Finding an expectorant for children under 1 year old on the shelves of pharmacies is not difficult. Manufacturers offer drugs with a wide variety of compositions and mechanisms of action on the body. The assortment also includes completely natural medicines based on herbal extracts and extracts. Young mothers and fathers pay attention to them most often, because it is believed that if the composition does not contain chemical components, then they will not be harmful to the child's body. Is this really so? Let's try to figure it out.
Why do babies have bronchospasm?
The biggest problem of modern parents is that they try to attribute the disease to the child even when it is not there. This is especially true when the first baby appears in the family. However, it should be borne in mind that very young children react to the environment differently from adults. Their organs of the respiratory system are still underdeveloped to the end, therefore a cough can mean not only illness, but also natural physiological processes. Causes of bronchospasm:
crying heavily;- too thin airway lumen (eliminated with age);
- very warm air (cough is most often manifested for this reason, when it is summer outside);
- too dry indoor air;
- pollution by tobacco smoke, exhaust fumes, etc .;
- digestive system problems;
- allergy;
- violation of the functioning of the heart muscle;
- inflammation of the upper respiratory tract;
- inflammation of the lower respiratory tract.
crying heavily;As you can see, inflammation is only a small part of the list. In no case should you buy mucolytics or expectorant drugs at the pharmacy, unless you have consulted a pediatrician and found out the exact cause of the cough.
A child may suffer more harm than good from the wrong treatment.
Varieties of expectorants
Drugs, which are called expectorants, have their own specific task - to thin out too thick phlegm and remove it from the respiratory tract. There are several ways to cope with this task. Depending on what mechanism of action the funds have, they are divided into two main groups: stimulating and thinning. Let's consider them in more detail.
Stimulating
They must stimulate the discharge of sputum and are divided into two types: reflex and resorptive.
Reflex agents, getting into the housing and communal services, cause vomiting and coughing, they act directly on the gastric mucosa. The active substances of such drugs can be:
Reflex agents, getting into the housing and communal services, cause vomiting and coughing, they act directly on the gastric mucosa. The active substances of such drugs can be:- liquorice root;
- sodium benzoate;
- Eucalyptus oil.
- Resorptive agents have a different principle of action, they thin mucus, increase the secretion of the glands that secrete it, and promote the free removal of phlegm from the respiratory tract. The main active ingredients of the drugs are:
- potassium iodide;
- ammonium iodide;
- sodium iodide.
Thinning
From the name it is clear that these funds are aimed at thinning too viscous mucus. Their mechanism of action is based on the cleavage of disulfide bonds in sputum. This leads to an increase in the volume of surfactant secreted by the lungs.
The main active ingredients of drugs can be cysteine derivatives or microregulators.
How to choose a drug for a baby
The list of expectorants for children under one year old is very large, now almost every pediatrician in our country can advise you on one of the drugs designed to dilute and remove sputum from the respiratory tract. Let's take a closer look at what they can prescribe for you in the clinic.
| Drug name | Mechanism of action | Side effects |
|---|---|---|
| Altey | Marshmallow root stimulates the motility of the bronchioles, relieves inflammation and loosens mucus. | Allergies, vomiting, nausea. |
| "Liquorice root" | It dilutes phlegm and promotes its active excretion from the body. | If not drinking plenty of fluids during treatment, it can cause dehydration, mucus congestion in the airways, and spread of infection. |
| "Pertussin" | Softens and soothes a strong cough, promotes expectoration. | Nausea, heartburn, urticaria, skin rash, itching, angioedema. |
| "Gedelix" | Reduces the viscosity of phlegm, promotes its excretion from the body. | Shortness of breath, redness, swelling and itching of the skin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. |
| "Stopussin-Fito" | Relieves inflammation from mucous membranes, improves expectoration. | Allergic reactions. |
Also, other drugs may be prescribed for the child, which, according to doctors, will contribute to a quicker recovery.
The choice of the remedy should be based on the diagnosis, the characteristics of the little patient's body, the presence of personal intolerance to the components of the drugs. The composition should not contain alcohol, chemical dyes and other harmful substances.
Concerns and warnings
European doctors categorically do not recommend giving expectorants to children under 2 years of age. This is due to the imperfection of the baby's respiratory system, it is not yet fully developed, therefore, more harm than good can be obtained from the use of medications. In addition, the effectiveness of most drugs in this group has not been proven.
In France, back in 2010, it was officially forbidden to use expectorant drugs to treat children under 2 years of age, since there are more side effects than real help. Following France, Italy also abandoned these funds.
In Russia, despite all the warnings, babies under 1 year old still continue to prescribe drugs of this type. In most cases, they only intensify the cough, promote the spread of infection to different parts of the respiratory tract and cause a lot of unpleasant complications.
And how to be treated?
In fact, a child under one year old who has a wet cough with thick mucus should be provided with the most comfortable conditions for recovery, and not be treated with medication. In order for the mucus to become more liquid and well removed from the respiratory tract, you need to take the following measures:
often ventilate the room;- carry out wet cleaning several times a day;
- humidify the air with a household humidifier or by hanging wet towels on the radiators (during the heating season);
- prevent overheating of the air in the room, the optimum temperature is + 18-20 ° С;
- regularly wash the baby if he can already transfer it normally;
- provide the child with plenty of drink and a fortified low-fat diet;
- in the absence of elevated body temperature, regularly walk in the fresh air.
often ventilate the room;The benefits and harms of folk remedies
When parents understand that pharmaceutical preparations contain substances harmful to the child, they begin to turn to folk remedies. However, they can also negatively affect the condition of babies up to 1 year old. The fact is that to improve coughing, the following ingredients are most often used:
- honey and other beekeeping products;
- animal interior fat;
- raspberries, viburnum and other berries;
- medicinal herbs;
- boiled potatoes for inhalation and compresses.
All these components are the strongest allergens, therefore they are not recommended for use for children under 3 years old, and some, even after this age, can be hazardous to health.
Compresses from warm potatoes can damage the delicate skin of the crumbs, since its protective functions are not yet fully formed, one harmless procedure - and the child can get burned.Inhalation over steam is completely prohibited, they can lead to burns of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, since the child still does not understand how to breathe correctly during the procedure.
Rubbing with alcohol, animal fats and honey can cause severe allergies, so they should be excluded.
Treatments to relieve the condition
The list of treatment measures for babies under one year old will be quite narrow, if you do not take into account the dubious options. A special massage will help relieve a wet cough. By pressing on the reflex points, you can intensify the expectoration and help the baby cope with the cough. These can be special areas on the back, on the feet, etc. Your doctor will tell you more about the techniques that are useful for your child.
Soda inhalation is another safe method to improve expectoration. In 1 glass of warm water, you need to dissolve a teaspoon of soda and put the glass as close as possible to the child.
In no case should you cover the baby with a towel, only inhalation from a distance will be safe. Please note that such procedures are prohibited at elevated body temperature.
The truth about pharmaceuticals
Expectorants, whatever their composition, cannot affect the cause of the cough, they only reduce the manifestation of the symptoms of the disease. In order to cure the disease itself, you need to select a special therapy. It is for this reason that the use of drugs that dilute and remove sputum from the respiratory tract is considered inappropriate for children under 1 year old.
Babies benefit more from creating the ideal conditions for their recovery. Sufficient fluid intake, high air humidity and an optimal room temperature give better results than pharmaceuticals. In addition, the child will be protected from the negative effects of drugs.
Do not rush to use syrups and drops to dilute mucus, as soon as you find a cough in the baby, it is better to consult a doctor, undergo an examination and take safe measures to eliminate the problem and alleviate the condition of the little patient.
Let's summarize
Children under 1 year old should not be given expectorant drugs. There are several reasons for this. First of all, the funds do not have a direct effect on the elimination of the cause that provoked the cough.
Also keep in mind that the effectiveness of not all drugs presented in pharmacies has been proven in our time, but they have more than enough side effects. Take care of your children, choose only safe and effective treatment.
