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

  • Other signs of respiratory distress (follow link for description)

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.