Warm liquids such as warm lemonade, warm apple juice, or warm herbal tea usually relax the airway and loosen up the mucus. The cough reflex helps protect the lungs. Use cough-suppressant drugs only for dry coughs that interfere with sleep, going to school, or work. Do not give them to infants less than 1 year old or for wet coughs. Humidifiers in the treatment of cough.
Dry air tends to make coughs worse.
Use a humidifier. Active and passive smoking. Don't let anyone smoke around your coughing child. The cough could last weeks longer with smoke exposure. Breathing becomes fast or difficult when not coughing.