Coughing in a child always causes alertness and anxiety of parents. What caused the malaise, how and with what to treat the baby - such questions, probably, visited each of us more than once. Some use traditional medicine recipes, others rush to the pharmacy for a miracle cure. Who is right and how pediatricians advise treating cough in children, we will consider below.
Varieties of cough
Many parents know firsthand how difficult it is to get rid of ailments, especially in young children. After all, most medications are prohibited for young patients, and folk remedies often cause allergies. Therefore, the pediatrician should deal with the selection of treatment methods.
Only a doctor is able to make a correct diagnosis, and, depending on the age of the child and the type of cough, prescribe the necessary medicine. But parents also have a lot of responsibility. To facilitate understanding of the pathological process, we will consider the main types of cough in children, find out why they are dangerous and talk about treatment methods.
Physiological cough
Any person periodically has a need to clear the respiratory tract from dust and accumulated sputum. This is a normal reaction aimed at protecting the body from foreign bodies and pathogenic bacteria.
Thus, a natural cough in a child is not a pathology and does not require treatment. It occurs most often in the morning and does not cause significant discomfort to the baby.
Dry or dusty air in the room can provoke a similar reflex. This problem is especially relevant during the heating season.
Pathological cough
Most often, children are worried about just such a cough. Unlike natural, it manifests itself in a very diverse way and depends on the nature of the pathogen. In most cases, these are various respiratory diseases:
- laryngitis and pharyngitis;
- tracheitis;
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- ARI and SARS;
- acute and chronic tonsillitis;
- flu;
- tuberculosis.
In general, the causes of cough in children are diverse and far from always have an infectious nature. A similar reflex can be caused by a narrowing of the bronchi, which is specific for bronchial asthma, or a foreign body entering the respiratory system. In this case, the cough develops unexpectedly and is choking in nature. The child loses his voice and has difficulty breathing.
An ailment of an allergic nature has other symptoms - a cough occurs for no apparent reason and is not accompanied by signs of a cold. After removing the allergen, the baby's condition returns to normal.
In different pathological conditions, cough manifests itself differently. It can be productive and dry, barking or harsh, deaf, paroxysmal and spasmodic.
Dry cough
The most obsessive cough in a child. It usually appears at the beginning of the disease and causes a lot of problems for both parents and the baby. Sputum does not separate with it, so the process of coughing up becomes long and painful. With improper treatment, it becomes chronic.
Spasmodic reflex
If a child coughs against a background of bronchial spasm, it is quite possible to develop asthma. At the same time, there is no sputum, the baby suffocates and wheezes. The malaise is paroxysmal in nature and requires mandatory medical supervision.
Croupy cough (false croup)
The most dangerous type of malaise, especially for young children. In this category of children, the anatomical and physiological structure of the larynx predisposes to the development of croup. Even the slightest inflammation can cause severe swelling and suffocation. Therefore, if a child develops a hard, barking cough, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
With the development of a barking cough, the baby must be shown to the doctor
The following symptoms will help distinguish false croup from other ENT diseases:
- hoarseness of voice, especially after crying;
- swelling of the larynx;
- shortness of breath, severe difficulty breathing;
- blanching or blueing of the skin;
- possible loss of consciousness.
If the child only wheezes, but does not cough and breathes heavily, these are also signs of an incipient false croup.
In this case, you should not engage in amateur activities and try to help the baby with folk remedies. You will only waste precious time. Laryngeal edema is very dangerous and should be treated by a doctor.
Wet (productive) cough
This, one might say, is an ideal variant of the development of the disease. Such a cough, as a rule, appears at the end of the disease, does not cause anxiety and is quickly cured. With its help, the lungs and bronchi are freed from sputum and remnants of pathogenic microorganisms. How to treat a children's cough of this nature, consider below.
Whooping cough
This is a common infectious disease that most often affects preschool children. At an early stage of the pathology, whooping cough is difficult to distinguish from the usual one. But after a few days it becomes paroxysmal and spasmodic, ending in violent vomiting.
Whooping cough is dangerous for its complications, so if a child has coughing fits, the rhythm of breathing goes astray, cyanosis of the skin appears, medical help is needed. Young children are subject to compulsory hospitalization.
The disease is especially severe in children under 2 years of age. There is no innate immunity to this disease, but after recovery, protection is preserved forever.
Other types of cough
It is quite difficult to independently determine the disease by the nature of the cough. For example, if a child coughs while sleeping, this may be a symptom of both a respiratory disease and asthma or allergies, or a consequence of dry indoor air.
Coughing during sleep can be a symptom of many pathologies.
Snot can also provoke a reflex reaction. Flowing down the back wall of the nasopharynx and irritating the mucous membrane, they easily activate cough receptors. Especially often a cough from a runny nose occurs in a child with rhinopharyngitis.
Tracheitis can cause a similar symptom. This infectious disease develops as a complication of pharyngitis, laryngitis or rhinitis. It is characterized by a dull cough in a child, especially pronounced at night and in the morning or arising from a sharp breath.
Such a variety of forms of malaise should encourage parents to pay more attention to such symptoms and take the necessary measures. So, what to do if the child coughs?
Treatment
To begin with, it should be noted that home therapy is possible only in relation to dry and wet cough. All other types of pathological reflex require the help of a doctor.
- maintain an optimal microclimate in the room where the sick child is located;
- as much as possible to give the baby warm, unsweetened drinks;
- if there is no temperature, and well-being allows, allow the child to move more.
It is undesirable to use essential oils in the treatment without the knowledge of the pediatrician. Concentrates can cause bronchospasm, especially dangerous for young children.
Medications
Pharmacy medicines will help to quickly cure a cough in a child. They are prescribed depending on the type of ailment - if sputum is present, then it is forbidden to take antitussives. With a dry cough, on the contrary, it is desirable to use this therapy option to the maximum.
The choice of medications for coughing
Modern medicines are available in different forms: tablets, sprays, syrups, drops and lozenges for sucking, powders for preparing solutions. For the treatment of a child, liquid forms of drugs are usually used. They are more comfortable and easy to drink.
Expectorants
This group of drugs is designed to remove sputum from the respiratory tract. Most of the expectorants are made from plant extracts, so the drugs are relatively safe and drink well.
Most often, a wet cough for children is prescribed: Gerbion syrup with plantain or primrose; Evkabal, Prospan, Alteyka, Prospan, Flavamed, Ambroxol, Ambrobene.
Each of these funds has its own age restrictions, contraindications and adverse reactions. For example, Evkabal and Prospan are allowed to prescribe to babies from 6 months. Other drugs are recommended to be used only after 2 years. Therefore, if a child has a cough with sputum, it is better to entrust the choice of medicine to the doctor.
Mucolytics
To thin the viscous and thick mucus that clogged the airways, the following medications are prescribed for small patients:
- Carbocysteine;
- Bronchobos;
- Fluditec;
- Flavamed.
These remedies help to relieve a child's cough, make him productive and help to eliminate sputum.
Fluditec is prescribed for children to thin and evacuate thick, viscous secretions.
Antitussives
Preparations of this series help to suppress the cough reflex and calm the cough in a child. There are several types of antitussives:
- narcotic drugs - Codeine, Ethylmorphine. Used only under medical supervision. They are often addictive and have side effects. Rarely used in the treatment of children;
- non-narcotic medicines - Oxeladin, Sinekod, Glaucin, Butamirat. The most effective and safe drugs, so they are taken much more often;
- means of peripheral exposure - Prenoxindiazine. The result of its application is significantly lower. The medicine is not able to stop a coughing fit and is rarely prescribed.
The simultaneous use of antitussive and expectorant drugs is prohibited.
In addition, it is dangerous to use antitussive medicines with a wet cough. This can cause accumulation of mucus in the airways and the development of pneumonia.
Sinekod and similar drugs are prescribed for children with a dry cough
Bronchodilators
These drugs help eliminate bronchospasm and make breathing easier. Medications such as Eufillin, Broncholitin Syrup, or Theophylline are prescribed for coughs if a child has been diagnosed with asthma or progressive lung disease (COPD).
Local funds
Local preparations include warming ointments, mustard plasters and patches. The latter are of different types and have contraindications, in particular, they are prohibited for young children.
The use of warming rubbing Eucabal or Pulmex Baby will help alleviate the cough in a child. They can be used from 6 months of age. The balm of Dr. Theiss is allowed from 2 years.
Babies after 3 years can be rubbed with camphor ointments, Vicks Active balm, Helpex Effect ointment or Doctor MOM.
Folk remedies
In addition to medications, pediatricians often recommend alternative therapies. Alternative medicine helps to cure a child's cough quickly and safely.
However, despite the effectiveness and harmlessness of folk remedies, their use must be agreed with the pediatrician. Young children are often allergic to natural ingredients.
The following cough recipes for children are the most popular:
- black radish juice with sugar or honey;
- a drink made from fresh or frozen viburnum berries is recommended to drink instead of tea;
- anise decoction with honey is perfect for treating babies;
- fresh carrot juice with sugar can be taken at the time of a coughing attack, 1 tsp;
- onion gruel with honey will be useful for bronchitis and tracheitis;
- a mixture of lemon, honey and medical glycerin will help cure a child with a dry, painful cough.
Honey can cause an unwanted reaction, so it is not recommended to give it to children with allergies.
With a huge number of folk recipes, the most widespread and favorite is still hot milk with honey and other additives. The drink has excellent emollient and expectorant properties. Not a single kid will refuse such a delicious medicine.
Inhalations
You can quickly cure a cough in a child with the help of inhalation. For procedures, it is better to purchase a nebulizer. This convenient and safe device will protect the baby from burns. With its help, sessions are carried out both with medicinal herbs and pharmaceutical liquids. Alkaline mineral waters and physiological saline have a good expectorant effect.
Inhalations are contraindicated in children under 2 years of age due to the risk of developing bronchospasm.
Of the medicines for inhalation, the most commonly used:
- mucolytics - Lazolvan, Pertussin, Fluimucil;
- Bronchodilators - Berovent;
- natural medicines - tincture of eucalyptus, propolis or plantain, Rotokan;
- antitussive agent Tussamag;
- glucocorticosteroids - Pulmicort or Dexamethasone.
Inhalations are carried out 2 hours before meals for no more than 10 minutes. The therapeutic course consists of 8-10 sessions.
The procedure moisturizes and soothes irritated mucous membranes, promotes deep penetration and rapid absorption of medicinal substances.
For inhalation with herbs, plants with an antitussive and expectorant effect are chosen: coltsfoot, plantain, oregano, pine buds, eucalyptus, licorice.
Compresses
Another effective remedy that can quickly cure a child's cough. Compresses are very different - dry and wet, oil, honey, vodka and cottage cheese. They are applied to the chest and back, avoiding the heart area. The baby is wrapped in a woolen thing and covered with a blanket.
The following compresses are the most effective and safe:
- potato. Add a spoonful of alcohol, turpentine and sunflower oil to the hot puree. The resulting mass is applied to gauze and applied for 2–2.5 hours. After the procedure, it is better not to wash off the compress, but to wipe the skin with a damp towel;
- oil. A piece of gauze or cotton fabric is soaked in hot oil and squeezed, covered with waxed paper (not polyethylene) on top, kept for at least 3 hours;
- acetic. Apple concentrate is diluted with hot water and honey is added to the solution. The gauze is impregnated with the mixture and applied to the bronchial area. Leave for 20-30 minutes.
The compress can not be applied to the heart area
It is not recommended to do compresses for skin lesions, elevated body temperature and infants. Alcohol application is contraindicated in children under 3 years of age and those suffering from thyroid pathology. It is undesirable to use honey for treatment if the child is prone to allergies.
Another old way to fight a cough is to rub the baby's chest and back with visceral fat. The bear and badger product is especially good. It is advisable to do this procedure at night.
mustard plasters
With a painful cough, mustard plasters will be useful. They have a warming effect, promote a rush of blood and increase the discharge of mucus. It is recommended to put mustard plasters through a cloth or gauze so as not to burn the delicate skin of the baby.
For children under 3 years old, it is better to make a mustard wrap. This more gentle procedure has the same effect as setting mustard plasters.
Knowing how to treat a cough in a child, you can quickly eliminate this unpleasant symptom yourself. Properly selected medications and traditional medicine will improve the baby's well-being and speed up recovery. However, if the child has been feeling unwell for several weeks, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
No doctor can make a correct diagnosis without first examining the patient. Therefore, the classic phrase of parents: "Our child coughs incessantly - what should I do?" doesn't tell him anything. Frequent coughing is the body's first signal of a malfunction, which should be listened to and, by some features, to establish the root cause of this failure.
Description
Cough is an important reflex of the body, which allows you to completely clear the airways from both large foreign objects and the smallest dust fractions that interfere with clean breathing by their presence. A perfectly healthy baby can cough up to thirteen times a day, and this, according to experts, is considered a common occurrence that helps cleanse the trachea, lungs and bronchi. Babies often cough after crying, during teething, or while eating. A physiological cough is very easy to distinguish from a cold: as a rule, it ends very quickly, and the child continues to go about his immediate business. But what if it doesn't stop? What to do in this case, the doctor should decide, since the wrong therapy can lead to a significant worsening of the situation.
Types of cough
Cough itself is not a disease, but it is a clear symptom that has a number of causes. Only their correct elimination can lead to positive results. A cough is considered a normal physiological phenomenon, which is not accompanied by a disorder of the stool, the presence of a runny nose, rash or fever. The reason for this phenomenon may be the presence of too dry air in the room, increased salivation, and even a sharp change in temperature. But how to help if the child coughs incessantly? What to do? Seek a doctor or try to cope on your own? You should seek the help of specialists in case of detection of additional symptoms:
- general deterioration of well-being;
- lethargy;
- elevated temperature;
- pain in the chest and muscles;
- the presence of a runny nose.
Pathological cough
It is usually divided into wet and dry. It can be severe or intermittent, and sometimes with bouts of vomiting and choking. What to do if the child coughs non-stop? You can solve the problem after determining the cause of this phenomenon. The choice depends entirely on the nature of the cough, so doctors pay maximum attention to this aspect.
- Wet - clearly indicates the presence of a viral infection in the respiratory tract. Experts call it productive, since such a cough causes less discomfort, is accompanied by high-quality sputum discharge and, with appropriate treatment, passes quite quickly.
- Dry - occurs due to irritation of nerve receptors. It can be a foreign body or various kinds of infections. The most painful cough occurs with complications of SARS, untreated influenza, tonsillitis. It is also the most dangerous, because it leads to the development of inflammation, deterioration of the situation and long-term treatment.
Expert opinion
The child coughs incessantly - what to do? Komarovsky E. O. on this occasion makes a clear verdict - go to the doctor. He himself is a pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, and for his long medical practice he has written more than one useful book. No self-respecting doctor will be able to make a correct diagnosis without examining the patient, and even more so, he will not prescribe the appropriate treatment for him, the doctor believes. There are no “cough” medicines in medicine, just as there are no separate drugs “for the head” or “for the common cold”. Each symptom has its own causes, which an experienced specialist must find out and eliminate. The indecision of most parents leads to the fact that they receive advice from local pharmacists who offer them a number of drugs with a wide variety of composition.
What does this lead to?
Before deciding what to do if a child coughs incessantly at home, you should learn a little information. The lungs of any person are engaged in the constant production of mucus, which contributes to their high-quality cleansing. Its main part is formed in the bronchi, from where it is removed with the help of periodic coughing. But coughing can provoke not only irritation of the respiratory tract, but also various types of pathologies of the central nervous system, which cause disruption of the cough center in the brain. The cause may be the development of the following diseases:
- whooping cough - it is characterized by a paroxysmal prolonged cough;
- allergies - the causes may be different, a vivid example is bronchial asthma;
- bacterial and viral infections - tuberculosis, laryngitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, acute respiratory infections;
- tumors - affect different parts of the respiratory tract and lead to disruption of their functioning;
- chemical irritation - poisoning with paint or gasoline vapors:
- helminthic invasions.
A number of cardiac pathologies can lead to impaired blood circulation, its stagnation in the lungs. Its withdrawal will require increased sputum production, which, in turn, causes
Pharmacy funds
What to do if the child coughs incessantly? Find out the cause of this phenomenon and act directly on the source of this unpleasant symptom. Most of the drugs available on the market are not aimed at the cough center in the brain, but at the sputum itself, helping to thin it and quickly remove it from the bronchi. But their mechanism of action is not exactly the same. So, some of these drugs have combined properties, they are able to weaken the signals going to the brain (antitussive functions) and thin the sputum. Used by all, "Bronholitin" contains in its composition the cough antagonist glaucine, ephedrine, basil oil and citric acid. Typical antitussive representatives can also include Stoptussin, Tusuprex, Libeksin, Glaucin and Paxeladin.
Proper Treatment
Having convinced ourselves of the importance of coughing, it remains for us to make it as productive as possible. If the child coughs incessantly, what to do at home? Use only drugs that help alleviate this symptom and the correct withdrawal of sputum. Use drugs and folk methods that improve the functioning of the bronchial mucosa and thin the mucus in them. For these purposes, a number of medicinal expectorants are used. They have a variety of release forms. In the case of young children, it is more appropriate to use the medicine in the form of suppositories and syrups. Older children are shown inhalations, and in difficult cases, the doctor may prescribe intravenous and intramuscular injections. All types of expectorants can be divided into two categories:
- natural - created on a plant basis, including elements useful to the body;
- chemical - a number of pharmaceutical preparations with an artificial composition.
Combined products are also commercially available, containing substances from both groups that are not the most useful for the child's body. Here it remains to read the composition or refer to natural folk methods of treatment.
Important Points
The child coughs incessantly, what should I do? Folk remedies here include a number of mandatory measures that contribute to a better withdrawal of sputum:
- observe the drinking regimen - warm drinking in large quantities helps to thin the sputum;
- humidify the air in the room - you can do this with ordinary towels (wet them under the tap and place them in the room on batteries);
- check the bed linen - perhaps the baby has developed an allergy to one of the laundry detergents with which it is processed;
- pay attention to house plants and objects surrounding the child - their sharp aroma can also cause a sore throat and frequent coughing.
First aid
What to do if a child coughs non-stop at night? Try giving your baby a gentle massage. In the supine position, the removal of sputum from the lungs becomes difficult, and soft stroking movements will help the baby quickly cough up. Use inhalation. This effective method was successfully used by our parents, preparing a container with hot steam, moisturizing the larynx and allowing the bronchi to open qualitatively. Now pharmacies offer us a more convenient and modern method - nebulizers. They are equipped with special nozzles for proper irrigation, and the kit, as a rule, includes an infusion of medicinal herbs of the desired effect or mineral water. Such an inhaler is able to quickly relieve even a strong
Folk recipes
What to do if the child coughs non-stop? At home, it is recommended to use natural medicinal decoctions based on collections from medicinal plants. It is possible to qualitatively liquefy and remove sputum with the help of coltsfoot, licorice root, marshmallow, thermopsis. A drink based on warm milk with a small amount of soda and honey soothes an irritated throat. It works in three directions at once: relieves symptoms, thins mucus in the lungs and eliminates pain. Make a radish juice compress for your baby, it is applied immediately before bedtime, and if the child does not have a fever, try warming baths with mustard. After that, be sure to put on warm socks and carefully wrap the baby in a blanket.
Night attack
The child coughs incessantly, what should I do? If a warm drink does not help, the humidity in the room is normal, and inhalation has given a temporary result, stop the attack using the following methods:
- Vertical position - this method contributes to better ventilation of the lungs and soothes cough.
- Medications - they should be taken according to the scheme and prescription of the doctor, but in emergency cases they will help stop the attack. Depending on the age of the child, determine the dosage, if necessary, you can call an ambulance and ask them for advice on this matter.
- Rubbing - with their help, you can quickly warm the legs or chest of the baby. For these purposes, badger and goose fat are often used. Camphor oil has excellent warming abilities, it is mixed with honey in equal proportions and applied to the chest and back of the child, avoiding the heart area. After that, be sure to wrap the baby in a warm scarf and put on a comfortable blouse.
If the cough does not stop for ten days, accompanied by additional symptoms - fever, pain in the body, lethargy and drowsiness, the child should be shown to the doctor. In cases of a sudden change in state, impaired consciousness, refusal to eat, drink, obvious difficulty in breathing, immediately call an ambulance.
Cough - especially children's - is an unpleasant thing. You will not immediately understand what lies behind it: a sore throat, a cold or bronchitis. Or maybe nothing? Let's try to figure out how true our ideas about children's cough and methods of dealing with it are.
October 20, 2014 Text: Evgenia Karpovskaya· A photo: Shutterstock
STATEMENT #1: Cough is bad for the body, so it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible and effectively.
NOT TRUE.“Well, ours is sick again - coughing,” you can hear from the parents. Often they perceive cough as an independent disease, forgetting that it is just a symptom. Getting rid of a cough (sometimes by any means) is tantamount to recovery for moms and dads. Unfortunately, this is not so! Cough is a natural defense mechanism. For example, it is necessary in order to get rid of a piece of food, an allergen or a microbe that has entered the respiratory tract. The physiological airway clearance reflex occurs when the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs (larynx, trachea, bronchi) are irritated, inflamed or infected. "Elimination" of cough with special preparations is generally shown only in some cases: for example, with whooping cough, when bouts of dry cough are so strong that the child cannot sleep or eat normally.
IMPORTANT! With a dry cough (for example, in the early days of SARS), to improve mucus production and sputum discharge, you can use children's dry cough mixture - the same herbal preparation of the "Soviet" times. Containing licorice root extract and anise oil, it is quite effective when used regularly and at the right dosage.
STATEMENT #2: The younger the child, the more often and harder he coughs.
RIGHT. The immune system of babies (especially infants) is still very imperfect, and coughing accompanies any viral or bacterial infections of the respiratory tract. In children of the first year of life, coughing can continue for 3-4 weeks after suffering ARVI. But a baby can carry a respiratory infection, accompanied by a cough, up to 7-10 times a year! Cough in young children can also be caused by inflammation of the bronchi in asthma or due to contact with an allergen, and sometimes accompany a "childhood" illness (measles or whooping cough). An infant may cough if a tiny foreign body is inhaled or a piece of food gets into its throat while eating. Do not forget that many babies cough simply from belching (gastroesophageal reflux).
STATEMENT #3: There is no need to panic at the first cough.
RIGHT. Indeed, there are many cases when a child coughs, but you should not sound the alarm:
- physiological cough of infants: occurs very often and is associated with the fact that during feeding a certain amount of food enters the trachea and provokes a cough reflex. Also, infants may often cough during crying (especially intense).
- teething cough. Moist in nature, it is associated with excessive salivation and does not require treatment.
- morning cough may be completely normal for a healthy child (especially often such a physiological cough is observed in the morning). Remember that it is absolutely normal for children to cough up to 15-20 times a day! This is due to the need to free the bronchi from the natural mucus accumulated in them during the night.
- simulated cough. Older children (and some, even from 4-5 months of age) may use a cough to attract the attention of adults. Noticing such a trick (if there are no real reasons for concern), react calmly to a cough: excessive excitement and attention can fix this habit in a child.
STATEMENT #4: Sometimes it's better to play it safe!
RIGHT. Allowing children's immunity to cope with the virus on its own is wonderful. And yet you need to be on your guard: you can’t joke with a cough. When the baby coughs, it is better to show the doctor in any case, but if the cough that accompanies SARS does not go away even after 10-14 days, this must be done. An examination by a doctor will make sure that the cough is not caused by a complication of the disease (or will determine which one) and does not need special treatment. Pay special attention if the cough gets worse for several days, the coughing fits are very long, if the child has a fever, a rash or diarrhea appears, there is general weakness, difficulty breathing or eating, nausea or belching occurs - at the first appearance of one of these signs immediately go to the doctor.
STATEMENT #5: There are many different types of coughs.
RIGHT. Depending on the cause that prompted him, and the stage of development, cough can be different.
First of all, a cough is distinguished by its character - dry or wet.. The former is easily recognizable by its brief, intermittent and repetitive attacks. It is exhausting and rather painful for a child, as it irritates the delicate mucous membranes of the nasopharynx. Dry cough is not accompanied by sputum production and manifests itself at any time of the day. A wet cough (also called a productive cough) is recognized by a hoarse noise and expectoration of sputum.
The duration of the cough should also be taken into account.. Distinguish:
- acute cough. It lasts 1-2 weeks. It can occur as a result of a foreign body entering the respiratory tract (food leftovers, small parts of toys) or due to the development of acute respiratory infections (characterized by pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia).
- protracted. Lasts two to six weeks. In most cases, it is not so much a symptom of the disease as evidence of the healing process. The cause of a prolonged cough is no longer the infection itself, but the increased sensitivity of cough receptors and good sputum discharge. Also, a prolonged cough can be caused by rhinitis, sinusitis, adenitis, sinusitis - diseases in which sputum flows down the back wall of the nasopharynx and irritates cough receptors. In this case, the cough is accompanied by nasal congestion and discharge from it. A prolonged cough can also be characteristic of obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma (in babies, attacks of prolonged coughing remain its only manifestation for a long time). Often such a cough torments the child at night and in the morning.
- chronic cough lasts more than 1.5 months. It is characteristic of some chronic diseases of the lungs and pulmonary tract. Such a cough may wax and wane periodically, but, in fact, it never stops. A persistent cough is characteristic of very serious diseases: dry - for papillomatosis of the larynx, fibrosing alveolitis, wet - for bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis.
Cough also differs in type of manifestation (powerful and sharp or gradually increasing), in time of appearance (daytime, morning, during meals or at night), in timbre (barking, whistling, with attacks).
IMPORTANT! All characteristics of a child's cough should be carefully noted in order to provide the doctor with the most complete information! It is on this that effective treatment and a speedy recovery depend.
STATEMENT #6: The baby coughs less at night if the nursery is warm.
WRONG. Just the opposite. Too hot air does not help relieve coughing fits. Remember that the air temperature in the room where the child sleeps should not be higher than 19 degrees! Humidity is also important: too dry air causes additional irritation of the throat. Therefore, if the humidity level in the room is below 40%, it is best to put an air humidifier (or use one of the "grandmother's methods": hang a damp cloth on the battery, put a bowl of water next to it). Be sure to ventilate the rooms and make sure that the child drinks enough water throughout the day!
WRONG. The main function of a wet cough is the natural “removal” of pathogens from the body. This should not be interfered with, but it should not be artificially stimulated either. For example, the French Agency for Sanitary Safety categorically does not recommend giving children under two years of age mucolytics, mucofluids and gelicidin at all. These mucus thinners are dangerous for small children: the bronchi can become completely clogged, because babies have much less strength than adults to intensively cough up sputum. Be sure to consult with the local pediatrician before giving the baby the first spoonful of any "cough medicine".
STATEMENT #9: OTC cough syrups can be used to cure a cough on your own.
WRONG. Such "universal" cough remedies are at best ineffective (the concentration of active substances in them is too low), and at worst - potentially dangerous for babies. Cough is a symptom. It can neither be masked nor weakened! If the cause of the cough is a common cold, it will go away on its own, without the help of medicines. But when the cough is caused by a more serious illness, only a pediatrician will be able to choose the appropriate treatment.
STATEMENT #10: Nasal irrigation with saline is an effective "adjunct" remedy in the treatment of coughs.
RIGHT. Even if it seems to you that the runny nose has already stopped, and the sinuses are free, it is better to continue washing the nose three times a day until the child is completely cured. Firstly, it facilitates breathing, and secondly, it prevents the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx from drying out, thus preventing the development of infection in the respiratory tract.
Unfortunately, often parents are faced with the fact that the child coughs at night for no apparent reason. This leads to the fact that the baby can not fully rest and recover.
Such a long course can provoke the development of various complications and unpleasant consequences. Therefore, it is very important to be able to understand the causes of night attacks and be able to competently help the child get rid of them.
Why does a child cough at night: causes of night cough in children
Cough, whether dry or wet, is a protective reflex of the body, aimed at cleansing the respiratory system from dust, phlegm, foreign particles, etc.If seizures occur only at night, in most cases this indicates a violation in the body and is a reason to visit a pediatrician or pulmonologist.
But if a wet cough, as a rule, indicates a banal inflammation of the mucous membrane of a particular section of the respiratory system, then the causes of dry cough are not so clear.
Causes of dry cough during the night
If a child coughs at night and not during the day, this is due to the fact that in the supine position, mucus begins to accumulate in the airways and interfere with the free passage of air.
This can be observed during or after the transfer of an infectious disease, and also serve as a sign of a chronic pathology. 
In the first case, the attacks will be present from 2 to 8 weeks, in the second - longer than 8 weeks. So, when a toddler coughs up a dry cough all night, it could be the result of:
- the initial stage of progression of ARVI with inflammation of the larynx (laryngitis), throat (pharyngitis), bronchi (bronchitis), etc.;
- bronchial asthma;
- an allergic reaction to plants present in the children's room, dust, detergents for cleaning;
- , sinusitis or adenoiditis;
- whooping cough;
- gastric reflux (often associated with the appearance of heartburn) and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
If this is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, the baby is suffocating, the attacks are brought to vomiting, you need to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Since in a number of diseases the result of delay can be suffocation.
Often this indicates bronchial asthma or whooping cough. But in the second case, the cough will have a characteristic barking sound, and the breath will be accompanied by a whistle that looks like a scream.
Nevertheless, the child is not always tormented by a cough at night and interferes with sleep due to the development of the disease. Sometimes the causes of this phenomenon are quite harmless and consist in the ingress of a foreign body into the respiratory tract or simply in too cold and dry air in the nursery, which irritates the mucous membranes and provokes seizures.
This often explains the fact that at night the child coughs heavily and snores, but only in a dream.
Source: website
Causes of morning attacks
When a child coughs very strongly in the morning after sleep, this can be a symptom of pathologies of the stomach or cardiovascular system. Often in such situations, gastric reflux or heart failure is diagnosed during the examination.
A continuous, hysterical cough when going to bed, sometimes at night and in the morning, that is, when lying down, often indicates bronchial asthma. A characteristic feature is the complete absence of mucus.
Of course, this should by no means be ignored. It is necessary to be examined as soon as possible and find out the exact prerequisites for the violation of the state.
Baby coughs in sleep
In most cases, the reason why a baby chokes on saliva and coughs in a dream is the onset of teething. This process is accompanied by profuse salivation and can begin at 4 months, but more often occurs at 6 months and can continue until the baby is 3 years old.
In the first month of life, and sometimes a little longer, newborn children adapt to new living conditions. Therefore, they often have a physiological runny nose of varying intensity, which can also cause coughing during sleep.
In such cases, there are no other signs of a deviation from the norm. But the presence of a physiological runny nose must be confirmed by a pediatrician so as not to miss the development of diseases.
However, the above reasons are also possible. But even the usual acute respiratory infections for babies can be dangerous.
With a cold accompanied by rhinitis, the baby is able to suffocate if he does not clear his nasal passages in a timely manner. Therefore, parents need to regularly clean the nose of accumulated snot with a special aspirator or syringe (pear) with a soft tip.
A child in a dream coughs non-stop at night. What to do?
If the baby coughs while sleeping, and does not wake up during an attack, you should not take any action immediately. In such situations, the first aid is to install a household humidifier by the bed, which will help increase the humidity to the desired limits.
To avoid the occurrence of a similar situation the next night, the day before you should:
- ventilate the room;
- remove all possible allergens (potted flowers, dust, pets, including an aquarium with fish);
- provide plenty of drink, water, rosehip broth, warm milk with butter will do;
- rinse the nose (Marimer, Aquamaris, No-salt, saline, Humer, etc.);
- use or sprays, provided that the child is coughing from snot (Rinazolin, Vibrocil, Rinofluimucil, Nazik, Nazivin, Xylo-Mefa, Knoxprey, Otrivin, etc.).
If the child coughs without ceasing, he can be given any available in the house, suitable for age. In extreme cases, a small piece of butter is suitable, which should be allowed to dissolve by the baby.
How to relieve coughing attacks in a child at night?
If parents have reason to assume the possibility of developing an allergy, an antihistamine can be given, for example, Fenistil, Zodak drops. An allergic reaction may be suspected when:
- a new animal, toy, plant appeared in the house;
- household chemicals, bed linen, blanket, pillow changed;
- you have been given a new drug, including antipyretics;
- the day before they were visiting, at the zoo, etc.
You can also fight acute attacks of dry, obsessive cough with the help of special drugs that depress the cough center of the brain.
But they can be resorted to only as prescribed by the attending physician, since drugs of this kind, if used incorrectly, can significantly worsen the patient's condition.
These medicines include:
- Kofeks;
- Libeksin;
- Omnitus;
- Codterpin;
- Panatus and others.
Please note that most of them should not be given to children who are not yet 2 years old, 4 or even 6 years old. The main indication for their use is an infectious disease such as whooping cough.
With a strong, prolonged attack, you should take the baby to the bathroom, close the door tightly and turn on hot water. Gradually, the room will be filled with moist steam, which will help soften irritated mucous membranes and relieve an attack.
What else to help if you cough all night?
Frequent coughing, provoked by a cold, is quite successfully treated with traditional medicine. But they cannot be used to treat children who are not yet 1 year old because of the increased risk of developing allergies.
So what can you do to help the little one? To alleviate the condition, stop and prevent new attacks, you can use:
- Buckwheat honey, which should be absorbed 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Warm tea with raspberries shown at elevated temperature. It contributes to the fact that the baby sweats, and due to this, the fever subsides.
- with a small amount of baking soda (no more than ¼ teaspoon). The drink helps to relieve sore throat and eliminate bacterial microflora.
It also helps to take decoctions and infusions based on herbs that have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and expectorant properties. This is:
- liquorice root;
- plantain leaves;
- primrose;
- thyme;
- thyme.
It would also be nice to enrich the patient's diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, fruit drinks, especially from cranberries or lingonberries. Do not feed your child with foods that are heavy for digestion (fatty, fried, salty).
It is much better to offer him light chicken broth or soup based on it, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc.
If the child cannot sleep because of a cough
When the baby coughs heavily before and after sleep, or an attack does not allow sleep, you should try to remove it with simple measures. He can be allowed to suck on any not very sweet lollipop or cough lozenge, in extreme cases even butter will do.
Also, warm drinks, such as tea or milk, will help to relieve an attack. After that, in order to alleviate the condition of the baby, you should change his body position and lay the pillow comfortably so that the neck is not tense.
What to give at night for a cough to a child?
First of all, when the baby falls asleep, he should be given plenty of drink, preferably alkaline drink. This will help soothe irritated mucous membranes.
On the advice of a doctor, you can use drugs that depress the cough center. But they should be resorted to only when absolutely necessary, that is, if the baby is not able to sleep peacefully all night.
It will not be superfluous to carry out inhalation with a nebulizer, but only if the temperature is above 37.5 ° C. As an absolutely safe and non-medical medication.
The baby can also be inhaled. But if the use of a mouthpiece is recommended for older children, then babies will need a special mask that completely covers the mouth and nose.
The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky. What can't be done?
A well-known pediatrician in the post-Soviet space, Yevgeny Olegovich Komarovsky, advises for coughing, especially bronchitis, to massage, but only in the absence of fever. This simple procedure helps to improve ventilation of the lungs and bronchi and speed up the excretion of sputum.
For this, the child is placed on the knees of an adult in such a way that his head is below the level of the priests. 2 fingers are applied to the back in the area of the shoulder blades, and light patting movements are performed on them with the fingers of the opposite hand.
You can also do patting blows on the back with a wrist relaxed at the wrist. But in both cases, movements must certainly be directed from the depths of the respiratory organs to the outside. 
He definitely recommends walking in the fresh air. This, like nothing else, contributes to sufficient hydration of the mucous membranes and normalization of breathing.
The doctor is categorically against the use of drugs that inhibit the cough reflex, without a corresponding prescription from the attending doctor, even only at night. This he argues by the fact that they do not have any therapeutic effect, but only eliminate the symptoms.
Such medicines should absolutely not be used with a wet cough, in combination with any drugs or folk remedies aimed at the formation and discharge of sputum. They are incompatible with inhalations and any other procedure whose purpose is to produce sputum.
Attention
E. O. Komarovsky does not recommend performing warm-up manipulations, for example, putting cans, mustard plasters, and so on. They can cause burns to the delicate skin of the crumbs and lead to too much activation of blood circulation at the site of inflammation.
Moreover, such procedures are categorically contraindicated in heart diseases, which are extremely difficult to recognize on their own. And since they bring little benefit, it is better to abandon them altogether.
When should you immediately go to the doctor?
The reasons for urgently seeking qualified medical care are:
- asthma attacks, even minor ones;
- blue nasolabial triangle;
- high fever, not eliminated by home remedies (especially in infants);
- severe swelling of the face, mucous membranes of the throat;
- the appearance of a rash on the body.
Treatment of night cough in children
The nature of therapy depends on the detected disease. So, with a banal ARVI, the following are prescribed:
- antipyretics in syrups or suppositories (for fever): Panadol, Nurofen;
- warming anti-inflammatory rubs chest and back: Dr. MOM, Vicks, badger fat;
- saline inhalation or a medicine prescribed by a doctor: Ambrobene, Pulmicort, Berodual;
- syrups that will help get rid of dry or wet cough: Prospan, Lazolvan, Flavamed, Dr. Theiss syrup with plantain, Gerbion.
- pastilles and sprays helping to soften the throat in the presence of pain: Linkas, Falimint, Faringosept, Lisobakt, Septefril, Oracept, Tantum Verde;
- broad spectrum antibiotics, as a rule, the penicillin series (only in severe cases of the disease and confirmation of its bacterial nature): Flemoxin Solutab, Augmentin, Ampiox.
When diagnosing gastric reflux, a gastroenterologist will tell parents what to do at the reception. In such situations, a simple, albeit rather long-term therapy is assumed.
If pathologies of the cardiovascular system are found, a full range of studies is necessarily carried out, including ECG, ultrasound of the heart and blood vessels, etc. Treatment is selected depending on the severity of the detected abnormalities.
Patients will certainly be prescribed not only a number of medications, but also a diet. Physiotherapy is recommended in certain situations.
Child's cough - self-defense of the child's body from viruses, dust and other foreign bodies. A certain amount of mucus is constantly produced in the lungs of each person. If a child becomes ill, then his body tries to remove foreign bodies from the lungs. To do this, he begins to intensively produce enveloping viruses, dust, etc. mucus, after which it is expelled from the lungs by coughing.
Remember that cough in children is not the disease itself, but only its symptom. It follows from this that it is not the cough itself that needs to be treated in a child, but first to find out what disease he has, to cure him, and only after that the cough will also go away. The only thing that needs to be done until complete recovery is to soften it.
There are two groups of drugs: cough suppressants and expectorants.
Children's cough in most cases can not be treated! It is necessary to treat the disease that caused it. If, instead of treating the disease, you decide to suppress it with pills, this will lead to the accumulation of a large amount of mucus in the lungs of the child, in which pathogenic bacteria will settle, which cause complications.
Another series of drugs - "expectorants" are designed to help the body produce additional amounts of liquid mucus, which is easy to cough up. But if a child has a wet cough, then a lot of fluid is released in his lungs and without expectorants. Therefore, when giving such tablets or syrups to a child, be prepared for an increase in coughing and a deterioration in the child's health.
It is even more dangerous to give sick children both cough suppressants and expectorants at the same time. This will lead to the rapid formation of mucus in the lungs, which the child will not cough up. As a result, the condition of the patient's body worsens, the disease begins to progress, causing complications, such as pneumonia.
Why is children's cough so much more dangerous than adults' coughs?
As you already know, coughing is aimed at removing accumulated foreign bodies from the lungs, such as, for example, mucus.
When a child coughs, the respiratory muscles contract, pushing this mucus out of the lungs. But the fundamental feature of this process in children is that their respiratory muscles are much weaker than in adults, and therefore it is more difficult for them to get rid of sputum. That is why parents are not recommended to give their children expectorants that increase the amount of mucus secreted.
What to do if the child has been coughing for a long time?
The first step is to find out exactly what is causing the cough in the child. That is, you need to determine what disease he has:
- viral disease;
- bacterial disease;
- allergic disease;
- poor environmental conditions (dry air, very hot, dusty, etc.).
If the cough is of an infectious nature (90% of all children's coughs), then it must be accompanied by certain signs: an acute onset of the disease, a general disorder, fever, runny nose and other symptoms. Most often these are acute respiratory viral infections.
If, with a prolonged cough, the general condition of the child is slightly disturbed, that is, the problem consists only in coughing and, shortly before its onset, there was contact with something unusual (an animal, washing powder, etc.), then there is a high probability that he allergic.
Sometimes there are non-standard situations that cause an unnecessary and ineffective cough for the body. These include: increased dustiness in the room, dry air, foreign smell, as well as some diseases, such as, for example, whooping cough, which cause irritation of the area of \u200b\u200bthe brain responsible for coughing. In these cases, drugs are used that stop (block) cough - cough medicines that only doctors can prescribe.
Remember that you, as a parent, should not diagnose your child. You only have to take into account, memorize and analyze all the accompanying conditions, and then tell the doctor about them in detail. This will help to make a diagnosis much faster and more accurately. For example, if you have recently changed brands of laundry detergent or adopted a pet that your coughing child has come into contact with, be sure to tell your doctor about it.
What to do if the child constantly coughs?
We all know very well that there are two types of sputum in the lungs: thin and thick. If there is liquid sputum in the child’s lungs, then, albeit with little effort, he will be able to cough it up, but if it is thick, then it will not be very easy to rid the children’s lungs of it.
How to make liquid from thick sputum, which a child can easily cough up?
Never cure a cough! It only needs to be alleviated, that is, to increase the efficiency of expectoration.
In order for the child to be able to cough up sputum, it must be "made" liquid.
- Fresh clean and cool air.
First of all, the correct conditions in the room in which the child is located are necessary: dry and warm air containing dust or other harmful substances is not allowed. It should be fresh, clean, moist and cool. - Plentiful drink.
Mucus in the lungs is produced by special mucous glands that are directly connected to the circulatory system. Hence the dependence arises: thick blood - thick mucus and vice versa, liquid blood - liquid mucus. Therefore, the blood must be made more liquid. To do this, the child needs to provide plenty of warm teas, compotes and uzvars.
Proper drink when coughing in a child.
When coughing, especially if there is a high fever and shortness of breath, the child loses a huge amount of fluid, which must be replenished correctly and on time, so ensure proper drinking.
How much liquid should a sick child drink per day?
The amount of liquid that a child needs to drink depends on his body temperature, breathing rate, temperature and humidity in the room. That is, the faster the child loses fluid, the more fluid he needs to drink. It is not possible to say the exact amount, but you should not allow the blood to thicken.
But how do you know if your child is drinking enough fluids?
The easiest way to tell if your child is drinking the right amount of fluid is by how often he goes to the toilet. If a child pees at least once every 3 hours, then there is enough fluid in his body, and he is on the way to recovery. But if he rarely does this, then urgently give him a drink and continue to drink properly.
What should be the temperature of the liquid used by the child when coughing?
The liquid begins to be absorbed from the stomach into the blood only when their temperatures are equal. If you give a cold drink, then it will first warm up in the body and vice versa, if it is hot, then it will cool for some time to assimilate it. Therefore, the closer the temperature of the liquid to the temperature of the child's body, the faster it will begin to be absorbed. The optimum temperature is considered to be from 32 0 С to 39 0 С.
What remedies can be given to a child for coughing?
Remember, no medicines can be prescribed and given to a child on your own! This should only be done by a doctor! All that can be safely used is natural herbal infusions, which can be easily purchased at pharmacies, as well as provide the child with plenty of fluids (milk with honey, teas, compotes, uzvars, etc.).
Here are some folk remedies, which can help the child with a cough and to restore immunity:
1. The juice of radish stewed with honey helps tremendously. To obtain it, cut the root crop into small pieces and stew with honey in the oven or in the stove. Drain the resulting juice and let the child drink two teaspoons before meals and at bedtime.
2. Remedy from honey and lemon.
Ingredients:
- Honey - 1 tbsp.;
- Lemon - 1pc;
- Glycerin (only for internal use!) - 2 tbsp.
Boil the lemon for 10 minutes, then cool it and cut it in half. Squeeze the juice into a glass and add glycerin and honey to it. Mix well.
Application:
This remedy can also be used to treat young children after a year, who drink it, as a rule, with pleasure. Give it to your child before meals and at night. Dosage: 1 tsp
3. With a constant cough in a child some healers recommend boiling peeled potatoes (1 pc.), Apple (1 pc.) and onions (1 head) in 1 liter of water until half of the water boils away. Then it is necessary to remove potatoes, apple and onion from the broth, cool and let the child drink it 3 r. per day for 1 tsp.
4. Cough in infants.
Ingredients:
- Honey - 1 tsp;
- Anise seeds - 2 tablespoons;
- Table salt - a pinch;
- Water - 1 tbsp.
Pour all ingredients into a small saucepan. Then add water to them, boil, and then strain. Give the child every two hours. Dosage: 1 tsp Reducing the dose of the mixture occurs as the cough subsides.
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