Many children experience coughing and respiratory congestion from bronchial mucus from time to time. For example, coughing associated with a child’s common cold can persist for two weeks or even longer¹.

A child coughs when their body is trying to clear unwanted matter like mucus (also known as phlegm or sputum) from their airways. This type of cough is sometimes described as being ‘wet’ or ‘productive’, and can result in mucus being coughed up.

In some instances, coughing may also be a response to inflammation or irritation of the mucous membranes in the respiratory tract. These types of coughs usually don’t involve the clearing of mucus, so are often called ‘dry’ or ‘unproductive’ coughs. They may be associated with bursts of coughing that occur in spasms.

Ivy leaf relieves kids’ coughs

Ivy leaf soothes children’s coughs. Based on its traditional use in Western herbal medicine, it has expectorant properties to clear mucus from children’s respiratory tracts.

Since it’s also traditionally regarded as having anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects on the respiratory tract in Western herbal medicine, ivy leaf is suitable to use for a wide variety of children’s coughs.

Elecampane and thyme: traditional expectorant herbs

Elecampane is traditionally used to decrease children’s coughs in Western herbal medicine.

Along with thyme, it’s traditionally regarded as having expectorant properties, and is used to clear kids’ bronchial mucous congestion in Western herbal medicine.

Chinese licorice

Chinese licorice is included in Oriental Botanicals’ Kids’ Cough Fighter because it’s traditionally used to reduce children’s coughs in Chinese medicine.

This herb has a naturally sweet taste, which teams with the naturally derived blackcurrant flavour in Kids’ Cough Fighter to create a great-tasting cough mix that’s easy to administer to your child when mixed with water or juice.

When should your child see a health professional for their cough? ^2-5

Most children’s coughs are mild and transient. However, if your child is experiencing a severe or persistent cough, investigation and treatment by a health professional is warranted.

See your doctor or health professional if your child has a cough that is:

• Associated with breathing difficulties, a high fever, changes to the colour of their skin, or a barking or ‘whooping’ noise
• Present for more than two weeks - especially when accompanied by other symptoms including shortness of breath and wheezing
• Interfering with their ability to sleep or engage in their daily activities
• Triggered by exposure to house dust, pets or pollen, or by the consumption of certain food or drinks

References:

1. Lamas, A. et al. Archivos de Bronconeumología (English Edition), 2014;50(7):294-300.
2. HealthDirect. Cough. Published 2019 and accessed December 2019 from https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cough
3. raisingchildren.net.au. Cough. Published 2017 and accessed December 2019 from https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/cough
4. Jurca, M. et al. PLoS One, 2017;12(5):e0177485.
5. Mayo Clinic. Childhood asthma. Published 2019 and accessed January 2020 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-asthma/symptoms..