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This List of Cough Medicines for Babies That Are Safe for Your Children

When a baby coughs, many parents immediately give cough medicine to the baby. Though the use of cough medicine in infants should not be careless. Not all cough medicines are safe and are recommended for infants. Let's get to know any cough medicines that are safe to use for babies. Coughing is a normal reaction and form of the body's mechanism to clear mucus, germs, and dirt from the airways and lungs. Coughing usually occurs when the throat, trachea, or lungs become irritated, inflamed, or infected.

Cough medicine for safe babies

Coughing in babies is most often caused by a viral infection or irritation from pollution or dirt (such as dust and smoke) in the air. Coughing because those two things will usually subside on their own. Complaints that occur quite often is actually not much to worry about if not accompanied by other complaints, such as fever, shortness of breath, and the baby looks weak. Coughing in infants is enough to be overcome by increasing milk intake and rest. However, if your child coughs with fever or he becomes more fussy, consider giving the following drugs:

Fever Relievers

Types of fever-reducing drugs that are safe for babies are paracetamol and ibuprofen. For babies, paracetamol and ibuprofen are generally available in syrup form. However, the two drugs have rules, namely:

  • Paracetamol

    • Paracetamol can be given if your child is 2 months old, provided that he is born after 37 weeks' gestation and weighs more than 4 kg. Paracetamol can relieve fever and pain due to inflammation in the throat that causes a baby to cough. The right paracetamol is given every 4-6 hours, and not more than 4 times in 24 hours. In order to give the appropriate dosage of paracetamol, use a medicine pipette or spoon in the appropriate dose. Too much paracetamol can cause liver damage. Therefore, be sure to always comply with the recommended dosage given. Paracetamol tends to be safer for the baby's digestive tract than ibuprofen.

  • Ibuprofen

    • Ibuprofen can be given if your child is 3 months old or weighs more than 5 kg. Ibuprofen can reduce fever, pain, and reduce inflammation. However, the administration should be no more than 3 doses within 24 hours and the time interval when giving this drug is also not too fast (less than 6 hours). Compared with paracetamol, ibuprofen tends to make the baby's stomach uncomfortable, so he can experience side effects such as nausea or vomiting.

Saline Solution

If your little cough is not accompanied by a fever, you can give saline solution that can be purchased at the pharmacy. Besides being in the form of drops, saline which is a sterile salt solution is also available in the form of spray (spray). This saline solution serves to thin thick mucus, making it easier to remove, soothe baby's breathing, and moisturize the airway due to air that is too dry or dirty. Mother can drip saline solution into the baby's nostrils, then suck the mucus using a suction tool that looks like a pipette. It should be understood that paracetamol, ibuprofen, and saline solution are only used to make the baby feel more comfortable and can rest until the cough subsides on its own. Mothers should also not choose cough medicines for infants or adults on the market, such as phlegm thinners or cough suppressants, which are usually found in cold medicines. These drugs are not safe for consumption by children under two years, including infants. In addition, the use of antibiotics is not always needed to treat coughing in infants. Antibiotics are only used if the cough in infants is caused by a bacterial infection. To determine whether a cough in a baby is caused by bacteria or not and to determine what type of antibiotic is suitable for your child, the doctor needs to do an examination. However, if you are alone at home with your baby and cannot bring it to the nearest hospital, you can use the Alodokter app to consult with a pediatrician directly.

Natural Ways to Overcome Coughing in Infants

In addition to giving cough medicine for babies, cough can also be overcome with the following simple steps:

1. Increase fluid intake

Increasing fluid can reduce mucus and make the respiratory tract more smooth. Infants under 6 months may only be breastfed, so give your child more milk when he is coughing. While babies over 6 months may be given warm water interspersed with breast milk.

2. Make use of warm water vapor

Moist air can prevent the inside of the nose from drying out and keep it moist, while also relieving the respiratory tract. If the air is dry around the baby's bed, use a humidifier to make the air in the room more humid. If no such device is available, steam coming from a basin filled with warm water can also relieve your breathing.

3. Give honey

Honey works to thin mucus and relieve coughing and helps overcome infections in the baby's airways. Its properties are almost the same as cough medicines that are sold in the market. Based on research, giving two teaspoons of honey (10 ml) to children aged 2 years who suffer from respiratory infections can make the frequency of coughing is reduced and helps children to sleep more soundly. However, honey is only recommended for children over 1 year of age. Avoid giving honey to babies because it can cause botulism, which is poisoning due to the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. A cough that does not make a child fussy or is not accompanied by other complaints is actually not a condition that needs to be aware of. However, be careful if a cough in a baby appears along with other complaints, such as high fever, decreased appetite or unwilling to breastfeed, wheezing, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, or cough does not subside in more than 7 days. If the baby coughs up with these complaints, you should consult a pediatrician.

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