My child has a severe cough, what should I do? Cough with viral pharyngitis. What to do if the disease could not be avoided

When you have a cold, cough plays the role of clearing the respiratory tract of harmful phlegm. This is a natural mechanism due to which recovery occurs faster. But when it becomes chronic, it indicates health problems child's body. Which manifestations of cough are considered normal and which signals a possible disease, what to do if a child constantly coughs - every parent should know the answers.

What is a cough like?

A cough is always caused by the body's desire to get rid of foreign particles. These are foreign bodies, dust particles, allergens that irritate the respiratory tract. The main reason is inflammation in respiratory tract. There are wet (productive) cough and dry, normal and pathological.

To understand whether measures need to be taken, let’s consider what kind of cough falls within the normal range

morning. It manifests itself in several coughing bursts in the morning, when, after a night's sleep, stagnant mucus is cleared.
when hit foreign body. The irritant in the throat will trigger a cough reflex, this is normal. Sometimes it's the only way get rid of interfering objects or particles
reaction to dust or pungent odor. In such situation sharp spasm may cause cough
during teething. Occurs due to increased salivation

Physiological cough not accompanied by others pathological symptoms(fever, runny nose, body aches, loose stool, vomit, increased irritability and fatigue). It is normal if a child coughs no more than 15 times a day - this is how cleansing occurs respiratory system.

U pathological cough several manifestations. At acute course the disease lasts up to 14 days. If it is protracted, it lasts up to three months, and in a chronic form, up to a year. The intensity of the cough impulses also differs: in one case it is a light cough with a tickling sensation, and in the other it is a strong, barking cough.

Dry and wet cough.

The nature of the cough also differs in the amount of fluid released. Dryness often appears as a sign of an incipient viral infection and brings severe discomfort to the child. Explosive, without mucus discharge, it can cause pain in the muscles of the chest and abdomen. Doctors call a wet cough productive, because it produces sputum - pathological mucus from the trachea and bronchi. The production of sputum in the respiratory system is always an abnormal condition, indicating the progress of the disease.

With a dry, unproductive cough, vomiting is possible - this occurs from excessive tension in the muscles of the neck, facial, and throat. This cough frightens both parents and child. The baby becomes whiny, afraid that the attack will start again. Vomiting is also possible with a wet cough: this is how accumulated mucus comes out. Children under three years of age do not know how to cough up mucus, so vomiting is the only way for the body to quickly get rid of accumulated secretions. Do not be afraid of vomiting - direct your efforts to fight the disease that provokes them.

A child's cough without fever indicates that a foreign body has entered the respiratory tract. Be attentive to your child, if this happens, call an ambulance and give him first aid yourself. To do this, place the child on your knee with his head and face down and with a sliding movement make several blows from top to bottom between the shoulder blades.

Why doesn't it work?

More often, a dry cough occurs as a result of damage to the body by an acute viral infection. After a couple of days it becomes wet, and after some time (up to 2 weeks) it goes away completely. But what if the main symptoms of the disease have disappeared, and you still observe a constant cough in your child?

Causes of lingering dry cough:

weakened immune system
dry indoor air, influence irritating factors(passive smoking)
insufficient fluid intake
complication in the form of bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia or pharyngitis. Often accompanying symptom may have a high fever and chest pain
addition of a secondary viral infection (the child gets sick again)
whooping cough (paroxysmal cough, difficulty breathing for the child)
measles (accompanied by characteristic rashes on the body)
false croup (barking cough, hoarseness appears, children under 3 years of age are more likely to get sick)
allergy
bronchial asthma
worms (migration of roundworm larvae passes through lung tissue causing irritation and coughing)

Constant wet cough.

In the autumn-winter period, parents of young patients complaining of a wet cough become more frequent. It is normal if it appears at that stage of a viral disease where it is necessary to clear the respiratory tract of phlegm. When should you worry?

attacks are sudden and continuous
child has difficulty breathing
fever for more than three days
lack of appetite
chest pain
loud wheezing
blood or pus in the sputum
cough developed as a result of a cold, but lasts more than 25 days
wet cough is constantly present

If you have even one of the symptoms, you should immediately seek help. medical assistance and determine why the symptom persists. There are several reasons; the type of sputum also varies:

obstruction in the bronchi - sputum is produced profusely
pneumonia in remission - rust-like sputum
allergic reaction or bronchial asthma - viscous, transparent sputum, often in the form of lumps
runny nose (including with allergies)
tuberculosis - blood in the sputum
lung abscess - sputum with pus, a strong, unpleasant odor

How to alleviate the baby's condition?

The cough bothers and irritates the child, making him capricious and interfering with harmonious development. Sleep is disturbed, eating becomes difficult. Every parent tries to find a way to help their child feel better. For treatment to be effective, it is important to accurately determine the cause. constant coughing. Treatment will also vary depending on the type of cough.

When should you seek help immediately?

While sleeping, a strong, incessant cough suddenly began. This is a sign of false croup and laryngeal edema
whistling and wheezing when breathing. Asthma sign
When the child coughs, he does not have enough air and cannot take a breath. This condition is life-threatening for the baby, call a doctor immediately!

Drug therapy

With a wet cough, the main thing is to help the sputum be eliminated from the body more easily. Mucolytics cope with this task: lazolvan, ambroxol, ACC. There are also natural remedies sputum thinners: Dr. MOM, breast training, pectusin. Be careful with herbs, they can cause severe allergies and worsen the condition. It is important to stop taking mucolytic drugs in time: when the child begins to move actively, there will be no point in using them; he will be able to cough up on his own.

Dry cough in children under two years of age is not recommended to be treated with medication. It is better to speed up its transition to wetness - give the baby more liquid and regularly ventilate the room. Older children may be prescribed medications that block the cough reflex: Robitussin, Delsim. These remedies will help block the cough reflex for 10-12 hours.

Inhalations

Steam inhalations using the old-fashioned method will help moisturize the mucous membranes and help the discharge of phlegm. It is still beneficial to breathe over hot potatoes or inhale steam from essential oils. Such treatment methods are more suitable for older children. For children, nebulizers are increasingly used in treatment. Unlike steam inhalation, there is no risk of getting burned, and the parent can control the process himself. Nebulizer inhalations are not recommended for dry cough. When wet, a solution is suitable Ambrobene or Lazolvan.

If bronchospasm (narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi), wheezing, or whistling (characteristic of obstructive bronchitis or asthma) occurs, then the main task of inhalation using a nebulizer is to relieve the spasm and help the child breathe normally. Can handle it Berodual and Pulmicort.

Folk remedies

The most popular treatment among people is radish with honey. The radish is cut and a hole is made in it, into which a spoonful of honey is placed. Over time, a healing syrup forms in the hole, which has antiseptic properties and soothes an irritated throat. Kids love this sweet recipe!
Oiling helps. A cotton piece of fabric is soaked in heated sunflower oil and place it on your chest overnight. Cover the top with plastic wrap and put on a cotton jacket. By morning the throat softens.
Steaming your legs is also effective. It is useful to do this with mustard - a couple of tablespoons per bowl of water is enough. The procedure lasts no more than 15 minutes, after which you need to put warm socks on the children’s feet and ensure peace. There is only one contraindication - elevated temperature.

Preventive measures

Parents have the power to reduce the incidence of child illness by following simple recommendations. Popular pediatrician Komarovsky advises as prevention:

reduce the temperature in the room where the child is located to 20-22 degrees
regular ventilation, use of humidifiers
Do not overheat the child by wrapping him up excessively. Dress it according to the weather and activity
go for walks more often fresh air(at least 4 hours a day)
carry out children's bathing in water no more than 27 degrees, this stimulates motor activity baby and strengthens immunity and sleep
observe the regime
Do not overload the child’s body with excessive amounts of food. It is better to underfeed a little than to overfeed a child
do not strive for sterility so that the child’s immunity adapts to various microorganisms

Conclusion.

Any cough should not be left without the sensitive attention of parents. It is important to start treatment on time (and sometimes finish it on time) to avoid negative consequences and complications. If you are concerned that your child is constantly coughing, you should immediately seek professional help. They will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe necessary treatment for your baby's recovery.

Many respiratory inflammations cause coughing The child has. This symptom cannot be ignored, as complications may arise - the disease will develop into chronic form, pneumonia or bronchitis may develop.

Causes of cough in children

The entry of foreign particles into the respiratory system provokes bronchospasm. This is the body’s protective reaction against viruses, bacteria and dust particles that are invisible to the naked eye. A child may develop a severe cough for the following reasons::

Ingress of viral microorganisms. They actively multiply on the mucous membranes, causing swelling of the larynx, runny nose and chest pain. If the child has a severe cough, the child should be taken to the pediatrician, especially when the child is under three years old. At this age, children are not able to independently expectorate mucus in which viruses multiply.
Bacterial infections are always accompanied by a sore throat and yellow-green nasal discharge.
Allergy - a very severe cough occurs when the child is near an irritant. Allergens are often pet hair, household dust, powders and fabric softeners, fluff in pillows or plants. In this case, a cough occurs without phlegm, but the eyes begin to water and the nose becomes red.

Sometimes children can get a foreign body into their respiratory tract - we must not forget about this. From the outside it looks like a sharp attack of coughing; the child experiences a feeling of suffocation; it is necessary to urgently provide first aid and go to a medical facility.

Treatment of a severe cough in a child is prescribed only after the pediatrician determines the type of spasm. There are two types - wet and dry. In the first case, mucus comes out during an attack. Therapy in each case is selected individually, taking into account the age of the young patient and the presence of chronic diseases.

Why does a child have a dry cough?

In children, severe coughing causes chest pain. The child sleeps restlessly at night and experiences constant feeling fatigue. If measures are not taken, pneumonia or bronchitis may occur. At an appointment with a pediatrician, you can find out why bronchospasms occur without phlegm:

colds– the most common reason, for which the child suffers. A cough accompanied by a runny nose is treated with antiviral or bacterial preparations and medications that help remove mucus from the lungs;
whooping cough – rare disease, but if the child has a severe cough long time and at a certain time the appropriate vaccination was not given, then the disease cannot be ruled out;
measles - bronchospasm is always accompanied by elevated temperature, the patient also complains of a sore throat;
false croup - the disease is accompanied by a runny nose, sore throat, high fever and attacks that suffocate the baby, causing vomiting. Therapy is carried out only under the supervision of specialists in a hospital;
pharyngitis and laryngitis - the disease begins with a sore throat, bronchospasm and hoarse voice, which disappears after 2-3 days.

What causes and how to treat dry paroxysmal cough

Parents should closely monitor the baby’s health if they do not want to treat lingering cold or more serious illnesses.

Cough in a child with sputum production

A wet cough indicates that mucus is being cleared from the lungs. Most often, such attacks are characteristic of viral infections, bronchitis or pneumonia. Timely treatment respiratory system will relieve many health problems. Adults should be alert to the following accompanying symptoms:

elevated temperature that is not reduced by Nurofen or children's Paracetamol;
constant shortness of breath and attacks of suffocation during bronchospasm;
night cough that lasts more than a week;
green sputum that has a foul odor;
wheezing in the chest during spasms;
bloody streaks in the mucus that the baby coughs up.

In this case, only a specialist will tell you how to treat the disease. It is possible that you will have to undergo therapy in a hospital setting. More than one experienced pediatrician will not allow you to treat such a disease at home.

Bronchospasm due to allergies

An allergic reaction can provoke severe bronchospasm. Particles of the irritant enter the respiratory system, causing a cough. Folk remedies cannot cure such a disease. But there is a possibility that the problem will disappear in adulthood. Signs of allergic bronchospasm are easy to recognize:

sudden bouts of barking cough;
In addition, the child has a runny nose and watery eyes;
constant itching in the nose, causing sneezing;
only released from the bronchi clear slime in small quantities.

The condition worsens due to periodic swelling of the pharynx. If this condition is not controlled, suffocation may occur. Prescribed for treatment antihistamines. it cannot be cured at home, but it is possible to reduce the discomfort experienced by the young patient.

What to do if your child coughs a lot

You should not give your child drugs from the pharmacy at random. Medicines should be prescribed only by a pediatrician. Parents can ease their baby's condition by using the following tips:

Folk remedies only help initial stages therapy. You can’t thoughtlessly give your baby decoctions and tinctures. It is better to consult your doctor. Many herbs should not be given to children under three years of age.
Should be carried out regularly wet cleaning and ventilate the room.
First aid during severe spasm– normalization drinking regime. A sick child should be offered warm drinks - tea with honey (if there is no allergy to bee products), with lemon, dried fruit compote or milk with added butter.
It is important to monitor your baby during the night. The supine position is considered unfavorable because due to copious discharge sputum may cause the child to choke.

Why does coughing bother you after eating?

It is not easy to cure bronchospasm on your own. Unfortunately, many parents choose drugs for therapy illiterately, thereby complicating the course of the disease. Generally designed for babies special drugs, which should be given strictly according to instructions.

How to cure a severe cough

A severe cough in a child is a cause for concern. Syrups or decoctions should be given to the baby only after precise setting diagnosis. Most often in a recipe pediatrician The following pharmaceutical drugs are present:

Mucolytics are medications that thin mucus and help remove it from the lungs. Pediatricians prescribe Mucaltin or Ambroxol. There are many similar medications, so choosing a medicine is not difficult.
Bronchodilators - prescribed if the patient has a long persistent cough. Such drugs include Saltos or Theophylline. They are prescribed only after the symptoms and causes of spasm have been studied in detail.
Expectorant-based medicine vegetable herbs– they will improve the baby’s condition if the cough is wet.

Treatment of the lungs and bronchi is not an easy task. You should always read the instructions, even if the drug was prescribed by your pediatrician. For a 6-year-old child, the dosage will be different from that prescribed for the treatment of a twelve-year-old schoolchild. After the first dose, you should not expect relief; improvements become noticeable only on the 2-3rd day of treatment.

Inhaler and nebulizer therapy

If adults tolerate colds relatively easily, then parents’ hearts bleed every time their child gets sick. It is difficult for kids to tolerate colds because their airways are still too narrow. Let's try to figure out today how to help a baby cope with a cough and runny nose.

Today, almost every family has access to the purchase of various medical devices that actively help overcome illnesses and shorten the duration of illness. One of these technical assistants are inhalers. Hot steam Helps soothe the baby's irritated throat and soften the cough. The trouble is that steam inhaler cannot be used at elevated temperatures, and not every baby will withstand such a procedure.

There are several types of devices that can relieve bronchospasm:

Nebulizers. These devices convert liquid into cold vapor, or more precisely, into an aerosol or cloud. Ultrasonic models They make virtually no noise, which is why many parents focus their attention on them, purchasing them to combat a runny nose and cough in a child.
Compression inhalers, they make a lot of noise, but in a number of diseases it is best to give preference to them, since ultrasound destroys a number of useful medicinal substances. The device is equipped with a mask and snorkel, so you can specifically treat a cough, a runny nose, or both.
Mesh inhalers or membrane inhalers are completely silent and do not allow the contents of the device to spill, which allows them to be used even while the child is sleeping.

“Doctor, we don’t know what to do with the cough - we treat and treat, but it doesn’t go away.” “An emergency room? Can I have a doctor at home? The child is coughing a lot and can’t sleep.” Pediatricians hear such complaints almost more often than everyone else. What is a cough, how to deal with it and is it necessary?

First of all, coughing is a protective reaction of the body. With its help, it pushes out from the respiratory tract what the body does not need at all - from a relatively large foreign body to fine dust and microorganisms. The respiratory tract is lined with a special ciliated epithelium, which, with the help of mucus, drives everything foreign out, away from the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract - the nose, larynx, trachea and bronchi.

Coughing - a paroxysmal contraction of muscles - helps to complete this process. If there were no cough, any banal inflammation of the upper respiratory tract would turn into pneumonia. So, a cough is necessary. But which one? Of course, the one that is accompanied by sputum production. Doctors call it productive, everyone else calls it wet.

Other types of cough - dry, barking, annoying, paroxysmal, which occurs with whooping cough - are not useful, they greatly tire the patient, interfere with his sleep, can lead to vomiting, are accompanied by muscle pain and ultimately increase respiratory failure.

That's how many unpleasant things can happen from this, in general, necessary and harmless symptom. A cough needs to be approached differently depending on its nature. All cough remedies can be divided into three main groups: the so-called mucolytics - drugs that thin sputum, expectorants - which increase cough, and sedatives (*antitussives) - which reduce the activity of the cough center. In addition, some drugs have combined action- both mucolytic and expectorant.

When treating cough, not only chemicals are used medicines, but also a significant amount of a wide variety of herbs and homeopathic remedies. In addition, to combat its different varieties, numerous physical procedures- from physiotherapeutic procedures, to various distractions (cupping, mustard plasters, rubbing) and, finally, massage chest having special meaning in children early age who have difficulty coughing, or in patients with drug allergies.

There is a certain sequence (algorithm) in the use of cough suppressants. The task is always the same - to ensure that the cough turns from dry to wet and the child coughs up phlegm well. Let's look at specific situations.

WHOOPING COUGH

With this childhood infection, cough occurs due to the fact that the pertussis bacillus directly irritates the cough center. It multiplies in the nervous system. A person with whooping cough can cough from anything - from loud sound, bright light, anxiety.

The cough with whooping cough is very characteristic - it begins with a loud whistling inhalation, lasts in paroxysmal bursts for several minutes, and the child simply starts coughing. At the same time, he often sticks out his tongue so that his frenulum tears. With a whooping cough from terrible tension, hemorrhages can occur in the sclera of the eyes and the skin of the chest. In young children, attacks of whooping cough (repetitions) may be accompanied by respiratory arrest.

Leaving aside the prevention and treatment of whooping cough, I will only say that drugs that thin sputum and increase its secretion (mucolytics and expectorants) are absolutely useless here. Only sedative drugs are appropriate here. nervous system and cough relievers, *for example, sinekod, tussamag. By the way, this “whooping cough” character of the cough persists in patients for some time after recovery from this infection (up to 1 year) and with all common colds.

"BARKING" COUGH IN SO-CALLED FALSE CROUP

“False croup”, or laryngotracheitis, accompanied by narrowing (stenosis) of the upper respiratory tract, is a rather dangerous condition and requires immediate hospitalization. You can leave a child at home only if the situation is repeated frequently and the parents are fully proficient in helping such a child. However, in the latter case he must be under close medical supervision.

The essence of the disease is swelling of the subglottic space and a decrease in the clearance for air passage. This is usually accompanied by swelling of the laryngeal mucosa and very viscous sputum. These conditions can arise from two main reasons - acute respiratory infection and allergies. Viral croup is characterized by a gradual increase in events, a preceding temperature, and an increase in cough. Allergy occurs suddenly, with large swelling and as a result sharp narrowing larynx, but it goes away just as quickly with the right help.

I repeat: in these conditions, calling an emergency or ambulance doctor is mandatory! But how can you help yourself? The child urgently needs to be “soaked”. To do this, give him a large dose of any mucolytic agent (if it is a mixture, then be sure to be warm!). Start giving him plenty of water. Open a window or vent and ventilate the room! Let me in the bath hot water, take the child in your arms and enter the bath with him for 10-15 minutes.

Do not fuss, do not shout, do not scare the child - if you are worried respiratory failure may intensify. If for one reason or another you stay at home, don’t go to bed - get your child drunk warm water, give mucolytics and expectorants and other drugs prescribed by the doctor, give him steam inhalation a couple of times.

COUGH IN OBSTRUCTIVE BRONCHITIS

For obstructive bronchitis - the same as for bronchial asthma- cough occurs as constantly as shortness of breath. The essence of this condition, which occurs most often in allergic children, is that the sputum formed in the bronchi is very viscous, and the child cannot cough it up. The bronchi spasm around this viscous mucus, and exhalation is especially affected.

Unlike “false croup,” where inhalation is difficult and prolonged, here it is exhalation that becomes especially difficult. And here, as with false croup, the use of various mucolytics - sputum thinners - is very important. And only when the cough becomes wet enough is it useful to use expectorants.

It is imperative to give your child water - do it at least twice a day, or even more often simple massage- tapping and kneading. To do this, 10-15 minutes after giving the drug that thins the sputum, you put the child on your lap, head down, and begin to give him a tapping massage with the tips of your closed fingers on the chest, periodically rubbing it with your palm and pressing from top to bottom, so that the sternum is pressed in inside. Ask your child to cough or press the handle of a spoon onto the root of the tongue. Don't be afraid of vomiting - this will liquefy the mucus.

Massage is especially important for children with allergies, for whom the use of many medications is contraindicated. The use of mustard plasters is also contraindicated for such children. Be sure to consistently give your child plenty of fluids. If the condition does not improve, shortness of breath increases - do not hesitate to call a doctor!

COUGH WITH COMMON TRACHEITIS AND BRONCHITIS

Most often it begins as dry, unproductive. There is no sputum. The main task is to first achieve its appearance. In the first days, use mucolytic drugs or mixed-action drugs (*these include, in particular, lazolvan, ambrobene, bromhexine), then expectorants. If the cough has become productive, the child coughs up sputum well, all medications can be discontinued and proceed to chest massage. Don't forget to give your baby plenty of water warm solutions(fruit drink, teas, juices). If not high temperature, you can use distractions from the first days (hot foot bath, mustard plasters, rubbing). All this, increasing blood flow to the respiratory organs, increases the appearance of sputum.

COUGH WITH VIRAL PHARINGITIS

If only the most upper sections respiratory tract - pharynx - very often there is an annoying frequent dry cough, accompanied by sneezing. No functional load This cough is not helpful and is very exhausting for the patient. Help here may include inhalations with herbs, oils, soda inhalations, giving cough sedatives at night.

PROLONGED, CONSTANT COUGH

This is enough complex problem. How to approach her? If your child coughs for a long time, he needs to be examined - show him to an otorhinolaryngologist, check the Mantoux reaction, consult a pulmonologist and phthisiatrician. It is necessary to know its long-term temperature reaction, take clinical analysis blood.

The reasons can be very different, even quite exotic. Yes, when helminthic infestation(ascariasis) there is a stage of passage of roundworm larvae through the lungs, which causes a prolonged severe cough in the spring and autumn. But most often prolonged cough depends on the unsatisfactory condition of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, on its allergization, chronic inflammation. Then the child may constantly produce mucus, and he will try to cough it up. These conditions must be treated by specialists.

Often a child has a cough for 3-4 weeks after suffering from an acute respiratory viral infection. This cough is aggravated by the parents themselves, giving the child cough mixtures, which, having a mucolytic and expectorant effect, themselves provoke this cough. So what did the child achieve? wet cough and good expectoration, which usually takes 4-5 days - stop giving these remedies, go to massage and warm drink. The cough will go away myself.

"Our Baby" magazine, February 2001

So, you only need to fight a “dry” cough, in which almost no sputum is produced. It usually torments children suffering from laryngitis and tracheitis. In these cases, it is advisable to use Codeine, Glaucine and other drugs that suppress. You can also use so-called folk remedies - steam inhalation, hot milk with honey, etc.

For acute respiratory diseases The cough usually starts out as "dry" but soon becomes "wet". As mentioned above, in similar cases It is better not to suppress it so that phlegm is removed from the body. But if the cough lasts too long and the sputum is bad, mucolytic drugs are usually prescribed, that is, thinning drugs: Bromhexine, Ambroxol and the like. But they should not be used for too long, otherwise the cough may only get worse. You can also use products that improve sputum separation. These are, for example, “Mukaltin”, “Pectusin”, “Likarin” and others, they all contain extracts of various plants.

If the cough is caused by bronchitis or asthma, all of the above remedies will not help. Doctors prescribe antispasmodics, for example, "Salbutamol". Also, if you have bronchitis, you should not rub or apply cups to the chest or back, or take antibiotics. After all, they are usually caused by viruses, and on them similar drugs don't work. It is better to use hot baths with water at 39 degrees C to increase blood flow (but only if there is no elevated temperature). For cases caused by pneumonia, on the contrary, you cannot do without antibiotics.

Under no circumstances should you select remedies yourself. First of all, you need to find out the reason that caused this cough. And only a doctor can do this. He will also appoint correct scheme treatment.

Video on the topic

Sources:

a child coughs what to do in 2019

Children's illnesses have always caused a lot of trouble for parents and the children themselves. Whooping cough is especially dangerous in the first years of a child’s life. If you do not see a doctor on time, complications may occur and even death. IN modern world There are vaccinations against a, which significantly reduce the statistics of children getting this disease. It is worth noting that vaccinations are still important, despite the refusal of many mothers to vaccinate.

This disease is airborne - by drip, and penetrates the child’s blood, causing a severe cough. It is caused by the whooping cough bacillus, which enters the child's respiratory tract. Whooping cough in children appears after the first week of illness. From the first days the disease begins with a slight runny nose and cough. That is, it is very similar to a cold. After a little treatment, the parent confidently sends the child to kindergarten with a slight cough. This is where all the fun begins. The child’s cough intensifies and has a paroxysmal character. The child has seizures, to the point of vomiting.

In such a situation, urgently contact a doctor, who will find out the nature of the disease using special tests. But, if a child starts coughing from the first week of illness, do not rush to draw conclusions. Just in the first week, a cough is considered normal. The duration of the disease is from four weeks to two months. In children under two years of age, whooping cough depletes the body and can even lead to pneumonia. The smallest children under one year old mandatory hospitalization is recommended, since their immunity is still quite weak, and the child needs constant monitoring doctors During illness, it is worth limiting the child from communicating with other children.

A severe cough in a child is a sign of a weakened body or the presence of foreign bodies in the respiratory tract.

Ignoring the urge to cough leads to complications: shortness of breath, inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract and other problems. The task of parents is to take timely measures, about which we'll talk in the article.

In contact with

Causes

Very strong frequent cough a child with a fever is a clear sign of illness. This is an acute respiratory infection, a sore throat. In any case, before taking action, it is necessary to be examined by a doctor.

If it bothers you at night

Reasons for strong persistent cough in a child at night are determined depending on the age of the baby. If a newborn coughs, it is possible that mucus from the nose got into the throat during sleep. Also, the option of being in mother's milk allergens, if the reflexes began after feeding. This is not a harbinger of disease. During the day, the baby will clear his throat and the urge will go away, and it is advisable to give the mother breast milk to a special laboratory to check its composition. Also, wheezing in a child at night is a sign that the small body is fighting an infection.

Why do I have a constant cough in the morning?

The reason for a child’s severe cough in the morning is that the sick child lay in a horizontal position all night.

If the baby’s body is struggling with any disease, mucus accumulates during sleep and is not able to come out. Upon awakening small body trying to get rid of large quantity sputum, and this is achieved with great difficulty.

Vomiting

A constant strong cough in a child with bronchitis or any other disease, leading to vomiting, is a reflex.

There are vomiting receptors at the base of the tongue and in the pharynx. During strong urges, the walls of the pharynx become irritated, which causes erroneous initiation of vomiting. The body receives a false signal to reject food from the stomach. At the same time, the baby does not feel either nausea or chills. Vomiting is also observed in gastrointestinal diseases and whooping cough.

Barking

When the urge to cough is accompanied by a rough barking sound- This is a sign of laryngitis. Along with this, the child feels pain in the chest, suffocates and wheezes.

No temperature

I have a very strong cough one year old child without fever - a sign of allergies, blockage of the respiratory tract, inhalation of a toxic substance or ingestion of a foreign body. In such cases, the baby’s skin changes color, headaches appear, and cases of loss of consciousness become more frequent.

How to treat expectorant cough?

Every parent should know how to remove and treat a strong expectorant. The cough reflex is not a disease, but its cause. Therefore, suppressing the urges is not enough; you need to eliminate the cause of their appearance.

How can I help quickly?

Before relieving a child of a cough and trying to quickly help him, you need to make sure that the urge does not pose any danger - for example, it has been detected common cold. In this case, it is enough to provide the baby with warm drinking plenty of fluids, put ½ teaspoon of honey under the tongue twice a day, give vitamins that restore immunity. It is advisable to limit the child from contact with people for several days: no kindergarten or clubs until complete recovery.

To prevent your baby from getting sick, do not forget about prevention. You need to make sure that he eats properly, drinks enough water (100 ml per 1 kg of weight per day) and does not get hypothermic.

Important regular intake vitamins – natural and tablets (in the latter case, consultation with a doctor is required). To immunity healthy body strengthened, you need to accustom your baby to sports, regular hygiene and hardening.

What else can I do to stop?

Complete elimination of severe cough in children depends on how and with what to treat the child (with what intensity!). Ideally, therapy should be comprehensive: using medications, massage, preventive measures and, of course, positive emotions.

How to relieve a child’s severe cough with back massage:

Place the patient on his stomach.
For 10 minutes, lightly tap the baby’s back with the costal side of your palms in the “shoulders-to-belt” direction.
Every 2 minutes the patient should be helped to cough.

Young parents are advised to trust a massage therapist. To massage children at home in order to relieve them of a severe cough, special training is needed. Many medical centers conduct training courses for young parents, the program of which includes therapeutic massage.

Are antibiotics needed?

Antibiotics for severe coughs in children are prescribed by a pediatrician. Antibiotics are useless for viral diseases. This type of medicine is appropriate if the cause of coughing is a bacterial attack on the body.

Common antibiotics prescribed to children: Ampiox, Loraxone, Cefpirom, Sumamed, Klabax, Ofloxacin. Children are prescribed antibiotics in the form of syrups and suspensions.

What medications should I give to relieve dry spells?

Folk remedies are the first thing adults resort to when treating children. If they do not help, parents are lost because they do not know how to relieve and stop a child’s severe cough.

What can you give your child if he has a severe cough?

Butamirat;
Codterpin;
Glycodin.

The listed drugs, as a rule, do not require long-term therapy, because can lead to stagnation of bronchial secretions and progression of the infectious process.

How to make it easier for a baby?

Causes of severe cough infant do not always relate to diseases. A severe cough in a baby is caused by dry nasal mucosa - a regular cough will help with this. saline solution in the form of drops.

To ease the urge to cough in a baby, you can add liquid honey to strained breast milk. Also, do not forget to regularly humidify the air in the children's room and often walk with your baby in the fresh air (but not in cold weather!).

Features of treatment in adults

The course of treatment in an adult is accompanied by taking medications. An adult treats a lingering dry cough with tablets, sprays, syrups, and antibiotic injections.

Concerning folk remedies, then an adult is allowed to apply hot salt to his chest, wrapped in paper and thick layer towels You can’t experiment like this with babies, because you could inadvertently burn their thin, sensitive skin.

Adults drink more often herbal infusions, while kids resist this treatment method due to bad taste drink

Useful video

For information on treating a child’s cough using a nebulizer, watch the following video:

conclusions

Relieving a cough attack at night is carried out with antitussive drugs.
Morning attacks should not be stopped forcibly. The child must cough up what has accumulated in the respiratory tract during the night.
Cough treatment involves A complex approach. Only a doctor can tell you what to do and how to help your child if he has a severe cough. The course of medication and other aspects related to the patient’s health are agreed upon with him.
The information contained in the article is provided for informational purposes only.