Not All Coughs Require Nebulisation, Says Paediatrician

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Paediatric respirologist Dr. Wahyuni Indawati, Sp.A, Subsp. Respi (K) has reminded the public that not all coughs require nebulisation or inhalation therapy.

“Does every child with a cough need to be nebulised? The answer is actually no. It depends on the cause of the cough,” said Dr. Wahyuni, who practices at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), during an OMRON event in Jakarta on Thursday.

Nebulisation or inhalation therapy, she explained, is a method of delivering medication directly to the target organ, which is the respiratory system, and the medicine must be inhaled.

Wahyuni stated that nebulisation is necessary for conditions such as cough variant asthma, a type of asthma in children where the main symptom is a cough. It is also required for chronic recurrent cough, as defined by the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI).

“However, if it is just a common cold with a cough, does not occur frequently, and resolves in less than ten days, it is actually just a regular respiratory infection and does not require special therapy with continuous inhalation,” she said.

She emphasised that parents should consult a doctor to determine the appropriate treatment. “So, can I do the therapy myself? We actually recommend consulting a doctor first,” Wahyuni concluded.