Dry Cough in Children

Dry cough, in most cases, is associated with the symptoms of some underlying medical conditions. So ignoring the symptoms of dry cough in children may invite trouble later. A child suffering from dry cough may sound different than his usual tone. The child may also complain about difficulty in swallowing food or water. This mainly happens due to the irritation of the larynx and tonsils. Other symptoms of dry cough in children include a change in the behavior (increased irritability or agitation) and craving for liquids more than normal. This was about the symptoms of dry cough in children, and the following will brief you regarding the different dry cough causes in children, along with the treatment methods.

Dry Cough Causes in Children
Common cold is considered to be the most common cause of dry cough in children. Apart from these, other potential causes are whooping cough, asthma, laryngitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx; characterized by hoarseness or loss of voice and coughing) and pollution. Dry cough in children can also result from allergy and croup (a disease of infants and young children; harsh coughing and hoarseness, fever and difficulty in breathing). Post nasal drip is also one of the common causes of dry cough in children. This is due to the fact that, when a person is suffering from a post nasal drip, the secretions of the nose chronically drip into the back of the throat and this causes dry cough. Bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, lung disease and lung tumor have also been found to be some of the underlying causes of dry cough. When it comes to the causes of dry cough at night in children, then sinus infection, common cold, whooping cough, asthma and emphysema (an abnormal condition of the lungs marked by decreased respiratory function) are diagnosed as the primary causes. Read more on dry cough at night.

Dry Cough Remedy for Children
Dry cough remedies for children should be the ones which do not involve too much of medication, as the age factor comes into play. So, it is best to try effective home dry cough remedies for children to minimize any kind of harmful side effects.

• Crush some basil leaves and mix it with honey. Give this mixture whenever your child has a cough. Likewise, you can also prepare a mix of turmeric powder with honey. This helps in clearing the chest congestion and improves breathing.
• Keeping the body well-hydrated also helps in the treatment of dry cough in children. However, drinking water may not be preferred by your child at all times. So, give him his favorite fruit juices in order to keep up the level of body fluids.
• Almonds are always a favorite among kids. So, soak some of them in water overnight, and the next morning make a paste out of them. Mix this paste with honey and administer it whenever the cough resumes.
• Unlike adults, taking raw cloves of garlic or ginger root may not be so comfortable for the little ones. So, the best way to use these natural medicines is by adding them in foods. You can add them in hot soups and the like.
• Herbal tea or green tea might not turn out to be so 'good' to small kids because of their taste. However, if you can help them take the tea, at least twice a day, this would be beneficial for a speedy cure for dry cough.
• One effective method of treating dry cough in children is to gargle with lukewarm saline water every morning! However, small kids usually get irritated when asked to do so and that too after getting up from bed. So, you have to be smart enough to help your kids use this effective method of treatment.

You may also want to read more on:

• Dry Cough Remedy
• Home Remedies for Cough

Dry cough is a common illness which affects people of all ages, especially children. The symptoms are generally very uncomfortable for the little ones, unlike the grown ups for whom it can be just an annoyance. If left untreated for a longer period of time, it can also result in chronic dry cough. So, dry cough in children may be a bit difficult when it comes to the treatment, as in most cases, children refuse to co-operate. However, if constant efforts are filled with love and care, things become easier!