How to treat a severe cough. Is it worth using banks? Why is it necessary to treat a hard cough?

When the trachea is affected, the patient has a dry and hard cough, which is characteristic of the flu. Several exhausting days must pass before the cough subsides. If the infection reaches the bronchi, bronchitis occurs, and if the disease reaches the alveoli, pneumonia begins to develop.

In such cases, the cough becomes persistent, the sputum becomes more abundant and usually takes on a greenish tint, which indicates the presence of pyogenic bacteria. With rare lobar pneumonia, sputum may be brownish in color, which is associated with the release of formed blood components into the lumen of the alveoli.

For young children, the appearance of a hard, strong cough may indicate a very dangerous defeat larynx. The gap between their vocal folds is significantly narrower, unlike in adults, so even minor inflammation and swelling can cause the glottis to close. Symptoms of this condition, called croup, include hoarseness of the voice, very rough cough, having a barking character, and increasing shortness of breath. With croup, a child may choke, so if there is a barking cough and shortness of breath, emergency care is required. medical intervention. Parents should be very attentive to the form of cough in their child. It is very important to determine the cause of a persistent or severe cough. Hard night cough often caused by asthma, a bacterial infection, a virus, throat irritating fumes, or some very serious illness.

You should definitely consult a doctor if your child:

• coughs continuously all night long;
• coughs up unusual color sputum;
• has an elevated body temperature;
• he has difficulty breathing;
• The cough is severe or lasts more than 2 days.

To cure a hard cough you need to:

• Take drugs that reduce swelling and have an antibacterial effect, these are drugs active substance which contains pentoxyverine, codeine, tusuprex, dectromethorphan, paxeladin, oxeladin. The following drugs are suitable for children: Hexapneumin, Biocaliptol, Stoptussin, Glycodin.
• Reduce the temperature in the house and increase the humidity. Coughing attacks in children begin in winter period When apartments are heated, hot dry air begins to irritate the respiratory tract and leads to increased coughing. Cooler air in the house is more humid, and therefore more gentle on respiratory tract.
• Drink liquids such as water, broth or juice, which are the best expectorants for the hard, barking, dry cough that accompanies a cold. These fluids help remove phlegm and soothe coughs.

Many parents have encountered coughing in children and know well how important it is to take timely measures to prevent the disease from developing into a more serious form. Cough is one of the first symptoms that children experience when they have a cold or flu. To avoid complications, treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a pediatrician.

What is a barking cough?

Doctors call this form of barking cough, which is observed at the initial stage of some diseases. This name is due to the fact that the cough resembles the barking of a dog. The causative agents of the disease provoke swelling of the larynx, which, in turn, affects the change in voice. He becomes rough and hoarseness appears. The sputum practically does not come out, accumulating in the throat. The attacks are quite severe and painful, especially for young children.

When a dry barking cough begins, the child experiences lethargy, weakness, and loss of appetite. A barking cough is considered absolutely useless from a physiological point of view. It does not protect the throat, does not remove phlegm, but causes severe pain. It is much harder for children to bear than for adults. The barking cough is intrusive. Coughing attacks become a painful ordeal for a child, especially under the age of one year. Children often experience vomiting and sometimes respiratory arrest.

When the throat tissue swells, the airway narrows. At the same time, it is difficult for the child to speak and he breathes heavily. If the swelling increases, it can completely block the airway. At severe attacks sudden dry cough, the child needs to be hospitalized. So that the disease does not turn into severe form, at the first signs of appearance barking cough you need to contact your pediatrician.

Causes

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Dry cough in childhood may be a consequence of exposure to pathogenic bacteria, viruses or allergens. In most cases, a barking cough is a concomitant symptom with the progression of the following diseases:

• laryngitis, pharyngitis, which contribute to the appearance of swelling of the throat;
• acute stenosing larengotracheitis, which affects the vocal cords;
• influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus, respiratory infections with damage to the respiratory tract;
• whooping cough;
• diphtheria.

A barking cough is often worse at night and early morning. This is explained by a decrease in ventilation of the lungs, during which a large amount of bronchodilator secretion accumulates in the respiratory tract.

Types of barking cough and accompanying symptoms

Typically, a dry barking cough occurs in children under 5 years of age. At this age, the larynx is still very narrow and, due to swelling, is almost completely blocked. Air cannot penetrate into the lungs, and attacks of suffocation develop.

There are two types of dry barking cough:

1. accompanied by an increase in temperature;
2. at which the temperature remains normal.

In the first case, a barking cough is a symptom accompanying the underlying disease. As a rule, these are bacterial and viral infections that significantly reduce children's immunity, resulting in the rapid development of inflammatory processes in the body. The mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and larynx are particularly affected, as they become an ideal environment for the proliferation of microorganisms. Increasing the temperature serves protective function to fight inflammation.

One of the most serious illnesses, provoking the occurrence of a barking cough, is whooping cough. During the illness, continuous attacks occur, during which the child turns pale, breathes heavily, sticks out his tongue and makes whistling sounds when inhaling. In such cases, antibiotic therapy cannot be avoided.

TO general symptoms Barking cough includes the following:

• labored breathing;
• sore throat;
• severe runny nose;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• hoarseness of voice;
• nausea and vomiting;
• swelling and inflammation of the larynx.

If the attacks are not accompanied by an increase in body temperature, then there is a high probability that it was caused by allergic reaction. Allergies can be caused by foods baby food, plant flowers, pet hair, substances included in household chemicals.

In order to finally make sure that the cough is allergic, you need to pay attention to associated symptoms. For allergies, they will be as follows:

• no runny nose;
• the cough is harsh and worsens when eating or being near an allergen;
• The cough is hard and seasonal, that is, it appears and goes away periodically.

If you have an allergy, it is important to treat it in a timely manner, preventing it from developing into chronic form or bronchitis. Allergies in children may have severe consequences for the whole body. The cause of a cough may be the air, which loses moisture when heating appliances operate in the winter.

First aid for a child before a doctor’s visit

If a child’s barking cough begins suddenly and he does not have enough air to breathe, it is imperative to call the attending physician.

Without wasting time, parents can help their child stop the attack. In this situation, the actions should be as follows:

• It is necessary to remove the child's clothing if it is constricting chest.
• Try to distract and calm him down. In an excited state, attacks may intensify.
• To avoid dehydration when prolonged cough, you need the child to drink as much fluid as possible. In this case, warm boiled milk, juice, compote or water is best. Before giving your child something to drink, you need to wait until the attack is over so that he does not choke.
• Coughing attacks are stopped by exposure to moist air. If you suspect false croup It is important for a child to let him breathe hot, moist air. Such conditions can be created in the bathroom by running hot water into the bath. After inhaling air, the attack should stop.
• If a child coughs, but the temperature is not elevated, you can wrap his calves in mustard plasters and warm his feet in hot water.

Features of the treatment of barking cough in children

A child's barking cough should be treated by a pediatrician (we recommend reading:). To prescribe medications and therapeutic activities it is necessary to determine what disease led to unpleasant symptom. The main goal of treatment is to reduce swelling and increase mucus discharge from the throat.

In addition to reception medical supplies, parents must provide the baby calm environment, surround with love and care. You should also give your child plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. You need to exclude hot and spicy foods from your diet, which can irritate the inflamed walls of the larynx.

Drug therapy

For treatment, drugs should be used that will help turn a dry cough into a wet one, as well as suppress the development of infection. The following groups of drugs are indicated:

1. Antibiotics. Should be used only after an accurate diagnosis of the disease, since each of them has different activities against individual pathogens. Thus, with laryngitis and pharyngitis, the causative agent is a virus, and the use of antibiotics will not have the desired effect, but will only harm the beneficial microflora of the stomach and intestines. The course of antibiotics should not be stopped prematurely.
2. Antitussive drugs. They reduce the cough reflex, but do not have therapeutic effect. The use of these medications is dangerous because the mucus pathogenic microorganisms will stop coming out. This drug can be prescribed if necessary. For example, with a prolonged dry cough accompanied by vomiting, or pleurisy.
3. Mucolytics. Drugs in this group are good at liquefying accumulated mucus. They are used in the treatment of cough associated with infectious diseases when the sputum is thick and difficult to separate. Good results observed during treatment with Bromhexine, Ambroxol, ACC, Fluimucil. Taking mucolytics and antitussives at the same time is contraindicated.
4. Medicines with expectorant action. Promote the release of sputum, increasing the activity of tissue epithelium in the respiratory tract. At the same time, the amount of sputum does not increase. When using such drugs, you need to be prepared for the release of all the mucus that has stagnated in the respiratory tract. For maximum effectiveness they should be applied every 3 hours.

Children are usually prescribed herbal expectorants. A good expectorant effect was noted when taking Mucaltin, Pertusin, Gedelix. It is easier for children to give medicines in the form of syrups (for example, licorice or marshmallow root syrup).

Inhalations

If a child has a hard cough, then inhalations can be used as treatment. It should be remembered that with a barking cough steam inhalations prohibited. They can burn inflamed vocal cords. For inhalation, it is better to use medications that promote bronchodilation.

Drugs that will help quickly clear the airways:

1. Berodual. Belongs to the category of bronchodilators. Children under 6 years of age are prescribed inhalations in the form of drops, which are diluted in saline in the following proportion: 10 drops of medicine per 2 ml of solution.
2. Berotek. Used in the treatment of children from 6 years of age. Inhalations are done 3 times a day until complete relief.
3. Pulmicort. Can be prescribed from 6 months of age. Has a good analgesic effect. Cope with cough in a short time.

You can do inhalations mineral water. Providing alkaline action on the walls of the respiratory tract, it gives an anti-inflammatory effect.

Folk remedies

For effective treatment There are many folk remedies for barking cough, which is also called barking cough.

Some of them are not inferior in effectiveness to modern medicines:

1. A decoction of milk with pine buds. You need to boil the milk and add the kidneys to it. For half a liter of milk, 2 tbsp is enough. kidney After an hour, the resulting infusion can be given to the child to drink.
2. A decoction of calamus root. Add dry calamus root to boiling water and cook for 15 minutes, then filter and cool. The child can be given the decoction 30 minutes before meals, half a glass at each time. Promotes coughing and mucus drainage. Drink the decoction 3 times a day.
3. Radish and honey syrup. You need to take a radish fruit and cut off the top. Inside the root vegetable, cut a hollow into which you need to pour a couple of tablespoons of honey. Then the fruit is covered with a cut cap and left for 10 hours. The resulting syrup is given to children 30 minutes before meals.

Possible complications of barking cough in children

After past illness complications may occur in children, since a barking cough poses a particular threat to child's body and in some cases can lead to fatal outcome. If left untreated, serious complications can occur:

• asthmatic diseases;
• occlusion;
• the appearance of respiratory failure.

What does hard breathing in the lungs mean?

If the bronchi and lungs are completely healthy, breathing creates some additional noise during inhalation and exhalation. In this case, the inhalation is heard very clearly, while the exhalation is not audible at all. The time ratio of exhalation to inhalation is one to three. Hard breathing in the lungs is as follows.

If an inflammatory process occurs in the lungs, inhalation and exhalation are clearly audible. It is this type of breathing, in which for the doctor, inhalation and exhalation do not differ in volume level, and is called hard.

The surface of the bronchi becomes uneven as a result of the appearance of mucus on it, resulting in the audibility of breathing sounds when exhaling. Wheezing becomes audible if a lot of mucus accumulates in the lumen of the bronchi. Residual manifestations of ARVI are cough with hard breathing.

If we are talking about the first months of a child’s life, then in this case hard breathing is explained by insufficient development of the alveoli and muscle fibers.

Hard breathing does not require any additional treatment. Everything is solved through walks fresh air, following a daily routine and taking enough liquid. An important aspect is to ventilate and humidify the room in which a sick person stays, be it a child or an adult. In the event that there are no possible violations of the patient’s condition, special measures to eliminate hard breathing are not required.

In some cases, children may experience wheezing when mucus from the nose drains down the back of the throat.

Causes of hard breathing

Hard breathing is often a consequence of an acute respiratory infection. If the patient’s health is normal, there is no temperature, and no wheezing is heard when breathing, therefore, this kind of symptomatology is not a reason for any concern. However, in some cases, other causes of hard breathing are possible.

Noisy breathing may be evidence of the accumulation of mucus in the bronchi and lungs, which must be removed so that its appearance does not cause inflammatory processes. The accumulation of mucus occurs as a result of dry air in the room, lack of fresh air, or drinking. Regular warm drinks permanent shift indoor air circulation against the background of constant walks in the fresh air can be extremely effective.

If we are talking about a child, then hard breathing may appear due to progressive bronchitis, if it occurs against the background of wheezing, dry cough and elevated temperature. Similar diagnosis diagnosed only by a doctor.

With a combination of hard breathing with attacks of suffocation, shortness of breath and its worsening with physical activity, we can talk about bronchial asthma, especially if you are surrounded by people suffering from this disease.

Heavy breathing may be a consequence of a previous injury to the nose or adenoids. In this case, a doctor's consultation is necessary.

Swelling of the nasal mucosa or respiratory organs is possible due to the presence of all kinds of allergens in feather pillows in the patient’s environment. The cause is determined by allergy tests.

Cough, hard breathing

Breath sounds of a certain type are always created during the exhalation process of inhalation by normal airways and healthy lungs. There are some nuances in which noise differs in children and adults and they are determined by the peculiarities of anatomy and physiology. As stated above, exhalation is equal to one third of inhalation and the general tendency is that when normal development situation, the inhalation is heard quite well, but the exhalation is practically not audible at all. This is not surprising, since inhalation is an active process, while exhalation occurs on its own, without requiring any specific expenditure of effort.

Inflammation processes in airways, in particular in the bronchi, in the vast majority of cases cause a change in the volume of exhalation and it becomes as well audible as inhalation. As you know, this type of breathing is called hard.

Consequently, hard breathing can be determined by a doctor in the process of inflammation of the bronchial mucosa (bronchitis) and in a situation where the surface of the bronchi is covered with dry mucus, creating unevenness of the inner surface, resulting in noisy breathing on inhalation and exhalation. In the case where there is a large amount of accumulated mucus, and its accumulation occurred directly in the lumen of the bronchi, wheezing would definitely be heard by the doctor. If there is no large accumulation of mucus, there is no wheezing and the patient feels quite normal - therefore, the likelihood of serious inflammation in the bronchi. Most often it happens that hard breathing and cough are residual manifestations of a previously suffered ARVI and they are caused by excessive big amount mucus accumulated and dried on the bronchial surface. There is no danger in this - treatment is carried out through walks in the fresh air. In this case, medications are not required, you just need to walk more and moisturize the bedroom.

Hard breathing, fever

Hard breathing against a background of elevated temperature is often observed in inflammatory diseases, in particular bronchitis. The temperature remains at 36.5-37.6 degrees Celsius, and symptoms such as drowsiness, general fatigue, and loss of appetite may occur. Most often, such symptoms occur in children. With this condition, which manifests itself in a child aged from one and a half to three years, the prescription of drugs such as efferalgan, viferon, fimestil is effective. When conducting adequate treatment and compliance with all recommendations of the attending physician, this state passes quite quickly, of course, depending on the age of the patient and his individual characteristics.

Child's hard breathing

Concerned about the health of their child, parents often pay increased attention to the slightest visible changes in his condition. The appearance of hard breathing in a child is often automatically associated by parents with the disease. respiratory system baby. Very often this is confirmed by doctors, however, there are situations when a child’s hard breathing is explained by imperfections in his respiratory system and requires a special approach to eliminating it.

Especially in early age In a child, the cause of his hard breathing may be the weakness of the muscle fibers of his lungs and the underdevelopment of the alveoli. This can last up to ten years, depending on how physically developed the child is.

The cause of hard breathing in a child, along with symptoms such as fever and cough, is a disease of his respiratory system. This can be pneumonia, bronchitis and others. similar conditions. If the above symptoms occur, you should immediately contact a specialist to make an accurate diagnosis.

If hard breathing is a manifestation of residual symptoms of past diseases, special treatment the child does not need it. In order to soften the mucus accumulated in the lungs, he should drink more warm water and spend more time in the fresh air. Humidifying the air in the rooms where the child stays helps a lot.

Suspicion of an allergy is caused by a severe cough in a child, which occurs against the background heavy breathing and other symptoms. In this case, it is urgent to establish the source of the spread of allergic effects and help stop the child’s contact with this source.

Hard breathing, how to treat it

If we are talking about treating a severe cough in a child aged from one to ten years, you can give him infusions medicinal herbs, such as peppermint, marshmallow root, licorice root and plantain leaves. It should be noted that similar problem in children of this age it can be completely eliminated. Fresh air and constant humidification of the baby's bedroom will effectively help resolve this issue.

If a child suffers from a hacking cough, it is best to soften it with banana puree. It’s not difficult to prepare: you just need to mash a banana, then add a certain amount boiled water, you can dilute it with some honey if the child is not allergic to it. This mixture should be given to the child three times a day, half an hour before meals. You can also boil figs in milk and also give this drink to your child.

If moist wheezing becomes audible, this is evidence that the mucus in the respiratory tract has begun to liquefy. As air passes through the respiratory tract, a sound is created that resembles the collapse of bubbles. If this happens, you can make herbal preparations for the child, prepared on the basis of coltsfoot, wild rosemary and plantain.

In adults, the occurrence of hard breathing is not associated with any independent disease, but only indicates that changes are taking place in the general condition of a person. Individual treatment such a situation does not require - it will just be enough to limit yourself to walks in the fresh air, monitor compliance with the daily routine and drink plenty of liquid to drink. If no more are observed severe symptoms, compliance with all of the above preventive measures will be quite enough for the problem to resolve itself soon. It does not require any additional treatment.

Barking, dry or wet - all these are types of cough that can occur in a child of any age and last for weeks. In desperation, parents rush to extremes, giving the baby another dose of pills and listening to the opinion of those “in the know.” How to treat a child’s cough effectively and safely, and how long will the recovery take? It all depends on the reason that provoked the cough.

Cough is a protective reaction of the body that occurs in response to obstruction of the airways. Is not independent disease, but only a symptom accompanying many diseases. In childhood, cough is not always associated with inflammatory process in the respiratory tract, and may be caused by other reasons, for example, certain diseases gastrointestinal tract. In most cases, only a specialist can find the true cause of cough.

Why does it occur

Most often, a child’s cough appears at the stage of recovery from a cold or as one of its manifestations. A viral infection first enters the respiratory tract, where it multiplies and from there enters the body. The response of the epithelium and secretory glands of the respiratory tract provokes a cough. Therefore, most often it appears for the following reasons.

• Tracheitis. Inflammation of the trachea is often combined with bronchitis. The cough is dry, with pain behind the sternum, “wrenching.”
• Laryngitis. Inflammation of the mucous membrane in the larynx and, especially, in the area vocal cords, can cause a reflex cough with a characteristic sound, the so-called “barking” cough, and swelling of the ligaments can lead to the development of false croup.
• Bronchitis. Inflammation of the bronchi is accompanied by a dry or wet cough, often painful, loud, and “chest-like.” Coughing attacks can provoke vomiting.
• Sinusitis and rhinitis. Mucus, which is intensively produced in the nasal passages and oropharynx, flows down back wall pharynx, irritates sensitive reflexogenic zones in the area of ​​the epiglottis, causing a reflex cough. Very often in such cases, children are mistakenly treated for acute bronchitis, and all that needs to be done is to get rid of inflammation in the oropharynx and paranasal sinuses nose

The cough is usually most pronounced in the morning, immediately after the child gets out of bed, when the body tries to evacuate the mucus accumulated during the night and clear the airways.

Only a specialist can understand the true cause of the problem, so if complaints arise, you should not self-medicate, which may be ineffective and lead to the progression of the disease. If the child persistent cough, diseases other than bronchitis or tracheitis should be excluded.

What happens

Exist various characteristics cough, which help determine what pathology it belongs to.

• By intensity. You can identify a constant or paroxysmal intense cough and coughing. The latter condition often accompanies sinusitis, rhinitis, but can also occur with more serious illnesses, for example, at the beginning of the development of pneumonia, which may not manifest itself as a cough at the initial stage.
• By time of occurrence. Coughing attacks most often occur at night or in the morning. This is due to the fact that the child sleeps in a horizontal position and takes positions that are uncomfortable for the discharge of sputum. All this irritates the mucous membranes, phlegm accumulates, which is manifested by an intense cough. More horizontal position may provoke coughing attacks caused by mucus running down the back of the throat (postnasal drip syndrome). In order to make breathing easier, the air in the room should be cool and not very dry. It is very important to maintain sufficient drinking regime, since increased consumption the liquid is sufficient to dilute the mucus and ensure its speedy evacuation from the respiratory tract.
• By duration. Highlight acute period cough (up to a week) and subacute (up to a month). There is no need to worry if your baby has been coughing for two or more weeks after illness, if there is a clear positive trend in his well-being. It all depends on the speed of recovery of the body and the cause of the cough. In cases where a child’s cough does not go away for a long time, it is necessary to exclude other diseases (for example, helminthic infestations, bronchial hyperreactivity, psychogenic cough).
• By the nature of the discharge. At the beginning of the disease, the cough is most often dry. As you recover or further development diseases, it becomes wet - with sputum production of different nature with every attack.

Why is it dangerous?

Even a normal cough in a child can be dangerous, especially for young children under three years of age. Physiologically, young children have narrow respiratory passages, and against the background of illness and swelling of the mucous membrane, they have a greater tendency to develop bronchial obstruction- blocking of the lumen of the bronchi with thick secretions of the respiratory tract.

Very often in young children, due to the structural features, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract affects the area of ​​the larynx and vocal cords, which is manifested by a characteristic barking cough and in a hoarse voice or even its absence. At the height of these manifestations, a reflex spasm of the muscles of the vocal cords may be observed, disconcerting breathing or a complete spasm in especially severe cases. These are manifestations of false croup. Fortunately, most often false croup is mild and bouts of barking cough gradually subside within two to three days.

Hot, moist air containing steam helps relieve an attack. If the attacks are not relieved by steam and cause serious difficulty breathing in the child, emergency hospitalization is necessary. The parents' actions in this case should be immediate - it is necessary to take the child to the hospital as soon as possible or call an ambulance.

You should also consult a doctor if your child's cough is accompanied by the following:

• heat- hectic fever 39-40°C and above, not reduced by conventional antipyretics (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen);
• if your child has a cough- has a constant, painful and debilitating nature;
• if you have difficulty breathing- shortness of breath, wheezing;
• if the child is not active- lethargic, does not play, refuses any food.

For young children, bronchitis is especially dangerous due to the development of pneumonia and generalization of infection. Therefore, the younger the child is, the more careful his parents should be.

Survey

In order to establish the cause of the cough, it is necessary to go through a series of diagnostic procedures. The main examinations include the following:

• general blood analysis- signs of inflammation;
• auscultation (listening to the lungs)- the doctor can determine the nature of the cough and its cause by the nature of wheezing;
• radiography - a “picture of the lungs”, used when pneumonia is suspected or in unclear cases;
• sputum culture - when wet cough for precise selection of antibacterial treatment;
• examination by an ENT doctor- to exclude reflex cough with sinusitis and tonsillitis;
• examination by a gastroenterologist- if the cough, according to the doctor, is associated with reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.

If a specific disease is suspected, the complex of examinations can be expanded. For example, allergy tests are carried out (for bronchial asthma), stool tests for helminth eggs (for unclear infiltrates in the lungs), and immunological (enzyme-linked immunosorbent) blood tests for specific infections.

How to make cough treatment in a child effective

In each specific case, treatment for cough should be individual and primarily based on the cause that caused it. To speed up your recovery, it is useful to follow the following recommendations.

• Air humidity. In the room where the child is, dry air will slow down recovery. Optimal humidity is 70% and above. During the heating season in apartment buildings, this figure usually does not exceed 40-50%, so it is necessary to additionally use air humidifiers. If this is not possible, you can simply hang a large wet towel and change it as it dries.
• Air temperature. It is equally important to monitor the temperature in the room. The optimal temperature is no higher than 21-23°C. It is necessary to regularly ventilate the room.
• Drinking regime. During illness, a child should drink enough fluids. Ideally, it will be pure still water, but if the baby refuses it, you can offer juices, milk or tea.
• Use a nebulizer. This is a special inhalation device that helps deliver medicinal substance even into small bronchi. Ultrasound transforms the medicinal substance into fine vapor, which the child inhales through a special nozzle.
• To complement folk remedies . Excessive drug load should be avoided whenever possible. Can be used physical methods or means traditional medicine- rubbing, warming, mustard plasters.

Drug therapy

Treatment of cough in children involves the use of drugs aimed at thinning mucus (if it is thick), improving its evacuation and relieving inflammation.

Centrally acting antitussives

They affect the cough center in the brain and reduce its sensitivity. On the one hand, such therapy is indicated, for example, to stop a child’s severe dry cough at night or during the day, since the baby becomes very tired with such constant attacks. On the other hand, their use in large quantities sputum can cause a slowdown in its evacuation and the occurrence of complications (for example, pneumonia).

Examples of drugs:

• “Sinekod” - from two months;
• “Tusupress” - from two years;
• "Sedotussin" - for children from 12 months.

To thin mucus

Mucolytics are drugs that convert thick sputum into a more liquid one, thereby improving its evacuation from the respiratory tract. Examples of drugs:

• "Ambroxol" ("Lazolvan", "Ambrosan")- used in children only from six years of age;
• "Bromhexine" - from the age of two;
• "Acetylcysteine", "Carbocysteine" ("ACC", "Fluifort")- from one year.

Improving secretion removal

In cases where a lot of sputum is produced or for other reasons it stagnates in the respiratory tract, it is necessary to use medications that improve its elimination. Mainly herbal preparations, including licorice root, marshmallow, thyme and ivy.

• ivy leaf extract;
• thyme herb extract.

The medicine is sold in syrup form. The syrup is allowed for use in children from three months. Depending on the age and body weight of the child, the dosage will be different. The exact doses of the medicine are determined according to the table indicated in the attached instructions for use.

Renders complex action and can replace several drugs - it thins mucus and promotes its removal, relaxes the bronchi during their spasm, and also has an anti-inflammatory effect. The drug can be used from the first day of illness and for any type of cough - dry or wet. Its use is safe and long-term, which is important when residual cough The child has.

Local distractions

Besides various syrups for cough, you can use warming therapy using various ointments. When a child coughs, you can rub the back, chest, and also apply the ointment to the wings of the nose, neck, and temple areas. These drugs include menthol, camphor, thymol, eucalyptus, turpentine and nutmeg oil. They should be used with caution, as they Strong smell may itself cause respiratory irritation in sensitive children.

Antibiotics

Tracheitis and bronchitis most often occur against the background viral infection. In this case antibacterial drugs are assigned only upon the accession of a secondary bacterial infection or with a long course of the disease. This is characterized by the following:

• sputum becomes yellowish, greenish, sometimes streaked with blood;
• there is no positive dynamics in treatment or deterioration occurs;
• a temperature above 38.0°C lasts more than five to seven days.

Immunomodulators

Application various immunomodulators indicated only for children with reduced immunity. They can also be prescribed to a group of frequently and long-term ill children with particularly frequent recurrences of colds. Interferon-based drugs are used, which have long been known to pediatricians. It is also possible to use immunostimulants (“Broncho-Vaxom” or “IRS-19”).

The need for certain medications can only be determined by a doctor based on clinical picture and the suspected cause. Try to give your child everything known drugs You should not cough when coughing, as this can only harm the baby and aggravate the course of the disease.

Physiotherapy

In order to cure a child’s cough even faster, the main treatment can be supplemented with drainage or postural massage and physiotherapy performed at home.

• Postural massage. To improve sputum discharge, you can do the following: 1) first, you need to lay the child on his stomach and place a thick pillow under the pelvis; 2) then, using the pads of your fingers or the edge of your palm, perform several rounds of medium intensity tapping in the area between the ribs and shoulder blades in the direction from bottom to top and ask the child to clear his throat.
• Distraction procedures. Hot foot baths, mustard plasters, compresses (from warm boiled potatoes, honey) due to local surface heating help to reflexively reduce blood flow to the bronchi, thereby relieving swelling. This improves sputum discharge. Similar actions cannot be carried out with high temperature and also if there are lesions or rashes on the skin.
• Inhalation with solutions. For this purpose, it is recommended to use nebulizers. Breathing over steam with a decoction of potatoes, oats, medicinal herbs (eucalyptus, chamomile, breast collection) is less effective, but still useful.

Traditional methods

Various are effective and useful folk recipes. They are especially recommended for children with reduced immunity, prone to frequent colds, since it takes a long time to treat a child’s cough in such cases. If you are not allergic to honey, then products containing it can be useful in treating cough:

• Honey with radish. You should take a medium root vegetable and make a hole in it. Put honey inside and let stand for three to four hours. During this time, juice is formed, which must be taken two to three tablespoons two to three times a day.
• Milk with honey . You need to take a pinch of cinnamon, the same amount of chopped ginger, turmeric and mix with honey. Then dissolve in hot milk and drink immediately.

Children's coughs and colds always cause concern for parents. Therefore, it is most effective to prevent colds. To do this, the child should be hardened and accustomed to sports. If complaints arise, you should not risk the baby’s health; it is better to consult a doctor immediately, even if the child has a cough without fever. After all, only a specialist can understand it true reasons and prescribe the most effective treatment.

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An untreated severe depressing cough can cause a lot of painful sensations and complications. Treatment should begin when the first symptoms of the disease appear. let's consider various methods cough treatments, depending on their productivity.

What is a cough

Cough is a reflex protective “helper” of our body, which helps to get rid of the presence of a kind of irritating secretion, dust or any other substance in the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. foreign bodies. There are many causes of cough, but the main ones are bacterial, viral or chronic. respiratory diseases respiratory tract.

Types of cough

There are physiological (normal, short-term everyday process of coughing in healthy person, aimed at natural cleansing of the respiratory tract from accumulated mucus) and pathological cough (diagnoses a disease, manifests itself against its background). Gradation pathological cough– this is acute or chronic wet (moist, productive, with sputum discharge) and dry (paroxysmal, barking, debilitating, without the release of a specific secretion from the respiratory tract).

Specifics of cough treatment

Treatment of cough depends on the causes of its occurrence and its type. If the cough is not severe and accompanies respiratory diseases such as ARVI or common cold– there is no need to remove it forcibly. In other cases, when the cough is dry, exhausting, strong, persistent, treatment is used to produce sputum and dilute it, for then better clearance from the respiratory tract.

• The very first thing you should start with is eliminating cough (before using medications and auxiliary folk methods) is humidifying the air in the room, drinking plenty of fluids in the form of warm teas and mineral waters, refusal bad habits, as well as changing the diet to light, but high-calorie foods. All this will help stimulate sputum secretion.
• Inhalations are an excellent and effective remedy that has no contraindications (exceptions for use are children under 4 years old), which should be performed several times a day. You can do inhalations using the usual “old-fashioned” method, inhaling steam from steamed medicinal plant, when coltsfoot, eucalyptus, thyme, sage, and chamomile are brewed. You can add soda and a few drops of menthol or eucalyptus oil to the herbs.
• A more productive method of inhalation is the use of inhalers-nebulizers. In this case, pharmaceutical drugs that have mucoltic and expectorant properties are used. Opt for such drugs as “Dikasan”, “Lazolvan”, “Amroxol”, “Bromhexine”, “Gerbion”, “Prospan”, alkaline mineral waters.

Traditional methods of treating dry and wet cough

With a dry cough, the most important thing is to remove the irritant and soften the mucous membrane. You can use lollipops for this. various rinses having anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. But, it is worth considering that the effect of such “treatment” will not last long. The best option to eliminate cough will be used in conjunction with pharmaceutical medicines, folk methods. This will significantly speed up the process of recovery and restoration of the body not only from an exhausting dry cough, but also from a wet cough.

Milk for cough

• Milk has softening, mucoltic properties, dilutes mucus well and facilitates its easier removal from the respiratory tract. A dry cough that accompanies a cold, bronchitis, tracheitis or whooping cough can be easily relieved with a decoction of figs in milk. To do this, brew 5 figs in 200 ml of milk. Wrap the broth, let it brew and use 1/3 cup 2-3 times a day.
• If you have a severe dry cough, drink hot milk (200 ml) in small sips before meals with 1 tsp added. soda, honey and interior fat.
• Mix milk in equal proportions with freshly squeezed carrot juice. Take the resulting product 1/3 cup several times a day.
• Chop 2 onions and boil in 200 ml of milk. Strain, take 1 tbsp. l. every 4-5 hours.

Honey and radish for severe cough

Radish juice has bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties. Buy a large, pot-bellied black radish. Trim the top, making a cap in the form of a cap, and a little bottom. From the inside, remove about 1/3 of the radish pulp. Carefully make a small puncture to the bottom of the root crop. Fill the entire prepared cavity with honey. Place the radish in a container into which juice mixed with honey will flow out from the puncture. In 2-4 hours you will receive an excellent irreplaceable natural remedy from a strong cough. Take 1 tbsp syrup. l. 3-4 times a day before meals. After 2-3 days, the cough will completely leave you.

Cough compresses and rubs

• Before going to bed, rub your chest with lamb or goat interior fat. After rubbing, warm yourself well and go to bed.
• To eliminate cough in children, use a dry compress of mashed potatoes. Prepare a mixture of puree and vodka. Place this warm in a plastic bag, wrap it in a napkin and apply it to the back and chest. Wrap the compress with a warm scarf and leave until it cools completely.
• A honey compress will help with a strong cough. Rub honey on your chest, make a steam layer (parchment, warm scarf), lie down under a blanket to warm up. As soon as the warming is over, wash yourself. warm water, lubricate the chest with vegetable oil.
• A compress heated in a water bath will help eliminate a persistent, difficult-to-clear cough. vegetable oil. Soak a thick cloth in the prepared oil, wrap it around your chest, place parchment paper and insulation in the form of a scarf or towel on top. Leave this compress on all night.

Note! Compresses and rubbing can be used if you do not have a fever.

Cough decoctions and infusions

• If it is not possible to purchase breast milk at the pharmacy, prepare it yourself. To do this, mix in equal proportions and chop thyme, pine buds, oregano, mint, licorice, coltsfoot, linden, calendula and lungwort. Pour 4 tbsp. l. mixture 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 1-1.5 hours, use 150 ml 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
• Marshmallow infusion has good antitussive properties. To prepare it, 2 tbsp. l. crushed root pour 500 ml of cold water. Keep the mixture in the cold for a day. Afterwards, strain, add a little sugar, take 1 tbsp. l. 2-3 times a day.

Aloe for severe cough

Mix honey, aloe and butter. Accept this remedy 4-5 times a day, 1 tsp.

Treatment of severe cough in children

Small children (up to 1 year) require medical supervision and supervision. For older children, use liberally warm drink, mustard plasters, rubbing, hot foot baths, compresses, inhalations, sedatives nervous system(“Tussamogom”, “Sinekod”) and having expectorant mucoltic properties.

Please note that cough elimination should not be carried out independently, without the supervision of a specialist (for microbial diseases of the respiratory tract, antibiotics are required), since incorrect treatment may cause complications, and combining and taking mucoltic and antitussive drugs can lead to unpleasant consequences in the idea of ​​bronchial obstruction.

The article is for informational purposes only; before treatment, you should consult with a specialist.