How to treat a severe cough in a child 5. What to do in case of a severe cough in a child

Cough in children can be a symptom of colds, allergies, pneumonia and other diseases. It is necessary to treat a child's cough in a comprehensive manner, medications, physiotherapy procedures and recipes are used traditional medicine... It is important not only to eliminate this unpleasant symptom, but also its cause. Correctly selected treatment regimen helps to quickly get rid of coughing and avoid complications.

A cough is just a defense reaction of the body. It occurs when irritating substances and pathogens enter the respiratory organs. A dry cough can be associated with viruses, bacteria, and allergens. They enter the respiratory tract, settle on the mucous membrane and provoke excess mucus secretion. Bronchospasm occurs when the body is trying to cleanse itself.

Due to intense coughing attacks, microorganisms do not settle on the walls of the bronchi, but are excreted together with sputum. This allows you to avoid serious illnesses - bronchitis, pneumonia and pleurisy.

If the cough reflex is disturbed for some reason, mucus accumulates in the respiratory organs and is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. In this case, bacteria multiply rapidly and the person starts to get sick.

In young children, who often lie down, a runny nose may be the cause of their cough. Snot drains into the nasopharynx, irritating it and causing a cough. It is possible to eliminate this unpleasant one only after the runny nose has been cured.

Coughing in children can be a response to inhaling too dry or polluted air.

Causes of a cough in a child

Reasons severe cough the child has a lot. This includes diseases of a systemic nature and the conditions in which the baby is. Intensive coughing attacks in children can be provoked by:

• Colds.
• Bronchitis.
• Pneumonia.
• Pleurisy.
• Whooping cough.
• Allergy.
• Bronchopneumonia.
• Laryngitis.
• Pharyngitis.
• Tonsillitis.
• Rhinitis.

The child may constantly cough if someone smokes in the house. Passive smokers inhale no less harmful smoke than those who smoke. It has already been proven that children who constantly inhale cigarette smoke are more prone to respiratory diseases.

The reason baby cough the room air may be too dry. In this case, the mucous membrane dries up and becomes irritated, which leads to coughing. This phenomenon is especially often observed in winter, when heating radiators are turned on.

Children under 6 years of age often get respiratory infections. This is due to incompletely formed immunity. Colds those kids who attend preschool institutions are more susceptible.

Pertussis and parapertussis are often diagnosed in children under 5 years of age. These infectious diseases occur with severe coughing attacks, which become more and more intense from day to day. Salient feature whooping cough is a whistling sound made by a patient when trying to inhale. At the end of each cough, a viscous, glassy sputum is coughing up.

Hit foreign body into the respiratory organs, too, is accompanied by a debilitating paroxysmal cough. In this case, there are whistling sounds in the chest, and the skin becomes cyanotic. If a foreign body gets into the bronchi, respiratory failure occurs. If the child is not provided with timely assistance, everything can end in asphyxiation.

General principles of treatment

A cough that lasts up to 3 weeks is called an acute cough. A frequent cough that lasts more than 8 weeks is called chronic. Quite often, coughing persists for a month, after suffering respiratory diseases and pneumonia.

To speed up your recovery, you need to follow these recommendations:

• The dwelling should be kept at normal humidity and temperature. The humidity indicator should be about 55%, and the temperature in the children's room should not exceed 21 degrees.
• Smoking should be limited in the home with children. Adults can go outside or on the balcony to smoke. It is worth remembering that toxic cigarette smoke contributes to a decrease in immunity.
• Sudden temperature changes should be avoided. In winter, before going outside, it is recommended to stand at the entrance for a few minutes.
• A mixed, hard cough can be caused by allergens. Such substances can be pollen, wool and animal fluff. For some people, certain medications and foods cause coughing. Personal protective equipment should be used when cleaning the house to prevent respiratory irritation. household chemicals... For allergy sufferers, it is better to replace strong-smelling substances with soda or ordinary laundry soap.

Remember that spicy and heavily seasoned foods can irritate the throat and cause coughing. To prevent this phenomenon, it is worth giving up canned and spicy foods at least for the duration of treatment.

If the child is prone to allergies, you should not keep an aquarium with fish in the children's room. Few parents know that dry food is the strongest allergen.

Methods for treating cough in children

Treatment of cough should begin with determining the exact cause of the ailment. The treatment regimen is different in each case. Sometimes you can get rid of coughing only after humidifying the air in the room.

Drug therapy

When coughing of different etiology, the doctor prescribes medications that make it easier for sputum to pass. Preparations for children are more often produced in the form of syrups and lozenges. After a complete examination and clarification of the diagnosis, the child can be prescribed the following medicines:

• Ambroxol.
• Licorice syrup.
• Lazolvan.
• Syrup Dr. Theiss.
• Pertussin.
• Mukaltin.
• Alteyka potion.

All these drugs contribute to thinning and easy excretion of sputum. They must be used according to the instructions or taken in the dosages prescribed by the doctor. For children under 3 years old, the doctor calculates the dose of drugs based on the weight and the diagnosis.

Dr. Komarovsky believes that not in all cases it is possible to give mucolytics and expectorant drugs. Ambroxol-based medicines increase the production of phlegm, which should normally be coughing up. But few people take into account that young children cannot cough up normally, as a result of this, congestion in the respiratory organs occurs in babies.

In some European countries, mucolytics are prescribed only after the child is 4 years old. Prescribing such drugs earlier than 2 years is generally prohibited in these countries.

Lollipops and lozenges will help cure a child's cough vegetable origin... They can only be prescribed to children over 3 years old who already understand how to dissolve lollipops. Such drugs are quite effective for coughs caused by laryngitis and pharyngitis, they soften the mucous membrane and reduce irritation. The child should suck lozenges and lollipops only in the presence of adults to avoid accidents.

For coughs caused by allergies, antihistamines are prescribed. These medications can help eliminate allergy symptoms in a matter of minutes. Most often, children are prescribed drugs of the latest generations:

• Tavegil.
• Citrine.
• Claritin.
• Zodak.

Time-tested drugs - Loratadine can also be prescribed. Diazolin and Suprastin. It should be borne in mind that such drugs have more contraindications and side effects.

If cough attacks are accompanied by obstruction, then it is advisable to give the sick child drugs to expand the lumen of the bronchi. Such drugs include Berodual and Ventolin, inhalation is carried out with these drugs.

Bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, whooping cough and other infectious diseases of the respiratory organs are treated with antibacterial drugs. More often prescribed antibiotics of a broad spectrum of action from the group of penicillin or cephalosporins. If you are allergic to antibiotics, these drug groups macrolides may be prescribed. When treating with antibiotics, it is necessary to take probiotics at the same time, which will help prevent dysbiosis.

In case of infectious diseases, children can be prescribed vitamin preparations and immunomodulatory agents that will help strengthen the immune system.

Non-drug therapy

Medical inhalations will quickly relieve coughing. In case of diseases of the lower respiratory organs, it is recommended to carry out procedures using a nebulizer. This medical device will transform medicinal solutions into a finely dispersed mixture, which settles on the mucous membrane and has a therapeutic effect.

For inhalation, mucolytics and alkaline solutions can be used. The doctor may prescribe inhalations with Ambroxol, Ambrobene, Berodual or alkaline mineral water. If the child coughs badly and cannot stop, inhalation with saline can be done. When carrying out inhalations, it is important to choose the right mask, it should fit snugly to the face.

With constant coughing, you can give the child mustard plasters. It should be borne in mind that for young children, mustard compresses are put on the back side or through a layer of gauze. Mustard plasters warm up well soft tissue, improve blood circulation and metabolism. Thanks to such procedures, you can get rid of bronchospasm very quickly.

Children 11 months and younger are put on the back with 1 mustard plaster, while avoiding the area of \u200b\u200bthe heart. For children over 2 years old, you can put mustard compresses on the back and chest. The procedure lasts 2-3 minutes, after which the mustard plasters are removed, the skin is wiped with a clean napkin and smeared with baby cream.

Rubbing will also help to quickly remove a cough. For the treatment of children, the following drugs can be used:

If turpentine ointment is used to rub the child, it must first be mixed in half with baby cream. This will prevent burns and skin irritation. The child should be rubbed at night and then put to bed.

If, despite the treatment, the cough has worsened and the child's condition has worsened, it is necessary to show the patient to a doctor. Complications of the disease can be the cause of such malaise.

Folk remedies

There are many folk recipesthat can be used to treat cough in children. It is recommended to coordinate unconventional techniques with the attending physician:

1. A liter of fat milk is poured into a saucepan, half a glass of washed oats is poured and boiled over low heat for an hour. Give the child 1/3 cup of milk broth twice a day, always warm.
2. The ginger root is peeled, crushed and boiled in half a liter of milk for an hour. Filter the finished broth and give the child a tablespoon, 4 times a day.
3. The radish is peeled, cut into pieces and put into a jar, smearing the layers with honey. An hour later, the resulting syrup is given to the sick baby, a teaspoon 5 times a day.

When coughing of any etiology, it is useful for the patient to give a lot of warm drink. It moisturizes the mucous membrane, helps to dilute sputum and facilitates its removal from the respiratory tract. It is correct to give your child warm tea, jelly, decoctions of medicinal herbs and compotes. You can offer mineral water, having previously released gas from it. But you should not give concentrated juices, they irritate the throat and provoke coughing attacks.

The room of a sick child must be constantly ventilated. In the warm season, the window can be open all the time, but you need to make sure that the baby does not sit in a draft.

If you cough of unknown etiology, you should immediately see a doctor. Coughing can be caused by stress or heart problems.

Prevention

Doctors advise not to neglect the prevention of respiratory diseases in order to exclude serious complications:

• The house needs to maintain normal humidity, about 50%.
• During an outbreak of respiratory diseases, you should refrain from visiting crowded places.
• In the season of colds, you need to rinse your nose. saline upon arrival home.
• At the first signs of illness, you need to see a doctor.

When treating cough in children, you must strictly follow all the recommendations of the pediatrician.... If the prescribed treatment does not work for 3-4 days, it is worth informing the doctor about it.

A cough in a child always causes caution and anxiety in parents. What caused the malaise, how and how to treat the baby - such questions, probably, have visited each of us more than once. Some use traditional medicine recipes, others rush to the pharmacy for a miracle cure. Who is right and how pediatricians advise to treat cough in children, we will consider below.

Varieties of cough

Many parents know firsthand how hard it is to get rid of an illness, especially in children. early age... After all, most medications are prohibited for young patients, and folk remedies often cause allergies. Therefore, the selection of treatment methods should be dealt with by a pediatrician.

Only a doctor is able to make the correct diagnosis, and, depending on the age of the child and the type of cough, prescribe the necessary medicine. But parents also have a great responsibility. To make it easier to understand the pathological process, we will consider the main types of cough in children, find out why they are dangerous and talk about methods of treatment.

Physiological cough

Any person periodically needs to clear the respiratory tract of dust and accumulated phlegm. This is a normal reaction to protect the body from foreign bodies and harmful bacteria.

Thus, a child's natural cough is not a pathology and does not require treatment. It occurs most often in the morning and does not cause severe discomfort to the baby.

Dry or dusty air in the room can provoke such a reflex. This problem is especially relevant during the heating season.

Pathological cough

Most often, children are worried about just such a cough. Unlike natural, it manifests itself in a very diverse way and depends on the nature of the pathogen. In most cases it is various diseases respiratory tract:

• laryngitis and pharyngitis;
• tracheitis;
• bronchitis;
• pneumonia;
• ARI and ARVI;
• acute and chronic tonsillitis;
• flu;
• tuberculosis.

In general, the causes of cough in children are diverse and are not always infectious in nature. A similar reflex can be caused by narrowing of the bronchi, which is specific for bronchial asthma, or ingestion of a foreign body into the respiratory system. In this case, the cough develops unexpectedly and is choking. The child's voice is lost and breathing is difficult.

An ailment of an allergic nature has other symptoms - a cough occurs without apparent reason and is not accompanied by signs of a cold. After removing the allergen, the baby's condition returns to normal.

In different pathological conditions, the cough manifests itself differently. It can be productive and dry, barking or hard, deaf, paroxysmal and spastic.

Dry cough

The most obsessive cough in a child. It usually appears at the onset of the disease and causes a lot of problems for both parents and the baby. Sputum is not separated with it, so the process of coughing up becomes long and painful. With improper treatment, it becomes chronic.

Spastic reflex

If a child coughs against the background of bronchial spasm, asthma may develop. In this case, there is no sputum, the baby suffocates and wheezes. The malaise is of a paroxysmal nature and requires mandatory medical supervision.

Croupy cough (false croup)

Most dangerous species ailments, especially for young toddlers. In this category of children, the anatomical and physiological structure of the larynx predisposes to the development of croup. Even the slightest inflammation can cause severe swelling and choking. Therefore, if a hard, barking cough appears in a child, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

With the development of a barking cough, a baby should be shown to a doctor

The following symptoms will help to distinguish false croup from other ENT diseases:

• hoarseness of voice, especially after crying;
• laryngeal edema;
• shortness of breath, severe difficulty breathing;
• blanching or blue discoloration of the skin;
• loss of consciousness is possible.

If the child only wheezes, but does not cough and breathes heavily, these are also signs of an incipient false croup.

In this case, you should not engage in amateur performances and try to help the baby with folk remedies. You will only waste precious time. Laryngeal edema is very dangerous and should be treated by a doctor.

Wet (productive) cough

This, one might say, is the ideal variant of the development of the disease. Such a cough, as a rule, appears at the end of the disease, does not cause anxiety, and heals quickly. With its help, the lungs and bronchi are freed from sputum and the remnants of pathogenic microorganisms. How to treat a child's cough of this nature, we will consider below.

Whooping cough

This is a common infectious disease that children most often suffer from. preschool age... At an early stage of the pathology, whooping cough is difficult to distinguish from ordinary cough. But after a few days it becomes paroxysmal and spastic, ending in severe vomiting.

Whooping cough is dangerous for its complications, so if a child has coughing fits, the rhythm of breathing becomes disordered, the skin becomes cyanotic, medical help is needed. Young children are subject to compulsory hospitalization.

The disease is especially difficult in babies under 2 years old. There is no innate immunity to this disease, but after recovery, the protection remains forever.

Other types of cough

It is quite difficult to independently determine the disease by the nature of the cough. For example, if a child coughs while sleeping, this can be a symptom of a respiratory illness, asthma or allergies, or the result of dry indoor air.

Sleep cough can be a symptom of many pathologies.

Snot can also provoke a reflex reaction. Flowing down the back wall of the nasopharynx and irritating the mucous membrane, they easily activate cough receptors. Especially often a cough from a runny nose occurs in a child with rhinopharyngitis.

Tracheitis can cause a similar symptom. it infection develops as a complication of pharyngitis, laryngitis or rhinitis. It is characterized by a deaf cough in a child, especially pronounced at night and in the morning, or arising with a sharp breath.

Such a variety of forms of malaise should induce parents to pay great attention to such symptoms and accept necessary measures... So what if your child is coughing?

Treatment

To begin with, it should be noted that home therapy is only possible for dry and wet coughs. All other types of pathological reflex require the help of a doctor.

• maintain an optimal microclimate in the room where the sick child is;
• drink warm, unsweetened drinks for the baby as much as possible;
• if there is no temperature, and allows well-being, allow the child to move more.

It is undesirable to use essential oils in the treatment without the knowledge of the pediatrician. Concentrates can cause bronchospasm, which is especially dangerous for young children.

Medicines

Pharmacy medicines will help to quickly cure a child's cough. They are prescribed depending on the type of ailment - if sputum is present, then it is prohibited to take antitussives. With a dry cough, on the contrary, it is advisable to use this therapy option to the maximum.

The choice of medication for cough

Modern medicines are available in different forms: tablets, sprays, syrups, drops and lozenges for sucking, powders for the preparation of solutions. Liquid medicines are usually used to treat a child. They are more convenient and easy to drink.

Expectorants

This group of drugs is designed to remove phlegm from the respiratory tract. Most of the expectorants are based on herbal extracts, so the drugs are relatively safe and drinkable.

Most often, for a wet cough, children are prescribed: Herbion syrup with plantain or primrose; Eucabal, Prospan, Alteika, Prospan, Flavamed, Ambroxol, Ambrobene.

Each of these funds has its own age restrictions, contraindications and adverse reactions. For example, Eucabal and Prospan are allowed to be prescribed to babies from 6 months. The rest of the drugs are recommended for use only after 2 years. Therefore, if a child has a cough with phlegm, it is better to entrust the choice of medicine to the doctor.

Mucolytics

To thin the viscous and thick mucus that clogs the airways, the following medications are prescribed for young patients:

• Carbocisteine;
• Bronchobos;
• Fluditek;
• Flavamed.

These remedies help relieve a child's cough, make him productive, and help clear mucus.

Fluditec is prescribed for children to liquefy and evacuate thick, viscous secretions.

Antitussives

Drugs in this series help suppress the cough reflex and soothe a child's cough. There are several types of antitussives:

• narcotic drugs - Codeine, Ethylmorphine. Used only under medical supervision. Often addictive and adverse reactions... They are rarely used in the treatment of children;
• non-narcotic medicines - Oxeladin, Sinekod, Glaucin, Butamirate. The most effective and safe drugs, therefore they are taken much more often;
• peripheral agents - Prenoxindiazine. The result from its use is significantly lower. The medicine is not able to stop a coughing attack and is rarely prescribed.

The simultaneous use of antitussive and expectorant drugs is prohibited.

In addition, it is dangerous to use antitussive medicines with a wet cough. This can cause mucus to accumulate in respiratory tract and the development of pneumonia.

Sinekod and similar drugs are prescribed to children with dry cough

Bronchodilators

These remedies help relieve bronchospasm and make breathing easier. Medicines such as Euphyllin, Bronholitin syrup, or Theophylline are prescribed for coughs if a child has been diagnosed with asthma or progressive lung disease (COPD).

Local funds

Localized drugs include warming ointments, mustard plasters and plasters. The latter are different types and have contraindications, in particular, are prohibited for young babies.

The use of Eucabal or Pulmex Baby warming rubbers will help soften the child's cough. They can be used from 6 months of age. The balm of Dr. Theiss is allowed from 2 years old.

Babies after 3 years old can be rubbed with camphor ointments, Vicks Active balm, Helpex Effect ointment or Doctor IOM.

Folk remedies

In addition to medicines pediatricians often recommend alternative ways therapy. Alternative medicine can help cure a child's cough quickly and safely.

However, despite the effectiveness and harmlessness folk remedies, their use must be agreed with the pediatrician. Young children are often allergic to natural ingredients.

The following are the most popular cough recipes for children:

• black radish juice with sugar or honey;
• a drink made from fresh or frozen viburnum berries is recommended to be drunk instead of tea;
• anise broth with honey is perfect for treating babies;
• juice of fresh carrots with sugar can be taken at the time of a coughing fit, 1 tsp;
• onion gruel with honey will be useful for bronchitis and tracheitis;
• a mixture of lemon, honey and medical glycerin will help cure a child with a dry, painful cough.

Honey can cause unwanted reactions, so it is not recommended to give it to children with allergies.

With a huge number of folk recipes, hot milk with honey and other additives is still the most widespread and favorite. The drink has excellent emollient and expectorant properties. Not a single kid will refuse such a delicious medicine.

Inhalation

You can quickly cure a child's cough with the help of inhalation. For procedures, it is better to purchase a nebulizer. This convenient and safe device will save your baby from burns. With its help, sessions are carried out with both medicinal herbs and pharmacy liquids. Alkaline mineral waters and saline have a good expectorant effect.

Inhalation is contraindicated in babies under 2 years of age due to the risk of developing bronchospasm

The most commonly used medicines for inhalation are:

• mucolytics - Lazolvan, Pertussin, Fluimucil;
• Bronchodilators - Berovent;
• natural medicines - tincture of eucalyptus, propolis or plantain, Rotokan;
• antitussive agent Tussamag;
• glucocorticosteroids - Pulmicort or Dexamethasone.

Inhalation is carried out 2 hours before meals, no more than 10 minutes. The therapeutic course consists of 8-10 sessions.

The procedure moisturizes and soothes irritated mucous membranes, promotes deep penetration and rapid absorption of medicinal substances.

For inhalation with herbs, plants with an antitussive and expectorant effect are chosen: coltsfoot, plantain, oregano, pine buds, eucalyptus, licorice.

Compresses

Another effective remedy that can quickly cure a child's cough. Compresses are very different - dry and wet, oily, honey, vodka and curd. They are applied to the chest and back, avoiding the heart area. The baby is wrapped in a woolen thing and covered with a blanket.

The following compresses are most effective and safe:

• potato. Add a spoonful of alcohol, turpentine and sunflower oil to the hot puree. The resulting mass is applied to gauze and applied for 2–2.5 hours. After the procedure, it is better not to rinse the compress, but to wipe the skin with a damp towel;
• oil. A piece of gauze or cotton cloth is soaked in hot oil and wrung out, covered with wax paper (not polyethylene) on top, hold for at least 3 hours;
• acetic. The apple concentrate is diluted with hot water and honey is added to the solution. The mixture is impregnated with gauze and applied to the bronchial area. Leave for 20-30 minutes.

The compress should not be applied to the heart area

It is not recommended to make compresses for skin lesions, elevated body temperature and infants. Alcohol application is contraindicated in children under 3 years old and suffering from pathology thyroid gland... It is undesirable to use honey for treatment if the child is prone to allergies.

Another old way of dealing with coughs is to rub your baby's chest and back with interior fat. The bearish and badger product is especially good. It is advisable to do this procedure at night.

Mustard plasters

With a painful cough, mustard plasters will be useful. They have a warming effect, promote blood flow and increase mucus flow. It is recommended to put mustard plasters through a cloth or gauze so as not to burn the baby's delicate skin.

For children under 3 years old, it is better to do a mustard wrap. This more gentle procedure has the same effect as the setting of mustard plasters.

Knowing how to treat a child's cough, you can quickly eliminate this unpleasant symptom on your own. Competently selected medications and traditional medicine will improve the well-being of the baby and accelerate recovery. Nevertheless, if the child is suffering from a malaise for several weeks, it is necessary to see a doctor.

"Doctor, we do not know what to do with a cough - we treat, treat, but it does not go away." "Emergency? Can I have a doctor at home? The child is coughing badly, cannot sleep." The pediatrician hears such complaints almost more often than everyone else. What is a cough, how to deal with it and is it necessary?

First of all, cough is a protective reaction of the body. With the help of it, he pushes out from the respiratory tract what the body does not need at all - from a relatively large foreign body to fine dust and microorganisms. The airways are lined with a special ciliated epithelium, which, with the help of mucus, drives everything foreign outward, away from the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract - the nose, larynx, trachea and bronchi.

Cough - a paroxysmal contraction of the muscles - helps to bring this process to the end. There would be no cough - any commonplace inflammation of the upper respiratory tract would turn into pneumonia. So a cough is necessary. But which one? Of course, one that is accompanied by sputum production. Doctors call it productive, everyone else calls it wet.

Other types of coughs - dry, barking, annoying, paroxysmal, which occurs with whooping cough, are not useful, they greatly tire the patient, interfere with his sleep, can lead to vomiting, are accompanied by muscle pains and ultimately increase respiratory failure.

Here is how much unpleasant things can happen from this, in general, a necessary and harmless symptom. Depending on its nature, a cough should be approached in different ways. All cough suppressants can be roughly divided into three main groups: the so-called mucolytics - agents that thin phlegm, expectorants - that increase the cough and soothing - that reduce the activity of the cough center. In addition, some drugs have a combined effect - both mucolytic and expectorant.

In the treatment of cough, not only chemical medicines are used, but also a significant number of a wide variety of herbs and homeopathic remedies. In addition, to combat its different varieties, numerous physical procedures are also used - from physiotherapy procedures to various distractions (banks, mustard plasters, rubbing) and, finally, chest massage, which is of particular importance in young children who are poorly able to cough. , or in patients with drug allergies.

There is a certain sequence (algorithm) in the use of cough suppressants. The task is always the same - to ensure that the dry cough becomes wet and the child coughs up phlegm well. Let's consider specific situations.

Whooping cough

In this childhood infection, the cough is caused by the pertussis directly irritating the center of the cough. It multiplies in the nervous system. A whooping cough patient can cough from anything - from loud sounds, bright lights, restlessness.

Whooping cough is very characteristic - it starts with a loud whistling breath, lasts a few minutes paroxysmal, the child just walks in. At the same time, he often sticks out his tongue so that tears of his bridle occur. With whooping cough from terrible exertion, hemorrhages can occur in the sclera of the eyes and the skin of the chest. In young children, attacks of whooping cough (reprises) may be accompanied by respiratory arrest.

Leaving aside the prevention and treatment of whooping cough, I can only say that drugs that thin phlegm and increase its secretion (mucolytics and expectorants) are absolutely useless here. Here, only sedatives are appropriate. nervous system and relieves cough. By the way, such a "whooping cough" character of cough persists in patients for some time after recovery from this infection (up to 1 year) and with all common colds.

"Barking" cough with the so-called false croup

False croup, or laryngotracheitis, accompanied by narrowing (stenosis) of the upper respiratory tract, is a rather dangerous condition that requires immediate hospitalization. You can leave the child at home only if the situation is repeated often and the parents are fully familiar with the skills of helping such a child. However, in the latter case, he should be under the close supervision of a doctor.

The essence of the disease consists in swelling of the subglottic space and a decrease in the lumen for air passage. This is usually accompanied by edema of the laryngeal mucosa and very viscous sputum. These conditions can arise from two main reasons - acute respiratory infection and allergies. For viral croup, a gradual increase in events, a previous temperature, and an increase in cough are characteristic. Allergic occurs suddenly, with great swelling and, as a result, a sharp narrowing of the larynx, but just as quickly and passes with the right help.

I repeat: in these conditions, calling an emergency or ambulance doctor is mandatory! But how can you help yourself? The child needs to be "soaked" urgently. To do this, give him a large dose of any mucolytic agent (if it is a mixture, be sure to warm it!). Start drinking it abundantly. Open a window or window - ventilate the room! Pour hot water into the bathtub, take the child in your arms and go into the bath with him for 10-15 minutes.

In no case do not fuss, do not shout, do not frighten the child - with anxiety, respiratory failure may worsen. If for one reason or another you stayed at home, do not go to bed - give the child a drink with warm water, give mucolytic and expectorant drugs and other drugs prescribed by a doctor, give him steam inhalation a couple of times.

Obstructive bronchitis cough

With obstructive bronchitis - as well as with bronchial asthma - cough occurs as constantly as shortness of breath. The essence of this condition, which occurs most often in allergic children, is that the sputum formed in the bronchi is very viscous, and the child cannot cough it up. The bronchi spasm around this viscous phlegm, with exhalation especially affected.

Unlike the "false croup", where the inhalation is difficult and lengthened, here it is the exhalation that becomes especially difficult. And here, as with false croup, it is very important to use various mucolytics - agents that thin phlegm. And only when the cough becomes moist enough is it useful to connect the actual expectorants.

It is imperative to water the child - to do it at least twice a day, or even more often the simplest massage - tapping and kneading. To do this, 10-15 minutes after giving the drug that dilutes sputum, you put the child on your knees with his head down and begin to massage him with the tips of closed fingers on the chest, periodically rubbing it with your palm and pressing from top to bottom, so that the sternum is pressed inside. Ask the child to cough or press the handle of a spoon on the root of the tongue. Do not be afraid of vomiting - this will dilute the phlegm.

Massage is especially important for children with allergies, for whom the use of many drugs is contraindicated. The use of mustard plasters is also contraindicated for such children. Be sure to persistently give your child plenty of fluids. If the condition does not improve, shortness of breath increases - do not hesitate to call a doctor!

Cough with common tracheitis and bronchitis

Most often starts out as dry, unproductive. No sputum. The main task is to first achieve its appearance. In the early days - the use of mucolytic drugs or drugs of mixed action, then expectorants. If the cough has become productive, the child coughs up phlegm well, all drugs can be canceled, go to chest massage. Do not forget to give your child plenty of warm solutions (fruit drinks, teas, juices). If not high temperature, you can use distractions from the first days (hot foot bath, mustard plasters, rubbing). All this, increasing the flow of blood to the respiratory organs, increases the appearance of phlegm.

Cough with viral pharyngitis

With the defeat of only the uppermost parts of the respiratory tract - the pharynx, annoying frequent, accompanied by sneezing, is very often observed. This cough does not carry any functional load and is very exhausting for the patient. Here, help may consist in carrying out inhalations with herbs, oils, soda inhalations, giving drugs to soothe coughs at night.

Prolonged, lingering cough

This is a difficult problem. How to approach it? If your child coughs for a long time, it is necessary to examine him - show the otorhinolaryngologist, check the reaction, consult a pulmonologist and phthisiatrician. It is necessary to know its long-term temperature reaction, to pass the clinical one.

The reasons can be very different, even quite exotic. So, with helminthic invasion (ascariasis), there is a stage of passage of ascaris larvae through the lungs, which causes a prolonged severe cough in spring and autumn. But most often, a prolonged cough depends on the unsatisfactory state of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, on its allergization, chronic inflammation... Then the child can constantly form mucus, and he will try to cough it up. These conditions need to be treated by a specialist.

Often a child has a cough for 3-4 weeks after suffering from ARVI. This cough is aggravated by the parents themselves, giving the child cough mixtures, which, having a mucolytic and expectorant effect, provoke this cough themselves. So we achieved a wet cough and good expectoration in the child, which usually takes 4-5 days - stop giving these funds, go to massage and warm drinks. The cough will go away on its own.

The article is provided by the magazine "Our baby"

Discussion

Yesterday the child returned as a lady with a dry cough. I started giving him the proven remedy Prospan syrup. Soon, a dry cough will turn into a wet one and it will become easier to remove phlegm.