What to do if your child can't cough up phlegm

When children are young, they usually don't cough up phlegm. If they have a cold and cough, phlegm will accumulate in their throats, which is very uncomfortable. If children can't cough up phlegm, it will easily lead to throat discomfort, aggravate coughing, and difficulty breathing. At this time, parents can change the baby's current situation through the following nursing measures. So what should I do if my child can't cough up phlegm?

Choosing a suitable position is very helpful for children to expectorate. If the lesion is at the tip of the upper lobe of the lung, sitting position drainage is very effective. Others can choose supine or prone position drainage. Each time should be kept at about ten minutes, about two or three times a day. It will be more effective if the patient is nebulized before positional drainage.
When the child is coughing up phlegm, you can pat the child on the back. Hold the child up, facing the parents, and then pat the child's back gently from bottom to top. This will cause vibrations in the child's chest cavity, and the phlegm can be easily discharged. It is also very beneficial to the blood circulation of the heart and lungs. When patting the child's back, you need to observe the child's complexion and breathing condition. If the child's complexion is bad, be sure to let the child's breathing stabilize before patting the back.

Steam inhalation is also a good way to help children cough up phlegm. When children have chest tightness, air stagnation, and irritability, they need to clear the phlegm out. You can choose a 10 to 15 cm cup and fill it with half a cup of hot water. Put the child's nose and mouth into the cup, and then change the water when it is not hot. Repeat this several times to cough up the phlegm.

Drinking more water can also dilute phlegm, and drinking water can flush the throat, so that the bacteria in the throat can be excreted through urination, and it can also improve blood circulation. It is recommended to keep the temperature of boiled water at 23°C. Drinking more boiled water can kill bacteria and reduce inflammation, and can dilute phlegm so that it can be easily excreted. It is not recommended to add sugar to the water because adding sugar will have a certain viscosity.