There is nothing worse than having a child who’s feeling under the weather. Because children cannot always express how they’re feeling, it is important as the parent to understand when your child’s illness symptoms require medical care. Coughs are a common condition, and while they sometimes can simply be caused by environmental irritation or dryness in the throat, a persistent cough is often a sign of an upper respiratory infection. Keep reading to learn more about cough diagnosis and treatment in children, and when to bring your child in for medical treatment.
At AFC Urgent Care Lyndhurst, we provide same-day illness treatment for patients of all ages. Our clinic accepts walk-in patients daily and has short wait times, making our clinic a convenient alternative to waiting for an appointment with your child’s pediatrician to open up. Simply walk in for same-day care, or schedule your visit online below.
Does a Cough Always Indicate an Infection?
Coughing is your body's natural way to clear your airway of debris and irritation. This being said, coughing is not always caused by an illness or infection. Environmental factors, allergies, and general irritation are all common causes of a cough in both children and adults. Monitoring your child if they start coughing is critical so that you can determine whether their cough requires medical care.
Signs Your Child’s Cough Requires Medical Treatment
If your child is sick, early intervention is critical. Children’s immune systems aren’t as strong as adults, so they are much more susceptible to getting sick and experiencing severe symptoms and complications. If your child is coughing and also experiencing additional symptoms like severe congestion, a fever, trouble breathing or wheezing, you should seek immediate medical care. Similarly, if the cough produces discolored mucus, your child likely has an infection and should receive prompt medical care.
Diagnosing and Treating Coughs in Children
Children often cannot explain to us that their symptoms are severe or may need medical care. As the parent, you should monitor your child if they’re coughing so you know whether they need medical treatment. Some coughs will go away on their own, however, severe coughs often require medical care. There are many different conditions which can lead to a severe cough. Your child’s medical provider will evaluate their breathing and may perform diagnostic testing to rule out certain conditions. For severe coughs, antibiotics or breathing treatments may be necessary to clear up the infection and manage symptoms.
Visit AFC Lyndhurst for Same-Day Pediatric Urgent Care
If your child is sick and coughing, it is important to recognize signs that they may need medical treatment. Seeking medical care early will shorten the recovery time and prevent complications. At AFC Lyndhurst, our walk-in clinic offers same-day care for children with coughs. Simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient for same-day care, we’re open 7 days a week.
Getting a last minute appointment with your child’s pediatrician can be difficult. Instead, walk into AFC Lyndhurst for same-day care in Lyndhurst, NJ! We accept walk-ins daily and have short wait times. We work with most medical insurance providers, and have affordable rates for self-paying patients. Walk in today, or give our team a call at (201) 345-3839 to learn more about the services we provide and conditions we’re able to treat.
