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Child Has Severe Cough And Mild Fever. Not Cured By Medication. Any Suggestion?
Question: Hi Doctor i have a son of 2yrs 9 months and having sever cough for last 1 months, We started with medicines likes cheston and we consulted a doctor who prescribed us Syp Alerid 3ml - 3ml for 5 days and Bricanyl 3ml-3ml-3ml for 5 days when there was no improvement last week consulted another doctor who prescribed us with Asthalin (Sabutamol Sulphate Syrup IP). After giving the 1st does of the syrup the cough went to very severe, we went to the hospital again, where a doctor prescribed us with Linctus Codin syp which we could not get in market because of out of supply.
The cough still persist after a week. There has been a mild fever on couple of occasions too. Please suggest
Most importantly he has become quite thin would have lost 2.5 kgs weight. Now weiging 11.5 Kgs
The cough still persist after a week. There has been a mild fever on couple of occasions too. Please suggest
Most importantly he has become quite thin would have lost 2.5 kgs weight. Now weiging 11.5 Kgs
Hello XXXXXXX
Welcome and thanks for posting on XXXXXXX
It must be really hard to see your son agonizing for this long without much improvement. From your description I feel your son has been suffering from a chest infection which could be probably due to bronchitis, pneumonia ( involving typical or atypical germs like TB, pneumocystosis, mycoplasma etc), bronchiolitis (usually acute severe respiratory distress is associated).
The treatments offered alerid syrup (an antihistamine) was not necessary because cough is not generally due to allergy and alerid is an antiallergic medication. Bricanyl is an inhaler steroid for asthma (not properly indicated if correct diagnosis of asthma is not made). Family history of asthma is not sufficient to place patient on antiasthmatic medication but trial medication is allowed. Asthalin is also for asthma and so should be properly indicated.
The best approach for you son was to first get an accurate cause of the chest infection by doing a chest x-ray, sputum test + culture, blood tests ( for signs of infection), Mantous test and other possible test depending on your doctor.
I will advise you consult with a pediatrician.
If infection detected then appropriate antibiotics such as bactrim, amoxicillin+ clavulinic acid and others for atypical germs like azithromycin. After x-ray then oral corticosteroid could be included to regress inflammation.
Weight loss is not found in viral chest infection or asthma, so I will look more into bacterial chest infection...
Hope this was helpful and please do write back if you wish for more info
Dr Nsah
Welcome and thanks for posting on XXXXXXX
It must be really hard to see your son agonizing for this long without much improvement. From your description I feel your son has been suffering from a chest infection which could be probably due to bronchitis, pneumonia ( involving typical or atypical germs like TB, pneumocystosis, mycoplasma etc), bronchiolitis (usually acute severe respiratory distress is associated).
The treatments offered alerid syrup (an antihistamine) was not necessary because cough is not generally due to allergy and alerid is an antiallergic medication. Bricanyl is an inhaler steroid for asthma (not properly indicated if correct diagnosis of asthma is not made). Family history of asthma is not sufficient to place patient on antiasthmatic medication but trial medication is allowed. Asthalin is also for asthma and so should be properly indicated.
The best approach for you son was to first get an accurate cause of the chest infection by doing a chest x-ray, sputum test + culture, blood tests ( for signs of infection), Mantous test and other possible test depending on your doctor.
I will advise you consult with a pediatrician.
If infection detected then appropriate antibiotics such as bactrim, amoxicillin+ clavulinic acid and others for atypical germs like azithromycin. After x-ray then oral corticosteroid could be included to regress inflammation.
Weight loss is not found in viral chest infection or asthma, so I will look more into bacterial chest infection...
Hope this was helpful and please do write back if you wish for more info
Dr Nsah
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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