The child has a cough in fits and starts without fever. How to treat a dry cough in a child without fever? The reasons, what conditions are necessary for treatment, medications and folk remedies. Cough without fever in a child: what to do

A cough that occurs in a child is not only a reason to be wary, but also to take urgent measures to eliminate it. A dry cough without fever, which occurs against the background of ARVI, is first of all eliminated by creating the right conditions, and only then by drug intervention. The main goal of treatment in this case is to turn a dry, obsessive cough into a productive one. So, how to treat a dry cough in a child without fever?

Causes of cough without fever in a baby

The cause of a dry cough during ARVI is viruses that penetrate the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, where they become inflamed and die, thereby stimulating cough receptors. Also, a dry cough can be a consequence of an acute respiratory viral infection (as a result of damage by microbes and bacteria to the respiratory tract). This condition is often long-lasting, which negatively affects the child’s sleep, performance and general well-being.

What conditions are necessary for rapid improvement of the condition?

Drink plenty of fluids. In the question of how to treat a dry cough in a child without fever, this point is very important, since warm, generous drinks will help to liquefy and remove sputum. If you are not sure how much liquid your baby needs, pay attention to urination: if it happens no more than once every three hours, then the amount of warm liquid you drink needs to be increased.

How to relieve an attack of dry cough?

What should you give your child to drink?

The drink that is given to the child should under no circumstances be sour, because in this way you can only aggravate the situation and provoke even more frequent coughing due to irritation of the mucous membrane. The ideal option would be dried fruit compotes, decoctions of rose hips, linden, raisins, and raspberry tea. You can also use non-carbonated mineral water, but always warm.

Another warning: the liquid should never be hot! The drinking temperature is comfortable for the child and his already sore throat.

Air humidity

Before you start treating a dry cough in a child without fever, be sure to set the correct temperature and humidity conditions. Hot air can lead to even stronger thickening of sputum, so you should take care that the temperature does not exceed 20 degrees Celsius and the humidity is at least 50%.

The room must be ventilated and wet cleaned during the day. Fresh, clean indoor air is a guarantee of faster recovery.

During your baby's illness, clear his room of soft toys, carpets and heavy curtains that collect a lot of dust, which can provoke a dry cough. Also make sure that there are no sharp olfactory irritants in the house, such as paint, tobacco smoke, perfume, or household chemicals with a strong odor. All these seemingly insignificant details can provoke the development of an allergic cough against the background of ARVI.

Nutrition

During treatment, you should not overload the child’s body with heavy food. At this time, it is better to stick to a diet that will speed up the healing process. The most suitable option is oatmeal and berry-fruit jelly, which will soften swallowing and coat the gastric mucosa.

Of course, the best option than treating a dry cough in a child without fever is warm milk. Its temperature should be such that the butter can be melted in it. If you add a spoonful of honey and soda (on the tip of a knife) to this drink, in addition to butter, it will make your dry cough productive and make it easier to cough up. If your child's cough gets worse before bedtime, give warmed milk with butter and honey: it will soften the throat.

Warning: food during illness should not have a pronounced taste (sour, salty, spicy). Such dishes will irritate the mucous membranes even more.

Going to the doctor

You should not delay going to the doctor if your cough has been going on for several days. After an examination and a series of tests, the specialist will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment that will help get rid of the disease with medication: these can be antitussive drugs that reduce spasms in the respiratory tract, mucolytics that separate sputum, along with irritants (viruses or allergens) and remove it from the body.

Inhalations

An effective remedy for a dry, obsessive cough is inhalation with special medications (your doctor will help you decide on them). The cool air of the inhaler, together with sprayed vapors of medications (for children these are mainly herbs), gently softens the mucous membrane of the throat, opens the nasal passages, and, accordingly, alleviates the general condition.

Medications

You should not start taking any medications on your own, as an incorrectly selected medication can only harm the baby. So, with a dry cough, mucolytic drugs can aggravate the situation, causing even more frequent urges. For example, to treat a dry cough, it is necessary to use exclusively antitussive drugs (Delsim, Tusuprex, Libexin), but only with the permission of a doctor.

Warning: do not overuse cough suppressants, since blocking a cough does not always get rid of the problem. Sputum that fails to separate can cause more complex problems.

Folk remedies

Pour a glass of milk into an enamel bowl. Put one small onion there. After this, everything must be boiled in milk over low heat. When the product is ready (5 minutes after boiling), strain through cheesecloth, cool slightly to a comfortable temperature and take several tablespoons in small sips several times a day.

If the child does not have an allergic reaction to honey, you can soften the throat by making a remedy from 100 grams of butter, 100 grams of honey and a pinch of vanilla sugar. Melt the butter in a water bath and add honey and vanilla. Mix well. After hardening, give your child one teaspoon three times a day.

Do not forget that traditional methods cannot be the main or only method of fighting cough. Before treating a dry cough in a child without fever using grandma’s methods, be sure to consult a doctor who will prescribe medication along with it.

What Dr. Komarovsky says:

Dry barking cough in a child without fever: how to treat it?

When the first signs of a barking (dry, rough) cough appear, you should urgently contact the clinic. The doctor will be able to accurately establish a diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment, taking into account the characteristics of the body. Usually in such a situation the pediatrician prescribes:

• the first 3 days - taking mucolytic drugs (Ambroxol, Lazolvan, ACC, etc.);
• on day 4, mucolytics are replaced with expectorants (Doctor Mom syrup, Gedelix, Mucaltin, etc.).
• If necessary, antibacterial drugs are taken. They kill the infection, which can cause recurrent disease (Augmentin, Sumamed and others).
• For severe attacks, the use of antitussive drugs is permissible.

If it is determined that the cough is caused by an allergic reaction, the child is prescribed antihistamines (Suprastin, Cetrine, Claritin).

Treatment with folk remedies for dry barking cough in a child

You can prepare a mixture for dry cough at home.

Lemon and honey

Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon boiled for 10 minutes. Add 2 tbsp glycerin to it and stir. Add honey to make a full glass. Take the product 1 tsp 6 times a day. As the cough decreases, reduce the number of doses.

Milk and mineral water

This is one of the best remedies for a dry barking cough in a child without fever. How to treat, what is the recipe? In it: mix hot cow's milk and mineral water (alkaline) without gas in equal proportions. Drink several sips throughout the day.

Butter with honey

Mix 50 grams of natural honey and fresh butter, add vanillin. Take 1 tsp three times a day.

Decoctions

At all stages of treatment of a dry barking cough, the patient is sung with decoctions:

• thyme (1 tsp per 1 cup of boiling water, leave for about 4 hours);
• marshmallow root (1 tbsp per 1 glass of boiling water, leave for at least 2 hours);
• coltsfoot (1 tsp per 1 glass of boiling water, leave for about 4 hours);
• herbal collection from dry raspberry leaves, coltsfoot grass, oregano flowers in equal proportions (1 tbsp collection per 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 4 hours);
• dill seeds (1 tbsp per 1 cup of boiling water, let steep for 4 hours).

Decoctions should be drunk 3 times a day before meals. Children under 3 years old – 1 tsp each, children 3-10 years old – 1 tsp each, children over 10 years old – 1 tbsp each.

Inhalations

Inhalations occupy an important place in the treatment of dry cough. They moisturize the mucous membrane, soften the throat and thin the phlegm. Inhalations can be done with the addition of medications:

• Berodual (children under 6 years old - 10 drops, 6 - 12 years old - 20 drops, over 12 years old - 30 drops diluted with 3 ml of saline);
• Salgima (2.5 ml per 1 inhalation, without adding saline).

For herbal inhalations, decoctions of medicinal herbs are used, prepared at the rate of 1 tablespoon of tea leaves per 1 glass of water. For a dry barking cough, inhalations can be done 3-4 times a day.

Proper care

Treatment of barking cough requires careful patient care and adherence to the following recommendations:

• the child should drink a lot to avoid dehydration and to thin the sputum;
• maintaining fresh, moist air in the room so that the patient does not have dry airways;
• a varied diet rich in vitamins and beneficial elements;
• dress the child so that he is comfortable (not hot or cold);
• do a light back massage in the bronchi area (stroking, light tapping);
• before bedtime, in order to prevent an attack, give the child a drink of warmed milk with honey and a piece of butter;
• protect the patient from irritating odors (tobacco, perfumes, household chemicals and others);
• walks in the fresh air, especially early in the morning and near bodies of water.

If you have a barking cough, you should not:

1. rub the child’s chest with ointments and rubs containing essential oils. This can provoke bronchospasm or bronchial obstruction;
2. use aerosols for those suffering from bronchial asthma.

A dry barking cough in a child without fever is quite serious. Rather than treat it immediately with medications, it is better to first try folk remedies, because in the initial stages it can be completely stopped and prevent a more serious disease from developing.

Colds in children of different ages are often accompanied by a cough, which helps clear the airways of accumulated germs. With uncomplicated diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, the cough at the beginning of their development is dry and strong, gradually it turns into a wet one, during which sputum is released.

Colds are usually accompanied by a feverish syndrome; temperature triggers the body's defenses and therefore you should not be afraid of it. On the contrary, parents should be wary of a strong, dry cough in a child without fever. The cause of this condition may not only be a respiratory infection.

Causes of cough without fever

Infectious and colds of the bronchi, trachea, and lungs are accompanied not only by the development of a cough reflex, but also by other characteristic symptoms. These are nasal discharge, signs of intoxication, throat hyperemia, weakness, and fever. This development of the disease is typical in almost every case and all signs gradually disappear under the influence of treatment. Residual coughing may persist for two to three weeks. Another cause of the disease may be indicated by a cough without fever, paroxysmal, at certain hours and not amenable to conventional treatment. It is possible to find out its cause only after a full diagnostic examination and this must be done as early as possible, since a cough can be the first sign of quite serious diseases.

The cough reflex that occurs during laryngitis is especially dangerous for children; in the first stages of the disease, it can also be without fever. With such a cough, an attack of suffocation is observed, and help should be provided immediately. A cough in infants can be physiological, allowing you to get rid of dust particles or lumps of food that have entered the respiratory tract. Coughing often accompanies teething.

If you notice that your child’s cough does not go away for several days, does not become wet and is not accompanied by other signs of a cold, then you need to insist on additional examination. The sooner the necessary treatment is started, the greater the chance that the disease will not become chronic and complications will not appear.

Cough treatment

It is necessary to treat the cough that appears with the drugs that the doctor will select. It is important to remember that when you have a cold, you should not suppress the cough reflex, as this will prevent the body from completely freeing itself from microbes accumulated in the respiratory tract. It is necessary to take measures that lead to relief of dry cough:

• The child can be given a warm alkaline drink. This could be milk with soda, mineral water. Milk with a piece of butter or honey helps soften the throat.
• A severe cough without fever can be moistened with steam inhalation. You can breathe over boiled potatoes and hot herbal infusions.
• Heat compresses improve blood circulation in the chest and promote the formation of sputum. They can be made from boiled potatoes, honey, flour and vegetable oil. The compress is applied to the chest area and fixed for two to three hours, after which it is removed and the child is well wrapped.
• The room must have humidified air and the influence of irritating substances - tobacco smoke, various cosmetics - must be eliminated.
• The child should drink as much as possible. And these should be compotes, rosehip decoctions, lingonberry or cranberry juice, tea with lemon. Decoctions of nettle, coltsfoot, plantain, thyme, oregano, and thermopsis help cope with cough. If you suspect that the cough is due to allergies, then you need to give herbs carefully, monitoring the child’s condition.
• Honey mixed with lemon juice in equal proportions helps to cope with cough.

Of the medications for the treatment of dry cough, doctors most often prescribe Tusuprex, Libexin, Delsim. But these medications should be given only when indicated, since blocking the cough can lead to undesirable consequences. Ambroxol, the drug ACC, Mucaltin, Bromhexine will help ease the production of sputum during a wet cough.

Frequently ill children need to be hardened and their immunity increased. Exercise, constant walks in the fresh air, and a fortified and nutritious diet help achieve such results.

A feature of the dry cough reflex is the absence of tracheobronchial sputum, which is why the cough is called unproductive, that is, not bringing relief. That is why it is so painful for children, whose respiratory tract is extremely vulnerable and sensitive.

An unproductive cough further irritates and sometimes even damages their mucous membranes, aggravating the painful condition of the little patient. An unproductive cough reflex does not always indicate a cold and quite often occurs in the absence of a cold. Let us consider the causes of this pathological condition known to medicine and the possibilities of eliminating them.

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Causes

What else could cause a dry cough in a child without fever, if not a cold? Let's remember the etiology of the cold - its cause is viral or bacterial respiratory infections. During infections, the temperature always rises to at least subfebrile (medium-high) levels - this is the response of the human immune system to a bacterial or viral attack.

If there is no temperature, it means that either the immune system does not see the threat (that is, the pathology is not infectious), or the symptom (nonproductive cough) is of an allergic nature.

Considering the characteristics of such a condition as a dry cough in a child without fever, we will name its most common provoking factors:

• allergic;
• allergic and other ENT diseases;
• GERD;
• helminthic infestations;
• some heart pathologies;
• psychological factors.

Allergic ENT diseases, accompanied by a nonproductive cough, most often occur in children of the youngest age group. And they are associated with the baby’s sensitivity to house dust, household chemicals (laundry and cleaning products), excessively dry room air, and even some food products (chocolate, citrus fruits, milk).

It is not always possible to recognize the onset of bronchial asthma in a child in a timely manner. For example, a lingering dry cough remaining after suffering is often attributed to other pathologies - bronchopneumonia, bronchoadenitis, or even whooping cough. And only when it comes to asthma attacks, asthma is suspected.

A blood test showing an increased number of eosinophils confirms the diagnosis of bronchial asthma.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs in children from infancy and is associated with the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. The mucous membrane of the esophagus is irritated by aggressive substances thrown in, which causes an unproductive cough reflex.

Among the heart pathologies that can provoke a dry cough in a child without fever, experts name heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and mitral valve prolapse.

Psychological factors occur mainly in adolescent children, but can also debut at the age of three. Excitement before an exam, self-doubt and other acute experiences can cause a reflex cough and even shortness of breath and suffocation in a child. Psychogenic cough is characterized by a constant course, but never manifests itself during night sleep, which is one of its characteristic features. Recognizing psychogenic cough as a neurotic somatoform disorder is very difficult.

Why does it happen at night?

Night attacks of unproductive cough are not associated with neurotic disorders, which means that this cause of the symptom can be immediately excluded from the list of provoking factors. But almost all the other reasons listed in the previous paragraph can provoke a dry cough without fever at night.

1. GERD most often causes a dry cough, especially if the child had a late dinner or overeated before bed.
2. Allergic dryness, resting in an unventilated room with dry air, is also quite often noted by pediatricians.
3. Microscopic dust mites that live in carpets, upholstered furniture and fluffy toys often provoke allergic dryness.

Cardiac pathologies as a cause of dry cough without fever in children are less common, but they should also be taken into account when collecting anamnesis.

In a baby

For children in the first year of life, a dry cough without fever is a rare and uncharacteristic condition, especially before six months. If the baby does develop such a cough reflex, its cause is most likely an allergic reaction to house dust or dry air in the room.

Mothers should not self-diagnose such conditions, but should immediately contact a pediatrician - perhaps this symptom indicates the onset of bronchial asthma or cardiac pathology.

The baby may also cough when regurgitating after feeding if milk gets into his respiratory tract. Every mother should know that after feeding, the baby should be held in a “column” position for some time (until he burps).

Sudden attacks of dry cough without fever in a child who has already learned to crawl on the floor are also dangerous. The baby could find a small button or other small object and push it into his nose, or swallow it and choke on it. With the cough reflex, the body tries to clear the airways of a foreign body. In this case, you also cannot independently examine the child’s nasal passages, so as not to push the foreign object even deeper.

All complex situations associated with dry cough without cough should be dealt with by a qualified specialist.

Do I need treatment?

The issue of treating a dry cough without fever should be raised when the cough reflex becomes too intrusive, becomes prolonged, and exhausts the child. But it is not the symptom that should be eliminated, but its cause, and for this you will have to be examined.

Only after an accurate diagnosis is made is it possible to prescribe medications or treatment procedures. Therefore, the child should be prepared for the need to undergo diagnostic procedures. Parents should understand that delaying a visit to the doctor can result in a serious chronic illness in the child.

What to do if it bothers you often and constantly?

A long dry cough without fever causes the child to become lethargic, lose strength, and lose interest in school and other activities. Due to a night cough, as a rule, children feel pain in the chest, which also brings suffering to the little patient. Therefore, parents are looking for any ways to alleviate this suffering. But for some reason, the main point in the search is often ignored, namely, visiting a doctor.

Having attributed a cold to a dry cough, parents often begin to give the child decoctions with expectorant properties, hot milk, or warm, heat, or steam. But all this should not be done, especially if the cough reflex arose due to an allergy, including to milk. Illiterate actions of parents sometimes provoke an even greater deterioration in the condition of the sick child and take away precious time from proper treatment.

The most necessary thing that parents can and should do to relieve a child’s cough is to ensure the cleanliness and optimal humidity of the air in the room where the child is, to create normal temperature conditions in it.

If there are frequent and prolonged attacks of dry cough without fever, the child should definitely be shown to a doctor!

Useful video

From the following video you can learn how to relieve a coughing attack in a child:

conclusions

1. If a child has a dry cough but no fever, this indicates the non-infectious nature of the cough.
2. The reasons for this type of cough reflex can only be determined in a medical facility.
3. It is strictly prohibited to treat a dry cough with home remedies without identifying its cause and consulting a doctor.

The question of how to treat a child’s dry cough without fever is often asked by parents to doctors. It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this, since this symptom can occur in a baby under the influence of a wide variety of reasons. Let's look at these reasons, and also talk about how to help a child at home.

Severe dry cough in a child without fever: treatment at home

To reduce the intensity of dry cough in children, it is important to maintain optimal temperature (20-22 °C) and air humidity in the room.

The child should be provided with a sufficient amount of warm drink, which helps to thin the viscous sputum and improve its expectoration.

Drug treatment

Drug therapy for dry cough should only be carried out as prescribed by a doctor. The following drugs can be used:

1. Codeine, Methylmorphine, Tussal. Belongs to the opioid group. Suppresses the activity of the cough center in the brain. May be addictive. Prescribed only for dry, non-productive cough in children aged 12 years and older. In extreme cases, they can also be prescribed to young children.
2. Glaucin, Sinekod, Butamirad. Centrally acting antitussives. Their use does not lead to the formation of drug dependence. Indicated for non-productive debilitating cough in children over three years of age.
3. Mucaltin, Ambroxol, Licorice root syrup. Helps thin mucus and improve coughing. Pediatricians, including Komarovsky, do not recommend expectorants for children under three years of age.
4. Antihistamines (Zodak, Tavegil, Suprastin). Drugs in this group are prescribed for allergic cough, allergic bronchitis and bronchial asthma.
5. Antibiotics. Antibacterial medications are prescribed in cases where a dry cough is caused by a bacterial infection.

Inhalations

Inhalations performed using a nebulizer have a good therapeutic effect for dry, non-productive cough in children. This type of inhalation allows the drug to be delivered directly to the inflammatory focus, while steam inhalation does not penetrate beyond the pharynx (and is generally not recommended for children).

The following is used as a medicinal solution:

• alkaline mineral waters;
• soda solution;
• saline solution (0.9% aqueous sodium chloride solution);
• expectorants.

The choice of drug for inhalation should be made by the attending physician, based on the characteristics of the disease.

To make inhalations as effective as possible, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Before the procedure, you should not take mucolytics or expectorants.
2. Carry out the procedure no earlier than 1.5 hours after eating.
3. During inhalation, the child should not talk or read.
4. After finishing the inhalation, you should eat, drink and talk no earlier than 15-20 minutes later.

Contraindications to inhalation are:

• purulent sore throat;
• increased tendency to nosebleeds;
• heart failure.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine also has a good effect on dry coughs without fever in children, if they are used correctly. They should only be carried out in consultation with the attending physician. This is explained by the fact that any medicinal herbs can cause allergic reactions, and there is a whole list of contraindications for taking them.

Let's look at the most commonly used medicinal herbs in the treatment of dry cough:

Considering that any medicinal herbs can cause the development of adverse reactions, using them to treat children without consulting a doctor is strictly contraindicated!

Prevention

Prevention of nonproductive cough in children includes the following measures:

• hardening procedures (air and sun baths, contrast showers, douches);
• regular walks in the fresh air;
• playing sports;
• proper nutrition with the obligatory inclusion of fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet;
• timely vaccination against influenza, whooping cough.

Types of cough

A cough that does not produce sputum is called dry, and a cough accompanied by the discharge of mucous or purulent sputum is called wet.

Depending on the causes, duration and some other features, several types of dry cough are distinguished:

1. Dry cough without fever. Usually occurs at the very beginning of inflammatory processes affecting the organs of the respiratory system (pharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia). It manifests itself mainly in the daytime and, against the background of treatment, quickly turns into a wet, productive cough.
2. Nocturnal lingering cough. After suffering from acute respiratory viral infection, a child may have a dry cough for quite a long time (over two weeks), attacks of which often occur in the evening and at night.
3. Paroxysmal (whooping cough) cough. During an attack, the child experiences a series of spastic coughing impulses, interrupted by a wheezing inhalation. At the end of the attack, vomiting often occurs.
4. Recurrent cough. Periodically occurring paroxysmal cough, which is often combined with symptoms of rhinitis and conjunctivitis. Its appearance is often one of the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
5. Constant coughing. During the day, the child experiences occasional coughing impulses. However, the general condition remains satisfactory.

Causes and symptoms

Parents need to know that a dry cough is not an independent disease, but is a sign of a particular disease.

The most common causes of a dry cough without fever are:

1. Sluggish respiratory infections. With nasopharyngitis, a child, in addition to a nonproductive cough, has a runny nose and sore throat. Laryngitis is characterized by a rough, barking cough.
2. Adenoids. This reason can most often cause a dry cough in children from 4 to 11 years old. Nasal mucus, when the child is in a horizontal position, begins to flow into the throat and irritates the nerve receptors present here. This leads to a cough.
3. Allergy. An allergic reaction is characterized by the presence of a dry non-productive cough, conjunctivitis, and rhinitis.
4. Whooping cough. A childhood infectious disease characterized by long-lasting paroxysmal cough. In recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of whooping cough, which is explained by the refusal of many parents from preventive vaccinations and unfounded medical objections from them.
5. Unfavorable environmental conditions. A dry cough can also appear in a child when inhaling air with a high content of various pollutants (smoke, exhaust gases, aerosols).
6. Dry air. In a room with central heating or an operating air conditioning system, a decrease in relative air humidity is observed. Dry air contributes to dryness and irritation of the mucous membranes, which leads to a dry cough.
7. Helminthic infestations. The waste products of worms contribute to an increase in allergization in the child’s body, which becomes the cause of a dry cough.
8. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Due to the weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter, acidic gastric contents are thrown into the esophagus, from where they enter the pharynx, irritate the receptors and provoke a dry cough. A characteristic feature of stomach cough is its combination with heartburn.
9. Heart failure. A decrease in the contractility of the left ventricle of the heart leads to the fact that blood begins to stagnate in the vessels of the pulmonary circulation. This contributes to swelling of the bronchial mucosa and the occurrence of cardiac cough.
10. Neurogenic cough. Usually seen in teenagers. It occurs at a moment of strong excitement and goes away without any treatment at rest.

Why is a dry cough dangerous?

A dry cough is far from a harmless phenomenon, especially in a child. If it persists for a long time, difficult-to-remove sputum accumulates in the lumens of the bronchi, which can result in a number of complications:

• brain hypoxia;
• chronic obstructive bronchitis;
• bronchial asthma;
• sinusitis;
• otitis.

Diagnostics

The reasons that cause dry cough without fever in children can be different. Only a doctor can install them after conducting the necessary examination.

Diagnosis begins with an examination of the child by a pediatrician. If indicated, the doctor may prescribe the following types of studies:

• chest x-ray;
• bronchoscopy;
• gastroscopy;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
• ECG and Echo-CG;
• General and biochemical blood test.

Depending on the results obtained, the pediatrician may refer the baby for consultation with specialized specialists (pulmonologist, ENT doctor, phthisiatrician, allergist, gastroenterologist or cardiologist).

Video

We offer you to watch a video on the topic of the article.

Colds in children of different ages are often accompanied by a cough, which helps clear the airways of accumulated germs. With uncomplicated diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, the cough at the beginning of their development is dry and strong, gradually it turns into a wet one, during which sputum is released.

Colds are usually accompanied by a feverish syndrome; temperature triggers the body's defenses and therefore you should not be afraid of it. On the contrary, parents should be wary of a strong, dry cough in a child without fever. The cause of this condition may not only be a respiratory infection.

Causes of cough without fever

Infectious and colds of the bronchi, trachea, and lungs are accompanied not only by the development of a cough reflex, but also by other characteristic symptoms. These are nasal discharge, signs of intoxication, throat hyperemia, weakness, and fever. This development of the disease is typical in almost every case and all signs gradually disappear under the influence of treatment. Residual coughing may persist for two to three weeks. Another cause of the disease may be indicated by a cough without fever, paroxysmal, at certain hours and not amenable to conventional treatment. It is possible to find out its cause only after a full diagnostic examination and this must be done as early as possible, since a cough can be the first sign of quite serious diseases.

The cough reflex that occurs during laryngitis is especially dangerous for children; in the first stages of the disease, it can also be without fever. With such a cough, an attack of suffocation is observed, and help should be provided immediately. A cough in infants can be physiological, allowing you to get rid of dust particles or lumps of food that have entered the respiratory tract. Coughing often accompanies teething.

If you notice that your child’s cough does not go away for several days, does not become wet and is not accompanied by other signs of a cold, then you need to insist on additional examination. The sooner the necessary treatment is started, the greater the chance that the disease will not become chronic and complications will not appear.

Cough treatment

It is necessary to treat the cough that appears with the drugs that the doctor will select. It is important to remember that when you have a cold, you should not suppress the cough reflex, as this will prevent the body from completely freeing itself from microbes accumulated in the respiratory tract. It is necessary to take measures that lead to relief of dry cough:

• The child can be given a warm alkaline drink. This could be milk with soda, mineral water. Milk with a piece of butter or honey helps soften the throat.
• A severe cough without fever can be moistened with steam inhalation. You can breathe over boiled potatoes and hot herbal infusions.
• Heat compresses improve blood circulation in the chest and promote the formation of sputum. They can be made from boiled potatoes, honey, flour and vegetable oil. The compress is applied to the chest area and fixed for two to three hours, after which it is removed and the child is well wrapped.
• The room must have humidified air and the influence of irritating substances - tobacco smoke, various cosmetics - must be eliminated.
• The child should drink as much as possible. And these should be compotes, rosehip decoctions, lingonberry or cranberry juice, tea with lemon. Decoctions of nettle, coltsfoot, plantain, thyme, oregano, and thermopsis help cope with cough. If you suspect that the cough is due to allergies, then you need to give herbs carefully, monitoring the child’s condition.
• Honey mixed with lemon juice in equal proportions helps to cope with cough.

Algorithm for choosing medications for cough in children

Of the medications for the treatment of dry cough, doctors most often prescribe Tusuprex, Libexin, Delsim. But these medications should be given only when indicated, since blocking the cough can lead to undesirable consequences. Ambroxol, the drug ACC, Mucaltin, Bromhexine will help ease the production of sputum during a wet cough.

Frequently ill children need to be hardened and their immunity increased. Exercise, constant walks in the fresh air, and a fortified and nutritious diet help achieve such results.

A child's cough without fever occurs due to a variety of reasons. This is how the baby’s body can react to excessive dry air in the room or any stressful situations. The cough reflex can be caused not only by colds, but also by allergens:

• dust,
• animal fur,
• plant pollen

Coughing is a normal reflex reaction of the body to irritation of the respiratory tract, and if the baby coughs 10-15 times throughout the day, but is alert and active, there is no need to worry.

If, in the absence of fever, the cough intensifies and the child’s well-being worsens, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because such a condition may indicate serious infectious processes, diseases of the respiratory tract and nasopharynx. Let's find out what are the causes of cough in a child without fever, in what cases parents need to sound the alarm and what methods to treat the baby.

Why does a cough appear without fever?

As you know, cough can be dry and wet. A wet cough in a child without fever is accompanied by mucus discharge and may be a residual sign of previous respiratory tract diseases (for example, bronchitis). In this case, the child’s condition is satisfactory, the temperature does not rise, but the cough remains for 2-3 weeks, until the respiratory tract is completely cleared of accumulated sputum. A wet cough is considered productive, since contractions of the respiratory muscles of the bronchi push out mucus, which makes breathing difficult, and soon the child’s condition returns to normal.

A dry cough in a child without fever may indicate the development of serious diseases of the respiratory system (tuberculosis, bronchitis, asthma) and can be acute, prolonged or chronic. A dry cough exhausts the baby and does not bring relief, since there is no sputum discharge, and constant painful attacks deprive of sleep and appetite, cause severe irritation of the mucous membrane of the larynx, provoke its swelling and a feeling of constant soreness and burning in the throat.

Such a cough exhausts the child, causes severe spastic attacks and negatively affects the state of the nervous system. But the most dangerous is considered to be a barking cough in a child without fever, which can provoke swelling of the larynx, cause suffocation and other dangerous complications.

If a child’s prolonged cough without fever persists for three or more weeks, this is a serious cause for concern, as it may indicate the development of a serious pathology. What diseases cause this symptom? The following conditions can cause attacks of dry, wet or barking cough without a rise in temperature:

The worst thing children experience is a dry cough, which is exhausting, irritates the bronchial mucosa, weakens the body and deprives them of sleep. A barking cough in a child without fever is especially dangerous, especially when it develops suddenly, against the background of general well-being. Its cause may be an allergy, an asthma attack, or diseases such as whooping cough, false croup, diphtheria. These are serious conditions that require emergency medical attention as they lead to difficulty breathing and attacks of suffocation.

A severe cough in a child without fever may be a symptom of acute bronchitis, tracheitis or stenosing laryngitis, accompanied by swelling of the mucous membranes. In addition, parents should know that with a barking cough of an allergic nature, the body temperature does not change. But this condition is a harbinger of asthmatic complications.

Another serious danger of barking cough is associated with imperfect development of the upper respiratory tract in children under 5 years of age. In infants, the protective mechanism in the form of tonsils does not yet work, so any infection spreads very quickly. In addition, in children the trachea is much narrower than in an adult, so even slight swelling of the mucous membrane causes a narrowing of its lumen and threatens suffocation.

The appearance of a cough without fever in a child indicates the development of a variety of pathologies, so parents should definitely show the child to a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to determine the true cause of this condition and select an adequate treatment regimen.

What does Dr. Komarovsky say about the problem?

Dr. Komarovsky, a famous pediatrician and host of a popular health program, calls on parents to be more attentive to the problem of cough without fever in children. When a dry, and even more so barking, cough appears, the pediatrician warns adults against attempting self-treatment. In such situations, it is necessary to urgently call a doctor. What warning signs should you look out for?

1. the child becomes lethargic and capricious;
2. the baby suffers from an obsessive night cough;
3. the child develops a dry barking cough, shortness of breath, hoarseness of voice;
4. the baby is breathing heavily, whistling;
5. signs of suffocation appear, the skin becomes pale and cold to the touch.

What to do if a child has a cough without fever and how to alleviate the baby’s condition before the doctor arrives? Dr. Komarovsky advises ventilating the room and ensuring sufficient humidification of the air the patient breathes. Drinking plenty of warm fluids (tea with jam, honey, lemon) will help soften the inflamed mucous membrane. If an allergic attack occurs, the child can be given half a tablet of an antihistamine, having first dissolved it in a small amount of water.

To ease a night cough, calm the child, rock him in your arms, and avoid tantrums, which increase the severity of the attack. To make breathing easier, wear loose clothing on your baby. A high pillow should be placed under the child’s head; this will help prevent the spread of the inflammatory process to the lower respiratory tract and reduce nighttime coughing attacks.

To relieve the cough reflex, you can do inhalations with a nebulizer, using mineral water or decoctions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, sage) as a filler. Such procedures will soothe the inflamed mucous membrane and relieve a sore throat. It is better to avoid steam inhalations at home, since such methods often lead to burns of the mucous membranes and further worsen the baby’s condition.

If there is swelling of the larynx, Dr. Komarovsky advises putting mustard plasters on the child’s legs. This simple procedure will increase blood flow to the extremities and reduce swelling of the airways. Give your baby more liquid (warm tea with raspberry jam or lemon, dried fruit compotes, fruit drinks). This measure will support the body weakened by the disease and help avoid dangerous dehydration.

How dangerous is a dry cough without fever?

When a dry cough appears, treatment must be started immediately, otherwise thick sputum will accumulate in the respiratory tract and cause serious complications:

1. A prolonged cough in a child without fever leads to the fact that the body begins to experience oxygen starvation, since the bronchi cannot fully perform their functions. And the longer this condition lasts, the more severe the consequences of hypoxia, from which all internal organs suffer.
2. A dry cough is often a sign of an untreated inflammatory process. If measures are not taken to eliminate it, the risk of cough becoming chronic increases, which can result in the development of diseases such as obstructive bronchitis or bronchial asthma.
3. Attacks of obsessive coughing that occur at night deplete the body, weaken the immune and nervous system, lead to impaired nasal breathing and increase the likelihood of developing otitis media and sinusitis.
4. A dry cough is accompanied by irritation and swelling of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx, which makes it loose and vulnerable to the penetration of all kinds of infectious agents.

For cough treatment to be effective, it is necessary to accurately determine the cause that causes this condition. This is the task of the doctor, who, after the necessary examination and clarification of the diagnosis, will select the correct treatment regimen and explain to parents how to treat a cough in a child without fever.

Treatment methods

What to do if a child has a persistent cough without fever? The answer to this question can only be given by a specialist (pediatrician or otolaryngologist) after clarifying the diagnosis.

If coughing attacks are caused by a stress factor, mild sedatives based on herbal ingredients and observation by a child psychotherapist will help. You can give your baby valerian, motherwort, or brew tea with mint.

If the cause of the cough is an allergic reaction, first of all they try to identify and eliminate the allergen that provokes the attacks. To alleviate the condition, the doctor recommends antihistamines and determines the required dose of the drug and duration of use. Children are trying to be prescribed the latest generation of drugs that cause fewer side effects and are easier to tolerate. These are medications such as Zyrtec, Cetrin, Erius, Fenistil, Zodak.

If a cough occurs against the background of an infectious or cold-related disease, the doctor will prescribe medications that reduce the severity of the inflammatory process, relieve bronchospasm, and have a softening, analgesic and immunomodulatory effect. Let's take a closer look at how to treat wet and dry cough.

Treatment of dry cough

Treatment methods for wet and dry cough are fundamentally different. For an unproductive, exhausting cough, antitussives are prescribed that directly act on a certain center in the brain and thereby block the cough reflex. This is necessary in order to alleviate the condition of a sick child, reduce irritation of the mucous membranes, chest pain, improve sleep and calm the nervous system.

Antitussive medications of central and peripheral action are opioid analgesics. These medications are prescribed by a doctor and should be used with caution as they can cause addiction and serious side effects. The most powerful drugs in this group - Tussal, Codeine, Codelac - can only be used in children over 12 years of age and under the supervision of a doctor. In exceptional cases, they are prescribed at a young age for the treatment of pleurisy, whooping cough and other severe respiratory tract lesions.

Non-narcotic analgesics for the treatment of dry, exhausting cough can be prescribed to children from 3 years of age. They do not have the disadvantages of opioid drugs, do not cause addiction or serious side effects, but they should be used only as indicated. These are products such as Glaucine, Sinekod, Butamirad.

In addition, in the treatment of dry cough, a number of medications are used that relieve spasm and irritation of the mucous membranes, exhibiting anti-inflammatory and softening effects. These are drugs in the form of drops, solutions, suspensions, tablets, sprays:

• Libexin,
• Bronholitin,
• Stoptussin,
• No-shpa,
• Papaverine,
• Omnitus

Medicines with an expectorant effect for non-productive coughs facilitate the discharge of sputum and prevent its stagnation. For children, such popular products are used as marshmallow syrups, licorice, Herbion, Gedelix, Lazolvan, Bromhexine tablets, Ambroxol. For young children, it is preferable to use drugs in the form of syrup, suspension or solutions, which have a pleasant taste, are well tolerated and exhibit a rapid therapeutic effect.

Treatment of wet cough

When a wet cough appears, the child’s condition improves. To speed up the discharge of sputum, mucolytic agents are used, which help to liquefy thick, viscous secretions and accelerate its removal from the respiratory tract. The most popular mucolytics for children:

• Pertussin syrup,
• Doctor Mom,
• Ambrobene,
• Bronchipret,
• Mukaltin,
• Flavamed.

The main goal of treatment is to enable the child to cough. This will help completely remove mucus from the lungs and bronchi and prevent relapse of the disease. At this stage, the use of folk remedies will help enhance the therapeutic effect of the drugs.

Folk remedies for cough in a child without fever

propolis and honey

The use of traditional medicine will help alleviate the child’s condition with a dry cough and speed up the removal of phlegm with a wet cough. Here are some popular recipes:

• Radish with honey. A medium-sized root vegetable should be cleaned, a small hole cut in the middle and filled with honey. The juice released from the radish will mix with honey after a few hours and form a sweet and thick syrup, which should be given to the child 1 tsp. every 2 hours.
• To relieve irritation and soothe a sore throat, it is recommended to drink warm milk with honey and butter, or milk diluted with mineral water. Decoctions of medicinal herbs with an expectorant effect are useful. You can brew and give your baby a drink based on marshmallow, sage, chamomile, coltsfoot, and plantain.
• For dry coughs, an infusion of pine buds helps greatly. To prepare it, take 0.5 liters of milk and add one large spoon of pine buds. The composition is placed on low heat and simmered under a closed lid for 60 minutes. The finished product is slightly cooled, filtered and given warm to the child every 2 hours in a volume of 50 ml.
• Onion syrup has an excellent expectorant and mucolytic effect. To prepare it, peel the onion, chop it, add 2 tbsp. l. sugar and leave in a sealed container overnight. During this time, the onion will give juice, the sugar will dissolve and you will get a sweet syrup containing useful substances with bactericidal and antiseptic properties. This syrup can be given to the child every hour in small portions.
• Aloe juice is good for wet coughs. Juice is squeezed out of a fresh aloe leaf and mixed with honey and butter. All ingredients are taken in equal quantities. The finished composition is given to the child before meals up to 4 times a day.
• Badger fat has an excellent antitussive effect. It can be given to the child before meals (1/2 tsp), and also rubbed into the back, chest and feet.
• Compresses at night will help soften a dry cough. The main component is a mixture of vegetable oil and honey, which is heated to 50°C, and then a gauze or linen napkin is soaked in this mixture. The baby is wrapped in a napkin, wrapped in plastic wrap on top and insulated with a terry towel or down scarf. The warming compress must be kept for at least 2 hours, this will help thin the thick mucus and make it easier to clear.

Remember that any traditional medicine can only be used after consultation with your doctor.

Reviews about the treatment

Review #1

Recently at night my son started having a strong dry cough. The child could not sleep, and neither could I. At the same time, there was no temperature, the general condition did not indicate colds. And it was in the summer - not at all the time to be sick. The next day we went to the doctor on duty, she examined him. The throat and nose are normal, the temperature is also normal.

The doctor suggested that it was an allergic cough and prescribed antihistamines. In the evening the cough reappeared and the child started coughing. I gave him an antihistamine and after a few minutes his condition improved. It turned out that he was indeed allergic, but it is not yet clear what we will do tests for.

Olga, St. Petersburg

Review #2

The child suffered a prolonged acute respiratory infection, and almost all the unpleasant symptoms were eliminated. But the cough didn’t want to go away. At the same time, there was no longer a fever, and the child’s condition was almost excellent. In the evening the cough got worse, and at night he had difficulty falling asleep.

The doctor prescribed expensive drugs, but after studying their composition, she realized that you could find similar ones, but cheaper. The same Pertussin always helped in such cases, so I bought it. Plus, I took a package of cough tablets. The child drank the syrup with pleasure, and also took the pills as scheduled.

The child’s cough had no fever and was wet, but the sputum was difficult to clear. After a couple of days of this treatment, the condition improved: the child began to cough less and not so much. Expectorants helped a lot, and the sputum gradually came out. A week later the child was completely healthy, and his cough no longer bothered him.

Valeria, Moscow

If a child coughs, but does not experience symptoms characteristic of a cold, this is a reason to visit a doctor. Shortness of breath and an attack without fever may indicate hidden inflammatory processes in the child’s body.

Parents should know what kind of cough is normal and what signs they need to pay special attention to.

Cough is normal

The cough reflex is the body's natural reaction to an irritant. This is how a person gets rid of viruses, bacteria, allergens and all kinds of microscopic compounds that can accidentally enter the respiratory system. If the cough is rare, with a frequency of 10-15 times per day, do not worry and rush to the pharmacy for medicine. This is normal.

In children under one year of age, an attack may occur in the following cases:

• If liquid in the form of tears, milk or saliva gets on the mucous tissue of the throat during teething.
• If there is dry air in the room, it dries out the skin and reduces the protective functions of the child’s body.
• Ingestion of a foreign body into the respiratory system. These can be regular crumbs during meals.

Cough as a reflection of illness

A cough without fever in a child may indicate the development of the disease. In this case, it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as chest pain or watery eyes. The nature of expectoration, its duration and accompanying symptoms will indicate the cause of the disease. An accurate diagnosis is made by a pediatrician or otolaryngologist based on an examination of a small patient and appropriate examination.

Based on the type of manifestation, experts distinguish several types of cough in a child.

Dry cough

Dry, or unproductive - sharp, paroxysmal, repeats for several minutes without mucus separation, often torments at night, sometimes itching in the respiratory tract and chest pain are felt. Unproductive expectoration may occur without fever. It indicates the onset of a viral infection. The following factors can lead to the development of an attack:

A severe dry cough without fever may indicate the development of tuberculosis, atrophic pharyngitis, tuberculous bronchoadenitis, and pulmonary echinococcosis. In order to verify the presence of a serious illness, a fluorographic examination is prescribed.

If a child’s cough syndrome lasts for several months, it becomes chronic and requires special treatment. A prolonged cough without fever in a child cannot be ignored, since the bronchi lose their function and the body begins to experience oxygen starvation. This condition is fraught with negative consequences: internal organs may suffer, immunity may decrease, and new diseases may appear.

Wet cough

A wet cough without fever is called productive. It is characterized by wheezing, shortness of breath, and the release of secretions, after which it becomes easier for the patient to breathe. The attack does not last long, without significant manifestations of pain, and often torments the child at night if the sputum is difficult to clear. Typically, acute respiratory diseases lead to its appearance. However, such a symptom may indicate other dangerous respiratory diseases:

• If a child's cough is dry and then gradually becomes wet with purulent mucous discharge, it may be an indicator of the flu.
• When a baby has difficulty breathing, coughs loudly in the morning, and has no temperature, these are signs of chronic bronchitis.
• If the cough is jerky, loud, obsessive and accompanied by fever, weakness, headache without fever, this is tracheitis.
• Attacks at night with heavy breathing indicate bronchial asthma.
• A wet, lingering cough without fever with bloody streaks in the sputum is evidence of tuberculosis.

When medical help is needed

A symptom in any manifestation should alert the baby’s parents. You should immediately contact your pediatrician for help in the following cases:

• If a child has a cough without fever for more than two weeks.
• When a baby coughs.
• For pain in the lower chest.
• If coughing is accompanied by purulent sputum, which may contain spots and blood streaks.
• When a child is choking, there is a whistling sound in the chest.
• After taking antibacterial drugs, the cough does not go away for a long time.

Rare cough in a child without fever with runny nose

The appearance of a cough and runny nose indicates that the baby has developed rhinitis. This often happens in autumn, winter and early spring, after hypothermia. A cough attack occurs when viscous mucus from the nose enters the larynx and begins to irritate the mucous membrane. In this case, the pediatrician prescribes appropriate treatment for a runny nose. It consists of rinsing the nose with special solutions, using nasal drops with a vasoconstrictor effect, and doing acupressure of the nose. When eliminating a rare cough and runny nose without fever, it is important to provide the baby with the following conditions:

• Drink plenty of water: fortified tea, compote, fruit juice.
• Ventilation and humidification of the air in the room in compliance with the correct temperature conditions - 18-200C.
• Walks in the open air.
• Complete nutrition.
• Keeping your nose clean.

Treatment of cough in a child with medications

Treatment of cough in a child without fever should be comprehensive. Since an attack is one of the symptoms of the disease, it is important to eliminate the cause of its occurrence. Along with medication and folk treatment, children are prescribed special procedures in the form of compresses, rinses and inhalations. To achieve the best result, it is important to follow the doctor's recommendations. Parents should know that there are different methods of dealing with annoying cough:

Antibiotics are prescribed when the cough is caused by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection of the upper respiratory tract and is accompanied by fever. This condition can occur with sore throat, otitis media, sinusitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, and mechanical damage to the larynx.

It is prohibited to independently select and take an antibacterial drug, since these drugs are strong and can be harmful to health. Despite the fact that antibiotics for coughs on the second day have a positive effect, they must be taken according to the scheme for 5-7 days. The drugs are divided into the following groups.

• Penicillin series: “Amoxicillin”, “Ampicillin”, “Oxacillin”, “Ampiox”, “Augmentin”, “Flemoxib-solutab”.
• Group of macrolides: Azithromycin, Sumamed, Erythromycin, Clarithromycin.
• Cephalosporin group: Cefazolin, Ceclor, Suprax, Izodepom.

Antitussives help with dry, painful and painful coughs that interfere with sleep and appetite. Medicines dilute mucus and promote its removal from the body. In pediatrics the following is used.

• "Glaucin" is a plant-based drug that has an anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effect.
• “Butamirate” - acts on the cough center, relieves inflammation, saturates the bronchi with oxygen.
• "Tusuprex" - fights expectoration by reducing the sensitivity of the cough center.
• "Libexin" - eliminates sore throat, expands the lumens of the bronchi and changes the shape of the cough. It becomes not dry, but wet.
• "Delsim" - blocks the work of the cough center, treats attacks of dry cough caused by allergies.
• "Robitussin" - constricts blood vessels, relieves swelling and inflammation. The medication relieves prolonged coughing that accompanies colds.

Mucolytic expectorants help remove thick, sticky, difficult-to-clear mucus. This group includes:

• "Ambroxol" - thins mucus, promotes its increase, and cleanses the respiratory system.
• "Carbocisteine" - removes phlegm, regenerates the mucous tissues of the lungs and bronchi, normalizes their function.
• "Bromhexine" - reduces the viscosity of sputum, helps expectoration, and makes breathing easier.
• "Fluimucil" - relieves inflammation in the bronchi, removes pathogenic mucus, and has an antioxidant effect.
• "Ambrobene" - successfully fights an attack that is accompanied by purulent sputum.
• "Lazolvan" - removes phlegm, restores the functioning of the epithelial tissue of the lungs, and helps to quickly get rid of cough.

During therapy, it must be taken into account that mucolytics and antitussive drugs are incompatible with each other and can harm the little person.

Healing recipes for cough treatment

Traditional medicine helps alleviate the condition of a sick child. Today, the advice of ancient healers is still relevant and is not rejected by scientists. Healer recipes serve as a good aid to the basic treatment for cough without fever:

Black radish with honey.

• The root crop is washed and cleaned.
• Make a small hole in the middle and fill it with honey.
• Leave for several hours.
• The resulting thick syrup is given to the child one teaspoon every two hours.

Warm milk with honey and butter gets rid of sticky mucus. The drink is drunk 3-4 times a day and always before bedtime.

An infusion of pine buds eliminates dry cough.

• A tablespoon of herbal raw materials is poured with half a liter of milk.
• Simmer in a sealed container over low heat for an hour.
• Filter and cool.
• Take 50 ml every 2-3 hours.

Onion syrup has a pronounced expectorant property.

• A medium-sized onion is peeled and chopped.
• The resulting mass is sprinkled with two teaspoons of sugar.
• Leave it overnight.
• The product is consumed in small portions every hour.

Aloe juice mixed in equal proportions with honey and butter. The healing potion is given to the child before meals four times a day.

Decoctions based on medicinal plants make breathing easier for the baby. You can use marshmallow, chamomile, coltsfoot, sage, and plantain herbs.

Inhalations in the treatment of cough

Inhalations with a nebulizer are indicated for children from the age of two. They are made on the basis of mineral water, medicinal herbs and special medicinal solutions. It is important to follow certain rules.

The procedure is carried out an hour after eating.

Inhalation is done three times a day for 10 minutes.

To achieve the best results during the procedure, it is recommended to breathe deeply several times.

Heat compresses are widely used in pediatric practice. They increase blood circulation and relieve swelling during inflammatory processes. The most effective are the following.

Potato compress.

• Two or three fruits are boiled unpeeled.
• Knead the mass with a fork.
• Add two tablespoons of vegetable oil and two drops of iodine to it.
• Form a cake and wrap it with cotton cloth.
• Apply to the chest, cover with a warm scarf or blanket.
• The compress is removed when it cools down.

Cabbage with honey.

• The cabbage leaf is softened in boiling water for several minutes.
• Honey is melted in a water bath, and the temperature of the liquid used should not exceed 500C.
• Warm bee product is applied to the baby's chest.
• A cabbage leaf is placed on top.
• The compress is covered with film and a warm scarf is placed on top.
• Leave it overnight.

Along with the listed methods, rubbing is effective, which is done before bedtime using badger, goat fat or lard. Such treatment methods are safe for babies, even in infancy. Correct actions by parents will help the child eliminate annoying cough in any form, even if it manifests itself without fever.

How much happiness a long-awaited baby brings to parents! And how much worry a mother feels when her beloved child gets sick. It seemed that troubles were receding along with recovery. But diseases are insidious. When they leave, they leave traces in the small organism.

One of the consequences is a prolonged cough in a child without fever, a cause of parental worry and concern. How to get rid of it and why does such a syndrome develop? To cope with childhood cough, you need to know everything about it.

Types of cough

Coughing is a reflex process that helps clear the airways of mucus accumulations (mucus accumulates viruses, allergens, bacteria, harmful compounds) or foreign objects. If the causes of cough syndrome are infectious or inflammatory diseases, the reflex becomes protracted and severe (it can pass without fever).

• A cough is natural (normal) if its frequency is up to 10-13 times a day.
• The cough reflex becomes long-term (protracted), when the baby begins to cough systematically for 4-8 weeks.
• Cough syndrome becomes a chronic cough syndrome if it persists in a child for 3-4 months or more.

Wet cough

A wet (expectorant) cough is productive. The mucous membrane, which accumulates in the bronchopulmonary tree, absorbs pathogenic microorganisms (mucus is an excellent medium for their reproduction). With the help of the cough reflex, this mucus (phlegm) is expelled. Coughing up phlegm is good for the body, it is cleansing.

Be sure to teach your child to spit out mucus, expectorate it, and not swallow it!

A natural, cleansing cough without fever usually appears in the morning. Pathological prolonged wet cough syndrome occurs at any time of the day, it is accompanied by fever, runny nose, weakness, sneezing and redness of the sclera of the eyes.

Frequent attacks of prolonged wet cough cause pain in the back or sternum. A lingering cough with phlegm provokes difficulty breathing, and when harmful mucus enters the stomach, it causes upset stools and vomiting.

A dangerous signal is the presence of blood streaks in the sputum and an increase in the duration of coughing attacks (they become protracted) and a high temperature.

The development of many diseases begins with the accompaniment of a hysterical dry cough without fever, which gradually develops into a wet one. Doctors associate this phenomenon with the gradual accumulation of bacterial microorganisms in the respiratory organs, which gradually settle in the bronchi or lungs.

Prolonged wet cough. In the case when too much sputum comes out when coughing, and the syndrome itself is observed for a long time, a productive lingering cough without fever becomes the result of some pathology. Abundant mucus secretion is associated with the growing activity of harmful microorganisms in the body.

If a lingering wet cough continues for a long time (the third or fourth week), and the amount of sputum decreases, this indicates that the disease has become chronic. In this case, treatment is carried out with expectorants (to thin the mucus and help the body get rid of it).

Productive coughing is almost always accompanied by whistling, wheezing sounds when breathing and coughing. This cough especially bothers the baby in the morning (it goes away without fever).

Sputum with a lingering wet cough tells a lot about the disease tormenting the child’s body. Mucus differs in consistency and color; doctors conduct special diagnostics of sputum in order to identify the causative agent of the disease. Separately, doctors analyze the color of mucus:

• Transparent or colorless occurs at the onset of acute inflammatory protracted colds.
• Green or yellowish indicates a large accumulation of pus in the organs of the respiratory system.
• Gray or black sputum with an unpleasant smell of rot indicates a progressive cancer tumor in the lungs or bronchi.
• White mucus with a cheesy consistency indicates the development of a fungal infection. Such sputum is observed in tuberculosis.

Dry cough

A dry cough develops as a defensive reaction - the body frees the lungs and bronchi from microparticles of dust, harmful substances, toxins or pathogenic microorganisms. There are many tiny receptors located on the mucous membrane of the larynx, bronchi and trachea. When irritated, they provoke the development of a dry (non-productive) cough without fever.

Doctors divide dry cough into the following types:

• Ordinary. The child coughs 5-6 times a day without experiencing any discomfort when coughing. No temperature observed. This cough reflex without wheezing is typical at the beginning of the development of colds or viral infections.
• Paroxysmal. When coughing, the child experiences pain in the sternum due to strong tension in the respiratory muscles. Paroxysmal cough is frequent and prolonged, accompanied by lacrimation, fever and weakness. This syndrome is a symptom of the development of pneumonia or bronchitis; it indicates the onset of an inflammatory process in the lower respiratory tract.
• Barking. This dry cough resembles a loud, staccato bark from a dog. It is painful for a child. When coughing, the baby suffocates, severe shortness of breath appears, and normal breathing is disrupted. A barking, lingering, dry, strong cough occurs with many infectious diseases and with extensive inflammation of the pulmonary organs.
• Chronic. If a lingering dry cough continues for 2-2.5 weeks, it becomes “chronic”. This cough syndrome is characteristic of numerous pathological conditions. Chronic cough can occur without fever.

A dry cough also develops when a foreign body enters the respiratory system or when gastric juice ends up in the esophagus. The aggressive environment causes severe irritation of the receptors and an uncontrollable muffled cough develops. A dry, hoarse cough, even without fever, can cause a lot of suffering (especially if attacks occur at night).

Prolonged dry cough. When a dry cough continues for a long time, becoming protracted, it exhausts and exhausts the child. In such situations, doctors’ efforts are directed at converting a dry cough into a wet one. Protracted cough syndrome indicates non-infectious pathological conditions of the body. A prolonged cough without fever is observed with:

• Bronchial asthma.
• Fungal infections.
• Allergic manifestations.
• Burns of the lungs and bronchi (steam, hot air).
• The presence of foreign objects in the respiratory organs.
• Damage to the respiratory tract due to chemical reagents.
• Passive smoking (if the child is with a smoking adult).

Types of cough and possible causes

Any kind of malaise in a child should be the basis for consultation with a pediatrician. You should consult a doctor without delay in the following cases:

• If the child has been coughing for more than 2 weeks.
• A newborn baby suffers from cough.
• Coughing, the child complains of severe pain in the sternum (lower part).
• When you cough, purulent sputum appears (especially if there are bloody streaks or spots in it).
• The cough reflex is accompanied by high fever, suffocation, whistling in the chest and difficulty breathing.
• After taking antibiotics, cough and fever do not go away after 30 hours.

But what to do if the cough is prolonged and there is no fever? Does this indicate dangerous reasons, a decline in immunity? Or is there no need to worry in such cases?

Causes of prolonged cough without fever

We are accustomed to consider ourselves sick only when our body temperature rises. The same concerns among mothers are caused by a prolonged cough in a child. But considering a prolonged cough syndrome that goes away without fever as harmless is a fallacy.

An increase in temperature is a sign of inflammatory and infectious diseases of the bronchopulmonary organs, but there are exceptions everywhere. Some dangerous diseases that come with a lingering cough are not accompanied by fever:

Heart diseases. Children's heart failure develops due to the inability of the cardiovascular system to provide the body with good blood circulation. The heart muscles work weakly, pushing out insufficient blood volume for the body's needs. Even a one-year-old child can get sick.

The causes of heart failure in a child are heart injuries, malformations of the heart organ, and arterial hypertension. As a result of poor blood supply to the body, a baby with heart problems experiences:

• Shortness of breath.
• Hoarse voice.
• Dry wheezing when breathing.
• Constant fatigue, weakness.
• Cyanosis (blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle and fingers).

A prolonged cough without fever, which develops with heart failure, indicates stagnation of blood in the lungs and has many types. It can be paroxysmal, sharp and loud, dry and exhausting, or accompanied by hemoptysis.

Reflux disease. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when stomach contents regularly back up into the lower intestine. Aggressive contents provoke the development of inflammation and cause damage to the mucous tissue of the esophagus.

The main manifestation of reflux is constant heartburn (a sharp burning sensation in the sternum and upper abdomen).

Regular reflux gradually changes the acidic environment of the esophagus towards oxidation. The cells of the esophageal mucosa die, unable to withstand the acidic environment. Dead cells are replaced by stomach cells or connective tissue. Gradually, the esophagus loses its main function - moving food.

Prolonged inflammation develops, accompanied by the following symptoms:

• I have a stomachache.
• Sour belching.
• Feeling of heaviness.
• Painful heartburn.
• Feeling of a lump in the throat.
• Pain in the sternum.
• Dry, prolonged cough.

A persistent cough develops in 50% of diagnosed GERD in children aged 1 year. And in 10% of children, cough syndrome is the only sign of reflux. A prolonged cough without fever with GERD is characterized by pain (sputum cannot be coughed up) and the urge to vomit. This symptom can easily be confused with a cough due to allergies or bronchial asthma. Cough syndrome with GERD appears 20-30 minutes after eating.

Tuberculosis. An infectious disease that affects the respiratory system. The deadly disease is famous for its lingering cough (called “consumptive cough”). Cough syndrome in tuberculosis is the main and important symptom (it can pass without fever). It is caused by acid-resistant microorganisms that accumulate in the patient’s lungs and bronchi.

Tuberculosis cough is pronounced only in the miliary type of the disease, which is often found in childhood. With tuberculosis, the cough is dry, but occasionally small amounts of sputum appear.

A lingering tuberculous cough begins in the early morning, when the child wakes up and gets out of bed, taking a horizontal position.

At night, the sensitivity of the mucous membrane decreases, which allows sputum to accumulate in large quantities, causing a cough without fever in the morning. A patient with tuberculosis may cough for 5-6 hours straight until the lungs clear at least a little.

If children have tumor-type tuberculosis, the cough syndrome takes on a convulsive form and gives off a booming metallic sound. The cause of this cough is the rapid entry of air into the lungs, where there are enlarged bronchial lymph nodes, which cause vibration.

If tuberculosis has taken hold of the tissues of the larynx, the cough becomes silent and hoarse. This occurs due to the tight closure of the glottis. With tuberculosis in a severe stage (open stage), there is a protracted cough, hacking, wet, with the discharge of bloody mucus. On examination, a red throat is noted.

In addition to cough, tuberculosis is accompanied by the following general symptoms:

• Sudden weight loss.
• Complete loss of appetite.
• Severe sweating at night.
• Weakness and lethargy of the body.
• Problems in the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea, constipation).
• Chest pain when breathing.
• The appearance of painful nodules in the lower leg area.

When tuberculosis just begins to develop in a child, the cough is persistent and dry, it goes away without fever. It worsens in the morning and at night, gradually becoming chronic. Some people confuse tuberculosis cough with the cough syndrome that occurs with bronchitis and pneumonia after fever.

Pneumonia and bronchitis. To understand the characteristics of cough in these inflammatory diseases, you should know what their difference is:

• Bronchitis is an inflammatory disease of the entire bronchial tree.
• Pneumonia (or pneumonia) is characterized by inflammatory damage to the final sections of the lung (alveoli or bronchioles).

Bronchioles are the terminal regions of the bronchi. They end in alveoli (sac-like organs in which gas exchange occurs). When an infection enters the respiratory organs through the nose, the viruses first enter the bronchi, then end up in the bronchioles and alveoli. Therefore, pneumonia is almost always a consequence of bronchitis.

The culprit in the development of bronchitis and pneumonia are colds (flu, rhinitis, ARVI, tonsillitis - viral pathogens). Bronchitis or pneumonia develops 4-5 days after the onset of a cold (by this time viruses and bacteria reach the lower respiratory tract).

Bronchitis is often of viral origin (it is provoked by adeno- and parainfluenza viruses), and pneumonia is the “work of bacteria” (pneumococci, streptococci and staphylococci).

With bronchitis and pneumonia, a sharp increase in temperature often occurs, but recently doctors have noted the development of the disease, which is not accompanied by heat and fever. A lingering cough in these inflammatory diseases can also resolve without fever. Its features in diseases:

• With bronchitis, the cough is superficial, dry and painless.
• With pneumonia, the cough is wet. It is deep and causes pain in the sternum.

In addition to a lingering cough, inflammatory diseases of the pulmonary organs are marked by weakness of the body, shortness of breath and loss of appetite. In a child, the development of bronchitis and pneumonia occurs much faster than in an adult.

Complications after pneumonia and bronchitis can develop in childhood as early as the 2nd day of illness. Children complain of pain in other organs (ear, nose, stomach or throat hurt).

Allergy. The culprit in the development of allergic reactions is one’s own immunity. Allergy is an inadequate response of the body to the action of irritants (allergens). One of the most common manifestations of allergies (except rash) is a prolonged cough without fever. Its features:

• More often, an allergic cough has a paroxysmal character, the attack begins suddenly and also passes suddenly.
• In case of allergies, a cough attack can last for 3-4 hours.
• Most often, an allergic cough is dry, irritating the throat.
• Cough syndrome is accompanied by a runny nose; with allergies, rhinitis often develops as a reaction to the action of respiratory allergens.
• Coughing attacks often occur at night.
• If sputum appears during an allergic cough, it is transparent and does not contain any impurities. The mucus is difficult to clear and the baby has to make a lot of effort to cough up.
• An allergy cough is accompanied by a runny nose and sneezing.
• Before an allergic attack, the child complains of difficulty breathing and shortness of breath - this occurs due to swelling of the mucous membrane before the onset of a cough attack.
• With allergies, the body temperature does not rise.

Often an allergic lingering cough without fever is confused with cough syndrome due to bronchitis or whooping cough. Allergies are a seasonal disease, and bronchitis occurs in the cold season. An attack of allergic cough is relieved by taking antihistamines - these drugs do not act on inflammatory diseases.

With whooping cough, a prolonged cough is accompanied by the release of viscous sputum and fever, and in the intervals between coughing shocks the child stops breathing, which is very life-threatening. It is important for parents to be able to distinguish between types of cough and understand that the baby is suffering from allergies.

Advanced allergies give rise to the development of bronchial asthma or allergic bronchitis - these diseases negatively affect the quality of life and have a detrimental effect on the child’s health.

Fungal infections. Infections of fungal etymology are frequent companions of the child's body. They especially love to live in the throat. The most common fungi are Candida fungi, yeast-like microorganisms.

Candida and other similar fungi are natural saprophytes (human companions that feed on dead organic matter).

But under certain conditions, these fungi begin to actively multiply, leading to the development of diseases. The trigger for fungal infections is a weakened immune system, malnutrition and poor nutrition, birth injuries and acute infectious diseases.

Common fungal infections in children include:

Thrush. This disease is characterized by the appearance in the oral cavity of a cheesy coating of white, yellowish and grayish color. Thrush has three stages of development:

• Mild degree. A foamy plaque is noticeable in certain areas of the oral cavity and is easily removed.
• Average. The curdled coating becomes filmy and difficult to remove. When it is removed, the mucous membrane is injured, leaving a bleeding surface.
• Heavy. A film-like plaque fills the entire oral cavity, and painful pockets form in the corners of the mouth. The plaque is firmly adhered to the mucous membrane and cannot be removed.

Mycotic seizures. It is more often diagnosed in children 4-5 years old suffering from early caries. Painful cracks covered with a white coating appear in the corners of the mouth. The skin around the cracks thickens. It is difficult for the baby to open his mouth - the affected areas of the skin burst and bleed.

Fungal glossitis. The disease affects the baby's tongue. The tongue becomes covered with a white coating, turns blue, and itches. Fungal plaque looks like a dense white film. When you try to remove it, a bleeding film remains on the tongue.

Fungal sore throat. The disease affects the child's throat. A white or yellow cheesy coating develops, which rises on the oral mucosa. This plaque is easily removed without damaging the mucous membrane.

With all types of fungal infections, sick children experience a prolonged cough. Dry cough syndrome is painful and irritating. The culprit of a lingering cough without fever is an abundant cheesy coating that irritates the nerve receptors.

More often, the occurrence of cough due to helminthic infestation is provoked by roundworms of the larval stage - they need oxygen to develop into a sexually mature individual. Looking for the necessary air, worm larvae enter the lungs or bronchi, where they interfere with the free passage of air. This is how a cough appears. It is dry and strong, prolonged coughing attacks are strong, sometimes even causing vomiting.

A prolonged cough without fever (even a rare one) is not normal! This syndrome requires a mandatory examination by a pediatrician, tests to make a diagnosis and competent treatment.

How to treat

A prolonged cough creates inconvenience for the baby and parents. Especially if a lingering cough symptom torments the baby at night, preventing him from getting a good night's sleep. A cough without fever is evidence of many pathological situations that need to be clarified and eliminated. What to do? A pediatrician can help alleviate the child’s condition.

Let's go to the doctor

Before going to see a doctor, make sure that the air in the apartment where the child lives is not too dry. And the baby had no contact with allergic substances. Methods for treating a prolonged cough without fever depend not only on the identified cause. The type of cough syndrome is also important for the doctor:

• With a dry cough, the child has difficulty expelling mucus (it is too thick and viscous and the baby is unable to cough it up). In this case, medications are prescribed that can thin the mucus and remove it from the bronchi and lungs.
• A wet cough is productive. In this case, the doctor prescribes medications that help remove phlegm.

When prescribing therapy, the pediatrician takes into account the age of the small patient, the tendency to allergies, the condition of the body and previous diseases. What does the pediatrician prescribe?

Antibiotics. Antibacterial therapy is prescribed when a persistent cough develops due to infectious diseases of the respiratory tract (sore throat, otitis, sinusitis) and goes away with fever. Cough with whooping cough, pneumonia and bronchitis also requires taking antibiotics.

Attention! Self-prescription of antibiotics for children is strictly prohibited! These medications are aggressive and can be harmful to health.

Antitussive drugs. Medicines that dilute mucus and promote its removal are prescribed by a pediatrician to relieve a lingering dry cough in a child without fever. The following drugs are most often prescribed:

• Glaucine. Alkaloid of plant origin. An anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator that does not suppress the cough center.
• Butamirat. A medicine that affects the central cough center, reducing its ability to be excited. Butamirate relieves inflammation in the bronchi, actively saturating them with oxygen.
• Tusuprex. The medicine is prescribed for debilitating cough caused by a number of viral diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis, ARVI, laryngitis, whooping cough).
• Libexin. Eliminates throat pain by expanding bronchopulmonary lumens. The action of libexin is aimed at converting a dry cough into a wet, productive one.
• Delsim. A medicine that helps relieve attacks of dry cough at night, relieving the allergic manifestations of cough syndrome. Delsim affects the cough center, blocking its work.
• Robitussin. It has a vasoconstrictor effect, relieving swelling and inflammation of the bronchi. This medicine is prescribed for prolonged cough caused by colds.

Mucolytic expectorants. Mucolytics help with a prolonged wet cough without fever with thick, viscous sputum. This treatment helps remove mucus. Mucolytic drugs are divided into drugs that thin sputum and drugs that help quickly remove it. Mucolytics include:

• Ambroxol. Increases the amount of mucus produced and thins it, making it less viscous, helping to quickly remove phlegm.
• Carbocysteine. Accelerates regeneration and normalizes the functioning of the bronchial and lung mucosa. Helps form and remove mucus.
• Bromhexine. Effectively reduces the viscosity of sputum, increasing the activity of the epithelium of the bronchial mucosa.
• Fluimucil. Reduces inflammation, has an antioxidant effect, helps thin and remove mucus.
• Ambrobene. Helps in the fight against inflammatory diseases. Effective for long, wet coughs with purulent sputum. The medicine reduces the viscosity of mucus and promotes its rapid removal.
• Lazolvan. The active component of the product reduces the viscosity of sputum and activates the work of the ciliated epithelium of the lungs, which helps to quickly stop coughing.

Attention! Mucolytics should not be taken simultaneously with antitussives! This combination leads to the development of complications, which leads to a deterioration in the child’s condition.

Folk remedies

Traditional recipes are not able to rid a child’s body of the causes that cause a prolonged cough without fever. But they become an excellent help in complex treatment. To use recipes correctly, you need to know the cause of a lingering cough and its type.

Dry cough. The following methods will help alleviate the painful and painful cough syndrome in your baby and eliminate heavy breathing:

• Inhalation from pine cones. Steam pine cones (10 g) with a glass of boiling water. Cook the mixture over low heat for half an hour with the lid closed. The baby should breathe over the healing steam for 10-15 minutes. Make sure your baby doesn't get burned!
• Milk drink. Boil a glass of fresh milk and dissolve a pinch of soda and a teaspoon of butter in it. Give the product to drink warm, a tablespoon 4-5 times daily.
• Onion drink. Add a glass of sugar and two large onions to a liter of boiling water. The mass should be cooked for 1-1.5 hours. Then remove the bulbs and give the baby one tablespoon of the broth to drink 3-4 times a day.
• Radish juice. Take a small black radish and cut off the top. Make a niche hole in the fruit. As soon as the cavity is filled with radish juice, add honey there. After infusion for 10-12 hours, the medicine is ready. The child is given a teaspoon of juice to drink 3-4 times daily.

Black radish juice is also good to give as a preventive measure during the off-season (the preventive course is 3 weeks).

Moist cough. Delicious and healthy syrups can help in getting rid of a lingering wet cough without fever:

• Viburnum. Mix viburnum berries with sugar (a tablespoon of each). Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 1-1.5 hours. Drink aromatic syrup 3-4 times a day.
• Onion. Finely chop a medium onion, mix it with honey (2 tablespoons) and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for half an hour. Give the syrup to drink warm 2-3 times daily.

An excellent way to combat a lingering wet cough are decoctions of medicinal herbs. To prepare them, use one or a mixture of the following herbs: chamomile, sage, coltsfoot, elderberry and linden blossom. Steam 2-3 tablespoons of dry herbs with a glass of boiling water and leave for 30-40 minutes. Give your child a tablespoon to drink 4-5 times a day.

Rubbing is considered the best method in the fight against a lingering wet cough without fever. It is better for your baby to do them before bedtime. For rubbing, use lard, badger or goat fat. These methods will help your baby sleep well without debilitating nighttime bouts of prolonged coughing and wheezing. They are suitable even for one-year-old children.

• Potato compress. Boil unpeeled potatoes (2-3 fruits). Mash the potato mass with a fork, add vegetable oil (1-2 tbsp) and iodine (2-3 drops). Form a cake from the mixture and place it on a cotton towel. A cloth with potato cake is placed on the baby’s chest and secured with a warm scarf. Remove the compress when the cake has cooled.
• Cabbage with honey. The elastic cabbage leaf is softened with a rolling pin and immersed in boiling water for 5-6 minutes. While the cabbage leaf softens in boiling water, melt the honey in a water bath. Make sure that the temperature of the honey does not exceed +50⁰ C (at higher temperatures, honey loses its beneficial properties). Warm honey is applied to the baby's chest or back and a heated cabbage leaf is applied. The compress is covered with film and insulated with a long woolen scarf. Keep the compress on all night.

Preventive measures

Prevention of a prolonged cough without fever in a child is aimed at stopping the recurrence of colds and viral diseases. To strengthen children's immunity, follow these rules:

Hardening. Temper your baby with air baths and water treatments. Rinse your feet with cool water every day. In the summer, it is very useful to run barefoot on the grass, and in the winter, let the baby jump in the mornings and evenings on a terry towel soaked in warm salt water. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in a liter of water and wet the cloth.

Don't overheat! Do not put a lot of warm clothes on your baby. Focus on your palms and feet - if they are warm and dry, the clothes are chosen correctly. You should walk with your baby every day in any weather. But during the cold season, especially during an outbreak of respiratory diseases, avoid visiting mass events and crowded places.

Complete nutrition and vitamins. A diet rich in vitamins improves children's health. During the off-season, be sure to give your baby a course of multivitamins with micro- and macroelements. During the period of exacerbation of acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections, pediatricians recommend giving children herbal preparations aimed at strengthening the body’s protective qualities.

Give preference to products made from Echinacea purpurea, radiola rosea, ginseng, eleutherococcus and zamanikha. The course of prophylaxis lasts 3-4 weeks and is recommended for all babies starting from one year of age.

Inhalations. Inhalation procedures are effective therapeutic methods used in the treatment and to prevent a child from coughing without fever. Inhalations are best done using a special nebulizer device.

A nebulizer breaks down medicinal solutions used for inhalation into tiny microparticles. In this way, an aerosol effect is created, and medications penetrate into the lower parts of the respiratory system, which improves the effect of the procedure.

If you don’t have a nebulizer, you can also use grandma’s methods (breathe over a container with a healing mixture, covered with a towel). What mixtures are best to use:

Inhalation with saline solution. Saline solution is a mixture of table salt and water. During the procedure, particles of the mixture settle on the mucous membranes, improving the formation and discharge of mucus. Saline solution is used in inhalations in its pure form and for diluting herbs and medicines for inhalation.

Saline solution for inhalation can be bought ready-made, or you can make it yourself: dilute finely ground table salt (10-12 g) in a liter of boiled water.

Attention! Saline solution made independently is stored in the refrigerator for up to a day, since it is not sterile. To prepare healing products for inhalation, use the following recipes:

• Herbal decoctions. Herbs such as eucalyptus, calendula, chamomile, sage, mint, and oak leaves are effective in the fight and preventive measures against cough. A tablespoon of dry herb is steamed in saline solution (250 ml).
• Essential oils. Inhalation based on etherols of citrus, eucalyptus, mint, sea buckthorn, citrus and juniper oils is good for dry coughs. For 250-300 ml of saline solution, take 3-4 drops of essential oil.
• Natural honey. Melted honey is diluted in saline solution (part of the honey is taken to five parts of saline solution).

After daily inhalations, the child experiences significant improvement on the third to fifth day of therapy.

Attention! If your baby is prone to allergies, do not experiment with honey and herbal infusions. Such treatment will aggravate the development of the inflammatory process of the respiratory tract. In this case, use pure saline solution.

A cough itself without fever, even a prolonged one, is not capable of harming a baby, but such a syndrome brings a lot of inconvenience and torment to the baby. Dr. Komarovsky, when dealing with a prolonged cough, advises mothers to follow simple instructions:

1. Be sure to visit your pediatrician to find out the cause of a lingering cough (even if it goes away without fever).
2. It will become easier to get rid of cough syndrome if you humidify the air in the room where the child is. Ventilate rooms regularly and use a humidifier.
3. Use cough medicine for your child without fever only with the permission of a doctor.
4. Before including folk recipes to combat cough in your therapy, obtain permission from your pediatrician for their use.

Is it possible to bathe a baby when he has a cough? Modern pediatrics advises washing your child regularly, even when he has a fever. After all, the hotter the baby is, the more he sweats. Together with sweat, the body gets rid of toxins, waste, bacteria, viruses, dust and dirt.

Harmful substances, being on the skin surface, clog the pores of the epidermis. Therefore, a child with a fever should be washed with warm water every evening.

But bathing the baby, allowing him to splash in the water, is allowed if there is no temperature. All babies love water, so the presence of a lingering cough should not be a reason to refuse bath procedures.

Swimming improves your baby's mood, and being in warm water warms up the body, improving therapeutic measures.

Attention! Make sure that there are no drafts in the bathroom, and that the water temperature is not lower than +37⁰ C!

Additional help in the fight against a lingering cough will be provided by water procedures with the addition of steamed medicinal herbs to the water: wild rosemary, pine needles or eucalyptus. Sea salt dissolved in the bath and aromatic oils will help the child’s body cope with a cough without fever.

How to relieve a night cough. If a coughing attack develops suddenly at night, the following actions by adults help the baby:

1. Pick up the baby and sit him on the bed.
2. Give him a warm drink. Milk, Borjomi mineral water (add ½ teaspoon of soda to the water) or chamomile decoction/tea will do.
3. If the baby complains of a sore throat, after drinking, let the child swallow a spoonful of warmed butter or honey (if there is no allergy).
4. Gently pat your baby on the back to clear the mucus from the lungs.
5. Carry a small child in your arms (an older baby should walk a little).

After such manipulations, the coughing attack is relieved, now put the baby to bed - the cough will no longer bother him.

Komarovsky focuses special attention on the use of herbal medicines in therapy. He advises the following:

Stop using codeine. When treating a persistent cough without fever, it is not recommended to use drugs containing codeine. There are two reasons for this ban:

1. Codeine-containing products have an aggressive and strong effect. These drugs are used as a last resort. And a prolonged cough without fever is not so bad as to warrant the use of radical measures.
2. Products containing codeine contain a lot of contraindications. It is impossible to independently determine and exclude contraindications.

Is it worth giving mucolytics? Mucolytic drugs (they are intended to facilitate the removal of sputum) can be used only for children from 2-2.5 years of age. In an infant, mucolytics cause an increase in cough syndrome and become useless for treating a persistent cough.

If your child has a lingering cough without fever (even if nothing else bothers the baby), do not hesitate to visit the pediatrician! By carrying out antitussive therapy on their own, parents risk missing the real causes of the cough and aggravating the child’s condition!

Health to your baby!