A 3 year old child is coughing, what should I do? What to do if the cough does not go away for a long time. How to cure a child's cough during sleep

For many children, coughing becomes a habitual condition. Parents should not perceive this state of affairs as the norm. If a child coughs even without fever, then treatment is necessary. It is also important to create as much comfortable conditions for the breathing of a small family member.

As paradoxical as it sounds, an adult or child can cough for good if it helps eliminate dust and germs from the respiratory tract. The epithelium of bronchioles constantly produces mucus. Together with foreign particles, it is removed from the inhaled air by the movement of microscopic cell outgrowths - cilia.

Even healthy children cough 5-6 times a day to clear the airways of accumulated mucus.

Respiratory diseases that cause coughing:

With tracheitis, viscous sputum creates plugs in the lumen of the bronchi (see figure). The eyelashes do not have time to remove mucus, and a hacking cough occurs.

At acute laryngitis or defeat vocal cords a barking cough appears. Disease viral nature causes narrowing of the lumen of the larynx, difficulty breathing in children aged 5 months to 3 years.
With croup, the baby looks almost healthy before going to bed, but suddenly wakes up at night from barking cough, his breathing becomes noisy.

At the first sign of croup, you should call an ambulance and give the patient warm drink, ensure high humidity in the room.

With whooping cough, a child may cough from 5 to 20 times a day. Prevention (vaccination) is considered the most effective means.
At swelling and spasms of the bronchi A spasmodic cough appears. In this case, shortness of breath occurs, wheezing can be heard even at a distance. The reason is that thick secretion accumulates and is not removed.

What to do if the cough does not go away for a long time

“How to treat a child?” - a question that often arises among parents. We need to understand the “many faces”: learn to distinguish dry, wet, barking and other types of cough. Why is this so important? The fact is that for different conditions different pharmaceutical drugs and folk remedies.

A situation where a child coughs for more than a month and nothing helps occurs when respiratory chlamydia . Treat the disease with macrolide antibiotics, such as azithromycin, and give remedies for dry cough. An adequate choice of antibacterial therapy ensures cure in 10–14 days, even if the child has been coughing for a month or more.

According to medical statistics, children suffer from acute respiratory diseases on average 6 to 12 times a year. Therefore, if a child has been coughing for 2 months, then this may be the consequences of acute respiratory viral infection and bronchial hyperactivity. The disease occurs when the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract is irritated by microbes and their toxins.

It happens that the baby starts coughing during the infection season and continues to get sick for more than 3 months. In such cases, experts recommend immunocorrection and the use of desensitizing drugs. When you have a cough little patient lasts a long time, pediatricians prescribe physiotherapy, ozone therapy, phytotherapy, and vitamin therapy.

It happens that a child only coughs and does not experience other symptoms. In this case, the baby’s diet should remove potential allergens. They are rich in chocolate, nuts, citrus fruits, confectionery, strawberries, and seafood. It is recommended to give more than permitted fresh vegetables, fruits to which there is no allergy.

Children prone to allergic reactions should be treated with herbal remedies with caution. The same remark applies to distracting procedures - foot baths with mustard and mustard plasters.

With difficulty swallowing and gastroesophageal reflux, conditions reminiscent of respiratory diseases are observed. Then the baby develops a cough at night, shortness of breath, and wheezing for more than 4 months.

One can understand the concern of adults who do not know what to do if a child coughs incessantly, how to help. The cause may be infections of the nasal cavity, pharynx and larynx. Sometimes a “banal” cold can affect the lower respiratory tract - the trachea and bronchi - within 4-5 hours. A dry cough along with chest pain occurs in initial period tracheobronchitis and bronchitis.

The child wheezes, but does not cough; he has nasal congestion in the first days of inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil (adenoiditis). Then the mucus flows down the walls of the throat, the sick child coughs incessantly, most often before going to bed, at night and after waking up. Similar processes occur during rhinovirus infections and inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa.

What to do at home before the doctor comes or visits the clinic if the child is hoarse and coughing:

For a sore throat, dry cough at the beginning of a cold, give juices and drops with extracts of marshmallow, mallow, and ivy plantain.
Do not use substances that irritate the respiratory tract, do not smoke in the room where children are.
Offer your baby peeled still water, warm fruit or herbal tea.
Gargling with water with table or sea salt, infusion of calendula, eucalyptus.
Ensure sufficient humidity and cleanliness of indoor air.
Do steam inhalations(after consultation with a doctor).

“Grandma’s” method - breathing over hot steam - is not recommended for young children due to the risk of burns and the likelihood of bronchial swelling. If a child is coughing for 2 months and has no fever, then inhalation therapy significantly improves his condition using modern devices - nebulizers. For your baby, you need to buy a convenient inhaler with a mask at the pharmacy. Medicinal aerosol easily penetrates the respiratory tract, and the rate of onset therapeutic effect comparable to intravenous injections.

If a child is breathing heavily and coughing, or has a high temperature, then parents should seek help as soon as possible. medical care. At severe course bacterial infection, for warning various complications disease will require systemic antibiotic therapy. Treatment of ARVI is carried out with antiviral medications.

How to help with a wet cough

To reduce the viscosity of sputum, mucolytic and expectorant agents, both chemical and herbal, are taken. They reduce discomfort and speed up healing. Not by chance moist cough Doctors call it “productive”, because in this way the respiratory tract is cleared of germs.

Mucolytic agents:

acetylcysteine;
carbocisteine;
bromhexine;
ambroxol.

Pharmaceutical preparations with active ingredients Ambroxol, acetylcysteine or carbocysteine are given to children over two years of age after consultation with a pediatrician.

Expectorants:

infusions and decoctions medicinal plants(anise, coltsfoot, plantain, thyme);
licorice and marshmallow root syrups;
breast herbal collection;
mucaltin,
pertussin.

If he coughs infant, then it is not recommended to use ointments and inhalations with essential oils and saponins. For children over one year of age, a warm drink with honey, a natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory medicine, is suitable. Facilitates the removal of mucus warm tea with lime color or coltsfoot.

Most parents worry about coughing attacks in young children. Treatment acute cough is a whole complex of serious procedures that will allow improve the child's immunity with the help of vitamins, folk remedies, and medications. A cough can occur due to inflammation of the trachea or during allergic reactions.

Experts advise carrying out treatment therapy using medications, traditional medicine, recipes, massage and complex rubbing with aromatic oils. What should parents do when their child develops a severe cough? Is it possible to eliminate coughing attacks in a short time?

What does a severe cough mean in a child?

The child’s body reacts to viruses, allergies and inflammation occurring in the body through coughing. It tries to remove all harmful viruses, as well as clear the respiratory passages from purulent mucous membranes, sputum and large quantity microbial secretions. The cough reflex may occur due to severe inflammation mucous membrane of the throat and acquire both acute and protracted character.

In some cases, the disease becomes chronic form. Wet coughing is usually eliminated with the help of expectorants, and dry coughing with drugs which are capable of suppressing its distribution. Dust, the entry of foreign particles into the respiratory cavity, the process of inflammation in the body, dry and polluted air - all these are the main pathogens, causing manifestation coughing.

Why does my child cough a lot?

A child's cough may occur due to:

Infection or virus.
Allergies to any item.
Development of bacteria.

At this time, the child’s lungs begin to fill with a mucous substance, and the body tries with all its might to eliminate it, causing coughing and expectoration. . The cough can be dry or wet, occur only during the day or only at night. The main reason illness may become simple cold. When the human body is infected with viruses and infections, it can become protracted and cause vomiting. To prevent vomiting, you can give your child cough tablets.

Severe cough at night

At night, the baby begins to cough while sleeping. In this state, mucus and sputum quickly collect in one place, do not resolve, make breathing difficult, provoke coughing attacks, and also require a longer treatment process. Climate change in the area where the child sleeps can also further cause coughing. At night, the air in the room begins to cool and becomes dry, which has a bad effect on the mucous membranes of the throat and nose, irritating it. In this case it will help a lot warm water, ventilated room, as well as humidified air.

Cough that occurs in conjunction with gag reflexes

To avoid the development of vomiting, you can relieve your baby’s attacks with the help of certain tablets, inhalation, massage, or applying compresses and rubbing the child’s body. Vomiting occurs due to coughing attacks, and also provoke vomiting reflex Maybe severe irritation mucous surface of the throat when:

There are dry coughs, as a result of which the child begins to cough heavily. The gag reflex occurs due to increased tension in the throat and irritation of the mucous membrane.
Have a cough wet character, respiratory system the child is so congested that mucus and phlegm provoke vomiting (symptoms of the development of bronchitis).

Development of dry cough

A child's severe dry cough (nonproductive cough) can occur in the form of a sore throat when the air masses in the room are too dry and cold. At this time, it is best to give the child warm water, adding a spoonful of honey to it. It is also worth well ventilating the room where the baby spends most of his time.

The cause of cough development can be irritation of receptors in the trachea, bronchi, and also in the laryngeal mucosa. Breathing at this time becomes difficult, coughing begins to take on a regular and exhausting form for the throat. A dry cough is most often observed during irritation of the lining of the respiratory tract, with acute respiratory viral infections, allergic diseases, sore throat and colds.

Diagnosis of the disease

Usually, the specialist listens to both the bronchi and lungs of the patient from the very beginning. When determining a disease, the doctor uses special tapping, and in a situation where there is particularly severe disease, applies X-ray, bronchoscopy. When diagnosing a cough, the doctor takes into account many circumstances:

An acute cough indicates the development of a virus in the body and infection in catarrh of the upper respiratory tract with bronchial asthma, laryngitis, bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia and sore throat.
Symptoms of ARVI - in a child there is a deep voice, the nasopharynx is very congested, and the breathing process is difficult.
Persistent cough, which lasts longer than 10–12 days, is most often characteristic of the acute form of bronchitis and indicates the presence of a virus in respiratory tract.
A wet cough, which manifests itself mainly at night, develops in the case of purulent processes in the lungs and bronchi, and is most often accompanied by strong discharge sputum, pus and mucous.

How to treat a severe cough in a child, what to do if a child coughs a lot?

If the bronchi are affected by a viral infection, and the inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract has become too severe, the process of disrupting the normal functioning of the lungs and bronchi begins in the baby’s body. This cough can be eliminated, using medicines and medicines that can reduce the severity of the disease and restore healthy immunity to the child.

The specialist prescribes certain medications, depending on the weight and age of the baby, his physical condition and stages of the disease. Antibiotics are prescribed during the development of a wet cough to remove excess mucus and phlegm when the throat is inflamed and an increased amount of pus begins to accumulate in the bronchi.

Medicines for treating the patient.

Products that help improve the expectoration process and remove sputum and pus from the body help effectively treat the baby’s body. For children, such preparations are produced in the form of pleasant-tasting syrups. Prospan syrup is considered the most popular and widespread in the pharmaceutical market.

It is used during the treatment of newborns, as well as children under one year of age. The antibiotic is used for purulent sputum in the bronchi and nasopharynx. Eliminates painful sensations, helps quick recovery and is not capable of causing any allergies in the baby. Ampiox is a remedy that helps reduce coughing and helps eliminate bouts of barking cough.

Massage.

If coughing attacks only increase, then chest massage of the baby should be used in treatment. During the inflammation process, massage should be done for several days; before starting the procedure, you need to give the baby an expectorant, apply a protective cream to the surface of the skin, and then begin massaging with gentle movements. chest child, back, shoulders, sides, rubbing and pinching well those parts of the body where phlegm accumulates most and others purulent discharge. Any adult can independently perform a massage that will help fight a wet cough.

Carrying out aromatherapy.

When the baby continues to have a barking cough for one month, as well as pathological cough, which is accompanied by copious phlegm discharge, the aromatherapy procedure helps well. Perform therapy using aromatic oils follows during other characteristic symptoms allergies:

During cold infections cure wet cough the child will get help essential oils calendula and chamomile.
For older children in a good way treatment will be lemon, orange and mint oil.
If signs of bronchitis are considered, then eucalyptus and orange oils can work well with the mucous membranes of the throat.

Recipes from traditional medicine, how to treat?

In folk medicine there is more quantity effective recipes to combat cough in children:

At acute bronchitis and signs of pneumonia, experts recommend using milk with honey at night.
Regular attacks will help eliminate cough black radish with honey. Radish juice helps well when a child is in severe pain night cough.
A decoction of various herbs has a good effect on the mucous membrane of the larynx during complications. medicinal type- linden flowers, chamomile and calendula. They will help quickly eliminate an attack, and also disinfect the diseased area of the mucous membrane.

Rubbing process

During dangerous illnesses of the baby, most often concerns about complications in the breathing process, increase general temperature body, sometimes the disease occurs together with laryngeal edema. You can treat your child using a special rubbing technique:

Rubbing with goose and bear fat has a good effect on the disease, which can improve the baby’s immunity and prevent the development of dangerous diseases. You should rub the baby's chest, back, legs, feet and sides. When rubbing the chest, avoid touching the heart area.
Honey or vodka can very effectively cope with diseases and help the baby’s body warm up to the required level. After the rubbing process, the child should be covered with a warm blanket or rug. The procedure can be performed on children aged six months and older.

Water procedures

Warm or hot baths with added medicines needed to treat any form of cold, and also help remove irritation and inflammation. Before use, all herbs and inflorescences should be brewed in boiling water and left for a while.

Raspberry leaves, chamomile inflorescences, calendula, linden flowers and mint - all these are plants that have calming properties and are also capable of comprehensively suppressing bacteria and harmful microorganisms.
Water techniques together with chamomile, mint and valerian can relax nervous system baby, help improve baby's sleep.

Features of baby treatment therapy

The treatment process until full recovery and eliminating the urge to cough has its own characteristics and must take place together with:

Massage.
Antibiotics and medications that eliminate pathogenic microorganisms and viral infections.
Expectorants.
Inhalation during colds, inflammation of the throat mucosa, as well as sore throat.
Applying compresses to the chest and back for general warming of the child.
A rubbing procedure to improve blood circulation in the baby’s body.
Aromatherapy.
Application of techniques traditional medicine.
Water treatment using baths, using infusions with medicinal herbs and inflorescences.

The main principle of treating a child:

In most cases, the cause of development acute forms Coughs are diseases of a respiratory nature, and it is they that should be treated and symptoms such as cough should be eliminated. But, as you know, many parents, even after the child has recovered, the cough can remain with him for a long time, so for full course treatment requires the use of special medications.
During treatment, the baby should dress warmly. It has long been noted that socks or a blouse made of goat or sheep wool have a good effect on a child and keep him warm. for a long time. They can also protect against many diseases, including the development of coughing attacks.

For diseases of the respiratory tract that go along with a cough, you usually need to create inhalations with mineral water, for which you should purchase a special inhaler. This helps to alleviate the general condition of the child.

A child's cough always causes parents to be wary and worried. What caused the illness, how and with what to treat the baby - such questions have probably visited each of us more than once. Some use traditional medicine recipes, others rush to the pharmacy for a miracle cure. Let's look at who is right and how pediatricians advise treating coughs in children below.

Types of cough

Many parents know firsthand how difficult it is to get rid of illness, especially in children. early age. After all, most medications are prohibited for young patients, and folk remedies often cause allergies. Therefore, the selection of treatment methods should be carried out by a pediatrician.

Only a doctor can diagnose correct diagnosis, and, depending on the child’s age and type of cough, prescribe necessary medicine. But parents also have a significant responsibility. To make it easier to understand pathological process, we will look at the main types of cough in children, find out why they are dangerous and talk about treatment methods.

Physiological cough

Any person periodically needs to clear the airways of dust and accumulated phlegm. This normal reaction, aimed at protecting the body from foreign bodies and pathogenic bacteria.

Thus, a child’s natural cough is not a pathology and does not require treatment. It occurs most often in the morning and does not cause significant discomfort to the baby.

Dry or dusty indoor air can provoke such a reflex. This problem is especially relevant during the heating season.

Pathological cough

Most often, children are bothered by this type of cough. Unlike the natural one, it manifests itself in a very diverse manner and depends on the nature of the pathogen. In most cases this various diseases respiratory tract:

laryngitis and pharyngitis;
tracheitis;
bronchitis;
pneumonia;
acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections;
acute and chronic tonsillitis;
flu;
tuberculosis.

In general, the causes of cough in children are varied and do not always have infectious nature. A similar reflex can be caused by narrowing of the bronchi, which is specific for bronchial asthma or inhalation foreign body. In this case, the cough develops unexpectedly and is choking in nature. The child's voice disappears and breathing becomes difficult.

An ailment of an allergic nature has other symptoms - a cough occurs without apparent reason and is not accompanied by signs of a cold. After the allergen is removed, the baby's condition returns to normal.

In different pathological conditions, cough manifests itself differently. It can be productive and dry, barking or harsh, dull, paroxysmal and spastic.

Dry cough

Most obsessive cough The child has. It usually appears at the beginning of the disease and causes many problems for both parents and the baby. It does not separate sputum, so the process of coughing becomes long and painful. At improper treatment becomes chronic.

Spasmodic reflex

If a child coughs against the background of bronchial spasm, it is quite possible to develop asthma. In this case, there is no sputum, the baby suffocates and wheezes. The malaise is paroxysmal in nature and requires mandatory control doctor

Croupous cough (false croup)

Most dangerous look ailments, especially for young children. In this category of children, the anatomical and physiological structure of the larynx predisposes them to the development of croup. Even the slightest inflammation can cause severe swelling and suffocation. Therefore, if a child develops a hard, barking cough, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

If your baby develops a barking cough, it is necessary to show him to a doctor.

Distinguish false croup The following symptoms will help with other ENT diseases:

hoarseness, especially after crying;
swelling of the larynx;
shortness of breath, severe difficulty breathing;
pale or blue discoloration of the skin;
loss of consciousness is possible.

If the child only wheezes, but does not cough and is breathing heavily, these are also signs of incipient false croup.

In this case, you should not engage in amateur activities and try to help the baby with folk remedies. You will only waste precious time. Laryngeal edema is very dangerous and must be treated by a doctor.

Wet (productive) cough

This, one might say, perfect option development of the disease. Such a cough, as a rule, appears at the end of the disease, does not cause alarm and is quickly cured. With its help, the lungs and bronchi are freed from sputum and remnants of pathogenic microorganisms. How to treat children's cough of this nature, we will consider below.

Whooping cough

This is a common infectious disease that most often affects children. preschool age. On early stage The pathology of whooping cough is difficult to distinguish from normal cough. But after a few days it becomes paroxysmal and spastic, ending with severe vomiting.

Whooping cough is dangerous due to its complications, so if a child has coughing attacks, the breathing rhythm is disrupted, or the skin appears bluish, medical help is needed. Young children are subject to mandatory hospitalization.

The disease is especially severe in children under 2 years of age. Innate immunity no to this disease, but after recovery the protection remains forever.

Other types of cough

It is quite difficult to independently determine the disease by the nature of the cough. For example, if a child coughs while sleeping, this could be a symptom of either a respiratory disease, asthma or allergies, or a consequence of dry indoor air.

Coughing during sleep can be a symptom of many pathologies

provoke reflex reaction maybe snot. Flowing down back wall nasopharynx and irritating the mucous membrane, they easily activate cough receptors. Especially often, a cough from a runny nose occurs in a child with rhinopharyngitis.

Tracheitis can cause a similar symptom. This infection develops as a complication of pharyngitis, laryngitis or rhinitis. It is characterized by a muffled cough in a child, especially pronounced at night and in the morning or occurring with a sharp breath.

Such a variety of forms of illness should encourage parents to pay greater attention to such symptoms and accept necessary measures. So, what to do if your child is coughing?

Treatment

To begin with, it should be noted that therapy at home is only possible for dry and wet cough. All other types pathological reflex require the help of a doctor.

maintain an optimal microclimate in the room where the sick child is located;
Give your baby warm, unsweetened drinks as much as possible;
if there is no temperature and your health allows, allow the child to move more.

It is undesirable to use essential oils in treatment without the knowledge of the pediatrician. Concentrates can cause bronchospasm, which is especially dangerous for young children.

Medications

Pharmacy medications will help quickly cure a child’s cough. They are prescribed depending on the type of ailment - if there is sputum, then antitussives should not be taken. For dry cough, on the contrary, it is advisable to use this treatment option to the maximum.

Choice of medications for cough

Modern medicines are available in different forms: tablets, sprays, syrups, drops and lozenges, powders for preparing solutions. Usually used to treat a child liquid forms medicines. They are more convenient and easy to drink.

Expectorants

This group of drugs is designed to remove mucus from the respiratory tract. Most expectorants are made from plant extracts, so the medicines are relatively safe and easy to drink.

Most often, for a wet cough for children, they are prescribed: with plantain or primrose; Eukabal, Prospan, Alteyka, Prospan, Flavamed, Ambroxol, Ambrobene.

Each of these means has its own age restrictions, contraindications and adverse reactions. For example, Eukabal and Prospan are allowed to be prescribed to babies from 6 months. Other drugs are recommended to be used only after 2 years. Therefore, if a child has a cough with sputum, it is better to entrust the choice of medication to a doctor.

Mucolytics

To thin out viscous and thick mucus, which has clogged the airways, young patients are prescribed the following medications:

Carbocysteine;
Bronchobos;
Fluditek;
Flavamed.

These remedies help relieve a child's cough, make it productive and help remove phlegm.

Fluditec is prescribed to children to liquefy and evacuate thick, viscous secretions.

Antitussives

Drugs in this series help suppress the cough reflex and calm a child’s cough. There are several types of antitussives:

narcotic drugs - Codeine, Ethylmorphine. Use only under medical supervision. Often addictive and adverse reactions. Rarely used in the treatment of children;
non-narcotic medications - Oxeladin, Sinekod, Glaucine, Butamirate. The most effective and safe drugs, therefore they are taken much more often;
peripheral agents - Prenoxydiazine. The result of its use is significantly lower. The medicine is not able to stop a coughing attack and is prescribed extremely rarely.

Forbidden simultaneous use antitussive and expectorant drugs.

In addition, the use of antitussive medications for wet cough is dangerous. This can cause mucus to accumulate in the airways and cause pneumonia.

Sinekod and similar drugs are prescribed to children for dry cough

Bronchodilators

These remedies help eliminate bronchospasm and make breathing easier. Medicines such as Eufillin, Broncholitin in syrup or Theophylline are prescribed for cough if the child is diagnosed with asthma or progressive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Local remedies

Locally acting drugs include warming ointments, mustard plasters and plasters. The latter happen different types and have contraindications, in particular, they are prohibited for young children.

The use of warming rubs Eucabal or Pulmex Baby will help soften a child’s cough. They can be used from 6 months of age. Dr. Theiss balm is approved from 2 years of age.

Children after 3 years of age can be rubbed with ointments with camphor, Vicks Active balm, Helpex Effect ointment or Doctor MOM.

Folk remedies

In addition to medicines pediatricians often recommend alternative ways therapy. Alternative medicine helps cure a child's cough quickly and safely.

However, despite the effectiveness and harmlessness of folk remedies, their use must be coordinated with a pediatrician. Young children often develop allergies to natural ingredients.

The most popular cough recipes for children are:

black radish juice with sugar or honey;
It is recommended to drink a drink made from fresh or frozen viburnum berries instead of tea;
anise infusion with honey is perfect for treating infants;
fresh carrot juice with sugar can be taken at the time of a coughing attack, 1 tsp;
onion gruel with honey will be useful for bronchitis and tracheitis;
cure a child with dry skin, painful cough A mixture of lemon, honey and medical glycerin will help.

Honey can cause unwanted reaction, therefore it is not recommended to give it to children with allergies

At a huge number folk recipes, the most widespread and beloved is still hot milk with honey and other additives. The drink has excellent softening and expectorant properties. From this delicious medicine no kid will refuse.

Inhalations

You can quickly cure a child’s cough using inhalations. For procedures, it is better to purchase a nebulizer. This convenient and safe device will protect your baby from burns. With its help, sessions are carried out with both medicinal herbs and pharmaceutical liquids. Alkaline acids have a good expectorant effect. mineral water and saline solution.

Inhalations are contraindicated in children under 2 years of age due to the risk of developing bronchospasm

The most commonly used medications for inhalation are:

mucolytics - Lazolvan, Pertussin, Fluimucil;
Bronchodilators - Berovent;
natural medicines - tincture of eucalyptus, propolis or plantain, Rotokan;
Tussamag antitussive;
glucocorticosteroids - Pulmicort or Dexamethasone.

Inhalations are carried out 2 hours before meals for no more than 10 minutes. The therapeutic course consists of 8–10 sessions.

The procedure moisturizes and soothes irritated mucous membranes, promotes deep penetration and rapid absorption of medicinal substances.

For inhalation with herbs, choose plants with antitussive and expectorant effects: coltsfoot, plantain, oregano, pine buds, eucalyptus, licorice.

Compresses

Another effective remedy, which can quickly cure a child’s cough. Compresses come in a variety of varieties - dry and wet, oil, honey, vodka and curd. Apply them to the chest and back, avoiding the heart area. The baby is wrapped in a woolen garment and covered with a blanket.

The following compresses are the most effective and safe:

potato. Add a spoonful of alcohol, turpentine and sunflower oil. The resulting mass is applied to gauze and left for 2–2.5 hours. After the procedure, it is better not to wash off the compress, but to wipe the skin with a damp towel;
oil. A piece of gauze or cotton fabric is soaked in hot oil and squeezed out, covered with wax paper (not polyethylene) on top and kept for at least 3 hours;
acetic. Apple concentrate is diluted hot water and add honey to the solution. Gauze is soaked in the mixture and applied to the bronchi area. Leave for 20–30 minutes.

The compress should not be applied to the heart area

It is not recommended to apply compresses to damaged skin. elevated temperature bodies and infants. Alcohol application is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age and those suffering from pathology thyroid gland. It is not advisable to use honey for treatment if the child is prone to allergies.

Another the old way fight cough - rub the baby's chest and back interior fat. The bear and badger product is especially good. It is advisable to do this procedure at night.

Mustard plasters

For painful coughs, mustard plasters will be useful. They have a warming effect, promote blood flow and increase mucus discharge. It is recommended to place mustard plasters through cloth or gauze to avoid burning delicate skin baby.

For children under 3 years old it is better to do mustard wrap. This more gentle procedure has the same effect as placing mustard plasters.

Knowing how to treat a child’s cough, you can quickly eliminate this unpleasant symptom on one's own. Well-chosen medications and traditional medicine will improve the baby’s well-being and speed up recovery. However, if the child suffers from discomfort for several weeks, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

When a baby suffers from coughing attacks, parents worry because such symptoms may be caused by a serious illness. If the patient’s condition is aggravated by fever and runny nose, he most likely develops respiratory infection. Sometimes a child develops a severe cough for no apparent reason, does not go away for a long time and exhausts him and his parents. To help the baby, you need to find out the cause of the pathological phenomenon and choose the right treatment.

Causes of severe cough

Doctors warn that cough is a symptom of problems in the human body. It appears in response to irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract pathogenic microorganisms, dust, dry air. This is a protective reaction that helps clear the bronchi of anything foreign and makes breathing easier.

Cough is often caused by normal physiological process. A healthy baby can cough involuntarily about 10 times a day. Reflex contractions of the respiratory tract free the bronchi from mucus and dust particles. Physiological cough appears briefly. There are no other symptoms of the disease.

The pathological process begins with the development of diseases associated with respiratory organs. With influenza and other viral infections, the temperature rises, body aches and chills begin. If the child coughs heavily, persistent painful attacks may be accompanied by sleep disturbances and vomiting. Mucus collects in the bronchi, which is difficult for the baby to push out. The main task of parents is to improve coughing in their child. This will make his condition easier during illness.

There are three types of cough, and each of them has its own characteristics.

Dry cough

When the baby does not produce sputum from the lungs, he develops a dry cough. It can be strong, suffocating and cause chest pain. The main cause is viral and bacterial infections.

Bronchitis. Arises as a result inflammatory process, accompanied by high fever, dry hacking cough and general weakness. It is treated by thinning the mucus and removing it from the bronchi.
Pharyngitis and laryngitis. They are diagnosed by severe swelling of the larynx. The baby complains of a sore throat, gradually his voice becomes hoarse and often disappears completely. Shortness of breath and dry cough appear.
Whooping cough. A rare disease from which children are protected by timely vaccination. If infection occurs, a dry, continuous cough appears.
Measles. A serious illness begins with fever, runny nose, sore throat and dry cough.
False croup. Very dangerous disease flowing in the background high temperature and attacks of barking cough, from which the child suffocates.

When the baby lies in bed, mucus is poorly absorbed in the nasopharynx and bronchi. This worsens the blood supply to the lungs, making coughing attacks more common at night. This indicates viral infection or chronic sinusitis.

If the cough begins abruptly and is suffocating in nature, it may be caused by getting into the respiratory tract foreign object. In this case, there is not a second to lose. Call urgently ambulance.

A prolonged dry cough without fever is sometimes associated with the development of children's body roundworm larvae and gastrointestinal problems.

There are many reasons for the pathological phenomenon, so for Get well soon It is important to make a correct diagnosis in time and begin treatment.

Wet cough

When a child coughs up mucus, his lungs are cleared. This cough is called wet. It occurs during acute respiratory diseases, runny nose, pneumonia or bronchitis. It needs to be treated quickly to avoid complications affecting the respiratory system. Parents should be wary if the following symptoms appear:

high temperature that is difficult to reduce;
shortness of breath and difficulty breathing;
wheezing during coughing attacks;
green color of mucus coming out of the bronchi;
droplets of blood in sputum;
nightly coughing attacks that continue for weeks.

These signs indicate the development of a serious respiratory tract disease. The baby should be shown to a doctor immediately. An experienced specialist will listen to the lungs and examine sputum. The disease can be identified by its color and consistency. Cloudy discharge indicates that inflammation has begun in the bronchi. A rusty tint appears with pneumonia, copious purulent mucus disappears with pneumonia and bronchitis.

In most cases, a wet cough indicates that the body is fighting an infection. Favorable conditions and proper treatment can quickly cure it.

Allergic cough

A child may experience a severe cough allergic reaction. It develops under the influence of dust, animal hair, products, chemical fragrances, shampoos and powders. Allergic cough Children who have suffered from diathesis since infancy are more susceptible. It differs from the common cold in that it goes away without fever or worsening. general condition. Signs of the body's reaction to an allergen are:

sudden bouts of barking cough;
dry, severe cough that lasts for 2-3 weeks and is accompanied by a runny nose;
bronchial discharge small quantity clear mucus without admixture of pus, sneezing, itching in the nose.

Before an allergic attack begins, many children complain that they have difficulty breathing. Shortness of breath appears due to swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and bronchi. The baby cannot clear his throat at night, sleeps poorly and cries.

In order to recognize the development of allergies in time, parents need to be attentive. If you suspect a disease, you need to identify the allergen and exclude the child from contact with it. Do this as quickly as possible. An allergic, severe cough in a child leads to the development of asthmatic bronchitis and bronchial asthma, which are difficult to treat and complicate life.

How to help your child with a severe cough

In order for the baby to recover faster, he needs to be provided with favorable conditions.

Regularly ventilate the room in which the patient is located.
Maintain good humidity in the room. To do this, it is recommended to purchase an air humidifier or place several cups of water near the heater.
Wash floors and dust furniture once a day.
Give your baby more warm liquids to drink. Milk, tea, and herbal infusions are suitable for this.
Make sure your child does not sleep on his back. A coughing fit can cause vomiting, which is dangerous in this position.

Parents ask how to help their child with a severe cough. It is useful to do inhalations. They promote good mucus discharge and cleansing of the bronchi. They can be carried out with a nebulizer or in the usual way, breathing over a bowl of warm water with the addition of salt and soda.

Children over 1 year of age are allowed to have mustard plasters installed. If your baby does not have a fever, lubricate his feet with cream and place moistened mustard plasters on them. Wrap your legs in a warm blanket and wait 10 minutes. Afterwards, put your child's socks on and put him to bed.

Complete information about what to do when a child coughs a lot can only be obtained from a doctor. Therefore, do not self-medicate. If your baby is suffering from suffocating attacks, call an ambulance. When he has cold symptoms, invite your pediatrician to your home. In other cases, visit the children's clinic yourself. To make a diagnosis and prescribe drug treatment, you need to quickly get tested and undergo an in-depth examination.

Let's go to the doctor

Having figured out the cause of cough in children, the attending physician will prescribe necessary medications. They are divided into three groups:

mucolytics (Bromhexine, Mucoltin, Ambroxol). The drugs dilute mucus and facilitate its removal from the bronchi;
bronchodilators (Glaucin, Saltos, Theophylline). They relieve bronchospasm and stop prolonged attacks;
herbal expectorants. Most often these are syrups or decoctions based on medicinal herbs. They help cure wet cough.

It is prohibited to treat a severe cough in a child unsupervised. An incorrect dosage can worsen the condition and cause suffocation in the patient.

If the cough is caused by an allergy, you need to go to an allergist. He will write out a referral for a test to identify the allergen, which is allowed for children after 3 years of age. When a dangerous substance is discovered, you need to completely protect your baby from it. To relieve severe coughing attacks, the doctor will prescribe antihistamines. Most often it is Diosalin, Suprastin or Loratadine. After taking them, relief does not come immediately. You need to wait half an hour before the cough calms down.

Traditional medicine

Traditional healers keep many simple and effective recipes in their treasury. Before using them to relieve a severe cough, consult your doctor. Pediatricians often recommend proven folk remedies for adjuvant therapy. In combination with medicines they significantly bring recovery closer.

Good for young children badger fat. In the evening they rub their back and chest and wrap them in a blanket. After a few hours, the body warms up and the baby begins to sweat. Then he is changed into dry pajamas and put to bed. In the morning, the cough becomes less pronounced, and the mucus clears better.
For children over 3 years old, it is useful to dissolve a spoonful of fat in a glass warm milk. Add honey to taste and drink in small sips before bed.

An infusion of pine buds has proven itself positively. To prepare it you will need 500 ml of milk. It must be brought to a boil, add 1 tbsp. l. kidneys, turn off and cover with a lid. Leave for an hour, strain and take 50 ml every 2 hours throughout the day.

If you need to know how to stop a child’s severe cough, you should use a proven folk remedy. This is onions with milk. To prepare it, you need to finely chop two peeled onions, combine them with 500 ml homemade milk and boil. Simmer over low heat for an hour, then cool, pass through cheesecloth and drink 1 tsp. each hour.

Treatment for severe cough baby will pass more effective if you use medicinal herbs. They should be used with caution and on the recommendation of a pediatrician. Grass - potent remedy, which can cause allergies, so it is forbidden to increase the dose. After the first dose, you need to closely monitor the baby's reaction to the medicine.

To cure a dry cough, you should do special fee. You will need to mix in equal proportions:

coltsfoot grass;
dried raspberry leaves and berries;
oregano flowers.

Measure out 1 tbsp. l, pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for half an hour and strain. Accept healing infusion in a warm form. For children from 1 to 3 years old, 1 tsp is recommended. three times a day. From 3 to 6 years, the dose is increased and 1 dessert spoon is drunk. Teenagers need to take 1 tbsp. l. three times a day.

When a child coughs a lot with sputum, it is useful to make a medicine based on plantain. Need to collect fresh leaves, wash them, chop them and take 3 large spoons. Place in a glass jar and mix with 3 tablespoons of flower honey. Close tightly and place in a warm place for a day. During this time, a syrup is formed, which quickly thins the mucus. It is taken 1 tsp. 3 times a day.

In winter 1 tbsp. l. dry leaves pour a glass of boiling water, infuse and drink 1 tsp. before eating.

Preventive measures

To prevent the development of the disease in children, it is important competent prevention. So as not to have to fight later severe cough in a child, it is advisable to prevent its appearance. Good nutrition will help with this. You need to make sure that your baby’s diet has enough fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

You can improve immunity and increase resistance to infections with a vitamin and mineral complex. Ask your doctor which one is best for your child, and take it according to the instructions in the autumn-winter period.

It is very important to maintain a daily routine and exercise regularly. Physical education greatly improves health and makes the baby strong and resilient.

Make sure your child dresses for the weather. Comfortable and practical clothes should be made from natural materials.

If the disease cannot be avoided, consult a doctor. Each disease requires its own treatment method, so no advice experienced specialist not enough. Listen to them, follow all the instructions, and the baby will recover quickly.

Time colds, especially if it is accompanied productive cough. Mothers immediately give the baby everything they find in the medicine cabinet, but if the child’s cough is just beginning, it can be easily cured without taking medications, without further aggravating the situation. This article will tell you how to stop your child's cough at night and prevent complications.

Night cough in a child

Strong may occur due to the fact that the supine position in which he sleeps does not allow the mucus produced in the nasopharynx to dissolve normally. The accumulation of this mucus clogs the nasal passages and can cause coughing.

As for the lungs, it can start there the same way as in the nasopharynx, because when lying down, sputum does not come to the surface, as usual, coughing at night.

During sleep, a cough can be provoked by cool air, which is unusual for the child. To prevent this from happening, you need to prevent temperature changes and do not open windows and doors to the room. Your care protects your baby's sleep!

Basically, a child’s cough at night occurs because there is no way to cough up mucus in a lying position, which cannot be said about a sitting or standing position. Surely the baby’s condition is better during the day, and the cough is not so strong.

Cause of night cough

Causes of night cough in children when they sleep:

Viral ARVI, bronchitis, tracheitis, whooping cough, pleurisy.
Helminths in the body.
Bronchial asthma.
Gastric esophageal reflexes.
Allergic reaction.
Heart pathologies.
Strong emotional state.
The adenoids are inflamed.
Teeth are coming through.
Foreign object in the respiratory tract, and others.

These reasons for a child’s cough at night are explained horizontal position, since at this moment the blood slowly reaches the organs and tissues, and the amount of produced sputum that has accumulated in the respiratory tract resolves only at a slow pace.

Those that arise at night disturb and force you to wake up. To help at least a little, you should invite him to sit up a little and try to cough up the mucus that has accumulated on the mucous membranes.

Steps to help your child sleep peacefully without coughing attacks

If your child does not allow him to sleep peacefully at night, you should definitely contact your pediatrician in order to know what method should be used to eliminate this ailment. If the doctor suspects serious illness, then he will prescribe a series of procedures and examinations in order to find out the diagnosis.

You will also need to hand over everything necessary tests. If the pediatrician says that it’s just a symptom viral disease, then the situation is quite simple and not serious, it can be eliminated at home with the help of some cough syrups or traditional medicine.

To relieve a child’s cough at night, the following conditions must be met:

Ventilate your child’s room, including before bedtime;
Dust and wash the floor frequently;
Turn on the humidifier;

Tip: if you don’t have a humidifier, you can wet one or more towels and hang them around the room, on the radiators and on the door.

Drinking plenty and frequently will help ease nighttime coughs in children. Vitamin juices and fruit drinks, dried fruit compotes and raspberries are suitable for this.
Before going to bed, rinse your nostrils and nasal cavity with a solution of sea salt, he must be weak.

Under no circumstances should a child's night cough be treated with antibiotics or antihistamines. List of drugs that can be used:

A wet cough will be relieved by syrups - Doctor Mom and Alteyka; the use of Pectusin, Solutan, Glycerami, Thermopsis and other medications is also acceptable.
Sinekod, Sedotussin, Glauvent will help calm a child’s dry cough at night. The use of Libexin, Broncholitin, Tussin Plus, Levopront and others is recommended.

Important: do not self-medicate and consult your pediatrician before purchasing medications.

If at night, use means to expectorate mucus, but only if it is accompanied by viscous sputum, which is very difficult to excrete. This may be the case with bronchitis, pneumonia or cystic fibrosis.

Treatment with traditional medicine

If a child has a cough at night, it certainly needs to be treated quickly and effectively in order to avoid swelling of the mucous membranes and serious complications. Not only drugs are suitable for this synthetic origin, but also traditional medicine. Over the past few decades, they have been used traditional methods, which help get rid of night cough without harm to health or consequences.

To prevent nighttime coughing attacks in a child and stop, it is necessary:

Dissolve buckwheat honey; you don’t need to eat more than one teaspoon for one time;
Drink hot milk, to which you need to add ¼ part of soda in a small spoon;

This will help cure dry cough.

If your child has a wet cough only at night, you need to take medications plant origin, these include No. 3, each of which contains useful medicinal herbs.

If a child coughs at night, then in addition to medications, you can try putting compresses on the chest and back. The components of this compress are:

Mustard;
Boiled and mashed potatoes;
Alcohol solution;

Everything is mixed and placed on the baby's back, covered with a polyethylene film or a cut clean bag, and wrapped with a diaper, a small sheet or a light scarf. Leave the compress on the body for at least one hour, if necessary, extend the time by another half hour.

Diet for cough

According to doctors, there is an effect and benefit for a child’s night cough using diet therapy. The diet contains:

Oatmeal with vegetable oil;
Salads containing sour cream, cabbage salads;
Fruits and vegetables enriched with vitamins;
Fresh squeezed juices and fruit drinks;
Boiled potatoes with milk.

With the help of these dishes, the disease will recede, due to the fact that they will relieve swelling from the bronchi, help cough up mucus and resume the body’s protective reaction to viruses