A debilitating cough brings discomfort to both the child and his parents. This symptom occurs in a variety of diseases. With the complaint that the lungs are clean, but a small child has a cough, they often go to the doctor. Some parents are sure that this does not indicate any violation. However, it is not. Even with clear lungs, a cough can signal the presence of a disease. Some illnesses may require immediate treatment. That is why, if unwanted symptoms appear, you should seek help from a doctor.
A cough may indicate illness even with clean lungs.
First, let's determine the source of the cough and runny nose.
ARVI ranks first among provocateurs. This is a group of diseases with similar symptoms. It spreads through airborne droplets and affects children's respiratory organs. Finding exactly the virus that caused the illness is problematic; there are more than 200 of them.
Other symptoms of ARVI besides cough and runny nose:
- sneezing;
- swelling of the mucous membranes;
- hard breath;
- muscle and headache;
- temperature;
- general weakness.
The flu adds severe headaches and a sore throat to the list. Rhinitis does not cause a high fever and does not put the child to bed, but it can be a signal for examination for measles and diphtheria. Laryngitis is characterized by a rough cough, hoarseness, the larynx becomes covered with crusts and mucus. Bronchitis provokes a deep, dry or wet cough.
Sore throat requires serious treatment; it can cause heart complications. It is identified by acute inflammation in the throat area - a white or gray coating. Pharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchiolitis, sinusitis, sinusitis and, most importantly, pneumonia, also require medical supervision.
The next pests are bacteria. Tests show the presence of a bacterial infection; it is expressed by severe pain, green snot and sputum. But yellow-green snot indicates the release of dead immune cells. A runny nose and cough can be a reaction to pollen, pet dander, and other irritants. Signs of allergies include severe lacrimation, itching in the nose and eyes.
The appearance of cough with clear lungs in children
A debilitating cough brings discomfort to both the child and his parents. This symptom occurs in a variety of diseases. With the complaint that the lungs are clean, but a small child has a cough, they often go to the doctor.
Some parents are sure that this does not indicate any violation. However, it is not. Even with clear lungs, a cough can signal the presence of a disease. Some illnesses may require immediate treatment.
That is why, if unwanted symptoms appear, you should seek help from a doctor.
A cough may indicate illness even with clean lungs.
Causes of cough
A child's cough most often indicates the presence of an inflammatory process. A pure pulmonary section is observed when the disease occurs in the upper parts of the respiratory system. This happens often. Clear lungs when coughing may indicate the presence of various diseases. The following diseases can be diagnosed:
- viral rhinitis;
- an allergic reaction to something;
- pharyngitis;
- laryngitis.
These are the main diseases in which the cough does not go away for a month or more, but the baby’s lungs are clean. Preschool children who attend kindergarten are most susceptible to viral rhinitis. When the disease appears, the baby begins to actively sneeze.
Then there is a discharge of clear liquid from the nasal cavity. The nose turns red. The throat begins to dry out and hurt, the child coughs. During examination, the specialist will not hear wheezing sounds in the lungs.
A child with rhinitis coughs because secretions flow down the back of the nasal cavity.
The appearance of a cough may be due to inflammation of the pharynx or larynx
A child's cough with clear lungs may not go away for a month or more if there is an allergic reaction. Typically, this disorder manifests itself in those children who live in large cities with heavily polluted ecology. The allergen may be:
- dust;
- pet fur;
- plant pollen;
- medications;
- chemical substances;
- household chemicals.
If a child has had unwanted symptoms for a month or more, it is likely that the allergen is in the house where the baby lives. Do not delay treatment. In some cases, an allergic reaction can result in an inflammatory process in the bronchi.
The lungs remain clean, but a cough appears - this phenomenon is typical if the child is allergic to something
With pharyngitis, the inflammatory process occurs directly in the child’s throat. This disease is often confused with tonsillitis. However, any doctor can easily determine what disease the baby has.
It is worth noting that with clean lungs and a cough, the baby does not wheeze. This is due to the fact that the inflammatory process occurs in the upper parts of the respiratory system.
Parents often mistake physiological coughing for pathological coughing. In the first case, the symptom is not a disorder. Each person coughs up to 17-22 times daily. At the same time, the lungs are absolutely clean, and there are no disturbances in the body.
Whooping cough as a cause
Whooping cough is a disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets. In an uncomplicated form of the disease, the child’s lungs are clean, but there is a strong cough.
Whooping cough is an infectious disease caused by the whooping cough bacillus. To prevent it from causing serious complications, it is necessary to start treatment as early as possible.
Whooping cough is especially dangerous for preschool children.
With whooping cough, the child experiences a sore throat with severe coughing attacks
Whooping cough can be transmitted from a person who is in the early stages of the disease. The incubation period is approximately two weeks. In some cases it may take a month. At the initial stage of the disease, passing symptoms are observed.
The child periodically simply coughs and does not complain of significant deterioration in his condition. After a short amount of time, a sore throat begins to appear. The cough gradually gets worse. It is difficult for the child to cough up the mucus that has formed. Night attacks may occur.
In this case, the cough prevents the child from sleeping fully.
Gradually the little patient's condition worsens. The cough is paroxysmal. The attacks always end in vomiting. The child complains of the following symptoms:
- prostration;
- apathy;
- anxiety;
- sleep disturbance;
- refusal to eat;
- paroxysmal cough that does not go away for about 5 minutes.
Because of whooping cough, the child gets tired quickly and may lose appetite
With clean lungs, a child can have up to 20 attacks per day. In a complicated form of the disease, their number can reach up to 50. The condition of the little patient worsens significantly. This is due to the fact that his debilitating cough causes insomnia. The child cries constantly. The following symptoms may occur:
- swollen area around the eyes;
- swelling of the face;
- bleeding from the nasal cavity;
- fainting and loss of consciousness;
- frequent sneezing.
After about a month, the condition may improve slightly. However, the cough does not go away. With clean lungs, body temperature does not rise. An increase in indicators is possible only with a complicated form.
The appearance of swelling on the face is one of the complications of whooping cough
The disease can only be diagnosed by a blood test.
Highly toxic medications may be prescribed to treat whooping cough. Without treatment, the infection spreads to the bronchi. In this case, there is a significant increase in temperature and difficulty breathing.
With complications of the disease, the child may experience seizures. Brain hemorrhages are possible. With such complications, changes in the lungs are observed.
Cough in newborns
Children under one year of age are susceptible to various diseases. Parents worry when the baby has any undesirable symptom. Often infants have a cough despite clear lungs. This sign can appear for various reasons. Usually it does not indicate the presence of any violation.
Cough occurs when foreign objects enter a child's throat
A baby needs a cough to clear the airways. This is a protective reaction of the body.
The cough may come on suddenly and not go away for a long period of time. In most cases, this indicates that there is a foreign object in the respiratory system. In order for the cough to go away, you need to take it out. If necessary, call an ambulance.
Often, cough in newborns does not indicate any pathology. It's possible:
- when dust gets into the child’s respiratory system;
- with a large amount of discharge in the nasal passages;
- with excessive salivation.
Often newborns cough in the morning. At the same time, the baby's lungs are clean. This is the norm. The symptom goes away on its own.
Cough is also a reaction to dust
Cough therapy
Treatment for coughing with clear lungs is prescribed depending on many individual characteristics. Physiological cough is considered normal and does not require therapy. In the presence of pharyngitis, laryngitis or rhinitis, as a rule, the child is prescribed antibacterial drugs. The most popular of them:
- Augmentin;
- Cefodox;
- Amoxil;
- Framycetin.
Under no circumstances should you rely on your knowledge and independently choose a medicine to treat your baby. Otherwise, the use of medications can result in serious complications.
At an early stage of the disease, you can do without antibacterial drugs. It is worth noting that such drugs significantly reduce the body's protective functions. That is why, after a full recovery, parents should pay attention to restoring the baby’s condition.
For this purpose, vitamin and mineral complexes can be prescribed.
Self-selection of drugs for the treatment of cough in a child can cause various complications.
At an early stage of the disease, treatment consists of:
- rinsing the nasal cavity;
- gargling;
- the use of decoctions and tinctures from natural ingredients.
Some natural ingredients can cause individual intolerance. In this case, the baby's condition will worsen.
Cough with clear lungs is often present in children. This phenomenon may signal the presence of various diseases of the upper respiratory tract. However, in some cases, such coughing is normal. Antibacterial drugs are used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. After using them, you will need to restore the body's immune system.
Cough medicines will be discussed in the video:
Source: https://bolezni.com/stati-o-simptomax/kashel/poyavlenie-kashlya-pri-chistyx-legkix-u-rebenka.html
General rules for treating a child for cough and runny nose
If a child is sick for the first 3 days and no serious symptoms are detected, we will help him cope with his illness in simple ways. This is enough to overcome a common ARVI and prevent complications from a more serious illness.
We organize suitable conditions for the child:
- The optimal air temperature in the room is 18-22 degrees.
- We regularly ventilate the room.
- We do wet cleaning 2-3 times a day. We remember that viruses and bacteria like to live in dust.
- We humidify the air the child inhales with a humidifier or a simple wet towel on a radiator.
- We do not force the child to eat, but we insist on drinking plenty of any liquids: tea, fruit drinks, mineral water, compotes.
If the child feels well, we go for walks more often. We try to prevent the mucus in the nose from drying out and crusts from forming. The ideal assistant for this is a weak salt solution, which can be purchased at a pharmacy (saline) or made independently (1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water). It is absolutely harmless, it is permissible to drop 2-4 drops into each nasal passage at least an hour later.
It is appropriate to add an oil solution to the salt solution - Vaseline, olive oil, tocopherol, retinol or “Ectericide”. It will coat the mucous membranes and prevent drying. The oily liquid must be combined with hydrochloric liquid; the former can be dripped less frequently - every 2 hours.
Do not use vasoconstrictor drops - Naphthyzin, Nazol - to get rid of a common viral runny nose. They first alleviate the condition, and then worsen it, dry out the mucous membranes and cause complications in the medical history. They are appropriate for allergic rhinitis and otitis media.
Get tested for allergies. If a child’s rhinitis is caused precisely by external irritants, remove the source, start taking antihistamines and vasoconstrictor drops. The correct therapy should be prescribed by a pediatrician. Drops should not be used more than 3 times a day or longer than a week.
Let’s summarize the entire comprehensive approach to combating the runny nose:
- Drink plenty of any liquids that the child does not refuse - water, tea, compote, diluted juices.
- Give your son or daughter vitamins. In some cases, it is permissible to use antiviral drugs that stimulate the production of interferon and help fight viruses.
- Create all the conditions for recovery, let the child breathe clean and cool air.
- Moisten the nasal passages with a saline and oil solution, clear them of mucus.
- Apply an aroma lamp with esters - clove, eucalyptus, cinnamon, mint oil, diluted in a base of apricot, peach or jojoba oil. You can anoint the wings of the nose and the bridge of the nose with the mixture if the baby does not resist. An old proven method is the “Star” balm.
The mucous discharge from the nose should flow. Use an aspirator (nozzle suction device) or cotton swabs if you have a baby. It’s better to have irritation from a handkerchief under the nose than for a child to need long-term treatment in a hospital setting. If you follow these simple recommendations, a runny nose and cough (as a result of snot) will go away on their own in just 3 days.
A child has a wet cough, the lungs are clear – your doctor
Article last updated: March 25, 2018
Cough is a protective device that protects the respiratory tract from mucus, fluid and foreign objects. The cough can be wet or dry. Both types bring the same inconvenience to babies. Using a wet cough as an example, let’s look at what is important for parents to know and remember in order to help their child cope with this illness.
This condition is based on the cough reflex. Irritation of bronchial receptors by sputum triggers a complex mechanism.
The receptors transmit the impulse to the medulla oblongata, where the respiratory center is located → the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm contract → a sharp opening of the fissure occurs → forced exhalation → removal of mucous and other contents from the bronchi and lungs.
Under what conditions is a wet cough observed in a child?
- viral respiratory diseases;
- allergies (bronchial asthma, bronchitis);
- pneumonia and bronchitis;
- abscesses and bronchiectasis of the lung;
- congenital diseases (cystic fibrosis, Kartegener's disease);
- tuberculosis.
The glands in the bronchial mucosa, during inflammation and in interaction with other irritants, work in an enhanced mode.
The rheological properties of bronchial secretions are disrupted. It becomes thick, which affects mucociliary clearance - the removal of mucous contents by the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi. Fluid stagnation contributes to the formation of inflammatory foci.
The nature of the sputum can determine the cause of the cough:
- purulent → abscess or bronchiectasis in the lung;
- bloody → tuberculosis or cardiovascular failure;
- viscous → bronchial asthma;
- watery → viral infection;
- rusty color → pneumococcal pneumonia.
Possible causes of wet cough in an infant
Coughing at such an early age always frightens parents. But often there is no reason to panic.
- In infants, coughing occurs due to insufficient development of the muscles of the esophagus and stomach. The contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus and partially aspirated (inhaled), causing a cough. This condition is called gastroesophageal reflux.
- A wet, infrequent cough is observed in infants during teething due to excessive salivation.
- A cough occurs with strong crying with copious discharge from the nose.
- When choking on milk during feeding.
All these conditions do not pose a danger to the child and go away on their own. Therefore, it is believed that a wet cough in a baby without fever up to 15 times a day is the norm.
Cough is a symptom of a particular disease.
Requires immediate treatment if:
- dyspnea;
- decreased appetite;
- heat;
- sudden attacks of coughing;
- wheezing;
- change in color of sputum, presence of blood streaks.
If you experience one or more of the above symptoms, you should consult your doctor. Only a doctor can assess the child’s condition, make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.
Aimed at eliminating the cause of wet cough.
- for colds, as well as for inflammatory processes in the bronchi and lungs, antiviral agents and antibiotics are prescribed;
- bronchial asthma is treated with bronchodilators and hormones;
- allergies require antihistamines;
- Tuberculosis is cured with specific antibacterial therapy.
How to cure a cough itself?
- Drink plenty of fluids . Helps reduce intoxication, dilutes viscous secretions in the bronchi.
It is necessary to constantly offer the child water. Warm, abundant drinks can consist of fruit drinks, compotes, and herbal tea.
Breastfed babies should be put to the breast more often.
- Mucolytics . They liquefy the mucous contents of the bronchi and promote their removal to the outside. These drugs increase the amount of secretion, so they are chosen for a wet, unproductive cough. These include drugs containing the following active substances: acetylcysteine, ambroxol, carbocysteine, trypsin, chymotrypsin. The last two are proteolytic enzymes and are used in cystic fibrosis. Let's describe the first three components:
- acetylcysteine (ACC, Fluimucil, Acestad) breaks mucopolysaccharide bonds and promotes the discharge of bronchial secretions. Not prescribed for children, or for bronchial obstruction. Duration of admission is no more than 10 days. Suppresses the effect of antibiotics, so take them with an interval of at least 2 hours between them;
- carbocisteine (Fluditec, Mucosol). The principle of action is the same as that of acetylcysteine, but, unlike it, does not cause bronchospasm and can be used in infants;
- Ambroxol (Ambrobene, Lazolvan, Flavomed) thins the viscous secretion, activates the action of the ciliated epithelium, and stimulates the production of surfactant. Interacts well with other drugs. It is the best remedy for babies from the first weeks of life.
- Expectorants. Are divided into:
- reflex (based on plant raw materials);
- resorptive (synthetic drugs).
Reflex irritate the gastric mucosa and the vomiting center, so there is increased salivation and increased secretion of bronchial fluid. The most popular drugs: Mucaltin, licorice root, breast mixture, Herbion, Gedelix, Alteyka.
It is dangerous to prescribe herbal remedies before 5 years of age due to the frequent broncho-obstructive syndrome that develops while taking them. Possible allergies must be taken into account.
Resorptive drugs (sodium bicarbonate, potassium iodide and others) also thin out thick secretions by increasing the volume of fluid in the bronchi. Not used in pediatric practice.
- Combined drugs . They contain several substances that have different actions.
- Ascoril (mucolytic, bronchodilator, expectorant effects). A very good drug, prescribed from 2 years of age;
- Bronholitin (antitussive, anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator). It is not recommended to use for wet cough.
It must be remembered that if you have a wet cough, you should not use antitussive drugs. This will not help cure the child, but will only contribute to even greater stagnation of phlegm in the bronchi and lungs, the so-called “swamping syndrome.”
- Erespal contains the active substance - fenspiride. Acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, relieves bronchial obstruction. From 2 years;
- Sinupret based on medicinal herbs. It has expectorant, mucolytic and anti-inflammatory properties. From 2 years old.
To treat cough use:
- inhalations: steam with eucalyptus, sage or chamomile;
- through a nebulizer with saline solution, Lazolvan, Berodual or Pulmicort;
These procedures are necessary in the treatment of wet cough, especially in newborns and children under one year old.
- Coughing with phlegm in an infant often leads to pneumonia. At this age, the child is not able to get rid of exudate in the lungs by coughing. To do this, the baby is placed in a special drainage position so that the butt is higher and the head is lower. In this position, lightly pat the back from the lower back to the neck, alternate vibration with stroking and rubbing;
- An older child is also given a chest drainage massage, supplemented with special breathing exercises.
After drinking a course of expectorants and other cough medications, the child will continue to cough for some time.
There is no need to feed him with syrups and tablets if his overall health has already improved. The cough will go away on its own, you just need to move actively.
The task of parents is to create conditions for a speedy recovery:
- it is necessary to monitor the humidity in the room and ventilate more often;
- do wet cleaning regularly;
- strengthen the immune system by hardening and moderate physical activity;
- The child must eat properly and regularly spend time in the fresh air.
If your baby has a cough, there is no need to self-medicate. Seek help from your doctor. Only a doctor can prescribe the right drug.
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Source: https://dctorpiter.ru/vlazhnyj-kashel-u-rebenka-legkie-chistye.html
Massage and gymnastics - we will help a child without drugs
Another way to alleviate a child’s condition is acupuncture massage of points on the face. How to do it? Using light, smooth massaging movements, move down from the bridge of the nose from the eyebrows along the wings to the base of the nose and massage the side surfaces of the tip a little more. We act symmetrically on both sides and clockwise.
Breathing exercises will also come in handy. There are different techniques, but even the simplest of them improve blood circulation in the nasopharynx and relieve swelling. It is enough to do breathing exercises 1-2 times a day. It will be an excellent addition to the main treatment.
When a runny nose requires emergency medical attention:
- If the snot does not go away for 10 days or more, you need a consultation and testing for the presence of a bacterial infection. In this case, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics.
- If a child complains of an unbearable headache or discomfort in the ears (for very young children, you can press the tragus to determine whether the ear hurts or not). Contact an ENT specialist to rule out the presence of sinusitis or otitis media. These symptoms may indicate inflammation of the meninges (meningitis).
- If you notice blood in the mucus secreted and it did not get there from the wounds around the nose, plus the child looks too lethargic - these signs indicate diphtheria.
Don't put antibiotics in your nose. They cause an allergic reaction in the body. Later, if antibiotic treatment is needed for a serious illness, they will be useless and sometimes dangerous. The popular “Dioxidin” is completely toxic to children.
A child’s dry cough does not go away for a long time without fever; the lungs are clean.
Any child’s cough for a parent is a big problem and a cause for serious concern. When a child has been coughing for more than a month, nothing helps, examinations do not bring results, and the next package of pills and mixtures only intensifies the symptoms, the parents’ heads are spinning.
What is a cough
When a person gets sick, sputum forms in the nasopharynx, bronchi and even in the upper parts of the lungs. It is necessary to neutralize bacteria and viruses. The body needs to remove this mucus, which is why coughing exists.
Types of cough
According to duration, doctors divide the following types of cough:
- Spicy. This type of dry cough usually stops after a few days. Instead, it appears moist, productive, with sputum discharge.
- A persistent cough lasts from two weeks to three months.
- Chronic is a type of cough that does not go away for more than three months.
As you might guess, it is not that uncommon for a child to cough for more than a month. Nothing helps - this is also not an out of the ordinary situation. Let's figure out what can cause a lingering and chronic cough and how to treat it.
Why does the cough not go away for a long time?
Very often, parents cannot understand why the child coughs for so long. What not to do and what are the main mistakes in treatment, due to which the unpleasant symptoms of the disease may not go away for a long time:
- Using expectorants to treat a wet cough (very often on the advice of a pharmacist at a pharmacy or a friend). Such an error in choosing a drug causes excessive formation of phlegm in the lungs, which the body does not have time to get rid of, and the child coughs non-stop. By the way, there is no evidence of the greater effectiveness of such remedies compared to drinking plenty of fluids and rinsing the nose.
- The indoor air is too dry and warm. Such a seemingly trifle can do a disservice in the treatment of any infection.
- Use of cough suppressants without acute indications. It is especially dangerous to take such drugs with a wet cough, because the body needs to get rid of the resulting phlegm.
- Warming up, hot inhalations, rubbing (especially during the acute period of the disease) should not be done. Firstly, no doctor would advise overheating a child who already has a fever. Secondly, even if the fever has long passed, the effectiveness of this treatment method raises many doubts. Instead of such procedures, doctors recommend using a nebulizer.
The child has been coughing for a month. Komarovsky answers
The doctor claims that the main treatment for cough during ARVI should be drinking plenty of fluids at room temperature, ventilating, humidifying the air and walking.
If a child coughs for a month without fever, this is most likely the fault of the parents who, for example, started giving mucolytics. Komarovsky always pays special attention to the fact that drugs are not more effective than normal climate and frequent drinking. According to Oleg Evgenievich, it is simply dangerous to give such drugs to children under two or three years old.
Whooping cough
Whooping cough is a dangerous infectious disease that manifests itself in the early stages in unvaccinated children as follows:
- Temperature raised to 37-37.5 degrees.
- Dry, infrequent cough.
- Weakness.
- Mucous discharge from the nose.
After about the second week of illness, spasmodic attacks intensify, the child coughs at night during sleep and during the day. The attacks can be so severe that they are accompanied by vomiting. Cough during whooping cough can last up to three months. Treatment should take place in a hospital setting with the mandatory use of antibiotics.
In vaccinated children, whooping cough most often occurs in a very mild or erased form. A cough can only be distinguished by the fact that the child coughs most at night, which prevents him from sleeping. By the end of the second week, the cough intensifies, and then gradually disappears over about a month without treatment.
Allergic cough
If a child has been coughing for more than a month, nothing helps, and does not get better, it is worth considering whether an allergic reaction is causing the attacks. Typical signs of cough due to allergies:
- It begins abruptly and has a paroxysmal character.
- An allergic cough is always dry and is often accompanied by rhinitis (runny nose).
- The attack can last a very long time - up to several hours.
- The cough does not bring relief.
- Sputum, if it is released, is transparent, without green or red impurities.
- Itching or sneezing may be present.
If your child is coughing, you need to find out why as quickly as possible. An allergic cough without timely treatment can cause asthma or bronchitis. And this is already fraught with serious consequences.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is inflammation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi. This is a fairly serious disease, which today, with timely and correct treatment, can be cured quite successfully and without consequences.
Cough with bronchitis in a child has a number of differences:
- Severe wet cough with sputum.
- A sharp rise in temperature.
- Weakness.
- Pulmonary wheezing.
- The presence of moist rales in the lungs with a characteristic gurgling sound, which can often be heard without a phonendoscope.
- Hard breathing.
The maximum duration of cough with bronchitis is two weeks. In other cases, we can talk about complications or the fact that the bronchi have not recovered from the disease, and physical therapy is required.
Neurological cough
Very often, pediatricians forget about such a common cause of cough as neurological problems. Sometimes mothers complain that the child has been coughing for more than a month, nothing helps. All medications have already been tried, tests have been taken more than once, doctors have been visited for the third time, but there is no result. The cause of the cough may not be physiological, but psychological.
Here is a list of symptoms of neurotic cough:
- Obsessive dry cough.
- No signs of ARVI.
- The baby coughs only during the day.
- The attacks intensify in the evening (from accumulated fatigue).
- There is no deterioration or improvement over a long period of time.
- Medicines don't help.
- There may be shortness of breath when coughing.
- Always appears at times of stress.
- It is often loud, as if special.
When diagnosing such a psychogenic disease, a complete examination by a pulmonologist, otolaryngologist, allergist, neurologist and psychotherapist is necessary. It is important to exclude all possible common causes of cough (including bronchial asthma and tuberculosis), since psychogenic cough lasting more than three months is detected in only ten percent of all cases.
Let's move on to coughing - how to get rid of it and is it always necessary to do this?
A cough is the same immune response as a runny nose. By coughing, the child tries to clear the airways of irritants. Most often, this same irritant is snot. And the first way to get rid of a cough is to cure a runny nose using the methods described above.
Any disease of the respiratory tract is accompanied by copious production of sputum. The body removes accumulated mucus by coughing. The parents’ task is not to dry out the mucus and to do everything so that it leaves the child’s body more easily. And the first remedies are plenty of fluids and cool air.
It is strictly forbidden to give a child cough suppressants without a doctor’s prescription.
Pay attention to accompanying symptoms:
- Fever. When a cough and runny nose is accompanied by a temperature no higher than 37.5 degrees, this indicates a cold and does not cause danger. If the thermometer strip runs above 38 degrees, the body is fighting a virus or bacterial infection. Remember that the optimal temperature for the death of viruses is 38-39 degrees; if it rises, you must take an antipyretic. Paracetamol will help check the severity of the disease: if it brings down the temperature, in most cases the disease is mild.
- Labored breathing. It occurs when there is a spasm of the natural air passages and indicates a serious disease of the bronchi, pneumonia.
- Hoarseness in the voice. A bad symptom that requires observation by a doctor. Appears with sore throat, laryngitis, pharyngitis.
If the sputum is very thick, transparent and viscous, you should think about an asthmatic cough. There is no temperature. If the cough is persistent, the sputum is dark and streaked with blood, you need to be examined for cancer.
Cough in a child with clean lungs: causes and first aid
The situation when a child has a strong cough and yet his lungs are clear is quite common. The cause of this phenomenon can be various ailments, including common respiratory diseases. Therefore, it is important that children get an appointment with a pediatrician in a timely manner. By self-medicating, you can get serious complications.
Cause of cough
The presence of a cough with mucus discharge indicates that there is an inflammatory process in the child’s respiratory system. If the lungs are clear, it means that it develops in the upper part of the respiratory system. As a rule, the doctor is faced with viral rhinitis and pharyngitis.
- Viral rhinitis. It is often present in preschool children attending kindergartens. First, the baby sneezes, then a runny nose and redness of the nose appear, and a dry throat. At this stage, coughing begins. In this case, the doctor will not hear wheezing or whistling in the lungs. The cause of the reflex action is mucus flowing down the back wall of the nasopharynx.
- Allergic rhinitis. This disease is typical for children living in large cities where there is significant air pollution. A runny nose can also be caused by pet hair, dust mites, pollen, medications, or the smell of paint or gasoline. The disease often progresses rapidly.
If you do not consult a doctor in time and do not receive adequate treatment, within 3-4 days the inflammatory process will descend down to the bronchi. This can cause serious complications, including pneumonia. This negative development is characteristic not only of allergic rhinitis, but also of its viral variety.
- Pharyngitis. Pharyngitis is a disease in which the presence of an inflammatory process in the child’s pharynx is detected. It is often confused with tonsillitis; although the diseases have similar symptoms, they have completely different visual manifestations. When examining the oral cavity, inflammation of the pharynx is observed with pharyngitis, and inflammation of the tonsils with tonsillitis.
The cause of cough is a sore throat. Since the inflammatory process does not affect the lower parts of the respiratory system, when the baby is examined by a pediatrician, his lungs will be absolutely clean.
Wheezing will appear only when the virus or bacterial infection spreads to the bronchi and lungs. Preventing this development of the disease is quite simple. You need to visit your pediatrician in a timely manner.
Depending on whether we are talking about rhinitis or pharyngitis, the manifestation of the reflex action will change. In the first case, a cough will develop with slight expectoration of sputum, as mucus flows down the back wall of the nasopharynx.
In the second case, the reflex action often brings unpleasant pain to the child, as it is caused by an inflammatory process. Usually the cough is persistent. There is also a sore throat and pain when swallowing. Coughing is difficult.
How to alleviate the baby's condition?
Parents do not always have the opportunity to take their child to see a pediatrician in a short time. This may be due to various reasons:
- Holidays at the dacha.
- Long holidays.
- Living in a village where there is no medical center.
Therefore, it is important to know how to alleviate the child’s condition and not harm him with your actions.
First aid
Treatment for a child with a severe cough when the lungs are clear depends on many factors. First, it is necessary to determine whether we are talking about pharyngitis, rhinitis, or a symbiosis of these two ailments. Using a tablespoon, inspect the larynx. In the presence of an inflammatory process, its walls are not pink, but red.
Laryngitis is characterized by nasal congestion and lack of change in throat color. Particular attention should be paid to what is highlighted. If it has a green color and an unpleasant odor, it means that there is a purulent or mucopurulent inflammatory process in the respiratory system.
In this case, the use of antibiotics will be necessary:
- for laryngitis - this is, as a rule, Amoxiclav, Augmentin;
- for rhinitis - Azithromycin, Cefodox, Framycetin;
- for pharyngitis - Amoxil, Ceftriaxone, Azithromycin.
But it is worth remembering that self-prescribing medications is extremely dangerous.
It is necessary to understand that uncontrolled use of antibiotics at an early stage of the development of the disease can provoke the development of complications in the child.
Medicines of this type are necessary for the bacterial form of the disease and are useless for viral infections. But they perfectly and in a short time weaken the children's immune system.
Home treatments that can be done without causing harm to the baby include the following:
- rinsing the nose with various decoctions and solutions;
- mouth rinse;
- drinking medicinal decoctions.
The easiest way to rinse your nose is to take the solution into a syringe and squeeze the liquid into the nasal passage. In this case, the baby should lean over the bathtub. The following may serve as a medicinal solution:
- chamomile decoction, to which allergies are very rarely present (pour boiling water over 1 teaspoon of the herb, leave for 15 minutes, strain);
- a mixture of 200 ml of water, 1 tsp, salt and a couple of drops of iodine. Do not use if you are allergic to iodine-containing substances;
- 200 ml water and 1 tsp. Chlorophyllipta.
All these solutions are also effective for gargling with pharyngitis. Chlorophyllipt has a multifunctional effect and allows you to get rid of inflammation even in very advanced cases.
If a child often suffers from viral respiratory infections, the initial stage of which is characterized by a cough in the absence of wheezing in the lungs, it is advisable to always have antiviral drugs on hand, for example Rimantadine.
Medical practice in recent years has shown that the use of interferon for nasal instillation, as well as other immunomodulatory agents, can provoke an intensification or onset of allergic rhinitis.
Folk remedies
When a baby starts coughing for almost no apparent reason, it is better to give preference to traditional recipes instead of expensive medications that negatively affect the baby’s liver, kidneys, stomach and cardiac system.
Of course, not all of the treatment methods that are available on the Internet can be used. Some of them may cause the condition to worsen. You need to choose time-tested methods.
Decoctions of medicinal herbs are a panacea for many ailments, including laryngitis and pharyngitis. It is important to understand here that a child’s cough is not caused by inflammation in the lower respiratory tract. There is no need to use solutions with a mucolytic effect. It is necessary to improve the general condition, reduce mucus secretion and eliminate the cough.
To boost immunity and cleanse the body of toxins, it is recommended to use rosehip decoction. To obtain it, you need to boil a 3-liter pan of water and pour 1 cup of dry fruits into it. Boil for 5 minutes and turn off.
Let it sit overnight, maybe a few hours, and then boil again. There is no need to achieve a high concentration of the solution and pour 100 g of dry matter per 1 liter of water. For a child, the decoction should replace a hot drink, and not become a medicine.
To rinse the nose, use a decoction of chamomile, St. John's wort, string, and oak bark. As a rule, take 1 tbsp per glass of water. l. herbs. An aqueous solution of sea salt (1 tsp per 200 ml) has worked well. The same compositions are also used for gargling.
With the right approach to treating cough with clean lungs in the first stages of the development of the disease, the development of complications can be guaranteed to be avoided.
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Source: https://opnevmonii.ru/kashel/u-detej-05/kashel-u-rebenka.html
Folk cough remedies for children
Warm baths with a weak solution of mustard powder will also help eliminate coughing. After the bath, children's feet are rubbed with a warming fatty ointment, and after a couple of minutes socks are put on. You can fill the bathtub with hot water, add a pack of soda and/or salt, and let the child sit in the room and breathe in the steam.
The following recipes also give good results:
- Radish + honey: cut out the center of the vegetable, pour honey into it and leave for 24 hours.
- Onion juice + honey in equal proportions.
- Warm milk mixed with honey and a spoonful of mineral water.
- Half a kilo of walnuts + 300 g of honey + juice of four lemons + teaspoon of aloe juice.
The dosage for small children under 4-5 years old is a teaspoon, from 5 to 10 years old you can give a dessert spoon, from 10 years old - a tablespoon. You need to use the product 2-3 times a day. It is not advisable to treat a child under 3 years of age with folk remedies containing honey; they can cause an allergic reaction.
Time-tested compresses quickly treat a child’s cough:
- Warm boiled potatoes with a few drops of iodine and a spoonful of vegetable oil. The mixture is placed on parchment or plain paper, covered with foil or a bag. The place where the compress is applied is the chest and back. The duration of the procedure is until it cools down.
- A piece of wool soaked in salt water. The amount of salt is a tablespoon per shallow container of water. The compress is placed on the chest and back and left overnight.
- Grind a whole head of garlic with 100 grams of fat or oil. Apply the mixture to your child's feet before bedtime.
Inhalations are a quick way to relieve a child from coughing
Modern parents are lucky: they have special devices for inhalation at their disposal - nebulizers and inhalers. They will also help cope with cough and runny nose.
The inhaler turns liquid into vapor containing large particles. Use it to moisten the upper respiratory tract and clear phlegm. For inhalation, you can use saline solution, mineral water, herbal decoctions, and oil solutions.
The nebulizer acts as an aerosol, therefore it is used for diseases of the lower respiratory tract. It's better not to use it yourself. The nebulizer is usually loaded with quite serious medications, which are purchased at the pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription.
If you don’t have a special device yet, you can do an old procedure - inhalation with potatoes. Make sure that the steam is not too hot and does not burn the child's airways. The benefits of any inhalation are obvious - they make sputum “wet” and help it leave the child’s body along with viruses and bacteria.
Carry out such procedures infrequently. If the child is small, his cough impulse is not yet fully formed and there is a risk of suffocation from the large amount of mucus secreted.
Features of the treatment of persistent wet cough in children
Cough syndrome in a child is a reflex process that helps restore patency. The phenomenon itself is not recognized as a disease, but acts as an alarm bell for subsequent measures taken. Incorrect or untimely treatment without identified causative factors can have an aggravating effect on the baby’s health. In medical practice, there are often cases when the syndrome in a child does not go away for a long time, acquiring a protracted, painful character. Let's consider the reasons for this process and the main actions that should be taken.
If a child has a cough that does not go away for a long time, serious measures must be taken
In what cases is a prolonged cough physiological?
To understand why a wet cough does not go away, you need to understand its essence and nature. In fact, this phenomenon is quite common; it entails the cleansing of the respiratory tract from mucous accumulation and sputum, and ensures the removal of foreign bodies, bringing it all out. Usually this process is short-term, but is repeated with enviable frequency. During its course, other signs and symptoms may be absent. It all depends on the cause of the cough.
If parents are concerned about a wet cough in a child that has not gone away for a long time, it is worth observing the behavior and health of the baby.
Moms and dads should regularly monitor temperature readings and also take a closer look at how well the baby feels.
Parents must provide care and monitor the child's temperature
Pay attention to the quality of your baby's sleep, desire for food, and degree of playfulness. In general, see if there are any changes in his behavior. Are there certain signs such as lethargy, diarrhea, runny nose, fever. If yes, then the cough does not go away for a long time for other reasons, and the baby needs to be shown to a specialist.
Features of the pathological nature of cough
Traditionally, cough is a sign of respiratory disease. Often these include sore throat and ARVI. In some cases, on the contrary, cough indicates more severe pathologies associated with the functioning of the lower respiratory tract. For example, about tuberculosis, tracheitis, pneumonia. In this case, the observed cough reflex can be presented in different forms. A child’s cough goes away when it is possible to overcome the disease that caused the pathological process.
The cough reflex can also be a clear indication of foreign objects entering the body. In this situation, there is a possibility of suffocation, blueness of the skin, problems with consciousness and voice. If these signs are present, all that is required of the parents is to remove the object from the internal organs and call a doctor at home. Most often, in this case, the cough is prolonged, but not periodic. That is, after removing the object, the body returns to normal, the condition stabilizes.
In some cases, the cause of cough may be worms
If such problems are identified, this may indicate that the baby has worms. After all, it is in the tissues of the lungs that the process of formation of the larvae of many helminths begins. They, multiplying and coming to life, irritate the human respiratory tract. Before penetrating into its natural habitat, which is the gastrointestinal tract, the larva, along with cough syndrome, enters the oral cavity, then is swallowed again and repeats its life cycle. So, if a wet cough does not go away for a long time, this may indicate different things.
Other causes of persistent cough in children
The most common type of cough is a pathology associated with ARVI and other forms of colds. But it is not difficult to recognize due to the noticeable symptomatic picture in principle. This is the rapid development of a cough, an increase in body temperature to more than 37 degrees, the formation of general weakness and tearfulness in the baby. Such a child refuses to eat and behaves passively. At first, a nonproductive symptom may develop, gradually turning into a wet cough. In this situation, parents should monitor changes in coughing.
The aggressors that provoke this phenomenon can be fungal microorganisms. But this phenomenon is rare. However, like tuberculosis.
Another cause of a lingering cough may be tuberculosis.
If the attending physician does not carry out diagnostic measures in a timely manner, there is a risk of developing complications in the form of pneumonia. Often, various pathogens of the cough reflex can be transmitted to the baby vertically during childbirth. In this case, parents should monitor how long this condition lasts. A syndrome that does not go away within 2 weeks should be a cause for alarm.
What to do and how to treat a persistent childhood cough
As each child's cold progresses, parents become more experienced and confident in their abilities. They have the opportunity to independently determine the reason, but it is not always correct. In this regard, the cough takes on a long-lasting character, despite the fact that the disease itself has already passed. In this case, you should not be a hero yourself and change your cough remedy. The doctor should tell you what to treat and how to do it after conducting detailed research.
Pectusin tablets can be given to children as a sputum thinner.
First of all, it is necessary to facilitate the release of sputum, especially for small children, because their sputum is quite viscous. If mucus remains in the body for a long time, it can subsequently act as a source of bacterial disease, so treatment does not have an immediate effect. So, first of all, you need to take the following categories of medications:
- expectorants can be herbal (Pectusin, Doctor Mom, Tussin), as well as synthetic (Bromhexine, Ambroxol, ACC);
- combined agents have a complex effect and are represented by such drugs as Bronchipret, Bronchofit, Pertussin and others;
- mucolytic drugs make sputum liquid, these are Ambrobene, Fluimucil, Lazolvan;
- Antibiotic medications are different; Cefazolin and Augmentin are most often prescribed.
Lazolvan syrup will help facilitate the removal of sputum.
All these remedies have their effect and together can lead to the desired result, even if the cough lasts a long time. As a result, a sufficient amount of mucus is formed for its simple removal along with sputum contents. After just a few uses, children will be able to feel much better. According to reviews, many parents noted that after the combined treatment, the course of the cough syndrome passed quite quickly.
General principles for the treatment of persistent cough in children
It is strictly forbidden to take independent measures to treat the child. You can take the appropriate course only in case of a full consultation with a pediatrician. Firstly, he will prescribe a suitable drug, and secondly, he will select the required dosage of the drug. If you do not have the opportunity to visit a professional, and therapy is carried out independently, you should ensure that the drugs taken do not suppress a passing cough, but ensure dilution of the sputum composition. The selection of medications is carried out taking into account side effects, the age of the baby and his current state of health.
If a wet cough in a small child does not go away for a long time, steam inhalation is an effective measure to combat it. Particular care must be taken when conducting this event with young children. You can use herbal tea. The classic mixture contains thyme, coltsfoot, essential oil and a small amount of soda. In a few days, your pet will be able to get rid of coughing and feel much better.
It is very useful for children to brew tea from herbal tea.
At the stage of passing this symptom, it is worth stopping the therapeutic process by stopping the use of chemical medications. Even if the child coughs, this indicates that you managed to cure the disease. Now the baby will not have difficulty clearing his throat. And if you diversify his rest and leisure time with outdoor games, massages and gentle rubbing, you can increase the overall tone of the body and make the immune function stronger. Through external influence on the bronchial area, you will facilitate the simple discharge of sputum and a good clinical picture in the future.
From this video you will learn how to treat a persistent cough in a child:
bolezni.com
Treatment of children's cough with medications
Herbal and synthetic mucolytics (“Pertussin”, “Lazolvan”, “Mukaltin”, “Ambroxol”), phlegm-thinning drugs, and syrups containing soda will help ease the child’s well-being with a common cold cough. These drugs provoke the production of sputum and improve its elimination. The composition of the medicines usually includes extracts from licorice root, coltsfoot, and plantain.
There is a second group of medications that block the cough reflex. They are prescribed for dry cough, which appears not only due to viral and bacterial infections, but also due to allergies or neurology. For children, such a drug must be selected by a doctor. It is important to use a mixture or tablets that do not contain harmful components and are not addictive.
Under no circumstances should you give your child drugs from both groups at the same time. By liquefying mucus and muffling the cough, you do not cure, but provoke complications.
Cause of cough
The presence of a cough with mucus discharge indicates that there is an inflammatory process in the child’s respiratory system. If the lungs are clear, it means that it develops in the upper part of the respiratory system. As a rule, the doctor is faced with viral rhinitis and pharyngitis.
Viral rhinitis. It is often present in preschool children attending kindergartens. First, the baby sneezes, then a runny nose and redness of the nose appear, and a dry throat. At this stage, coughing begins. In this case, the doctor will not hear wheezing or whistling in the lungs. The cause of the reflex action is mucus flowing down the back wall of the nasopharynx.- Allergic rhinitis. This disease is typical for children living in large cities where there is significant air pollution. A runny nose can also be caused by pet hair, dust mites, pollen, medications, or the smell of paint or gasoline. The disease often progresses rapidly.
If you do not consult a doctor in time and do not receive adequate treatment, within 3-4 days the inflammatory process will descend down to the bronchi. This can cause serious complications, including pneumonia. This negative development is characteristic not only of allergic rhinitis, but also of its viral variety. - Pharyngitis. Pharyngitis is a disease in which the presence of an inflammatory process in the child’s pharynx is detected. It is often confused with tonsillitis; although the diseases have similar symptoms, they have completely different visual manifestations. When examining the oral cavity, inflammation of the pharynx is observed with pharyngitis, and inflammation of the tonsils with tonsillitis.
We will do everything to prevent cough and runny nose.
The main preventive measure is strengthening the immune system. An immunogram will help you find out about specific problems in this area. But even without it, there is something to do: hardening, proper nutrition, regular and long walks in the fresh air, sufficient time for sleep and rest. If there is an allergy, analyze what the child reacts to with a runny nose and cough, remove the irritating factor.
The use of some traditional and official medicine will help to avoid the disease: wearing a gauze bandage during the period of virus activity, applying antiviral ointments to the nasal passages, inhaling essential oils.
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