A dry, shallow,  unproductive, and very repetitive cough is the most worrying cough. This cough can also sound high pitched, wet, or wheezy.

How To Help Your Child

Do

  • Check for fever 100.5 or higher

  • Call or text us at 503 400 3852. A video so we can hear the child is helpful. We would like to evaluate the cough – either listening to your child on the phone, on the texted video, or in office.

  • If your child has used albuterol (rescue breathing medicine), this is the time use it again.

Don’t

  • Don’t give the child over the counter cough/cold medicine. Studies have shown this can lead to pneumonia.

When to Worry

Contact us by texting or calling 503 400 3852 option 2 if child

  • Short, shallow breaths

  • Speaking in short sentences to stop and catch breath

  • Long strings of little coughs making it hard for the child to catch their breath

  • “Retractions” – muscles/skin under ribs or at top of breast bone sink in with inhaling,

  • Coughing accompanied by fever – 100.5 or higher

This advice about symptom relief is intended to equip you to help your child at home. If you have continued concerns please contact our office. If this is a medical emergency, please call 911 and us. We can also help during an emergency.

If you are not a Small Town Pediatrics family, please contact your child’s medical office or click Accepting New Patients to register your child with us.