“How can I stop my child from coughing?”

Hello

If it is bronchitis, an antibiotic like Azithromycin would work best. I would take your child to the pediatrician. Feel better.

Hi! Thank you for your question.

There really is no medication safe out there that can stop a cough in its tracks. There are a lot of over-the-counter medications that are not controlled - most of them have combination
medications like antihistamines (for allergies) and maybe a cough suppressant. Sometimes a cough may just be due to a runny nose or a post-nasal drip. There are prescription medications that you may need to talk to your doctor about, but for your child's age, they may not be safe.
Thank you. Hope this helps.

Your child is coughing because his brain perceives that his airway is potentially being blocked by something. Possibilities include seasonal respiratory infections, allergies, bronchoconstriction from reactive airway disease or asthma. "Cough medicines" merely disrupt the body's attempt to protect itself, do nothing to treat the "cause" of the cough, and could
even be potentially harmful. The best way to stop your child from coughing is to identify the cause and treat it, not just try to cover up the symptoms. Talk to your pediatrician.

Shelley C. Springer, MD, MBA, MSc, JD, FAAP