Throat cough in a child: how to treat it

A dry throat cough in a baby sounds very unpleasant: it is ringing, loud, abrupt, like a dog barking. Often, such a cough has a paroxysmal nature and can even lead to vomiting. Young children, who spend most of their time in a horizontal position, especially suffer from it. How to treat a throat cough in a child?

Causes and features

Doctors call a dry throat cough unproductive, since sputum is not coughing up during an attack. And this is bad, because the irritated mucous membrane is not moistened by anything and becomes even more inflamed. Accordingly, the cough itself intensifies and a vicious circle is obtained, which can only be broken by adequate treatment. In addition, with such a cough, the vocal cords are strongly strained, and after attacks the voice often “sits down” - it becomes deaf and hoarse.

When a throat cough appears in a small child, how to treat it, it is better to consult a doctor. This is important because the problem can be caused by both infectious and non-infectious causes. And it is not always possible for a mother to recognize an infectious disease in a baby at an early stage. For example, whooping cough does not immediately give a high temperature, although it is a life-threatening and contagious disease that affects just babies (from six months to 3-5 years).

Non-infectious reasons for which a sharp laryngeal cough may appear are:

• Cold or acute respiratory infections. It is often accompanied by mild fever, runny nasal discharge, weakness, and loss of appetite. Such a cough is recognizable, at an early stage it is easily treated with folk methods. The main thing is not to start the disease and take measures so that the inflammation does not go deeper.
• Irritation of the larynx or nasopharynx. It can occur in polluted, dusty air, due to smoke, strong and strong odors, small foreign objects, eating too spicy or hot food. When the irritant is eliminated, such a cough quickly passes, and it does not require additional treatment.
• Inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (laryngitis, tracheitis, pharyngitis). It may be the result of a cold or the ingestion of pathogens. It is important to start treatment as soon as possible so that bronchitis or pneumonia does not develop.
• Bronchial asthma, whooping cough, reflux disease. These different diseases have one common symptom - a nocturnal laryngeal cough. It is not always possible to find out on your own which of them caused the cough in your child, so it is better to consult a doctor. After all, until the underlying disease is eliminated, the night cough will not recede.
• Allergic reaction. An acute allergic reaction is usually accompanied by profuse sputum production. But seasonal allergies or constant, but not too intense exposure to any allergen provoke a periodic, not too strong, but debilitating throat cough.

If, during an external examination and listening, even the doctor could not find the cause of the cough, it is worth insisting on laboratory tests and making a chest X-ray.

Sometimes the cause of a persistent dry cough is neoplasms in the lungs, bronchi or throat, and if they are detected at an early stage, the likelihood of a complete recovery is quite high.

Allergy treatment

An allergic cough cannot be cured. It will pass only after the effect of the allergen is completely eliminated. But to get rid of it for a while (up to 24 hours) will help antihistamines. They relieve spasms, reduce mucus secretion, eliminate puffiness, dilate the bronchi, and make breathing easier.

It is better to choose antiallergic drugs together with a doctor. He is well acquainted with the features of each of them, so he will select the best option for the child. Such funds are produced in tablet form or in the form of sweet syrups for the smallest. The most effective and safe are Claritin, Suprastin, Diazolin, Avil, Peritol.

Most antihistamines are not intended for long-term continuous use, so everything must be done to identify the allergen and eliminate its effects as soon as possible. Today, even in difficult cases, this can be done with the help of special tests, which can be prescribed by an allergist.

We get rid of colds, acute respiratory infections, ARVI

Must be comprehensive and immediate. Regardless of what cough remedies you give your child (traditional and folk), they should act in several directions at once:

• relieve inflammation and irritation of the throat;
• restore mucous membranes;
• activate immunity;
• have antiseptic properties.

Potions and syrups are quickly treated for dry throat cough in children. Lazolvan, Herbion, Plantain Syrup, Ambroxol, Doctor Mom have proven themselves well. They help to relieve harsh coughs, wrap around the throat and soothe it. In case of severe inflammation of the larynx, it is advisable to give "Paracetamol" or "Panadol". The medicine will relieve sore throat, redness and inflammation.

Those who prefer to treat a child with folk remedies can also use them:

1. Tea rose syrup has excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
2. The universal remedy for treating the throat is the juice or pulp of aloe with honey.
3. Black radish juice with honey, onion milk, homemade lollipops with mint or ginger help to get rid of a strong cough.
4. It is imperative to use rinsing with saline or soda solution, herbal decoctions, chlorophyllipt, water with the addition of an alcohol solution of calendula or propolis, or ready-made products from a pharmacy.
5. Steam inhalation has an excellent effect. It is steam, and not fashionable now with a nebulizer. A finely dispersed solution penetrates deeply, without lingering on the laryngeal mucosa, so it is ineffective.
6. Warming up procedures are also a very important element of home treatment. They increase blood circulation, activate the immune system, make breathing easier, and relieve pain.
7. You can use a vodka compress on the throat, mustard plasters on the feet and back of the neck, darsonval, warming the throat with a blue lamp, rubbing the upper chest with turpentine or camphor oil.

It is important to remember that home treatment for throat cough only works in the early stages of the disease.

But if the child has not stopped coughing within 4-5 days, he has a fever, wheezing, distinguishable without a stethoscope, has significantly worsened his general condition - he urgently needs to be shown to the doctor. The measures you are taking are not helping, which means complications may arise.

Infectious cough therapy

A dry throat cough of an infectious nature, especially in a small child, is impossible on your own! It is often necessary to use antibacterial drugs, which should be prescribed by the attending physician. Only he can correctly determine the dosage in each specific case and take into account all possible contraindications. Children are very sensitive to such drugs, and some of them have ototoxic or neurotoxic effects and their improper use can lead to serious complications.

Folk remedies for complex drug treatment must also be agreed with the doctor. Some of these, such as regular milk, can affect the effectiveness and intensity of drugs prescribed for a child.

But home warming procedures will come in handy.They will speed up your recovery and help you shorten the time you take your medication. It is important to remember that they are not carried out at a body temperature above 37.2-37.5.

You cannot cancel the treatment prescribed by the doctor or make adjustments to it yourself!

Sometimes the mother thinks that the doctor has prescribed too many drugs. But in fact, the treatment of an infectious disease requires the use of: antihistamines, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and sometimes antipyretic drugs. And, unfortunately, such a cocktail in one tablet does not yet exist. Correctly selected drugs not only enhance each other's action, but also compensate for possible side effects.