We treat children's cough at home. Treatment of cough in a child at home

It is a concomitant symptom of many diseases, including colds. His appearance causes anxiety in the parents of the baby. Of course, there are a large number of all kinds of cough medicines, but which one your child needs, only a specialist can say after he finds out the cause of the pathology and determines the type of cough.

Causes of a cough

In order to cure a cough in a baby, you first need to understand the reasons for its appearance.
This pathology can be caused by:

• Allergy;
• Bronchial asthma;
• Overdrying of the nasopharyngeal mucosa;
• Sinusitis;
• The presence of adenoids;
• High concentration of harmful substances in the air;
• Dry air.

In 90% of cases, a cough in a three-year-old baby is a consequence of SARS. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis after examining the child. Do not self-medicate, because the consequences can be much worse.

Types of cough

As you can see for yourself, there are a lot of causes of coughing. There are 2 types of cough:

• Physiological;
• Pathological.

In the first case, this is normal. As a rule, it is short-lived, recurs infrequently, there are no other symptoms of the disease. If you still began to worry about your child, then you should watch him for several days. Periodically measure the temperature, watch how he eats and sleeps. If it appears, temperature or other signs, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

In the second case, it is a symptom of diseases of the upper or lower respiratory tract. can provoke pneumonia, laryngitis, tracheitis and other diseases. As a rule, this begins with a slight cough, to which symptoms such as fever, runny nose, refusal to eat, etc. are added.

The second reason why a pathological cough occurs is the ingress of a foreign body into the respiratory tract. Children under 3 years of age are at high risk. And it can also be the result of uneven swallowing of food. In such cases, you should remove the foreign object yourself. If this is not possible, it is recommended to seek help from a medical institution or call an ambulance as soon as possible.

Often such a cough is a symptom of worms in babies. It is always dry and is not accompanied by phlegm.

Only a specialist can establish the nature of the cough. Do not self-prescribe a child this or that drug. Only a specialist will determine the cause of the cough and prescribe an individual treatment that is suitable only for your child.

First aid for a child

If the cough is accompanied by a runny nose, fever, etc., you need to call a pediatrician as soon as possible. While he is riding to you, the child should be put to bed and given a warm drink. A good remedy is warm milk with soda and butter. But it is not suitable for everyone, because some children are allergic to milk protein and honey.

In the event that the child does not have a temperature, inhalation with mineral water or saline can be done, as well as foot baths with the addition of mustard.

Treatment of pathology

Treatment of an ailment accompanied by this unpleasant symptom in a baby should be carried out under the strict supervision of a pediatrician. Therapy should begin as soon as you find the first signs. Unfortunately, scientists have not yet invented the medicine that would save from all troubles instantly. Therefore, treatment should be comprehensive and aimed not only at eliminating the disease itself and its symptoms, but also at increasing the child's body's defenses.

During this period, you do not need to force the baby to eat if he has no appetite. Nothing bad will happen if your child eats a little less than usual.

Do not force the child to stay in bed, if he wants to play or jump, do it together. After all, movements improve the discharge of sputum from the bronchi.

Water the child during this period should be as much as possible. The main thing is that the drink should be warm: tea, juice, jelly, etc.

If the cough is due to an infectious disease, then for a better discharge of sputum, in winter, you should humidify the air in the room. To do this, you need to wet a rag and hang it on the battery, or pour it into a jar of water and put it on the battery. Nowadays, there are a large number of drugs that help reduce the viscosity of mucus (mucolic drugs) and improve sputum expectoration (expectorants).

Medical treatment

You should not self-medicate, because complications may arise that you will be treated for 2 times longer. Therefore, as soon as the child has a cough and his condition worsens, be sure to consult a pediatrician. Only he will listen to the baby, determine the cause and type of cough and prescribe the appropriate drugs. The most effective pharmaceutical preparations will be presented below:

• Lazolvan. It comes in several forms, but for children under the age of 3, syrup and inhalation solution are suitable.
• Mucodin. This tool is available in two forms: tablets and syrup. It actively restores bronchial cells.
• Ambroxol. For children of this age, it is ideal in the form of a syrup that can be drunk and used for.
• Synekod. This is a drug for dry cough, which in the form of a syrup can be given to children from 3 years old.
• Stoptussin. It is prescribed for the treatment of dry and irritable cough in the form of drops from 6 months.

Quite often, specialists for the treatment of cough prescribe homeopathic medicines for children. The most productive of them is Gedelix. Doctors prescribe antibiotics for pneumonia. In no case should you assign them to a child on your own, this can lead to dire consequences.

Effective traditional medicine

Many mothers and fathers do not want to give their children medications. They are interested in how else you can cure a cough without the use of medicines.

The following recommendations will help to cope with this phenomenon:

• Periodically, at least 15 minutes, you need to ventilate the room;
• If the child is sick, wet cleaning should be carried out daily;
• Constantly humidify the air with the help of special devices or hang a wet towel on the battery in winter;
• Give the baby more to drink, the liquid should be warm;
• If there is no temperature, take walks in the fresh air for 30 minutes.

In addition to the above, a child at 3 years old can use traditional medicine instead of pharmaceuticals.

Dry cough remedy. The baby will drink such a potion with great pleasure. First you should boil the syrup: 1 cup of sugar per 100 ml of water. Next, finely chop one orange along with the peel and add to. Such a drug is boiled for half an hour. Then the product is filtered, cooled to room temperature and given to the child 1 tsp. every 2 - 3 hours.

Onion tool. For cooking, take one medium-sized onion, finely chop, pour a glass of cold milk and cook for about 10 minutes. Then the broth is allowed to brew for 30 minutes, filtered and given to the crumbs 1 tbsp. l. every hour.

Sage remedy. Add 1 tsp to a glass of milk. sage and boil. Then the product is infused for 15 minutes, filtered. Before use, you can add a spoonful of honey if the baby is not allergic to it. Give the child 50 ml 2-3 times a day.

Before using this or that traditional medicine recipe, it is recommended that you first consult with a pediatrician.

While watching the video, you will learn about the barking cough.

Of course, any disease is better to prevent. Therefore, harden your child from birth, dress him for the weather, constantly ventilate the room, and avoid crowded places during the flu and cold season. This is how you can prevent coughing in your baby.

Cough in a child is the most common complaint of parents at a pediatrician's appointment. The problem can disrupt the habitual way of life of the crumbs: the baby does not sleep well, his appetite is gone, paroxysmal cough disrupts cerebral circulation, negatively affects the health of the child as a whole.

Most often, coughing is a symptom of a respiratory disease. The problem must be fought, initially finding out the cause of the appearance of pathology. Only establishing the correct diagnosis will help prescribe the necessary treatment, cope with the pathology.

general information

Pathology is a rhythmic involuntary exhalation, which is caused by irritation of special receptors of the larynx, pharynx, bronchi, lung tissue. During coughing, special sounds are made, all due to the passage of air through the narrowed airways. The problem is a reaction of the body, which is aimed at cleansing the respiratory passages from mucus, sputum, dust particles, foreign bodies.

Cough is an unpleasant symptom associated with respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal ailments, allergies, neurological pathologies. The problem leads to hoarseness, difficulty eating, disrupts sleep, in young children, coughing can cause increased anxiety, even vomiting.

In infants, slight coughing is normal. Thus, the body tries to get rid of dirt and dust from the trachea, pharynx. A child can cough up to 15 times a day, often parents notice a cough in the morning: as a result of lying on their back, mucus accumulates in the airways overnight, the baby tries to solve this problem after waking up.

Fever, frequent bouts of coughing - a reason to show the child to a specialist, in all other cases, this state of affairs does not pose a danger to children's health.

Causes

Usually cough is not the only symptom of the disease, it is often accompanied by a runny nose, headache, fever, skin rashes. Sometimes the pathology manifests itself suddenly, which is very scary for parents.

Doctors identify several main reasons why a baby is diagnosed with a cough:

• course of acute respiratory infections. This aspect accounts for about 90% of all cases of cough in children. The infection can be localized in the lower and upper respiratory tract, the nature of the symptom determines how deeply pathogenic bacteria have penetrated;
• bronchial asthma. Due to the individual characteristics of children, the deplorable situation with the environment, this disease is often diagnosed by pediatricians. In asthma, the cough is paroxysmal in nature, often appears in the evening or at night, leading to shortness of breath, sometimes suffocation;
• diseases of the ENT organs. Often, a bacterial infection affects the sinuses, larynx, trachea, maxillary sinuses causes an unpleasant symptom - cough;
• heart or gastrointestinal ailments. Sometimes a cough is in no way associated with pathologies of the respiratory tract, but is a symptom of gastritis, a heart disease. If you find such a problem that suddenly arose against the background of other symptoms (malaise, general weakness, diarrhea, and others), visit the doctor immediately;
• entry into the respiratory tract of a foreign body. Toddlers explore the world with the help of taste buds, in other words, they taste everything. The child can swallow or put a small small object into the nose, parents should urgently call the doctors, give the baby first aid;
• neurological problems. In rare cases, coughing becomes a symptom of a psychological illness, sometimes the baby tries to attract the attention of parents in this way. The situation requires an immediate solution, consultation with a psychologist;
• poor quality air. Too dry atmosphere in the apartment, the presence of extraneous odors (tobacco smoke, fumes of household chemicals) adversely affect the baby. Usually, after the cause of the problem is eliminated, the discomfort goes away;
• genetic diseases, individual characteristics. The wrong structure of the larynx, nasal sinuses, some ailments lead to chronic coughing fits in the crumbs. The situation in most cases is not solved in any way, parents can only help by reducing unpleasant symptoms;
• allergic reaction. During the flowering period of plants, children are often diagnosed with a cough, accompanied by reddening of the eyes, runny nose. Pet hair, fish food, and some food products can cause a special reaction of the body.

Note! It is important to find out the nature of the appearance of an unpleasant symptom, only in this case the treatment will be effective, complications will not appear. Before taking any medication, using folk remedies, be sure to consult your doctor, self-treatment of children is prohibited!

Classification

There are a lot of types of cough, doctors distinguish several types of pathology based on the characteristics of the symptoms.

Divided by nature:

• dry. This type of cough is obsessive, extremely unpleasant, it is also called annoying. Dry cough in children is characterized by a constant tone, lack of sputum. May appear as a result of a sharp change in temperature, laryngitis, lymphoma, tuberculosis, if a foreign body enters the respiratory tract;
• wet. It is characterized by sputum secretion after expectoration, cyclicity. Appears as a result of inflammation, usually has an average volume. Often appears due to bronchitis, sinusitis, problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

In any case, sputum is a pathology; normally, there should not be any discharge from the respiratory tract. By nature, the types of sputum are distinguished:

• mucous membrane - the presence of a transparent, viscous liquid (with bronchitis, asthma, often diagnosed with pneumonia);
• purulent - differs in a greenish-brown tint, occurs with a lung abscess, pleural empyema;
• serous - foams, liquid consistency, appears as a result of pulmonary edema;
• mucopurulent - appears during diseases of the bronchi, lungs;
• bloody - blood is noted in the sputum, pathology requires immediate consultation with a doctor.

According to the timbre, cough is distinguished:

• barking - false vocal cords swell;
• short - accompanied by painful sensations, indicates the onset of an asthma attack;
• hoarse - the vocal cords become inflamed;
• silent - severe edema, there is a general weakness of the child's body.

Also distinguish morning, afternoon, evening cough, depending on the time of its frequent occurrence.

By duration:

• acute - disappears within two weeks;
• chronic - manifests itself more than four times a year, each attack lasts up to three weeks. The peculiarity of the pathology is that there are no signs of a cold (runny nose, increased body, weakness, sore throat).

When to see a doctor urgently

In most cases, the appearance of a cough in a baby does not require special medical intervention, the exceptions are the following cases:

• the symptom appeared suddenly, accompanied by convulsions;
• cough lasts more than one week or continues after other cold symptoms have disappeared;
• disrupts normal sleep in crumbs;
• there are blood impurities in the sputum;
• there were difficulties with normal breathing, attacks of suffocation appear;
• the presence of high temperature;
• during bouts of coughing, the skin of the child becomes blue or pale.

Effective Treatments

Cough is treated in various ways, depending on the condition of the crumbs, the nature of the pathology, select the appropriate method.

Medical therapy

All drugs are prescribed by a doctor only after carrying out the necessary diagnostic measures.

An approximate scheme for the treatment of cough in children:

• antitussives. Used for dry cough, medications are prescribed in severe cases, when there are attacks of suffocation. Effective drugs: Glauventa, Sinekod, Tusuprexa;
• mucolytics. Designed to thin sputum, quickly remove it from the respiratory tract, without increasing the amount of mucus. Children are prescribed drugs in the form of syrups based on marshmallow, essential oils, licorice root (Ambrobene, Mucodin, Bromgeskin). Lozenges and lollipops have proven themselves well (Doctor Mom, Strepsils, Travesil);
• antibiotics. They are used only at high temperature, the addition of a bacterial infection, the presence of a purulent process. A specific drug is prescribed by a pediatrician; it is strictly forbidden to give the crumbs potent medicines on their own.

Folk remedies and recipes

In addition to official medicine, home remedies are often used to combat coughs. Natural medicines are absolutely safe for the health of the crumbs, show excellent results, and are easy to prepare.

For a speedy recovery, follow a special diet, include dairy products, fresh vegetables, cereals, lean meat in your diet, exclude fatty, fried foods, sweets, carbonated drinks. Often ventilate the room, carry out wet cleaning, bed rest is a mandatory requirement, after the temperature drops, short walks are allowed.

Effective Recipes:

• dry cough soothes carrot juice mixed with sugar syrup in a ratio of 1:1. Give the baby five times a day a tablespoon, children under one year old - a teaspoon;
• honey + onion Take liquid linden honey, add fresh onion juice, all ingredients are taken in equal amounts. Drink a tablespoon three times a day after meals, it is forbidden to use for babies;
• decoction of viburnum. Pour a glass of berries with a liter of boiling water, simmer for a quarter of an hour, strain, cool slightly, add 50 ml of honey. Give the baby 150 ml three times a day;
• mix freshly squeezed cabbage juice with honey in equal proportions. Helps to expectorate, drink a tablespoon every time after a meal;
• honey + horseradish Mix all the components in equal proportions, give the baby a teaspoon in the morning and evening;
• coltsfoot, chamomile, oregano. Take two parts of the first two plants, one part of the last, pour 200 grams of the mixture with boiling water, cook for 20 minutes. Give the finished broth to the crumbs 300 ml three times a day.

Read about what to do if the newborn hiccups after feeding.

Compresses:

• finely grate potatoes boiled in uniform (three pieces), add a tablespoon of alcohol, the same amount of turpentine, 35 ml of sunflower oil. Wrap the resulting mass in gauze, forming cakes, put them on the chest, back of the baby, avoid the heart area, wrap it well, leave it overnight. Repeat 3-4 times;
• heat sunflower oil in a water bath, moisten gauze with it, put it on the chest and back of the child, avoid the heart area. Wrap the baby well, wrap it with a woolen scarf, leave it overnight, give diaphoretic tea.

Inhalations

Hold the head of the child for 15 minutes over a pot with a useful warm drug, let him inhale through his nose, exhale through his mouth. Be sure to put a towel over the top. As a base, use a decoction of chamomile, calendula, coltsfoot, thyme, add a few drops of eucalyptus ether, geranium, a tablespoon of soda.

Mustard plasters and banks

Can be purchased at any pharmacy chain. Nowadays, such devices fade into the background due to frequent injury to the skin and discomfort.

Prevention measures

There are several ways to prevent coughing in children:

• treat colds in time;
• avoid allergens;
• strengthen the body of the crumbs;
• temper the baby;
• visit your pediatrician regularly for preventive purposes.

Now you know how to treat a cough in a child at home. Choose proven products and recipes. Carefully monitor the health of the crumbs, in case of any negative changes, contact the specialists.

More folk remedies and recipes for treating cough in the following video:

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. A 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:

• attacks occur 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.

Sputum with wet cough

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 (analysis, 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, Dr. Mom syrup, Gedelix, Solutan) or synthetic (for example, Lasolvan, 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 to 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:

1. 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);
2. 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;
3. between bouts of coughing, carry out special breathing exercises;
4. 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 it is not possible to remove the attack on your own, 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:

1. protect the child from contact with sick people;
2. teach him to wash his hands with soap to avoid viruses;
3. protect against passive smoking;
4. make sure that he consumes vitamins and trace elements in sufficient quantities;
5. 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 cough in a child 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 medication, 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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Although coughing may seem terrible, it is usually not a sign of a serious condition. Coughing is a technique the body uses to keep the airways clear, clearing mucus from the nose or phlegm from the throat. It is also a method of protection when a piece of food or other foreign body is stuck.

Child's cough

There are two types of cough - productive (wet) and unproductive (dry).

Babies under 4 months of age do not cough much. Therefore, if a newborn coughs, this is serious. If a child coughs just terribly, this may be a manifestation of infection with a respiratory syncytial virus.

This infection is extremely dangerous for babies. When a child is older than 1 year, coughing becomes less of a cause for anxiety. And often it is nothing more than a cold.

If there is little sputum, the cough will be unproductive.

Even if the cough is dry, mucus and phlegm are still present in the lungs or airways. Most likely, their number is so small that it cannot be expectorated when coughing.

As a rule, a cough can begin as a non-productive (dry cough). Over time, it transforms into a productive (wet) cough.

In addition to certain infections, any irritation to the respiratory tract from allergies, air pollution, cigarette smoking, and exposure to certain medications can lead to a dry cough.

Causes of cough in a child

Colds and upper respiratory infections

Inflammation in the upper respiratory tract is almost always accompanied by a dry cough. However, if the infection spreads down to the bronchi and lungs, or mucus drips, a non-productive cough may become productive.

Prolonged dry cough is also observed after a respiratory tract infection.

False croup with stenosing laryngotracheitis

The hallmark of croup is a deep cough that sounds like barking and worsens at night. The baby's voice is hoarse. The breathing of the patient during sleep is accompanied by a high and whistling (stridor) sound.

Parents of a child who is allergic to cat dander, dust, or other elements of their environment may feel like it's a cold that will never go away.

Allergies can cause nasal congestion or a runny nose with clear mucus, as well as a cough due to constant flow. Children with asthma also cough frequently, especially at night.

When a child has asthma, he has asthma attacks. Exposure to cold can also cause the patient to cough.

If the baby begins to cough after running (exercise-induced asthma), this is another symptom in favor of asthma as the cause of the cough.

Pneumonia or bronchitis

Many cases of pneumonia, infections in the lungs begin as a cold. If your child has a cold that gets worse—constant cough, difficulty breathing, body aches, chills—call a doctor. Bacterial pneumonia often causes a wet cough, viral - dry.

Bronchitis occurs when the structures that carry air to the lungs become inflamed. This often occurs during or after a cold or flu. Bronchitis causes a persistent cough for several weeks.

When a child has bacterial pneumonia or bronchitis, they will need an antibiotic to treat the infection and cough.

When a child has a cough, runny nose that lasts more than ten days without improvement, and your doctor has ruled out pneumonia and bronchitis, sinusitis can be suspected in the baby.

A bacterial infection is a common cause of dry cough. However, excessive fluid flowing into the airways, coupled with the occasional cough in the newborn, can lead to a productive cough as mucus accumulates there.

If the doctor determines that the child has sinusitis, he will prescribe an antibiotic. The cough should stop after the sinuses are clear again.

Foreign bodies in the airways

A cough that lasts two weeks or more without other signs of illness (eg, runny nose, fever, lethargy) or allergies is often evidence that a child has a foreign object stuck.

It enters the throat or lungs. This situation is more common among young children who are very mobile, have access to small objects and like to put things in their mouths.

In most cases, the child can immediately see that he has inhaled some object - the baby will begin to choke. At this moment, it is vital for parents not to get confused and provide first aid.

Whooping cough

May cause convulsive cough. A child with whooping cough usually coughs non-stop for 20 to 30 seconds and then struggles to catch his breath before the next coughing fit starts.

Signs of a cold, such as sneezing, runny nose, and a mild cough, are present for up to two weeks before the onset of more severe coughing attacks.

In this situation, call your doctor immediately. Whooping cough can be severe, especially in children under 1 year of age.

Read a detailed article by a pediatrician about the causes, symptoms and treatments for such a disease,.

cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis affects about 1 in 3,000 children, and a persistent cough with thick yellow or green mucus is one of the most obvious signs that a child may have inherited the disease.

Other signs include recurrent infections (pneumonia and sinusitis), poor weight gain, and bluish skin tone.

Irritants from the environment

Gases from the environment, such as cigarette smoke, combustion products and industrial emissions, irritate the respiratory tract and cause the child to cough. It is necessary to immediately determine the cause and, if possible, eliminate it.

Seek medical attention if:

• the child has trouble breathing or is straining hard to breathe;
• rapid breathing;
• bluish or darkish color of the nasolabial triangle, lips and tongue;
• heat. Particular attention should be paid to it when there is a cough, but there is no runny nose or nasal congestion;
• there is a fever and cough in a baby under three months old;
• an infant under three months of age has wheezing for several hours after a coughing fit;
• coughing up bloody sputum;
• wheezing on expiration, audible at a distance;
• the baby is weak, moody or irritable;
• the child has a concomitant chronic disease (heart or lung disease);
• dehydration.

Signs of dehydration include:

• dizziness;
• drowsiness;
• little or no saliva;
• dry lips;
• sunken eyes;
• crying with little or no tears;
• infrequent urination.

Cough test

As a rule, children with cough do not need extensive additional research.

Usually, the doctor, having carefully studied the history of the disease and other symptoms, already when examining the child, can find out what is the cause of the cough.

Auscultation is one of the best methods for diagnosing the cause of a cough. Knowing what a cough sounds like will help the doctor decide how to treat the child.

The doctor may refer to a chest x-ray if the child has a suspicion of pneumonia or in order to exclude a foreign body in the lungs.

A blood test will help determine if a serious infection is present.

Depending on the cause, the doctor will tell you how to treat a cough in a baby.

Since a wet cough serves an important function in children - helping their airways to remove unnecessary substances, parents should try to help such a cough achieve its goal.

How to remove phlegm from the chest?

• to do this, you need to make sure that the child drinks plenty of fluids that will not irritate his throat even more. For example, apple juice or warm broth. You can also give a child over 2 years of age honey as a natural cough medicine. Naturally, in the absence of allergies to it.

However, if your baby's condition worsens or his cough persists for more than two weeks, you should consult with a healthcare professional to review treatment;

• if the development of a cough provoked an allergen, the doctor prescribes antihistamines. If the cause is a bacterial infection, antibiotics;
• if your child's doctor suspects a foreign body is causing the cough, they will order a chest x-ray. If a foreign object is found in the lungs, the object must be removed surgically;
• if the patient's condition worsens, it may be necessary to use a bronchodilator through a nebulizer (a more advanced version of the inhaler). This will make breathing easier for the patient by expanding the bronchioles.

Treatment of cough in newborns takes place only under the supervision of a pediatrician.

Treating a cough in a baby at home involves several actions:

Temperature in infants with cough

Some illnesses and coughs in infants are accompanied by mild fever (up to 38 °C).

In these cases, do the following:

1. Children up to 1 month old. Call your pediatrician. Fever is not normal.
2. Infant up to 3 months. Contact your doctor for advice.
3. Babies 3 - 6 months. Give Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. If necessary - every 4 - 6 hours. Follow the dosage instructions carefully and use the syringe that comes in the package with the medicine, not a homemade spoon.
4. Infants 6 months and older. To reduce the temperature, use "Paracetamol" or "Ibuprofen".

Do not give both drugs at full age dosage at the same time. It may cause accidental overdose.

Thus, if parents know why the child is coughing and how to treat a severe cough, various unpleasant consequences of this symptom can be avoided.

When children get a cold or SARS, their main symptoms are a runny nose and cough. This is quite normal, since this is how the body reacts to an infection.

If the baby's cough is observed for a long time and is accompanied by strong sputum production, treatment is started in order to rid the child of this problem as soon as possible. Medicines and folk remedies, as well as other methods, can help with this.

How do children get cough?

The child begins to cough strongly for various reasons - a foreign body in the throat, an allergic reaction, irritation, any disease. It is difficult for children to know what is bothering them (especially if they are 1 or 2 years old), so in such conditions, mothers should help their babies and give the right medicine.

Cough is a physiological reaction. So the body tries to quickly get rid of a foreign body that makes breathing difficult. During SARS, mucus accumulates in the airways, which irritates the throat and causes a dry cough. It is real to recover from it, getting rid of the underlying disease. Also, drugs are used, thanks to which the child stops coughing.

Varieties of cough

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This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Before you start treating cough in children, you need to understand what you are dealing with. There are 3 types of cough:

1. Dry (or unproductive). In such conditions, sputum does not go away. With a dry cough, there is a sore throat, pain, sometimes the voice is lost. The symptom occurs in response to viral diseases as one of the initial signs, sometimes due to irritation of the mucous membrane.
2. Wet (or productive) cough. Its characteristic feature is the presence of sputum. Cough in children and adults is accompanied by wheezing, chest pain, a feeling of heaviness.
3. Strong paroxysmal. A strong cough in a child indicates bronchitis, tracheitis, or an allergic reaction (more in the article:). Breathing is difficult.

Dry

When a child coughs heavily, and sputum does not stand out from the lungs, this is a dry type. It is caused by viral and bacterial infections. It is impossible to cure them instantly, so the patient is given drugs, thanks to which the symptom goes away. The condition occurs as a result of the following diseases:

• bronchitis;
• pharyngitis, laryngitis;
• whooping cough (more in the article:);
• measles;
• false croup;
• SARS;
• chronic sinusitis, etc.

Dry cough cannot be cured instantly; traditional medicine or pharmaceutical preparations are needed

Wet

With a wet cough, mucus is intensively secreted. It cleanses the lungs and other organs of the respiratory system. The phenomenon is typical for pneumonia, runny nose, acute and chronic respiratory diseases, bronchitis. It cannot be left without treatment, as the disease progresses rapidly and develops into serious forms.

Be especially vigilant when children show the following symptoms:

• persistent high temperature;
• wheezing during coughing;
• the presence of blood in the sputum;
• shortness of breath, trouble breathing;
• green sputum;
• prolonged nocturnal coughing spells.

Violent cough with attacks

If a strong cough began during a meal, there is a suspicion that it is of an allergic nature. Allergens are dust, food, animal hair, chemicals, etc.

Particularly susceptible to this pathology are those who had diathesis in childhood. Unlike colds and infectious diseases, there is no fever and other symptoms. The reaction of the body develops as follows:

• sharp bouts of barking cough appear (we recommend reading:);
• cough becomes chronic and lasts 2-3 weeks;
• in parallel, a runny nose appears;
• characteristic sputum of a mucous type without pus is secreted from the bronchi;
• the patient is additionally worried about itching in the nose, frequent sneezing;
• an allergic reaction is accompanied by respiratory failure due to swelling of the respiratory organs;
• at night the baby does not sleep well, becomes irritable.

Allergies need to be recognized in a timely manner, so you need to carefully monitor the condition of the child. As soon as the first signs appear, they consult a doctor and begin treatment. If you miss the time, allergies can turn into bronchial asthma or asthmatic bronchitis, and these diseases are almost never cured.

Treatment of cough with medicines

For a cough to be productive, active work of the respiratory muscles is necessary. It is smooth muscles that help mucus move up and out of the body. In children under 5 years of age, this function is still poorly developed.

Cough is treated with syrups and tablets, which is better - depends on the age of the baby and the etiology of the disease

If a child is 3 years old, his body cannot physically cope with the accumulated mucus in the airways. He needs help with medicines. To do this, they take syrups and tablets at home (children from 1 to 4 years old are given syrups, because they do not know how to swallow tablets, and those who are already 6-7 years old are also prescribed tablet forms).

They also practice folk recipes and physiotherapy procedures. Knowing how to quickly cure a cough in a child at home, you can alleviate the condition of the baby and help him recover. Consider all the ways to treat cough in children in more detail.

Pills of different action

Demanded drugs that eliminate cough can be divided into groups:

• mucolytic agents (thinn sputum, making it easier to remove) - Ambroxol, ACC, Flavamed, Fluditec (we recommend reading:);
• expectorant drugs (stimulate the removal of sputum from the bronchi) - Mukaltin, Codelac Broncho, Thermopsol, Bromhexine (we recommend reading:);
• enveloping agents - Sodium and potassium iodides, soda;
• antitussive drugs that depress the cough center - Tusuprex, Butamirat, Bitiodin;
• combined agents - Carbocysteine, Tussin-plus, etc.

Of all the drugs, 4 are distinguished, which are most in demand in home therapy for cough in children:

1. Mukaltin. A cheap mucolytic agent that children tolerate with little or no adverse reactions. Can be taken by patients older than 3 years, but a doctor's consultation is necessary.
2. Thermopsol. The drug perfectly eliminates dry cough, easy to use.
3. Bromhexine. The remedy is prescribed to combat wet cough, as it enhances the removal of sputum.
4. Geromyrtol. The drug is designed specifically for patients suffering from severe coughing attacks in chronic bronchitis. Before using it, you must obtain approval from a doctor.

syrups

Syrup is the mildest form for combating children's coughs. It is best used when the causes of the disease are unknown. The remedy is recommended for children who, due to their age, cannot yet take pills. This is exactly the option that you can choose for self-treatment until the child gets to see a doctor. The syrup will eliminate the symptoms of coughing, improve breathing, and will fight other signs of the disease:

• with a dry cough, Prospan, Ambroxol, Glycodin, Bronholitin, Gerbion with plantain, Sinekod are prescribed;
• with a wet cough, use Linkas, Althea syrup, Ascoril, Ambrobene, Dr. Mom (we recommend reading:).

Regarding age restrictions:

• Prospan and Ambroxol are used from birth;
• Linkas - from six months;
• Ascoril, Ambrobene, Gerbion - from 2 years old;
• Dr. Mom, Sinekod, Bronholitin - from 3 years old.

Treatment of cough with traditional medicine

The methods offered by official medicine are not enough to defeat the disease in its advanced form. Then it is recommended to supplement the treatment of cough in children with folk remedies. In this case, care must be taken, because the reaction to unknown components of herbs is sometimes unpredictable.

Compresses

Hot compresses warm up the bronchial area well and effectively fight phlegm. Collect them from three layers:

• cotton fabric that is lined on the skin;
• tracing paper or oilcloth - prevents the next layer from soaking with liquid;
• terry towel - keeps the heat of the compress.

The compress is strictly forbidden to use in the region of the heart. The simplest recipe is based on hot salt. It is sewn into a cotton bag and steamed. A three-layer compress is collected and applied to the bronchial area. 2-3 sessions are enough to defeat the disease.

You can practice honey compress. To do this, the lower tissue layer is impregnated with heated honey. Honey can give allergies, so you should be careful with this recipe.

Inhalations

Another procedure that does a good job of eliminating a cough in a child is inhalation. It has been practiced for a long time, and it is effective if precautions are taken. It must be remembered that a child can get burned by steam.

The most popular inhalation is performed using potatoes. It is boiled in a uniform, slightly pounded, after which the child is allowed to breathe in warm vapors. So that you can control the process, and the baby was not scared, you can hide with a blanket with him.

A positive effect on coughing is observed from inhalations with essential oils or potatoes

The second most effective remedy is with essential oils. Heat the water to boiling water and add a few drops of essential oils of eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree to it. Before this, you need to make sure that the child is not allergic to the substances used.

Herbal infusions and decoctions

Experienced pediatricians sometimes prescribe sick babies not pills, but decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs. Highly effective means based on plantain. Take a pinch of dry leaves and insist 2 hours in a glass of boiling water. The drink is filtered, after which the baby takes it in a tablespoon before each meal.

Licorice root, marshmallow, propolis, breast elixir, ivy extract, primrose - these components are widely used in the treatment of cough in children (more in the article:). Thyme and thyme, which are included in the preparations Eukabal, Bronipret, Stoptussin, Pertussin, have a strong therapeutic effect (we recommend reading:).

Other oral medications

There are other folk remedies, besides those mentioned above, that successfully treat cough:

• Grind an ordinary onion, mixing it with an equal amount of honey. The child needs to use such a remedy three times a day for a tablespoon after meals. The minimum age of the patient is 1 year.
• You can cook radish with honey. To do this, a hole is made inside the root crop, into which 2 tsp are placed. honey and insist 4 hours. As a result, juice is formed, which is taken 3 times a day for a teaspoon.
• Another remedy is a mixture of the juice of one lemon, 2 tbsp. l. glycerin and a glass of honey. This drug is taken in 1 tsp. 6 times a day.

Radish with honey - a vitaminizing agent with expectorant, anti-inflammatory and soothing effects

Drainage massage

Cough is also fought with the help of physiotherapy procedures. One of these is drainage massage. It can be carried out even for babies, if the mother owns the necessary equipment. If there is no experience, it is better to call a professional massage therapist.

The procedure is as follows:

• The baby is laid with the buttocks above the head. You can put a pillow under your stomach.
• Stroke the back, moving upwards.
• The next step is tapping with the fingertips. At the same time, zones near the spine are selected, but they do not touch it itself.
• 30 minutes give the child a rest. At this time, he is covered with a blanket. Phlegm begins to stand out and move away.
• They give an expectorant that increases sputum production.

Drainage is forbidden to do at a child's temperature. Movements should be gentle, without the use of force. This is especially true for breast massage.

What can't be done?

When coughing in babies, certain foods must be excluded. You can not eat hot food and drinks, so as not to damage the irritated mucous membrane. It is forbidden to take fresh honey - it must be boiled before use. Exclude chocolate, spicy dishes, pickles from the diet. At elevated temperatures, inhalations, compresses and warming are not done.