What should I do if the baby has a cold and a dry cough?

Written by Yan Xin Liang

Pediatrics

Updated on May 27, 2025

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When a baby has a cold and a dry cough, the first step is to administer a cough suppressant, which can be a traditional Chinese medicine or medications like ambroxol. Additionally, nebulizer inhalation can be used, which also acts as a cough suppressant. Moreover, if a viral infection is suspected, it is appropriate to use some antiviral medications for treatment. However, since viral infections often last a long time and may be complicated by bacterial infections, antibiotics such as cephalosporins and penicillins in oral formulations can be added to treat the infection.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu

Pulmonology

1min 21sec

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What to eat during a cold in the lactation period?

If you have symptoms of a cold during the breastfeeding period, it is important to distinguish between different types. Colds can be categorized into types such as wind-heat cold and wind-cold cold. For wind-heat colds, symptoms usually include sore throat, pain, or dry and itchy throat. In such cases, it is advisable to take some medicine that clears heat and detoxifies, or medicine that provides cooling relief from exterior symptoms. You can also drink some herbal teas to alleviate the symptoms. When taking medicine, it is crucial to do so under the guidance of a doctor and to use medicine that specifically addresses your symptoms. This is especially important during the breastfeeding period, as indiscriminate use of medicine could potentially impact the baby's growth and development. For wind-cold colds, it is suggested to take some heat-clearing granules to treat and alleviate symptoms. It's also important to keep warm, avoid exposure to cold and drafts, and you might drink some brown sugar ginger tea to eliminate inner cold and alleviate symptoms. Additionally, soaking your feet in warm water at night can promote blood circulation and relieve fatigue from the day.

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Written by Qiu Xin Hui

Traditional Chinese Medicine

52sec

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Is it okay to drink ginger soup for a cold caused by excessive internal heat?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a cold caused by excessive internal heat is generally considered to occur when the body's resistance is low, and it is exposed to pathogenic wind-heat. At this time, it is necessary to take some pungent and cooling herbs to adjust the body. Ginger or ginger soup is not suitable in this case because its nature tends towards heat, and it has the effect of expelling wind and dispelling cold, which is suitable for colds caused by exposure to cold elements. For a cold caused by excessive internal heat, it is appropriate to drink some honeysuckle and chrysanthemum tea, as this can treat the condition. At the same time, attention should also be paid to diet, which should be as bland as possible, avoiding spicy, dry, irritating, and heat-inducing foods.

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Written by Zhang Ying Ying

Traditional Chinese Medicine

41sec

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Can you take medicine for wind-heat cold when you have a wind-cold cold?

The main symptoms of a cold caused by wind-cold are a significant chill and heavy feeling, mild fever, absence of sweating, headache, sore limbs, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing up white, thin phlegm. The primary treatment method is to disperse wind-cold using pungent and warm herbs. For treating a cold caused by wind-heat, one should use cooling herbs to disperse wind-heat. Therefore, the medicines for wind-heat cold should not be consumed during a wind-cold cold, as their treatment methods are completely contrary and would only worsen the symptoms.

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Written by An Yong Peng

Pulmonology

1min 10sec

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How to distinguish a viral cold from a cold caused by exposure to cold weather

A cold caused by getting chilled can often present the same symptoms as a viral cold. This type of cold refers to a situation where, after exposure to cold, an individual's immune system becomes weakened, allowing pathogens residing in the respiratory tract to proliferate rapidly and thus cause a cold. In many cases, a cold from getting chilled is also viral in nature. Symptoms commonly seen in individuals with colds may include runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, coughing, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and sometimes a mild fever. However, sometimes a cold due to chilling may also lead to infection by other pathogens, such as bacteria, which can present clinically differently from a viral cold. In such cases, patients might not exhibit typical symptoms like clear nasal discharge or sneezing; instead, they might only show nonspecific upper respiratory symptoms. It is also possible for them to experience high fever, obvious sore throat, and swelling of the tonsils, which are signs of acute purulent tonsillitis, a specific type of bacterial cold.

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Written by Li Jian Wu

Pulmonology

38sec

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Can I eat lamb when I have a cold?

When you have a cold, you should not eat mutton as it is considered a "hot" food, which can aggravate the condition and lead to secondary infections. This type of food is considered an unfavorable stimulus for recovery from a cold. In terms of diet, it is advisable to eat lighter, softer foods rich in vitamins and high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables. You should consume more celery, spinach, mung bean sprouts, tomatoes, carrots, avocados, dragon fruit, mangoes, and kiwis. Also, drink plenty of water, avoid staying up late, and avoid excessive stress.