Cough, Kids, and Summer
Coughs and colds are generally associated with the rainy season of August to October, so why can they make an appearance in May too, right in the middle of the time of playing and playing some more for our kids? Today we are looking at some of the possible causes of your child's dry cough in summer, including hayfever, air conditioning and summer colds, as well as home remedies for his or her cough relief!
Coughs are common, but even the readiest parent could not predict a dry cough when it strikes. Dry, tickly coughs are generally caused by some kind of irritation at the back of the throat, and there are plenty of factors that could be contributing to this irritation. They can also linger for a long time, particularly if the source of irritation doesn’t go away!
The most likely cause of your summer dry cough is hayfever. This common allergy is caused by pollen in the air, whether from trees and grass, as well as flowers, and is most common in the first half of the year. Usual symptoms include itchy, irritated or puffy eyes, sneezing, congestion and a dry, tickly throat, as well as more unusual symptoms like a headache, sweating, fatigue and earache.
To relief a cough caused by hayfever, keep an eye on the pollen count in your local area or the time when trees and flowers bloom right before they bear fruit to see if your dry cough coincides with these days. If you think hayfever could be the culprit, suggest staying inside and wearing a mask while going outside (the new normal is perfect for kids!), and do not let the kids suffer and give them NoCough patch! NoCough is an organic cough relief patch that suits all ages and is kid-friendly since they don't need to be forced to take any medicine!
Hayfever is just one type of allergic rhinitis (an allergy affecting the respiratory tract), but there could be a number of other potential causes. The most common triggers are mould spores, dust, dust mites and pet dander. Think about whether any of these common triggers have made an appearance in your life this summer – have you adopted a new pet, moved house or spent some extra time clearing out the attic?
Our NoCough Organic Cough Relief Patch can help to relieve allergic rhinitis as well as hayfever, so give these a try before panicking about your new pet or home!
The (hopefully!) warmer weather that occurs during summer means that we’re using air conditioning more and more often – in the office, in the car and even at home. Air conditioning is notoriously drying, so this could cause your throat to dry out, triggering a dry, irritated cough.
Another symptom to look out for is also drying out the eyes, as air conditioning systems are known to do this. So if you experience itching and irritation in the eyes then this could be the culprit.
If you think this is the cause of your dry cough, try cutting back on the air conditioning and opt for an open window instead. Alternatively, consider getting a humidifier – just make sure your home doesn’t get too humid as this can then cause damp and mould.
Summer colds are caused by a slightly different type of virus – an enterovirus rather than a rhinovirus – and the symptoms of this virus can linger for much longer than the winter cold. This means that your dry cough could actually be a result of a cold you developed weeks ago!
Dry coughs are particularly common after a cold because colds can leave your throat irritated and inflamed, and it is this irritation that triggers a dry, tickly cough. In the summer, this irritation can be exacerbated by the drier air and use of air conditioning.
Regardless of the cause of your dry cough, a cough patch can be a huge help. Our own NoCough cough relief patch contains Jujube Nectar, Cinnamon, and Rhizoma Arisaematis along many others to soothe the throat and ease your cough. Being a patch rather than a liquid, it’s also really convenient so it’s a great one to use while your kids are out and about. You can use it anytime everyday so it’s a great way to keep your cough at bay.
Get yours right here!
