The insidiousness of the disease lies in the high risk of a sharp deterioration in the condition due to the development of croup. Laryngeal edema can be so severe that it makes it difficult for air to pass through the respiratory tract and leads to suffocation. This condition can be observed at night, so parents should understand that the child's life depends on them.
Diagnosis of the disease in infants is somewhat difficult, since the symptoms may differ in comparison with children two to three years old. This does not make it possible to start treatment at the initial stage, so often parents go to the doctor with complications of laryngitis.
Among the reasons that cause inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa, it should be highlighted:
- infectious agents (viruses, bacteria);
- allergic factors (pollen, medicines, personal hygiene products, food);
- hypothermia (drafts, low air temperature in the children's room);
- dry, cold or polluted air;
- overstrain of the vocal cords (hysterical crying);
- contact with sick people.
The development of laryngeal edema and shortness of breath predisposes:
- narrower diameter of the larynx;
- loose fiber;
- high sensitivity of nerve fibers, which increases the risk of laryngospasm;
- weak immunity, which leads to the reproduction of opportunistic microorganisms;
- concomitant pathology of the ENT organs (with rhinitis, mucus flows down the posterior pharyngeal flesh, predisposing to inflammation of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx and larynx).
Clinical signs of the disease
The difficulty in diagnosing diseases in infants lies in the fact that they cannot say what hurts, how long and how badly it hurts. The timeliness of the detection of pathology depends on the attentiveness of the parents, because a hoarse voice may not be the first sign of laryngitis.
What parents need to pay attention to:
- moodiness and anxiety of children;
- poor appetite, refusal to breast or milk bottles;
- crying while eating;
- shortness of breath, which becomes noisy, with a whistling sound.
Then subfebrile fever, hoarseness and "barking" cough join. Especially often, a coughing attack is disturbed at night.
The danger of laryngitis is the high risk of suffocation.
It often develops at night. Laryngeal stenosis can be triggered by the progression of the disease, increased swelling, accumulation of mucus, or a coughing fit.
Laryngitis stages
If you suspect laryngitis in an infant, the symptoms should be studied by a doctor, because the child's condition may worsen at any minute. The disease goes through several stages, which are characterized by certain symptoms:
- at the first degree, clinical signs are poorly expressed, so parents are often in no hurry to see a doctor. Shortness of breath in a baby appears only with physical activity (during play). Dry cough rarely bothers, hoarseness of the voice may not be;
- the second degree is manifested by noisy, wheezing, moderate shortness of breath, "barking" cough and hoarseness. When inhaling, you can notice the retraction of the intercostal spaces. The child appears anxious, the skin becomes pale;
- the third degree is characterized by a rough cough, hoarseness, noisy breathing, which gradually becomes soundless, frequent and shallow. The newborn is in a serious condition, signs of respiratory failure are growing, the nasolabial area, earlobes and fingers turn blue, lethargy appears, blood pressure decreases, and the pulse quickens;
- the fourth stage (asphyxia) is characterized by a coma, a drop in pressure, a slowdown in heart rate, rare shallow breathing, the appearance of seizures and a decrease in temperature.
What to do in case of an attack?
Laryngitis in babies is often complicated by croup, so parents need to know what to do before an ambulance arrives:
- calm the baby, because hysteria worsens breathing;
- ventilate the room to ensure adequate oxygen supply;
- give the child a semi-sitting position;
- give an alkaline drink (milk with soda, Borjomi), preheated;
- humidify the air with a special humidifier;
- give antipyretics (Panadol, Paracetamol in syrup) with fever above 37.5 degrees;
- give an antihistamine (Fenistil) to reduce tissue edema and prevent its reappearance;
- carry out inhalation with Borjomi, Pulmicort, which will greatly facilitate the condition of the baby.
Upon the arrival of an ambulance, the doctor will certainly suggest hospitalization of the child, which parents should not refuse. The risk of developing croup persists for 3-4 days after the first case.
Treatment activities
In agreement with the attending physician, at the initial stage of laryngitis, treatment can be carried out at home. If the doctor confirms the serious condition of the baby or the high risk of complications, hospitalization and round-the-clock supervision of medical personnel is required.
Consider what is needed for successful home treatment:
- compliance with the regime;
- inhalations with cough medicines;
- antihistamines in the form of a solution for drip dosing;
- antipyretic drugs in the form of a syrup;
- antiviral and immunomodulatory agents in the form of suppositories.
Laryngitis in children under one year old requires adherence to a special regimen:
- decreased activity of children;
- walks on the street are prohibited;
- drinking plenty of alkaline drinks (milk with soda, Borjomi diluted with milk 1: 1), compotes or weak tea. The liquid should be warm so as not to irritate the oropharyngeal mucosa. If the baby is breastfed, the frequency of feedings should be increased. You can also give additional water. Fruit compotes or honey can be given only if they did not cause allergies before;
- airing the room will provide sufficient oxygen supply;
- lack of contact with sick people.
Drug therapy
In the treatment, antihistamines are necessarily used, the action of which is aimed at reducing swelling and the severity of inflammation.
The medicine is prescribed not only for the allergic origin of laryngitis.
Until the age of one year, the use of Fenistil drops is allowed. The maximum effect is observed 2 hours after taking the medication, and after 6 hours it is completely removed.
The daily dosage is calculated taking into account the baby's body weight. For one kilogram of weight, 0.1 mg of the active substance of the drug is enough. It should be borne in mind that one milliliter of Fenistil contains 1 mg of active ingredient, therefore, no more than 0.1 ml is allowed per kilogram of mass.
One milliliter contains 20 drops, so 2 drops of Fenistil are required per kilogram of weight.
The daily dose can be divided into several doses. For children from a month to a year, you can give 10-30 drops per day, which are evenly distributed over 3 doses. Drops should be dissolved in breast milk in a small volume or mixed with the formula. The medicine tastes sweet, so children will not refuse to take it even in its pure form.
Laryngitis in an infant is often provoked by a viral infection of the body. Given this, the child needs to be given antiviral drugs (Laferon, Laferobion, Viferon).
Laferobion is available in the form of suppositories, has immunomodulatory and antiviral effects. The composition includes human interferon and vitamins. The most pronounced effect can be observed when using suppositories at the initial stage of the disease.
For babies, a dosage of 150,000 is usually used, including for premature babies. The medicine can be prescribed from the first days of life, it is absolutely safe, it is allowed to administer a suppository twice a day. The interval between applications should not be less than 12 hours.
Of the adverse reactions that are extremely rare, it is worth highlighting urticaria, slight hyperthermia and chills. The doctor informs the parents about this in advance to avoid panic.
Among antipyretics, preference should be given to drugs based on paracetamol - Efferalgan and Cefekon in suppositories, Paracetamol and Panadol (syrup).
Particular attention should be paid to inhalation. They are important for the treatment of laryngitis, as they provide a quick therapeutic effect directly at the site of inflammation. Children can inhale saline and Borjomi. The duration of the procedure is 5 minutes. For babies, you need to use a nebulizer, which has several advantages:
- steam temperature control, which prevents burns;
- no need to synchronize the breathing of the baby with the operation of the device;
- clear dosing of the medicine.
Inhalation is not carried out immediately after a meal. For the procedure, Pulmicort can be used, which is injected in the form of a suspension. One milliliter of the drug may contain 0.5 mg or two times less (depending on the concentration of the drug).
Each container contains 2 ml of solution, in a pack - 4 containers. After opening the container, the drug 
lasts for 12 hours, after which it is prohibited to use it. The effect of the drug is due to its powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-edema action. In addition, Pulmicort reduces mucus secretion and bronchial reactivity.
Berodual can be used for children from six months, starting with a dose of 0.25 mg per day. If necessary, the doctor can increase the dosage by 4 times. Inhalation can be carried out once or twice a day, dividing the daily dose in half. Before inhalation, the medicine is diluted with saline.
For infants, the use of an inhalation mask is indicated. After the procedure, you need to wash your face to remove the remaining particles from the skin.
In addition, inhalations with Lazolvan can be prescribed. It has a mucolytic effect, facilitates the excretion of mucus. The solution is sold in 100 ml bottles or 2 ml ampoules. Before inhalation, the solution is diluted with saline 1: 1. For babies, 20 drops per day are enough, which corresponds to one milliliter of the drug.
If home treatment does not lead to an improvement in the condition, you should not continue to fight laryngitis on your own - it is better to consult a specialist.
