How to quickly get rid of a cough in a child. How to stop a strong dry cough in a child at home - how to relieve an attack at night? How to treat a strong cough in a child 4

Cough is not an independent disease, it is just a reflex, a protective reaction of the body, aimed at cleansing the respiratory organs from dust, mucus, and foreign bodies. So, how to quickly cure a cough in a child at home? For 1 day, this cannot be done without potent drugs that are not recommended for giving to a child.

Causes of wet cough

A rare short cough is considered a normal physiological action, due to which the "garbage" accumulated in them is removed from the respiratory tract. Pediatricians say that a child under 2 years old can cough several times a day, and this is not a pathology. Thus, his larynx is cleared of microparticles. Cough in an infant may occur situationally from tears, milk, saliva that have entered the respiratory tract, or due to an unsuitable microclimate in the room.

But if the parents have any concerns about the health of the baby (he is not active, his appetite has worsened, other symptoms have appeared), it is better to consult a doctor for an appropriate examination. Since a cough without fever can be a manifestation of various diseases. Among which:

respiratory infections;
respiratory diseases;
allergies;
pneumonia;
problems in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
neurological disorders and others.

When is a cough dangerous?

Pediatricians warn: a wet cough is dangerous if you have the following symptoms:

seizures happen at night, they are difficult to stop;
sputum is greenish or bloody;
between attacks, with deep breathing, wheezing is heard;
despite therapeutic measures, the cough does not stop within 3 weeks, while the body temperature does not rise;
after an attack, vomiting opens;
the attack is accompanied by severe shortness of breath;
pain in the chest.

With such manifestations, you should immediately contact the clinic.

Wet cough sputum

Before looking for methods on how to quickly cure a cough in a child at home, it is important to pay attention to the type of sputum. By the nature of the discharge, you can determine the nature of its appearance:

watery-mucous, colorless sputum comes out with inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract;
transparent discharge with blood appear with pneumonia, influenza;
glassy and viscous discharge with lumps - indicates bronchial asthma;
sputum with bloody streaks may indicate heart failure or tuberculosis;
purulent discharge that has an unpleasant odor can be a symptom of an abscess.

If necessary, sputum is taken to the laboratory for analysis.

How to treat a wet cough?

Any drug treatment should be prescribed by a doctor after the necessary examination (tests, if necessary, x-rays, consultations with narrow specialists: a pulmonologist, an allergist, a phthisiatrician). It must be remembered that a cough is a sign of a disease, so only an integrated approach to treatment will help get rid of it. Otherwise, you can eliminate the cough symptom, but not cure the disease. Let's say you know the reason. How to quickly cure a cough in a child at home, if, for example, he is a residual consequence of Orvi?

For the treatment of wet (productive) cough, children are prescribed a course of drugs with sputum thinning and expectorant action. These can be herbal medicines (for example, Pectusin, Mucoltin, Doctor Mom syrup, Gedelix, Solutan) or synthetic (for example, Lazolvan, Carbocysteine, Ambroxol, Pulmosin Bromhexine, ACC).

It is strictly forbidden to take sputum-thinning drugs with cough-suppressing drugs at the same time. This will provoke sputum to settle in the bronchi and only aggravate the state of health.

They help cure a wet cough (in the absence of fever) by rubbing with special warming ointments (Dr. Mom, Eucalyptus, Pulmex baby).

No less effective is the use of aerosols and steam inhalations with the addition of medicines.

Drug treatment is stopped when the child is already recovering and is able to cough up sputum on his own.

Attention! Only the attending physician can prescribe the drug!

How to speed up the "process" of recovery?

Parents can speed up recovery. How to quickly cure a cough in a child at home? For this you need:

create a favorable microclimate in the room where the child is. The air he breathes should be moist and slightly cool (18-19 ° C). Regularly carry out airing, wet cleaning, exclude irritating substances (the smell of perfume, tobacco smoke);
adhere to a special drinking regimen. In the treatment of any infectious diseases, it is important to drink plenty of fluids. Warm, plentiful drink helps to remove toxins from the body. In addition, tea with the addition of lemon, honey or raspberries will saturate the body with vitamins;
between bouts of coughing, carry out special breathing exercises;
organize outdoor walks.

How to help a child with a coughing fit?

There are several ways to relieve a severe coughing fit:

if the child is lying in bed, place his upper body on a hill (pave pillows). This will make breathing a little easier;
if the child is small, he should be laid on his knees face down, stroked and lightly tapped on the back;
give warm drink. You can prepare a decoction of chamomile, tea with honey, or mix 1 glass of milk with 0.5 tsp of soda, 1 tsp of honey and 0.5 tsp of butter. This drink will soften the throat;
give the child 1 tsp of butter or honey;
inhalations with the addition of essential oils;
pharmacy syrups containing essential oils;
humidify the air. You can use a special electric humidifier or open hot water in the bathroom and let the child breathe this steam. You can prepare a warm bath for the baby (in the absence of temperature);
provoke a gag reflex. To do this, you need to touch the back of the throat with a teaspoon. This will help relieve spasm of the larynx.

Attention! Essential oils and rubbing can lead to obstruction! Before using this or that component, make sure that the child does not have an allergic reaction to it!

If you can not remove the attack yourself, you need to call an ambulance.

Folk methods for the treatment of wet cough

In folk medicine, there are many effective ways to overcome a productive cough quickly at home. It:

1. Onion with honey

The average onion needs to be peeled and ground. Add the same amount of natural honey to the resulting mass. Children are given this medicine three times a day after meals, 1 tbsp. This recipe can be used for children after a year.

2. Radish with honey

Wash the black radish fruit, cut off the tail. Make a hole inside and put 2 teaspoons of honey into it. Radish should be infused for at least 4 hours in a dark place. After that, the resulting juice is taken three times a day. The dosage depends on the age of the child. Small children take 1 tsp, children from 3 to 7 years old - 1 tsp each, children over 7 years old - 1 tbsp.

3. Decoction of plantain

A decoction of dry plantain leaves has a good expectorant effect. Pour 1 pinch of leaves with 1 cup of boiling water. Leave for about 4 hours. A strained drink is given to children 30 minutes before meals, 1 tbsp three times a day.

4. Greasing

Fat of animal origin is used: badger, goat, bear. First, it must be melted in a steam bath, and then rubbed on the chest of the patient at night. This method is suitable even for the treatment of infants. If the cough is accompanied by wheezing, a little dry mustard can be added to the fat. The result of treatment is noticeable after 3 days. But you need to repeat the procedure within 10 days.

5. Warming compress

The compress is put before going to bed. Prepared from boiled unpeeled potatoes (2-3 pcs), 1 tbsp medical alcohol, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp turpentine. Potatoes need to be mashed and mixed with the rest of the ingredients until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Make 2 flat cakes out of it. Wrap them in several layers of gauze. Put one cake on the child's back, the second on the chest (bypassing the heart area). Wrap the patient warmly. Keep a warm compress for 1-2 hours, when removed, wipe the skin dry, change the child into dry, clean underwear. This procedure can be repeated 3-4 times, alternating with other methods of heating.

6. Inhalation when coughing

At home, inhalation for coughing is the most gentle and effective way to treat quickly. Their advantage is that therapeutic substances, entering the respiratory tract in the form of steam, immediately have a therapeutic effect. Inhalations help get rid of a long persistent cough or relieve an attack.

Inhalations are carried out using pharmacy inhalers (nebulizers) or with the help of improvised means. Inhalations are carried out only if the patient does not have an elevated temperature. Inhalations are not recommended for children under 2 years of age (to avoid bronchospasm).

Inhalations using a nebulizer are carried out with the addition of drugs:

Pertussin. It is necessary to dilute 1 ml of syrup in 3 ml of saline. Do 4 inhalations per day. The course of treatment is 7 days;
Lazolvan. The drug is diluted with saline in a ratio of 1: 1. For children from 2 to 6 years old, it is enough to dilute 2-3 ml of the solution, 6-12 years old - 5 ml each. inhalations should be carried out 2-3 times a day, at least 10 days.
Inhalations with a decoction of linden, eucalyptus, Narzan or Borjomi (without gas) have a good therapeutic effect.

If there is no nebulizer in the house, inhalations are carried out in the old, classical way. Medicines, herbs, essential oils are added to boiling water. The hot container is placed on the table, the child sits down at the table and inhales the healing steam deeply. For greater effect, you can cover it with a towel.

A great way to quickly cure a cough in a child at home is inhalation using baking soda (1 tablespoon of soda is diluted in a glass of boiling water). The rising steam must be inhaled through the mouth and exhaled through the nose for 5 minutes.

Contraindications to the procedure are:

allergy to the components of the drug that is used for inhalation;
the patient's predisposition to frequent nosebleeds;
expectoration of sputum with blood;
severe diseases of the cardiovascular system;
respiratory failure ІІІ st.

More recipes:

Mustard plasters and cough wraps

Although the use of mustard plasters causes a lot of controversy among pediatricians, they are widely used in the treatment of wet cough in the absence of high fever. A mustard plaster soaked in warm water releases mustard essential oil, which acts on nerve endings, irritating and warming it. This leads to increased blood circulation in the lungs.

The procedure for setting mustard plasters is simple. It is dipped in warm water for 20 seconds, then applied to the body. Mustard plasters are placed on the back - in the area of the shoulder blades and on the chest (except for the area of \u200b\u200bthe heart). Wrap the chest with a towel. Warm the child with a blanket. The duration of the procedure depends on the sensitivity and age of the patient:

from 1 to 3 years - 2 minutes;
from 4 to 7 years - 3 minutes;
from 8 to 12 years - up to 10 min.

It is better to put a mustard plaster on a child under 3 years old through gauze or on the inactive side (where there is no mustard) so as not to injure his delicate skin.

Then the mustard plasters are removed, the skin is wiped, and the child is wrapped warmly. Putting mustard plasters every day is not recommended. It is better to alternate them with other procedures.

For the treatment of young children, it is better to use not mustard plasters, but wrapping with a towel soaked in a warm mustard solution (1 tbsp of mustard powder per 0.5 liter of water). Wet a towel in the solution, wring it out and wrap the patient's chest. The child is covered with a blanket. The wrapping is kept from 3 to 5 minutes. Then the child is wiped with warm water, dressed in dry clothes and put to bed. The procedure is not carried out more than 3-4 times.

Contraindications to the use of mustard plasters or mustard wraps are: asthma, psoriasis, eczema, neurodermatitis, skin problems.

Possible complications

Prolonged and hysterical cough, frequent incessant attacks can cause the following complications:

vomiting caused by sputum discharge;
insomnia;
petechial hemorrhages in the eyes;
congestion or diseases of the ears;
fainting caused by a decrease in blood flow to the brain;
spontaneous pneumothorax (rupture of pulmonary vesicles);
involuntary urination and defecation;
the appearance of an abdominal or pelvic hernia;
deterioration in general condition;
feeling of constant soreness (soreness) in the throat.

Prevention of cough in children

To reduce the risk of coughing in a child, you need:

protect the child from contact with sick people;
teach him to wash his hands with soap to avoid viruses;
protect against passive smoking;
make sure that he consumes vitamins and trace elements in sufficient quantities;
make sure he drinks enough fluids, especially when he is sick.

Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat later. If you are looking for how to quickly cure a child’s cough at home, then you have already “missed” the moment, and now you have to be treated “to the fullest”. Try to give your child a minimum of medicines, home remedies are quite capable of coping with a wet cough, although not as soon as we would like.

And finally: what does Dr. Komarovsky say about the rapid treatment of cough:

Yes, now, fortunately, there are many good herbal medicines without chemicals. When coughing, we were prescribed Prospan syrup. My son liked the syrup, and I liked its effect.

We, too, were prescribed Prospan syrup for the first time this year, I had not heard about it before. I really like that it is natural, cough quickly heals. And it’s also delicious, the son agrees to accept it without a fight.

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Cough is the body's reaction to the ingestion of an irritant: sputum, mucus, dust, an allergen or a foreign body. Phlegm is a sign of an inflammatory process or an allergy. To humidify the air, the mucous membrane secretes a secret in a small amount. An increase in sputum tells germs or viruses in the respiratory tract.

By coughing, the child clears the lungs. Attacks occur day and night, prevent the child from sleeping and being actively awake. The main task of parents is to relieve coughing attacks, reduce their frequency and duration. To completely get rid of seizures, you need to find out the cause of their occurrence and treat the disease that causes coughing.

Cough is a symptom of many diseases, so for its effective treatment it is important to correctly identify the cause.

How to recognize a coughing fit yourself?

Physiological cough is provoked by particles of dust, food, or strong odors (for example, cigarette smoke). Such a cough appears sporadically and is short-lived. If the nature of the cough becomes paroxysmal, occurs at night, after waking up or during quiet games, and other symptoms of the disease appear (for example, high fever), you should contact your pediatrician and conduct the necessary examination. Timely, competent treatment reduces the risk of complications.

Types and causes of children's cough

Varieties of cough in children and their features:

Dry. It mainly occurs due to the onset of inflammatory processes in the throat. Due to an infectious disease, strong and prolonged attacks appear that disturb at night. Other symptoms of the disease appear - high body temperature, general malaise, discomfort in the throat, vomiting. Sputum with a dry cough is not allocated.
Wet. It is characterized by sputum production. The frequency and duration of attacks depends on the density of the mucus. If the discharge is thick, the child coughs for a long time, since efforts must be made to cleanse the respiratory organs. With liquid mucus, coughing is faster, so attacks are short-lived. With the accumulation of sputum, a new attack begins.

The time of day when bouts of severe coughing occur is directly related to the disease that caused the cough. Kinds:

morning - appears during inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract;
evening - occurs with pneumonia, bronchitis;
nocturnal - occurs with bronchial asthma, laryngitis, whooping cough.

Spasmodic cough in children appears with respiratory viral diseases. Then there is fever, redness of the throat and weakness. A severe cough is a symptom of:

Laryngitis is a disease in which the larynx becomes inflamed. There is a rough barking cough.
Tracheitis - inflammation of the trachea. Before coughing, symptoms of acute respiratory infections are observed.
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi. It starts with a dry cough, then turns into a wet one, with a large amount of sputum.
Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs. Children often get sick because their immune system is not strong enough. With pneumonia, there is an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees. The disease begins abruptly, immediately after hypothermia. Yellow or green sputum is produced. With pneumonia, inpatient treatment is required, it is very difficult to cope with the disease at home - there is a high risk of complications.
Whooping cough is a childhood illness that causes a barking cough. It is accompanied by other symptoms: blue skin and swelling of the veins. Treatment is carried out under medical supervision.
Diphtheria is a dangerous infectious disease, due to which plaque appears on the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and trachea. Coughing with diphtheria can provoke an attack of suffocation and asphyxia. If symptoms are found, an ambulance should be called.

Cough together with a runny nose can be allergic

Allergies can also be the cause of a cough. Attacks with an allergic cough are sudden. You need to pay attention when they occur: in contact with pets, in a dusty room or outdoors when plants bloom. These are the most common allergens.

If the cough began while eating, particles may enter the respiratory tract. It is necessary to help the child get rid of the foreign object. In children under one year old, coughing may begin due to teething, as a large amount of saliva is secreted.

Treating a cough in a child

Depending on the type of cough and the causes of the attacks, the pediatrician prescribes the appropriate treatment. Strict adherence to the doctor's recommendations contributes to a quick recovery.

There are general requirements for relieving a spasm of a strong cough, used for any kind: plentiful warm drinking, regular ventilation and high humidity in the room.

First aid during an attack

How to stop a cough in a child (more in the article:)? You need to act depending on the type of cough. First steps for dry cough:

Calm down the child. If he coughs at night, put him on the bed or take him in your arms. Speak in a calm voice so that your anxiety does not pass on to the baby.
To moisturize the mucous membranes, you need to give a warm drink. Water, juice, compote or fruit drink will do. You can prepare a decoction of chamomile with sage, warm milk with a spoonful of honey also relieves a coughing fit.
It is necessary to moisturize the nasal passages. Put a nasal saline solution from a pharmacy or make it at home.
Increase the humidity in the room, ventilate the room more often.
To achieve a better result, you can turn on water in the bath and sit in the room with the child so that he breathes in well-moistened air.
If the baby has stopped crying, inhale with saline.

With a wet cough, you need to increase the excretion of sputum (we recommend reading:). For this you need:

Give the child a back massage (more in the article:). Put the baby on his stomach, lightly tap on the back, rub. Massage is done for both older children and babies up to a year old.
If the attack caught the child in a dream, you need to put him down, since lying down is more difficult to sputum (we recommend reading:).
Clear the nose of mucus.
A warm decoction or chest collection prescribed by a doctor will help stop a cough.
Humidify the air in the room and ventilate regularly.

In the complex treatment of wet cough, massage procedures are very effective.

For allergic cough:

call an ambulance;
remove all allergens from the room, ventilate the room;
if any product caused an allergy, it is necessary to give activated charcoal or another drug with a similar effect;
You can relieve the attack with the help of an antiallergic agent prescribed by a doctor.

Medications

All medicines are used after consultation with a pediatrician. If the child coughs, cough syrups are used. They have a pleasant taste, so children drink them with pleasure. Tablets are used when the child can swallow them without the risk of choking.

To reduce spasm with a dry cough, they most often use:

Synekod. It has antitussive, bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects.
Gedelix is a herbal preparation. Improves breathing, liquefies sputum.
Broncholitin. Stops coughing, dilates bronchi.

With a wet cough, sputum is well diluted and removed from the lungs:

Mukaltin;
Linkas;
Ambrobene;
Ascoril.

If the coughing attack is caused by an allergy, apply:

Suprastin;
Zodak;
Tavegil.

Folk remedies

Many traditional medicines stop a strong cough. However, before using them, it is better to consult a doctor, especially if you need to treat a baby up to a year old - a small body can unexpectedly respond to traditional medicine. The main thing is not to harm your health and not aggravate the situation.

A proven effective cough remedy is coltsfoot tea

Herbal treatment:

Coltsfoot. Good for treating dry cough. Substances contained in the leaves of the plant thin thick sputum. Expectoration is much easier, the duration of attacks decreases. The coltsfoot brewed leaves are drunk in the morning, a little honey is added to improve the taste.
Liquorice root. It has anti-inflammatory and expectorant action, dilutes sputum. It is used to strengthen the immune system and to raise lost strength after illness.
Althea root. It contains a large amount of essential oils, thanks to which it removes phlegm from the lungs well.
Oregano, mint. They also have a good expectorant effect, effectively thin thick sputum.

When coughing, if the body temperature does not rise and there is no allergy, mustard plasters will relieve an attack. Having a warming effect, they contribute to a rush of blood and deepening of breathing.

Can stop a strong cough, including at night, inhalation. They are carried out using:

saline;
mineral water;
soda solutions;
essential oils (mint, lavender, cedar);
herbal infusions (chamomile, eucalyptus, coltsfoot, St. John's wort).

What is forbidden to do with coughing fits in a child?

When a cough occurs, parents try to cure the child by all known means and often only aggravate the situation. Typical mistakes:

the use of expectorants in conjunction with antitussives;
use of medicines not according to the instructions;
the use of antibiotics without consulting a pediatrician;
treatment of cough in a child up to a year with the help of inhalations and rubbing with alcohol-containing solutions.

We have already talked about children's cough, and discussed the main reasons for its development and. However, the main question that is of interest to any parent of a coughing child is how can a cough be treated, and what drugs should be taken to stop the cough? Moreover, parents want to get a miracle cure for any cough in the pharmacy, which can be used at any age of the child and it will literally cure everything at once. Unfortunately, such a cough medicine will never be invented, and moreover, it is completely unnecessary.

Where to begin?

Of course, in any pharmacy, cough medicines are placed in the most prominent place and sometimes occupy more than one shelf, but the pharmacy business is a business with the aim of making a profit on the sale of drugs, and there are tricks and marketing moves. You and I need to understand the sea of medications used for coughing in children, and learn how to choose the safest and most effective medicines.

Why is the expression "cough medicine" in quotation marks, and why is this name of a group of drugs given a figurative meaning? The thing is that there are no “cough” medicines as such, just as there are no “diarrhea” or “head” remedies. There are drugs to influence the causes or mechanisms of coughing, and not the cough itself - this is a protective reflex of the body, it cannot be suppressed or treated in any way. Especially, consulting on the Internet or in absentia.

No self-respecting doctor would recommend drugs to influence a cough without hearing exactly how the child coughs, without finding out where this cough came from, and how long and often it lasts. In order to choose the right drug, you need to know a lot about cough, take into account all its characteristics, which were discussed.

About treating cough...

Based on the usual everyday logic - if there is a cough itself, then there must be a cure for it, this is quite logical and correct. However, from a medical point of view, this is not entirely correct and logical. Cough is the body's signal of trouble, a kind of command to start eliminating the causes that cause it, and it is completely wrong to deal with the cough itself as a symptom, while ignoring the causes that cause it. If you eliminate the cause of the cough, then the cough itself will quickly disappear. Yes, and the drugs that are traditionally considered cough medicines, not all of them affect the cough, most of them have application points that are not related to the cough reflex itself.

However, despite its origin, sometimes a cough is so unpleasant for a child, it is so badly tolerated that, along with the main treatment, it is simply necessary to have a certain effect on the cough itself, using drugs. This pushes parents to look for effective cough medicines, and it’s good if the remedy is prescribed by a doctor, it’s worse if the pharmacist at the pharmacy advises it, and it’s really bad if the cough remedy is selected on the advice of girlfriends, neighbors, forums and so on. Let's discuss the principles of choice and the main effect of drugs.

How do funds work?

The principles of operation of cough medicines are based on the effect both on the cough center itself, located in the brain stem, and on the mucous membranes of the bronchi, as well as on sputum.

It would seem that when coughing, it would be easiest to turn off the cough center and extinguish the cough as such. In this regard, drugs of the opioid group, such as codeine, turned out to be very active. The drugs of this group have a powerful effect on the cough center, and inhibit its action, thereby suppressing the cough. Such drugs are contraindicated for children, and for adults in modern conditions their sale is limited, they are shown only by prescription in special cases. They have a kind of narcotic effect.

The second group of drugs are non-narcotic drugs that can be purchased in pharmacies without prescriptions. Unfortunately, these drugs have a rather dangerous effect, although it is they that can be called in the full sense of the word "cough" drugs. The drugs of this group either inhibit the cough reflex at the level of the brain, or weaken the signals from the affected mucous membranes of the bronchial tree. Preparations of this group are sometimes found in the composition of combined agents, which, in addition to antitussive, may contain additional components. One of the common antitussive drugs in this group are glaucine, tusuprex, sinekod. Their use must be strictly controlled by a doctor and they are used very limitedly, especially in early childhood.

It is important to note that the use of these drugs in children without constant medical supervision can end in failure. Coughing is a way to clear the bronchi and lungs from the accumulation of sputum, foreign particles, viruses and microbes. Disabling or suppressing cough leads to the creation of a favorable environment for the progression of the infection. And the use of these drugs with a wet cough can lead to "swamping" of the lungs and the development of bronchitis and pneumonia, a violation of the ventilation function of the lungs and other major troubles.

What's better?

Usually the most unpleasant is a dry cough, it can be so unbearable that it is with him that parents try to fight the most. The most logical solution in the treatment of cough is to transfer a dry, unproductive cough into a wet one, which is much easier to tolerate, sputum is coughed up and swallowed or spit by the baby. This is important in order to clear the airways of germs or viruses, excess mucus and foreign particles as soon as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to act on sputum - the thicker the sputum, the more difficult it is to cough up.

The second way to relieve cough is to activate the bronchial mucosa. These are today the most used remedies for the treatment of cough in children, it is the components of a similar action, mucolytic (thinn phlegm), mucoregulatory and expectorant used in the treatment of cough in children. The use of each group of drugs has its own characteristics, which parents should be aware of. Again, these drugs do not stop coughing, they help the child cough up sputum more gently and effectively, which gradually reduces coughing due to airway cleansing and relieving irritation and inflammation.

What remedies help with coughing?

Moisturizing aerosols or steam, ultrasonic inhalations are an effective remedy for reducing dry cough, which can reduce irritation and dryness of the respiratory tract, they reduce the viscosity of sputum, help relax the muscles of the bronchi and stimulate sputum expectoration.

In addition, steam inhalations with herbal decoctions or essential oils (only if the child is not allergic) can provide additional anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Do not forget about such simple and affordable means to reduce dry cough as a plentiful alkaline drink (milk, alkaline mineral water). They will be especially useful at elevated temperatures.

Enveloping agents can also help, especially if the cough occurs as a result of irritation of the mucous membranes of the throat and pharynx. They create a protective layer on the surface of the mucous membranes, which prevents the formation of sensations of perspiration in the throat and cough as a result. Such remedies include herbal teas and syrups, lozenges and herbal teas. These can be extracts of eucalyptus, licorice, white locust, and compositions with honey and glycerin. They are used every three to four hours in small portions, warm, but their effect is insignificant. For young children, phytocollections should be used with extreme caution because of the risk of developing allergies.

More about drugs

If a cough occurs against the background of SARS, first of all, you can start treatment with expectorants of plant origin - these can be a decoction of wild rosemary, coltsfoot, elecampane, plantain juice, black radish with honey, thyme or anise. These drugs are allowed in children not earlier than 3-5 years old and not allergic to various injuries and plants. This group also includes preparations based on marshmallow, thermopsis, licorice and various essential oils. Good cough medicine for children prospan or gedelix. But remember, in children with allergies at an early age, these drugs can cause swelling of the larynx and laryngospasm, allergies in the form of urticaria and other complications.

The main active ingredient of these drugs are saponins and plant alkaloids - these are substances that make bronchial mucus more liquid, increase the amount of mucus, increase bronchial contraction and contribute to easier expectoration of sputum. However, one should not greatly overestimate the effect of herbal preparations - they act for a short time, they need to be taken often, but in small doses, since an increase in the dose of drugs leads to increased toxic effects and the appearance of nausea and vomiting due to hyperproduction of mucus.

These drugs should not be used in young children, not only because of the high risk of allergies, but also because of the sharp increase in the amount of sputum that babies may simply not have time to cough up. This, as a result, leads to a significant deterioration in the drainage functions of the bronchi.

Expectorants include:

- marshmallow root and licorice root,
- thyme, coltsfoot leaf,
- plantain leaf and plantain syrups,
- Gerbion syrup with plantain,
- broncholithin, solutan,
- tussin, pertussin,
- sodium bicarbonate (soda),
- potassium iodide.
- linkas, prospan, ascoril,
- Dr. MOM,
- hedelix.

If after three or four days the child's cough does not become wet, if expectoration of sputum is very difficult, it is important to start treatment with drugs that help thin and sputum discharge. These drugs include drugs:

- ambroxol (ambrohexal, ambrobene, lazolvan),
- bromhexine,
- ACC (acetylcysteine, mucobene, fluimucin).

The drugs lead to active liquefaction of sputum, have a slight anti-inflammatory effect, have a pronounced expectorant effect, improve the removal of sputum from the bronchi. These preparations for children are used in syrups with a pleasant taste, which makes them easy to take. The drugs are used for a short time, since their long-term use leads to swamping of the lungs and hyperproduction of sputum. Cancellation of drugs is carried out with the formation of a wet cough, and sputum must be coughed up in the future.

Since inflammation is one of the mechanisms for the development of an unpleasant symptom when coughing, taking anti-inflammatory drugs can have a fairly pronounced effect. So, one of the additional remedies for coughing and runny nose in children is fenspiride (Erespal drug). This drug improves sputum production and helps fight inflammation in the respiratory system.

Antibiotics and bronchodilators

Is it necessary in the treatment of cough antibiotics? This is a complex and ambiguous question. If it is a microbial infection such as bronchitis or pneumonia, antibiotics will be indicated to address the underlying cause. But with viral infections with manifestations of cough, they are completely inappropriate, they do not act on viruses, and can complicate the course of the disease. Therefore, when coughing, it is necessary to examine a doctor and conduct at least a minimal diagnosis to determine the cause of the cough. Based on the presumptive diagnosis, the treatment regimen will be determined.

A similar observation can be applied to such remedies used for certain types of coughs, such as bronchodilators. These are drugs for relaxing the muscles of the bronchi and expanding their lumen, which is important for obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma. In this case, special drugs prescribed by the doctor will be used.

Must be remembered!

Cough treatment should begin with plenty of fluids and non-drugs, inhalations, herbal teas. Discuss all cough medicines with your doctor.
It is forbidden to use simultaneously antitussive and expectorant or mucolytic drugs.
It is forbidden to use antibiotics, drugs for expanding the bronchi without a doctor's prescription.
With a sudden severe convulsive cough, it is necessary to examine the child for a foreign body in the airways.
If therapy is ineffective within 3-4 days, you must re-consult a doctor.

Doctors distinguish various types of cough, which becomes a frequent companion of childhood diseases. We treat a cough in a child at home, depending on the disease and the type of cough, so as not to harm and bring recovery as close as possible.

Why does cough occur?

Cough is one of the ways to protect the body from foreign bodies, pathogenic microorganisms, excess sputum, produced in the body for some reason, entering the respiratory tract.

A series of sharp, involuntary exhalations occurs as a result of irritation of the cough receptors located in the pharynx, larynx, bronchi, and lungs.

Types of cough and treatment depending on the symptoms

Experienced mothers know that a child's cough is different, and treatment should be chosen depending on the type of cough, duration, strength, productivity, type of sputum and associated symptoms.

According to the duration of the symptoms, it happens:

acute, up to 2 weeks;
protracted, up to 3 months;
chronic, from 3 months

Based on strength, they distinguish:

coughing
expressed
severe hysteria, to vomiting spasms

If you evaluate the outgoing sputum, then the cough can be:

dry, characterized by itching and sore throat, raw, obsessive. Usually he greatly disturbs the child, interferes with sleep. Sputum is either not separated at all, or its discharge is difficult due to its high viscosity;
wet - accompanied by the release of a large amount of sputum. Phlegm is a secret produced in the bronchi, lungs, therefore, with an excess of sputum, squelching, gurgling sounds are heard when coughing.

Productive wet cough is also different:

SARS, bronchitis in the acute stage, bronchial asthma is accompanied by the separation of colorless viscous mucus from the respiratory tract;
Chronic bronchitis and pneumonia are determined by viscous sputum with yellowish or greenish mucus and pus, in addition, in childhood it may indicate the pathology of the ENT organs;
In a severe viral infection aggravated by a bacterial component, blood streaks may be present in the clear mucus. They appear as a result of microtrauma of the mucous membrane and capillaries of the respiratory tract;
Serous foamy sputum indicates developing pulmonary edema. Need immediate medical attention;
Blood clots, a shade of rust can become a messenger of pulmonary bleeding, it is required to carefully examine the child as a matter of urgency

Bronchial asthma is accompanied by spasmodic attacks of coughing. Due to the sharp narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi, the flow of air into the lungs becomes difficult, the exhalation becomes long, whistling, with wheezing. In a child under 2 years of age, similar symptoms indicate obstructive bronchitis.

But if there are no catarrhal manifestations, and the spastic attack began suddenly, then a foreign body is most likely to enter the respiratory tract.

How and how to treat cough in children?

Having gained experience while communicating with pediatricians and therapists, parents roughly know how to cure a child's cough at home with the help of medicines and folk remedies. However, this symptom occurs in many diseases. Therefore, you should distinguish between types of cough and know how to successfully treat at home.

Pharmaceutical cough suppressants fall into three main groups:

Mucolytic drugs, the purpose of which is to make sputum less viscous and facilitate its discharge;
Expectorant drugs for removing sputum from the respiratory tract. Such substances increase cough;
Drugs that act on the cough center of the brain and reduce its activity.

The main task in the treatment is to make a dry cough wet, i.e. - productive, and then rid the body of excess sputum.

SARS

The beginning dry cough with upper respiratory tract lesions is painful and intrusive. The child has a sore throat, he sneezes, sleep and appetite are disturbed.

If the disease proceeds without fever, then it should be treated with plentiful warm drinks and inhalations, including hot ones, with herbs and soda-saline solution. The child should do inhalations only under the supervision of an adult, after eating at least 30 minutes should pass.

Parents should be sure that the little patient is not allergic to natural medicines. For treatment, infusion or tea with chamomile, sage, calendula, lime blossom is most often used.

A child who coughs for a long time must be examined by specialists. It is necessary to exclude helminthic invasions, allergies.

After a complicated infection, residual cough may continue for several weeks. Treatment, with a productive discharge of sputum, consists in plentiful warm drinking and massage at home.

Tracheitis, bronchitis

The cough that accompanies these diseases is dry and unproductive. The main goal in its treatment is to achieve sputum discharge.

At the initial stage, it is necessary to take drugs that have a mucolytic effect:

Lazolvan
Bromhexine
Ambrobene

As soon as sputum begins to be produced, expectorants are shown for 4-5 days, and then the child should be given warm fruit drinks, dried fruit compote, diluted juices and chest massage.

If the child has a temperature, then hot foot baths, warming up are contraindicated for him.

Obstructive bronchitis

Accompanied by shortness of breath and cough with prolonged exhalation. The sputum that forms in the bronchi is too viscous, and therefore is not expectorated. It is very important to achieve its liquefaction, and after discharge.

It is important to drink plenty of water for the child. If the condition worsens, shortness of breath increases and spasms become more frequent, emergency medical attention is needed.

Whooping cough

Cough treatment with folk remedies

Traditional medicine is replete with recipes to help get rid of a cough. With a dry cough, thinning of the mucus is necessary, making it easier to cough it up. With a wet cough, effective sputum removal is required so that it does not "flood" the child's lungs.

Leaning towards any of them, it is worth making sure that the child is not allergic to the components of the medicine. What can be recommended to a child of 5 years old is not always suitable for a baby in a year.

So, what can you give a child with a cough?

Eggnog

A safe and very useful remedy - cough mogul for home treatment - is prepared from sugar or honey with the yolk of a chicken egg (or quail).

It is necessary to wash the shell, before breaking it, make sure that the product is fresh, the protein and yolk are free of foreign inclusions, do not blur.

The yolk is beaten with sugar to make a homogeneous mass. Give the remedy to the child 3-4 times a day, one teaspoon.

Oil rubs and compresses

Cacao butter cough for children is used as a massage - rubbed into the chest and upper back. For rubbing children older than two years, add 4-10 drops camphor oil in melted unsalted lard or goat fat; you can add the same amount of honey.

Plant elecampane suitable for the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory processes, infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract. A decoction is prepared from the dried roots, which has an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and expectorant effect.

Herbal remedies for coughing remove sputum, relieve swelling of the mucosa. Tea with sage, anise and thyme, inhalations with these herbs help to thin viscous mucus and expectoration.

anise drops cook at home or buy at a pharmacy. The drug causes an expectorant and anti-inflammatory effect, well tolerated by children.

Anise-ammonia drops in pharmacies are made from anise oil, ammonia and ethyl alcohol. At home, the remedy is diluted with boiled water, 3–5 drops per 50 ml of water for a child of 3–5 years.

It is important for parents to understand that herbs and medicines from them are not harmless. They can provoke a deterioration in the condition, so you need to approach the choice carefully.

Home recipes for cough relief in babies are complemented by other measures that do not require much effort. Sometimes it is enough to raise the child's head higher during sleep to help drain the mucus and clear the airways. Place an extra pillow under your head and shoulders or a terry towel between the mattress and the pillow.

Cough in children is different, so the treatment should be directed, removing the cause, and not just affecting the symptoms. In each case, parents should consult a pediatrician. However, self-education allows you to evaluate the prescribed treatment and will not be superfluous.

Cough is one of the first signs of illness. This is a protective reaction of the body, contributing to the cleansing of the bronchi and trachea. There are several types of cough, as well as several reasons for its occurrence.

Cough in children and adults is caused by the same reasons. When something enters our respiratory tract, it tries to get rid of it with a sharp exhalation. It can be sputum, pollen, swelling of the mucous membranes, or even pathological cough syndrome.

Measles causes cough

The most common causes of cough are:

, which actively multiply in the body and depress the immunity of the child. Symptoms of the disease may weaken, and after a while, intensify again. Coughing attacks appear more often, they are more pronounced and practically do not stop. Most often it is a cold viral disease, but measles, tonsillitis or whooping cough cannot be ruled out.
Bacterial infections, accompanied not only by coughing, but also by copious discharge from the nose.
Allergic reactions caused by the action of allergens. Such a cough begins suddenly, the attacks often intensify at night. Cough is often accompanied by sneezing and itching.
Foreign objects stuck in the throat. The curiosity of kids is boundless and sometimes it leads to bad consequences. While playing, children can put a ball, a bean, a small toy, and so on into their mouths. From the outside, it will look like a sharp attack of dry cough.

Only a correct diagnosis will help to effectively cure a cough. Unfortunately, even an experienced doctor cannot always do this on the first try. To help the doctor and understand how to treat the child if he coughs heavily, parents should pay attention to the sound that the child makes when coughing. This will help determine the type of cough.

Varieties of cough

Coughing can be different: dry or wet, hoarse or sonorous, suffocating. By the nature of the cough, the doctor will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis and begin treatment. In children under one year old, cough is most often caused by various viruses and.

What are the signs of rotavirus in children and the treatment of the infection

Types of cough:

wet - with sputum, the child coughs very loudly with characteristic gurgling sounds; the appearance of sputum after a dry cough indicates a mitigation of the symptoms of the disease
dry cough - may be barking with shortness of breath, hoarseness and whistling; paroxysmal - manifested in the form of attacks, the cough lasts so long that it can lead to vomiting; chronic - very rare in children
hoarse (or whistling) - accompanied by loss of voice and swelling of the mucosa. You can determine such a cough by an elongated exhalation and wheezing

If a child coughs heavily, only a doctor will tell him how to treat him. It is important not only to establish the type of cough, but also to take into account its temporal characteristics.

An acute cough indicates an acute viral infection or inflammation. It can be dry or wet, depending on the disease. An acute cough along with hoarseness indicates the likelihood of asphyxia. If this type of cough appears without signs of acute respiratory infections, the airways should be checked for the presence of a foreign body. If the larynx is not checked for foreign objects, the child may suffocate before the ambulance arrives.

A prolonged cough lasting more than 2 weeks is often a consequence of a cold. In deciphering the causes of this cough, it is important to take into account the age of the baby.

Recurrent cough is present in children with bronchial asthma. This cough is lingering and wet.

Psychogenic cough is a response to stress. It appears only during the daytime, disappears at night and during meals.

Nocturnal coughing fits are characteristic of allergies and bronchial asthma.

The child coughs heavily: what should parents do?

It is best to immediately show the child to the doctor. When we cough, the respiratory muscles contract and expel phlegm. In children under 3 years of age, these muscles are not developed, so they cannot cough up. The accumulated mucus leads to the fact that viruses settle in the lungs, this increases the risk of complications.

Folk remedies to increase immunity in children: methods and recipes of folk methods to strengthen the body

If for some reason it is impossible to call a doctor, you should try to alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

Attention! If the temperature is high, call an ambulance immediately.

The following tips can help relieve a cough:

check nose and throat for mucus or foreign objects
give baby herbal tea
ventilate the room
make sure that the child's head is raised on the pillow

Do not do steam inhalation over potatoesbecause they are ineffective. The vapor settles in the throat and does not reach the bronchi.

One of the most common causes of cough in children is the viscosity of sputum. Babies cannot cough it up on their own, so doctors prescribe mucolytics.

How to treat a strong cough: traditional methods

Self-treatment does not always lead to a positive result. Self-treatment of young children is especially dangerous. An experienced specialist will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.

Several doctors should examine the child: ENT, therapist and gastroenterologist. The contents can enter the esophagus and pharynx at night.

There are a number of effective remedies that you should have at home. The most popular of them are Mukaltin, Bromhexine, children's Lazolvan and anise drops. You can use them only after the permission of the doctor. He must also indicate the duration of treatment and a single dose.

Medicines are selected based on the type of cough. Dry cough must be quickly transformed into a wet one. To do this, use antitussive drugs, frequent alkaline drinking and warming compresses. In cases of wet cough, mucolytics are used, which thin the sputum and help it to be removed from the nasopharynx.

In the absence of temperature, various physiotherapeutic procedures with drugs (electrophoresis, inhalations) and magnetotherapy are prescribed.

Psychogenic cough requires consultation with a psychologist. The cause of the disease is mental and emotional overload. What to do if the child coughs heavily, and it is not known how to treat, the pills are powerless here. A comfortable emotional environment in the family will help get rid of a cough. Loads should alternate with periods of rest. During seizures, you need to distract the child with a conversation, a book or a movie.

The allergic nature of the disease is not immediately detected. An allergen can be any substance that has entered the body, but most often it is: dust, wool, synthetic detergents, some. Such a cough is the easiest to treat: it is enough to find out the cause of the allergy and protect the child from it.

Mustard plasters for a child

When it is not possible to visit a specialist, and the child coughs heavily, the parent should decide how to treat. Folk remedies are more easily tolerated by children than chemical mixtures and tablets, but even they should be given to a child only after consulting a doctor.

When treating a cough, parents should pay attention to the air in the children's room. It must not be dry. Humidifiers play a significant role in the fight against cough.

Mustard foot baths, mustard plasters, cupping, massage and rubbing are effective if the child does not have a fever. When the temperature rises above 37.5, these methods are contraindicated.

Drinking plenty of water (herbal infusions, milk, tea) contributes to replenishing the water balance and helps to remove sputum. Drinking with milk is not recommended if the baby has a severe runny nose, since milk increases the secretion of mucus.

The most popular and effective "drinks" are: warm water with honey, lemon juice with, black radish juice with sugar, aloe with lemon and honey. Tea with raspberry jam has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect.

If the cough is caused by an allergy, you can understand this without consulting a doctor. Attentive parents notice that before a coughing fit, the child was in contact with certain objects.

Your child coughs a lot, and a good specialist will effectively tell you how to treat the disease, so you should not postpone a visit to the doctor. Timely treatment guarantees the recovery of the child in a short time with minimal complications. As additional funds, you can use recipes that our grandmothers successfully used. Herbal infusions, honey, jam, etc. will help alleviate the condition of the child, and most importantly, all the ingredients can be found in almost any kitchen.

Aug 4, 2016 Violetta Doctor