Blog Dry Cough In Kids: Possible Causes And Remedies

Dry Cough In Kids: Possible Causes And Remedies

Dry cough is common in children. Not every cough produces mucus; many kids have a dry cough, which is usually triggered by allergies, acid reflux, Asthma, and other external factors.

If you’re wondering if you’re kid has a dry cough or not, watch out for the following symptoms:

  • Coughing without mucus
  • Tickling sensation in the throat
  • Forceful hacking sound while coughing, and
  • Sore throat

In this article, we’ve shared possible causes of dry cough and a few remedies that can provide quick relief. Read on.

Contents

Possible Causes

Dry Cough Causes

1. Infection:

Flu and colds can trigger a lingering cough in kids. While colds can cause mild to moderate hacking cough, the flu can be pretty serious and cause dry cough with noisy breathing. These viral infections are generally treated with antibiotics, cough syrup for kids, and other medications.

2. Acid Reflux:

Acid reflux in children can generally cause symptoms such as frequent vomiting, a bitter taste in the mouth, cough, and a burning feeling in the chest (heartburn). Although your medical provider will guide you best about the medications for kids, you can also try home remedies to find relief.

For instance, avoid feeding them trigger foods, such as spicy, peppermint, chocolate, fatty foods, carbonated drinks, and caffeine. Besides, give them smaller meals at frequent time intervals.

3. Allergies:

In kids, allergic reactions can trigger a lingering cough along with other symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes, or rash. Since there are different factors that can cause allergic reactions, it is advised to talk to your child’s doctor and get a few allergy tests done to find the allergen that caused the cough. Usually, these allergens include pollen, food, dust, and pet dander.

4. Asthma:

Diagnosing Asthma in children can be difficult as symptoms vary from child to child. If your kid has a wheezing cough, chances are he or she has Asthma. External factors like smoke, pollution, or perfumes are a few of the common triggers.

Remedies

Dry Cough Remedies
  • It is advised to give your child cough syrup or throat lozenges as they have throat-soothing ingredients like honey and menthol. It’s an effective dry cough treatment since it provides quick relief.
  • Put a cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer in your kid’s room to add moisture to the air. It will prevent your child’s airways from getting dry. Also, avoid using heated humidifiers as they might cause burns.
  • Encourage your child to inhale warm and moist air. For this, you can turn on the shower in the bathroom and let the room steam up. Ask your child to inhale the warm mist for at least 15 minutes.
  • Drinking warm fluids is another effective remedy for soothing your child’s sore throat, which is very common during coughing. You can also add honey to the liquids if your kid is above the age of one.

Final Thoughts

Coughing is actually good for your body as it helps get rid of harmful microbes and irritants. Children usually get relief in 1 to 2 weeks, but if the cough lasts for more than three weeks, it is advised to contact a doctor.

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