults, and drug abuse or indiscriminate use are not advisable. The safety and effectiveness of medication must be considered, and medication should be standardized under the guidance of doctors or pharmacists.
