My 2 year old used to have a runny nose and now he has a bit of a cough and seems to have a sore throat when I cough his tonsils what should I do?

Often, in young children, nasal secretions flow into the throat, causing coughing and throat irritation

To reduce this phenomenon, there is a very useful technique to help children cough less by reducing the amount of mucus that flows from the nose into the throat. To do this, you will need a syringe (without a needle) and saline or distilled water.

Then, depending on your child's age, the amount of water to use per nostril will differ a little (between 3 mL and 10 mL per nostril). For details of the technique and the exact amount to use in your situation, see pages 6 and 7 of the following document.

For the first 2 days, use this technique about 5 times a day, then in the following days you can decrease to 2 times a day. Most parents see a dramatic improvement in symptoms within 48 hours.

To relieve throat irritation, you can use honey mixed with warm milk to moisten the lining of the esophagus.

If the problem gets worse, and your child has difficulty swallowing or eating, I suggest you call our pharmacy to make an appointment with our nurse. She does strep tests and can give treatment for pharyngitis if necessary.

Hopefully these little tips will help!