Coughing is common in a child, especially when it comes to babies. Many mothers get used to it and begin to treat it quite lightly. And although a cough in young children often appears, then pass by itself, you cannot leave it unattended. At a minimum, you need to find out the reasons why the baby began to cough, and then decide whether and what treatment is needed.
Types of cough
Cough is different, as well as the numerous reasons that cause it. Such a variety is due to the fact that it is a symptom, not a disease, therefore its companions are fever, snot, edema, skin rashes and other "delights" of childhood diseases. In part, you can understand what is happening with the child by the type of cough.
We would like to note that the following division into types is rather conditional. But the method of treatment is about the same, regardless of the cause that caused it, when it comes to eliminating the symptom. You can completely get rid of a cough only by treating the underlying disease, therefore, in some cases, you cannot do without medical help.
Cough in children is physiological and pathological. Physiological is a reflex, not a symptom, so no treatment is required at all. It especially often occurs in the morning, when the baby thus frees his airways from the mucus accumulated in them during the night. If the air was too dry, then the morning cough can be harsh, barking. But usually it is a mild coughing that goes away during the day.
A pathological cough signals that something is wrong in the child's body. Here it is already necessary to understand the causes and eliminate them, and not only treat the symptom itself.
A very conditionally pathological cough can be divided into:
dry ("unproductive"), in which nothing is coughing up or an extremely small amount of sputum is released;- moist ("productive"), when mucus is coughing up profusely, or gurgling sounds are heard when coughing, but sputum is difficult to pass;
- allergic, which can be dry or wet, but always accompanied by swelling, is paroxysmal and cannot be treated with conventional cough suppressants.
dry ("unproductive"), in which nothing is coughing up or an extremely small amount of sputum is released;The method of its treatment depends directly on the type of cough and its causes. But one of its main components, in any case, is proper child care, which will prevent the onset of chronic respiratory diseases and accelerate recovery in case of illness.
Home care
Even if the child is coughing all the time, this is not a reason to put him to bed right away. In the absence of high fever and well-being, he can lead a normal life and even attend child care facilities. Often, a recently ill baby has a residual cough after sleep for 2-3 weeks. If it gradually decreases, there is no need to worry.
A long, periodically intensifying cough in the morning or at night can give diseases that are not at all associated with the respiratory system: heart failure, reflux, gastritis with high acidity.
Attacks of suffocating cough without fever cause bronchial asthma, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary emphysema. In this case, it is necessary to examine the child, get to the bottom of the cause and treat the underlying disease.
But the home care suggested below will be useful for any diseases that caused a cough, since it simultaneously serves as its prevention:
- the air in the baby's room should be fresh and moderately humid, so it should be ventilated at least twice a day;
- the use of a humidifier (better than an ozonizer) is mandatory while the heating devices are working, and if it is not there, a container of water must be placed near the battery;
the child's room must be examined for the presence of allergens or substances irritating the respiratory organs (household chemicals, perfumes, smoke, paint, etc.);- the bed should not stand in a draft and away from the air conditioner, in a well-lit place where the sun's rays fall during the day;
- clothes and bedding - only made from natural fabrics, without bright dyes (they may contain harmful chemicals);
- it is important to monitor the child's drinking regime (a cough in a baby can cause banal dehydration) every 1.5-2 hours, you should offer him warm water;
- food for a coughing child should be moderately warm, not too hard, exclude hot seasonings and spices;
- the only reason for refusing to walk is an infectious disease in the acute stage or a temperature above 37.2, in all other cases it is necessary to walk.
the child's room must be examined for the presence of allergens or substances irritating the respiratory organs (household chemicals, perfumes, smoke, paint, etc.);And now that the baby is in the most comfortable conditions for him, let's talk about how best to treat various types of cough.
Allergic cough
Home remedies are not treated at all. The only reliable remedy for it is good antihistamines or the complete absence of the allergen. Identifying it can be difficult. If you cannot do this on your own, you need to consult with an allergist - he will prescribe a series of tests that will serve as a hint in which direction to search.
If an attack of an allergic cough has arisen for the first time, and there are no allergy remedies at hand (although they should be in every home medicine cabinet!), You can use bronchodilator drugs, for example, "Bronholitin". They relieve irritation and spasms well, make breathing easier. Warm drink and steam inhalation can do the same.
When the cause of the allergy is unknown, it is better to give the baby clean warm water or warm milk. They will warm your throat and relieve severe coughs.
You can bring your child into the bathroom by filling the tub with hot water. The moist vapor will open up the bronchi and he will be able to breathe normally. But if the attack persists, and there are signs of suffocation, call an ambulance immediately!
Dry cough
A dry cough in the morning in a child may appear only because the dream took place in a room with dry or cold air. This causes irritation and spasm of the larynx and a reflex cough.
If a dry cough is repeated several times during the day, is accompanied by an increase in temperature or is paroxysmal, it is necessary to find out the possible causes.
But first of all, it is necessary to eliminate a dry cough as a symptom, since it greatly irritates the larynx, causes pain and can cause damage to the vocal cords. The best remedies for its treatment are:
- Warm drink. Milk with added fat (goat, badger, bear, ghee, cocoa butter, etc.) helps a lot. It coats the mucous membranes, moisturizing them, softening coughs and creating a protective film. You can give a decoction of herbs with anti-inflammatory or expectorant effect. Linden, chamomile, sage, thyme, elecampane are good choices.
- Inhalation. In this case, steam, since the steam moisturizes the throat and expands the bronchi, making breathing easier and quickly relieving a coughing fit. Soda inhalation, essential oils of coniferous plants added to water, or decoctions of the herbs listed above work best. If necessary, inhalations can be done up to 3 times a day for 10-15 minutes.
- Warming up. They do it only if the child does not have a high temperature (above 37.2). Any home remedies will do: mustard plasters, vodka compresses, rubbing with turpentine or camphor oil, honey cakes, a salt bag, a blue lamp. The main thing is that after the procedure, the child lies in bed for at least 30 minutes and does not go out that day. Therefore, it is better to do warming up before bedtime.
- Antitussive drugs. It is advisable to give only as directed by a doctor.They do not affect the causes of cough in any way, but only suppress it as a reflex. Therefore, you need to be sure that there is no accumulation of mucus in the bronchi and lungs, which the body is trying to get rid of with the help of a cough. Most often, children are prescribed "Sinekod" - it is considered the most harmless, but still not intended for long-term use.
Potions and syrups. You can buy it at the pharmacy or make it yourself. Their task in this case is to relieve inflammation and turn a dry cough into a wet cough so that mucus can escape from the bronchi. From folk remedies, black radish juice with honey, pulp or aloe juice with honey, onion or fig milk help well. From pharmacy syrups: "Mukaltin", "Alteika", "Gedelix", "Herbion", "Ambroxol", "Doctor Mom", etc. Remember that these funds cannot be used together with antitussive drugs - they are opposite in their action and so the neighborhood can be very harmful to the child!
Potions and syrups. You can buy it at the pharmacy or make it yourself. Their task in this case is to relieve inflammation and turn a dry cough into a wet cough so that mucus can escape from the bronchi. From folk remedies, black radish juice with honey, pulp or aloe juice with honey, onion or fig milk help well. From pharmacy syrups: "Mukaltin", "Alteika", "Gedelix", "Herbion", "Ambroxol", "Doctor Mom", etc. Remember that these funds cannot be used together with antitussive drugs - they are opposite in their action and so the neighborhood can be very harmful to the child!If, after 2-3 days of such treatment, coughing attacks do not become less frequent, it does not turn into wet, the baby's temperature rises or continues to hold, a doctor's consultation is necessary. Perhaps an infection is hiding in the body that the child cannot cope with.
Moist cough
How to treat a wet cough in children depends on when and how it started. If you have healed a dry cough, and it has become wet, and the body temperature has returned to normal or drops, then you are doing everything right, and the child begins to recover. In this case, simply continue with the previously started treatment. Some casino sites offer SMS deposits. It is better to use casino replenishment via sms beeline and then you will succeed. There is no need to rush to create a personal account, as this will only hurt. You always need to collect information about the portal of interest.
A doctor should be consulted when a wet cough is accompanied by alarming symptoms:
high temperature (from 38 degrees), which lasts for a long time;- attacks of suffocation, recurring more often at night;
- sputum of a strange color: yellow, green, orange;
- traces or clots of blood with expectorated mucus;
- severe wheezing or wheezing heard when breathing;
- pain in the chest when coughing and taking a deep breath;
- shortness of breath after minimal physical exertion.
high temperature (from 38 degrees), which lasts for a long time;Even 2-3 of the above symptoms indicate that a serious disease is developing, which requires immediate complex treatment. Home remedies are no longer enough here, and delay threatens with complications or the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
The doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics. You don't need to give them up. New generation drugs have a minimum of side effects, and their dosage is calculated in each case individually, taking into account the age, weight and general condition of the child.
At high temperatures, anti-inflammatory or antipyretic drugs can be prescribed: Panadol, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, etc.
At the stage of recovery, physiotherapeutic procedures give a good effect: electrophoresis, UHF, laser warming, paraffin therapy, etc. Drainage massage is excellent for sputum discharge. But it is better if a specialist does it, especially for a small child. But all physiotherapy is connected only when the condition is completely stabilized and the temperature is below 37.5.
An important part of the treatment for a wet cough is the constant gargling of the throat. It allows you to cleanse and moisturize the mucous membranes, accelerating their recovery.
When using drug therapy, folk remedies can play an auxiliary role. But you need to consult with your doctor about which of them is better to use, so as not to reduce the effect of the prescribed drugs.
