How to detect bronchitis in children in time: the main symptoms. How to treat acute bronchitis in children with antibiotics and folk remedies - symptoms and signs Bronchitis in a child 2.5 years treatment

Bronchitis is a disease of the lower respiratory tract, the pathology is often diagnosed in babies, their body is not yet strong, it is susceptible to various viral infections. The disease in most cases occurs in a chronic form or is the result of a previous infectious disease.

Lack of proper, effective treatment leads to the appearance of bronchial asthma, pneumonia. Both conditions negatively affect the health of the crumbs. All parents need to know what causes the disease, the characteristic symptoms, methods of treating bronchitis in a child.

Causes

Children get sick much more often than adults, the fact is due to the specific structure of the respiratory system of babies, weak immunity, which is sometimes unable to cope with infections of various etiologies. The respiratory tract of children is characterized by wide, short bronchi, pathogens can easily settle in them than in an adult.

An important role is played by the environment of the crumbs. In a kindergarten or school, one or two people are always sick. Constant contact with a carrier of infection eventually leads to infection of the child. It is almost impossible to protect a baby from such a danger; not all parents welcome homeschooling. The only way out is to strengthen the immune system, timely treatment of bronchitis in the early stages of development.

Characteristic symptoms

The main signs and symptoms of bronchitis in children:

• at first the child becomes weak, appetite disappears, headaches appear;
• then parents notice the appearance of a dry cough or with a small amount of sputum. Over time, pain in the throat increases, distinct wheezing, a barking cough, and a runny nose appear.

On average, body temperature rises to 38 degrees, for mild forms, a mark of 37.5 degrees is typical. A week later, a dry cough turns into a wet one, facilitating the process of expectoration, the baby can be completely cured in 14–21 days. Improper treatment can lead to complications, a longer course of the disease.

In case of recurrence after recovery, consult a doctor, sometimes the cause of re-illness is latent chronic diseases, weakened immunity. In this case, you will need to take a course of antibiotics, which are prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

Treatment at home

Bronchitis in children can really be cured at home, for this special medicines, traditional medicine are used. Only in the case of elevated body temperature, which does not subside, the presence of complications, deterioration of the crumbs, hospitalization is necessary. It is forbidden to self-medicate children under one year old, incomplete functioning of the respiratory system can lead to serious complications, a sad outcome of events.

An important role in the treatment of bronchitis in children is played by the observance of certain rules aimed at normalizing the condition of a small patient, removing pathogens from the body.

In the first three days of illness, provide the baby with complete bed rest, ventilate the room regularly. After a few days, small walks in the fresh air are allowed, provided that there is no elevated body temperature.

Follow a special diet: lean on cereals, dairy products, do not forget about natural vitamins - fresh vegetables and fruits. If someone in the family smokes, protect the baby from tobacco smoke, the irritant adversely affects the recovery of the baby.

Liquefaction of sputum is achieved by drinking a large amount of warm drink. Aspect helps to remove accumulated toxins from the body. In addition to pure water, vitamin drinks are recommended for taking (broths from rose hips, raspberries, linden, mint, chamomile tea, milk + honey).

It is important with a dry cough to moisten the room in which the small patient is located. Do the manipulations with a special humidifier. Daily carry out wet cleaning, cleaning the "atmosphere" in the room of a sick baby.

Drug therapy

Many parents ask themselves: are antibiotics needed for bronchitis? In most cases, this therapy is inappropriate. Antibiotics will not help in any way if there is a flu, a cold. Strong immunity to cope with the problem on its own, there is no need to use potent drugs. Antibiotics are prescribed only if the temperature lasts for more than four days, purulent sputum has formed, and the general condition deteriorates sharply.

Required medicines:

• with a strong fever, elevated temperature, pediatricians recommend giving the baby antipyretics for children. Paracetamol in syrup is perfect for these purposes;
• antitussive drugs. The treatment of dry cough consists in taking the combined remedy Sinekod, when switching to a wet cough, expectorants are prescribed: Gedelix, Mukaltin, Alteyny Syrup, Prospan, Bronchikum, chest fees.

Very young children are forbidden to take most medicines. There is a proven folk remedy that helps the baby to expectorate if he does not know how to do it on his own: regularly turn the child from one side to the other. The sputum gradually moves down, irritating the bronchi, which leads to a reflex cough.

Home inhalations

Inhalations for bronchitis have been used for a very long time, therapeutic pairs enter directly into the bronchi, quickly cope with the disease. To carry out the procedure at home, use a nebulizer, with the help of a special device, the procedure is quick and easy.

Only pharmaceutical products are poured into the nebulizer; for home remedies, use a saucepan with hot water: the baby tilts his head over the container, covers himself with a towel from above, the child inhales useful vapors.

For home inhalation, the following recipes are suitable:

• take a tablespoon of dry raspberry leaves, currants, sea buckthorn (twigs), pour a liter of boiling water, use as directed;
• for two liters of boiling water, take 10 drops of iodine, add a tablespoon of salt, 4 drops of propolis tincture will help increase the healing properties of the solution. Let the finished remedy brew for 10 minutes;
• mix in equal proportions breast collection (sold in a pharmacy) with eucalyptus leaves. Use 50 grams of raw materials obtained per liter of boiling water, as the volume of water increases, add the amount of herbs.

Important! At elevated temperatures, inhalation is strictly prohibited. Failure to comply with this rule leads to an aggravation of the situation.

Massage

Therapeutic manipulations contribute to the removal of sputum, restore blood circulation in the bronchi, and prevent possible complications.

Doctors distinguish several massage techniques for bronchitis in children:

• drainage. It is performed on the back in such a position of the body that the head is lower than the torso;
• point. Certain zones are massaged (neck, chest area), used as an aid to basic manipulations;
• chest massage. Do the procedure carefully, with patting movements;
• vibration. Perform tapping movements along the entire back;
• honey. It is no different from the usual, but slightly warmed honey is additionally used. It is allowed to carry out only in the absence of an allergy to beekeeping products;
• jar. The method is outdated, but some still use it. For this type of massage, you will need special jars.

Folk remedies and recipes

Folk remedies for bronchitis:

• potato. Grind the vegetable cooked in uniform, add a little vegetable oil, 2 drops of iodine. Put the resulting mass on the chest, throat of the child, be sure to wrap the treated areas. Perform manipulations before going to bed;
• spruce buds + milk(in a ratio of 1:10). Boil the mixture of ingredients for 10 minutes, the minimum dose for a child is 200 grams per day, it is allowed to drink up to 1 liter of the product per day;
• rubbing with pork fat. An effective method has been used for many centuries: melt the fat, rub it on the back, neck, throat, wrap it up, leave it overnight.

Disease prevention

Protecting a child from bronchitis is not easy, but try to cure all colds, strengthen the immune system of the crumbs, temper the child's body, regularly give multivitamin preparations. If possible, limit contact with sick children.

When a child develops bronchitis, do not despair, there are proven remedies that will quickly help to cope with the disease. Carefully study medical recipes, be healthy!

Read more about the symptoms and treatment of bronchitis in children in the following video:

Bronchitis is a disease that, according to modern medical statistics, is one of the most common pathologies of the respiratory system. This disease can occur in people of any age. But in children, especially small ones, it occurs most often and proceeds, as a rule, more severely than in adults. Therefore, it is important for parents to know the main symptoms of the disease and methods of its treatment.

In most cases, bronchitis is caused by infectious causes, which is why the term infectious bronchitis is quite common.

Although there are cases of non-infectious origin of this disease.

What is bronchitis?

The bronchi are one of the most important parts of the human respiratory system. When inhaled, air passes through the larynx and trachea, then enters the branched system of the bronchi, which deliver oxygen to the lungs. The ends of the bronchi that are directly adjacent to the lungs are called bronchioles. When exhaling, the products of gas exchange formed in the lungs, primarily carbon dioxide, go back out through the bronchi and trachea. The surface of the bronchi is covered with mucus and sensitive cilia, which ensure the removal of foreign substances that have entered the bronchi.

Thus, if the patency of the bronchi is impaired for some reason, this can negatively affect the respiratory process, and, as a result, cause an insufficient supply of oxygen to the body.

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchi. This disease often affects children due to their weak immunity and underdeveloped respiratory organs. The incidence of the disease in children is quite high. Statistics show that for a thousand children a year there are up to two hundred diseases. Most often, children under five years of age get sick. And most cases are recorded in the autumn-winter period, during outbreaks of various acute respiratory diseases.

Bronchitis in a child is divided into several varieties according to the degree of development:

• simple (catarrhal),
• obstructive.

Bronchitis is also divided according to the nature of the course into:

• spicy,
• chronic.

Chronic bronchitis in children can be discussed when the patient suffers from this disease for about three to four months a year. A variety of bronchitis in children is also bronchiolitis - inflammation of the bronchioles.

Obstructive bronchitis is a type of bronchitis in children, in which there is a strong narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi due to mucus accumulated in them or bronchospasm.

Bronchitis in a child can also affect either individual branches of the bronchial tree, or all branches on one side, or affect the bronchi on both sides. If inflammation extends not only to the bronchi, but also to the trachea, then they speak of tracheobronchitis, if to the bronchi and lungs, then bronchopneumonia.

The reasons

The respiratory organs in children are not as well developed as in adults. This circumstance is the main reason that bronchitis in children is much more common than in adults. Respiratory problems in children include:

• short airways, which contributes to the rapid penetration of infection into them;
• small lung capacity;
• weakness of the respiratory muscles, which makes it difficult to cough up sputum;
• insufficient amount of immunoglobulins in the cells of the mucous membrane;
• tendency to tonsillitis and inflammation of the adenoids.

Bronchitis in a child in the vast majority of cases is a secondary disease. It occurs as a complication in diseases of the upper respiratory tract - laryngitis and tonsillitis. Bronchitis occurs when bacteria or viruses travel from the upper respiratory tract to the lower respiratory tract.

However, primary bronchitis, that is, a disease in which the bronchi are primarily affected, is not excluded. Most experts believe that purely bacterial bronchitis is not very common, and viruses (flu, parainfluenza, rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses) play the main role in the occurrence and development of the disease.

Bronchitis in a child, accompanied by a bacterial infection, is usually more severe than a viral one. Bacterial bronchitis often leads to the formation of purulent discharge from the bronchi, the so-called purulent sputum. Bacteria that cause bronchial damage usually include streptococci, staphylococci, mycoplasmas, chlamydia, Haemophilus influenzae, pneumococcus.

Children of different age groups with different frequency are affected by different types of bacteria. Bronchitis caused by mycoplasma is most often observed in school-age children. But in children under one year old, this is usually chlamydial bronchitis caused by chlamydia pneumoniae. Also, with this disease in children under one year old, an extremely dangerous form of the disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus is often observed.

Primary bacterial bronchitis in children is also possible. Usually its cause is the aspiration of small objects, food by young children. After coughing, foreign bodies usually leave the respiratory tract. However, the bacteria that got inside at the same time settle on the bronchial mucosa and multiply.

Much less often than viruses and bacteria, bronchitis in children can be triggered by a fungal infection and other microorganisms.

There is also a type of bronchitis known as allergic bronchitis. It is observed as a reaction to some external stimulus - medicines, chemicals, dust, pollen, animal hair, etc.

Factors contributing to the development of bronchitis in children are:

• low level of immunity;
• hypothermia;
• sudden changes in temperature;
• too dry air, especially in a heated room, which contributes to the drying of the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs;
• beriberi;
• second hand smoke;
• long stay in a close team with other children;
• comorbidities such as cystic fibrosis.

Bronchitis in children under one year old is relatively rare. This is due to the fact that the child does not communicate with peers, and therefore cannot become infected with viruses from them. Bronchitis in infants can be provoked by such factors as prematurity of the child, congenital pathologies of the respiratory organs.

Acute bronchitis in children, symptoms

Bronchitis in children has characteristic symptoms that distinguish it from other respiratory diseases. First of all, cough speaks about bronchitis in children. However, coughing can also be associated with other respiratory diseases.

What kind of cough usually occurs in children with bronchitis?

At the onset of bronchitis in children, symptoms include a dry and non-productive cough, that is, a cough without sputum production. The positive dynamics of treatment, first of all, is indicated by a wet cough. The sputum may be clear, yellow or green in color.

Acute bronchitis in a child is also accompanied by fever. But its value in this type of disease is relatively small in the vast majority of cases. The temperature is only slightly higher than subfebrile and rarely rises to +39 ºС. This is a relatively small indicator compared to the temperature during pneumonia. With catarrhal bronchitis, the temperature rarely exceeds +38 ºС.

Other symptoms of bronchitis in children include signs of general intoxication:

• headache,
• weakness,
• nausea.

Breastfeeding babies usually do not sleep well, do not suck milk.

The nature of wheezing in the chest area can also indicate bronchitis in children. With catarrhal bronchitis in a child, when listening to the chest, scattered dry rales are usually heard.

With mycoplasmal bronchitis, the child has a high temperature, but there are no symptoms of general intoxication.

Since bronchitis in a child affects the lower respiratory tract, there are usually no symptoms that indicate damage to the upper ones (runny nose, sore throat, etc.). However, in many cases, bronchitis is accompanied by inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, so diseases such as pharyngitis, rhinitis and laryngitis do not exclude the simultaneous presence of bronchitis as a complication.

About bronchitis in children, accompanied by tracheitis, may indicate a feeling of heaviness or pain behind the sternum.

Bronchiolitis and obstructive bronchitis in children, symptoms

Symptoms of obstructive bronchitis and bronchiolitis in children are somewhat different than in the catarrhal form of the disease. By the way, many experts do not separate bronchiolitis and acute obstructive bronchitis in children.

Symptoms in these varieties of the disease also include cough and fever. But with bronchiolitis and obstructive bronchitis in children, symptoms of respiratory failure are added to them: an increase in respiratory rate, a blue nasolabial triangle. Breathing becomes noisier. The abdominal muscles are also included in the breathing process. Noticeable retraction of the skin in the intercostal spaces during inspiration.

In obstructive bronchitis in children, symptoms also include characteristic wheezing, noticeable when listening to the chest. The rales are usually moist and wheezing. Sometimes they can be heard even without a stethoscope, at a distance. Exhalation in this form of the disease is prolonged.

With obstructive bronchitis in children under one year old, a sign of shortness of breath is a respiratory rate of 60 breaths per minute or more, in children aged one to 2 years - 50 breaths per minute or more, in children aged 2 years and older - 40 breaths per minute and more.

With bronchiolitis, shortness of breath can reach even greater values ​​​​- 80-90 breaths per minute. Also, with bronchiolitis, tachycardia, muffled tones in the heart can be observed.

Diagnostics

When diagnosing, doctors, first of all, must determine the type of bronchitis (catarrhal or obstructive) and its etiology - viral bacterial or allergic. You should also separate simple bronchitis from bronchiolitis, which is a more serious condition, and from pneumonia.

Obstructive bronchitis with respiratory failure should also be differentiated from bronchial asthma.

When diagnosing, data obtained from examining the patient and listening to his chest are used. When a child is hospitalized, they can take a chest x-ray, which will show all the pathological changes in the bronchial structure and lungs. Methods are also used that determine the volume of air passing through the bronchi, sputum examination in order to search for pathogens (bacterial culture, PCR analysis).

Blood and urine tests are also taken. In the blood test, attention is paid to the level of ESR, as well as to the leukocyte formula. An upward change in the total white blood cell count (leukocytosis) is a sign of a bacterial infection. A relative decrease in the number of leukocytes (leukopenia) with a simultaneous increase in the number of lymphocytes (lymphocytosis) may indicate viral infections. However, with recurrent bronchitis, an attack of the disease may not be accompanied by changes in the composition of the blood. Such types of studies as bronchogram, bronchoscopy, computed tomography can also be carried out.

Prognosis and complications

With timely treatment of bronchitis detected in children, the prognosis is favorable, and the risk of complications is minimal. However, inflammation of the bronchi is a long-term illness, and the complete recovery of a child, especially a younger one, may take several weeks. It is important to prevent the transition of simple bronchitis into more severe forms - obstructive bronchitis and bronchiolitis, as well as into an even more severe and dangerous disease - pneumonia.

Keep in mind that obstructive bronchitis in children can be life-threatening. This is especially true for young children. The fact is that as a result of the overlap of the lumen of the bronchi with secreted mucus or as a result of their spasm, suffocation may occur.

Under certain circumstances, bronchitis can turn into diseases such as chronic bronchial asthma, recurrent bronchitis, which, in turn, can cause chronic bronchitis.

In the case of the spread of infection throughout the body, the development of such dangerous complications as endocarditis, inflammation of the kidneys is not excluded. This moment can occur in cases where the treatment for children is chosen incorrectly. This happens extremely rarely, since the disease is clearly diagnosed, but such a possibility cannot be ruled out.

Acute bronchitis in children, treatment

Treatment of bronchitis in children is a complex process that requires long-term therapy. And here you can not do without the doctor's recommendations, since the disease can occur in various forms, and the methods of treatment in individual cases can be radically different.

Treatment of children from bronchitis can be directed both to the pathogens of the disease (etiotropic treatment), and to the elimination of symptoms that are unpleasant for the child, dangerous to health and even sometimes life-threatening (symptomatic treatment).

However, there is no alternative to medical treatment.

It should be borne in mind that the treatment of obstructive bronchitis and bronchiolitis, as a rule, is required in a hospital setting.

Etiotropic treatment of bronchitis

With viral bronchitis, etiotropic therapy, as a rule, is not used. However, in the case of bronchitis caused by the influenza virus, etiotropic drugs can be used:

With bronchitis caused by ARVI viruses (rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, parainfluenza viruses), there is no etiotropic therapy, and therefore the treatment is symptomatic. In some cases, immunomodulatory drugs are prescribed:

However, these drugs can be used only in exceptional cases, with very weak immunity, as they have many side effects.

With the bacterial form of the disease, as well as with the threat of the transition of viral bronchitis to a more complex, bacterial form, antibiotics are prescribed. The type of antibiotic is selected based on the type of pathogen. It should be noted that it is not recommended to engage in antibiotic therapy on your own, since with viral, and even more so, allergic bronchitis, it will not lead to any positive result, and can only complicate the course of the disease. Most often, antibiotics of the penicillin and tetracycline series, macrolides, cephalosporins (amoxicillin, amoxiclav, erythromycin) are used in the treatment of bronchitis. With mild and moderate course of the disease, as well as in children of school age, drugs are prescribed in tablets. In severe cases of bronchitis, as well as in young children, parenteral administration is often used. But with the improvement of the patient's condition, it is possible to switch to tablet forms of antibiotics.

In case of suspicion of bacterial bronchitis, the appointment of a specific drug is done by choosing the most appropriate one. The doctor determines it by the totality of the features of the course of the disease, as well as by the results of studying the patient's history. The positive dynamics of drug therapy already three to four days after the start of treatment is a signal of the correctness of the chosen tactics and the treatment of bronchitis in a child continues with the same drug. Otherwise, the appointment is reviewed and other drugs are prescribed.

The duration of taking antibacterial drugs is a week in case of acute bronchitis and two weeks in case of chronic bronchitis.

The etiological treatment of allergic bronchitis is to eliminate the agent causing the allergic reaction. It can be animal hair, some kind of chemical (even household chemicals), dust.

Symptomatic treatment of bronchitis

In the acute form of bronchitis, treatment, first of all, should be aimed at eliminating the inflammation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi and the cough it causes. It should be borne in mind that cough itself is a protective reaction of the body, seeking to remove foreign agents from the respiratory organs (it does not matter if they are viruses, bacteria, allergens, or toxic substances). For this purpose, the epithelium produces a large amount of sputum on the walls of the bronchi, which is then coughed out. The problem, however, is that very viscous bronchial secretions are coughed up with great difficulty. This is especially difficult for young children with their weak lungs and respiratory muscles and narrow airways. Accordingly, in the youngest children, treatment should be aimed at stimulating expectoration.

To facilitate this process, mucolytic and expectorants. mucolytic drugs ( ACC, Ambrohexal, Bromhexine) dilute sputum and make it more convenient for coughing.

• thinning sputum and increasing its volume (acetylcysteine);
• secretolytics (bromhexine and derivatives, carbocysteine), which facilitate the transport of sputum.

Expectorants (Ascoril, Gerbion, Gedelix, Prospan, Dr. Mom) facilitate the removal of sputum from the respiratory tract during a cough. Among this group of preparations, preparations based on herbal components are often used (licorice roots, marshmallow, elecampane, thyme grass).

The third group of drugs is antitussive drugs (codeine). They block the activity of the cough center of the brain. This group of drugs is prescribed only for long-term fruitless dry cough. As a rule, a dry cough is characteristic of the onset of the disease. But with active sputum formation, antitussive drugs are not prescribed, since blocking the antitussive center makes it impossible to remove sputum from the bronchi.

Mucolytic drugs are also prescribed with caution, primarily direct-acting drugs (cysteines) in young children (under 2 years old), because of the risk of increased sputum production, which a young child cannot effectively cough up due to the imperfection of his respiratory system.

There are also drugs that expand the lumen of the bronchi and relieve their spasm (Berodual, Eufillin). Bronchodilators are available as tablets or inhaler aerosols. They are usually not prescribed if the bronchi are not narrowed.

Another group of drugs - drugs with complex action - anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator. An example of such a drug is fenspiride (Erespal).

Soda and soda-salt inhalations can also be used as anti-inflammatory drugs.

From the foregoing, it follows that cough treatment is a complex process that has many nuances and independent, without consulting a doctor, prescribing cough medicines to a child is unjustified and may lead to a deterioration in his condition.

Antipyretic, analgesic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (paracetamol, ibuprofen) or their analogues (Efferalgan, Teraflu) are recommended to be given to children only when the temperature rises above a certain limit (+38 ºС - + 38.5 ºС.). Subfebrile temperature (up to +38 ºС) does not need to be lowered. This is a normal physiological reaction of the body to an infection, making it easier for the immune system to fight it. Medicines such as aspirin and analgin are contraindicated in young children.

With severe inflammation, hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs may also be prescribed by a doctor. If bronchitis is of an allergic nature, then antihistamines are prescribed to reduce swelling of the epithelium of the bronchi.

Non-drug treatments

However, do not think that drugs alone can cure your child with bronchitis. It is necessary to follow a number of recommendations regarding the creation of the necessary conditions for recovery.

First of all, it is worth increasing the amount of water consumed by the child - about 2 times compared to the norm. When the temperature rises, dehydration of the body occurs, which must be compensated. In addition, water is required in order to quickly remove toxins from the body. It should also be borne in mind that with rapid breathing associated with obstructive bronchitis in children, fluid loss through the lungs increases, which requires increased rehydration measures.

The drink should be warm enough, but not hot. Hot drinks can only burn the larynx, but will not bring much benefit. Kissels, fruit drinks, juices, teas, warm milk, rosehip broth are well suited.

If a child has bronchitis, then he should observe bed rest. However, it should not be strict, because with a constant stay in bed, congestion in the lungs and bronchi may occur. It is important that the child has the opportunity to move. If the child is small, then you can regularly turn it from side to side. When the condition improves and the air temperature is sufficiently high, even walks are recommended, since fresh air has a beneficial effect on the bronchi.

Special mention should be made of the temperature in the room where the child is. It should neither be too low nor too high. The optimal range is +18 ºС-+22 ºС. Too high a temperature dries out the air, and dry air, in turn, increases the inflammation of the bronchi and provokes coughing fits. The optimal indicator of humidity in the room is 50-70%. Therefore, in the room where the patient is located, periodic ventilation is necessary.

Is it worth it to use the previously popular mustard plasters and jars? Currently, many doctors doubt the high efficacy and safety of such methods for bronchitis in a child. At least they are not recommended for children under 5 years of age. However, in some cases, mustard plasters can help alleviate the condition of the child. It is only important to remember that they cannot be placed on the heart area. If it becomes necessary to put mustard plasters on small children, then they should not be placed directly, but wrapped in diapers.

Banks and mustard plasters, however, are contraindicated in the purulent form of bronchitis caused by a bacterial infection. The reason is that heating the chest can contribute to the expansion of the purulent process to other parts of the bronchi. For the same reason, warm baths and showers are contraindicated in bronchitis. The previously popular steam inhalations are also not recommended.

However, with bronchitis found in a baby, inhalations can be prescribed using nebulizers. Foot warming baths are also helpful.

Treatment in a hospital

A very dangerous complication of bronchitis is obstructive bronchitis in children, which is usually treated in a hospital. This is especially true for children who have signs of heart failure.

When diagnosing obstructive bronchitis, children in a hospital are treated with oxygen therapy, removal of mucus from the respiratory tract by electric suction, intravenous administration of bronchodilators and adrenomimetics.

Diet for bronchitis

The diet for bronchitis should be complete, contain all the vitamins and proteins necessary for health, and at the same time easily digestible, not causing rejection in conditions of intoxication of the body. Most suitable are dairy products and vegetables.

Massage for bronchitis

With bronchitis in children, parents can independently conduct a course of chest massage. However, this procedure is best done with the positive dynamics of the main therapy. The purpose of the massage is to encourage the child to cough up. This procedure can be beneficial for children of any age, but especially for infants.

The duration of the procedure is 3-5 minutes, the number of sessions is 3 times a day for a week. Massage is done very simply: with the help of hand movements along the back of the child from the bottom up, as well as careful tapping movements with the palms or fingertips along the spine. The body of the baby at this time should be in a horizontal position.

Folk remedies

Many folk remedies have long been successfully used in the treatment of bronchitis. However, they should be used only with the permission of the attending physician. It should be borne in mind that many plant components that make up folk remedies can cause allergic reactions.

Folk remedies include taking various decoctions of herbs, drinking breastfeeding, inhalation. Well helps with bronchitis hot milk with honey, radish juice with honey (for dry cough), decoctions of calendula, plantain, licorice, mother and stepmother.

Breast herbal preparations for acute bronchitis

What herbal preparations are most effective for bronchitis? You can use the collection with coltsfoot, plantain, horsetail, primrose (ratio of components (1-2-3-4), herbal collection with licorice root, marshmallow root, coltsfoot leaves, fennel fruits (2-2 -2-1).

Herbal juices for acute bronchitis

The following recipes are also suitable for acute bronchitis. They can be used as an effective expectorant:

• Carrot juice with honey. To prepare it, you need to use a glass of carrot juice and three tablespoons of honey. It is best to take the composition 2 tablespoons three times a day.
• Plantain juice with honey. Both components are taken in equal amounts. Take one teaspoon three times a day.
• Cabbage juice. Sweetened cabbage juice can also be used as an expectorant for bronchitis (honey can be used instead of sugar). It is taken three to four times a day for a tablespoon.
• Althea root infusion. Prepared as follows. Marshmallow root is ground into powder. A glass of water is taken for 5 g of powder. The powder dissolves in water and settles for 6-8 hours. An infusion is taken 2-3 tablespoons three times a day.

Other treatments for bronchitis

Also, methods such as breathing exercises (inflating balloons, blowing out candles), some physiotherapeutic methods (electrophoresis, UHF therapy, UV irradiation) can also be useful in the treatment of bronchitis. Therapeutic gymnastics can be used as a method of treatment when the patient's condition improves.

How quickly can bronchitis go away?

Acute bronchitis, especially in children, is not among the diseases that go away on their own. To defeat him, the parents of the child will have to make a lot of efforts.

Treatment of acute bronchitis, unfortunately, is not a quick process. However, bronchitis of a simple uncomplicated form should, with proper treatment, pass in one to two weeks. Otherwise, there is a high probability of transition of bronchitis into a chronic form. Relapses of bronchitis in the case of the development of a recurrent form of the disease can have an even longer course - 2-3 months. Cough usually lasts two weeks, with tracheobronchitis, cough can be observed for a month in the absence of other symptoms of the disease.

Adenovirus bronchitis and bronchitis caused by bacterial infections usually have a longer course than bronchitis caused by other types of pathogens.

Prevention

As the prevention of inflammation of the bronchi, effective methods are:

• hardening,
• prevention of hypothermia,
• increased immunity,
• complete nutrition.

Do not allow the child to be in a smoky room. If there are smokers in the family, then smoking in the presence of a child is also unacceptable. In addition, it is necessary to promptly treat the child with acute respiratory diseases and influenza. After all, often bronchitis is one of the options for complications of influenza and SARS.

For the prevention of exacerbations of chronic bronchitis during remissions, sanatorium treatment is recommended. Children with chronic bronchitis should be dressed appropriately for the weather, avoiding overheating, which can cause increased sweating.

There is no specific vaccination against bronchitis, although it is possible to get vaccinated against some of the bacteria that cause bronchitis in children, as well as against the influenza virus, which is also the root cause of the disease.

Is bronchitis contagious?

Contrary to popular belief, bronchitis itself is not contagious. The fact is that bronchitis is a secondary disease that appears as a result of a complication of a viral infection. Thus, it is these viral diseases that are contagious, and not the bronchitis itself. As for bacterial bronchitis in children, it is usually caused by bacteria that normally live in the respiratory tract of any person and show pathological activity only under certain conditions, for example, with hypothermia or a decrease in immunity.

Bronchitis is a pathological inflammatory process that develops in the wall of the bronchus under the action of provoking factors - viral or bacterial agents. Due to the total action of provoking factors and the emergence of favorable conditions for the further growth, reproduction and spread of microbes in the bronchial tree, bronchitis appears.

The main symptoms of the disease are the presence of intoxication of the child's body (fever, headache, nausea, lack of appetite, weakness, lethargy, apathy, drowsiness), the appearance of a dry cough, unproductive or wet with sputum and shortness of breath.

Favorable conditions for the development of the inflammatory process in the bronchi are:

• hypothermia of the body;
• malnutrition;
• lack of vitamins (hypovitaminosis, beriberi);
• decreased immunity;
• frequent acute inflammatory diseases in other organs of the child;
• exacerbation of chronic processes.

The treatment of bronchitis is reduced to the appointment of several groups of drugs, which are selected based on the action of the provoking factor (virus or bacterium) and the presence of relevant symptoms (fever, dry or wet cough and shortness of breath). Conservative treatment in conditions of improving well-being should be supplemented by physiotherapy, courses of which are carried out for another 1-2 weeks after the cessation of the main symptoms.

Also, to alleviate the condition of the child, alternative treatment is prescribed with the use of decoctions and infusions of herbs, applications on the chest area and rubbing using badger, goose or pork fat.

Conservative therapy

It is worth treating bronchitis with drugs on the first day of the onset of the disease. The choice of drugs depends on the manifestations of the disease themselves.

In the presence of high body temperature (up to 40 0 ​​C), severe symptoms of intoxication and meager manifestations of damage to the bronchial tree - a slight dry or unproductive cough with clear or whitish sputum discharge, antiviral drugs are prescribed, since presumably, according to the child's symptoms, this bronchitis was provoked viral infection.

The most effective antiviral drug in children with bronchitis is human recombinant interferon - Laferobion, which has an immunostimulating and immunomodulatory effect by stimulating an increase in the level of immunocompetent cells (mast cells, leukocytes, lymphocytes, plasma cells, basophils, antibodies) in the blood. It is prescribed for children up to a year at 150,000 IU 3 times a day in the form of rectal suppositories, for children from 1-2 years old, 500,000 IU 3-4 times a day. It is best to treat with this drug for 3 to 5 days.

If there is a slight body temperature, a relatively good and active condition of the child, along with severe symptoms of bronchial tree damage, which are characterized by an intense cough with yellow or greenish viscous sputum with an unpleasant odor and shortness of breath, they indicate the presence of bronchitis of a bacterial nature and in this case, antibacterial drugs are prescribed wide spectrum of activity.

Azithromycin (Sumamed) is the drug of choice for bacterial bronchitis, as it is a broad-spectrum antibiotic and additionally affects protozoal and intracellular infection. The drug is available in tablets and syrup, which allows it to be prescribed even to infants. It is necessary to take the medicine 1 time per day. Treat with the drug for no more than 3 days.

Bronchitis in a child is often accompanied by severe manifestations of intoxication, which can be stopped and help to improve well-being such drugs as:

Ibuprofen (Nurofen), which has antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. It is prescribed for children under 2 years old in rectal suppositories, 1 suppository 2 times a day, for children from birth and up to 12 years old in syrup:

For children over 12 years of age, chewable tablets or capsules. It is allowed to treat with this drug for no more than 7 days.

Children's paracetamol (Panadol) has an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect, improves the well-being of a child with bronchitis. It is prescribed in drops, rectal suppositories and syrup for children under 12 years old, over 12 years old in capsules. This remedy must be taken 3-6 times a day. You can treat the drug for no more than a week.

Citrulline malate (Stimol) is a general tonic that has detoxifying activity and normalizes metabolic processes in the child's body. It is prescribed 1 sachet, which must first be dissolved in ½ cup of boiled water, taken 2 times a day for 10 days.

In order to relieve cough and improve sputum discharge, mucolytic drugs are prescribed.

Mucolytic drugs are prescribed when a child has a dry or wet cough. Cough is a reflex to foreign bodies (dust, pollen, food, water) entering the bronchi or excessive accumulation of mucus (sputum) in them. The drugs eliminate cough by acting on the cough center in the brain, as well as by thinning sputum and stimulating the motor activity of cilia on the surface of the bronchial epithelium, which additionally helps to clear the lumen. The cough first becomes unproductive, then productive, and after 5-7 days of taking the drugs completely disappears.

Ambroxol (Ambrobene, Flavamed, Lazolvan) in drops and syrup are prescribed from 1 year old, in tablets from 12 years old 3 times a day. Treat for at least 10 days. There is also a children's Lazolvan, adapted only for inhalation using a nebulizer. It can be used by children from birth.

Acetylcysteine ​​(ACC) is used to thin sputum in children over 4 years of age who have a cough. The drug is available in tablets and sticks with a dosed powder, which must be dissolved in ½ cup of boiled water. Acetylcysteine ​​200 mg is taken 4 times a day, 400 mg - 2 times a day and 800 mg - 1 time per day for 10 days. One of the pronounced and common side effects of this drug are stomach pain and heartburn, since the drug contains acid in its composition.

If a child develops dyspnoea (shortness of breath at rest) or shortness of breath, which is associated with minor and moderate physical exertion, bronchodilator drugs are prescribed.

Salbutamol - has a relaxing effect, which is directed to the smooth muscles of the bronchi. It is used in children from one year old in the form of aerosols, in children under one year old in the form of nebulizer inhalations only on demand, that is, at the time of suffocation. The medicinal effect of the drug lasts from 30 minutes to 2 hours, and begins its action immediately after the erosol has hit the walls of the bronchial tree.

Plentiful drinking helps to reduce the manifestations of intoxication. For children, it can be teas, warmed fruit drinks, milk, compotes and herbal decoctions. Some herbs, along with detoxifying activity, help eliminate the cough reflex and improve sputum production.

St. John's wort, succession, chamomile, sage and plantain are taken in equal proportions. Herbs are ground with a coffee grinder or blender to a powder. 2 tablespoons of herbs are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 10 minutes. Children should be given this remedy warm 1/3 cup 3 times a day. One dose of tea leaves is enough for a day. You can treat with these herbs for 1 - 2 weeks. Cough in children on average goes away after 4 to 5 days.

Licorice root, marshmallow root, cranberries, viburnum and wild rose are crushed in a meat grinder. 4 tablespoons of the resulting mixture is poured with a liter of boiled water and brought to a boil over a fire. The broth is allowed to boil over low heat for 15 minutes and then covered with a lid and allowed to brew. It is recommended to take this remedy 2 times a day for ½ cup. For a child, add 1 tablespoon of honey to the decoction before drinking. Honey is used to improve taste and is a natural antioxidant, the purpose of which is to strengthen the protective properties of the body (immunity) of the child. Cough becomes much less after 3 to 5 days of taking the decoction.

Milk, especially cow's milk, is used in children when a severe, debilitating cough occurs. Milk can calm the cough reflex, which in patients with bronchitis is exacerbated in the evening and at night, making it difficult to rest and disturb sleep. Milk also contains a large amount of protein, fats and vitamins that nourish the child in conditions of poor appetite during intoxication and thereby strengthen the body and help fight pathological microbes.

Boiled cow's milk is well heated, but not brought to a boil, ½ teaspoon of baking soda and the same amount of butter are added to 1 glass of milk. To improve the taste of the resulting mixture, use honey, 1 teaspoon per 1 cup. In the absence of cow's milk, goat's milk can be substituted.

Give this remedy to a child with bronchitis should be at night, already in bed. It is necessary to drink in small sips for 5 to 10 minutes. After taking the remedy inside, the cough completely calms down after 5 minutes.

One of the methods of alternative treatment is rubbing the chest. Rubbing stimulates blood flow in the lung tissue and, as a result, cleanses the bronchial tree from microbial agents, which significantly speeds up the healing process of children. Rubbing also has a warming effect, which gives them the opportunity, albeit for a short time, to save children from coughing.

The most effective among rubbing in children with bronchitis is such a remedy as badger fat.

Badger fat is a subcutaneous fat that is rich in organic and inorganic amino acids, unsaturated fats and vitamins.

Badger fat has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunostimulatory effects.

The versatility of this tool lies in the fact that it can be used both externally and taken internally.

Outwardly, badger fat is used in children who are tormented by a dry or unproductive cough with a warming function. Badger fat also stimulates blood circulation in the lung tissue and eliminates congestion in the bronchi of medium and small caliber.

Badger fat for external use is applied at night, on the skin of the chest and back with light massaging movements in a thin layer and rubbed into the skin until a film forms on it. After that, the body of the child is wrapped in a blanket.

Inside, badger fat is used to increase immunity, which is also important for children with bronchitis.

The remedy should be given 1 dessert spoon (10 ml) 2 times a day. Badger fat is best taken with food, as the predominance of the substances contained in it are fat-soluble, and the therapeutic effect is thus more pronounced.

Badger fat can be used externally in children over 1 year of age and internally over 6 years of age. Badger fat, according to the observations of doctors, did not give pronounced side effects when taken orally or externally.

Applications on the chest

Applications or lozenges on the chest and back are used to calm coughs and improve blood circulation in the bronchi of children.

A cake with honey is used for children over 1 year old. Honey, sunflower oil and flour are mixed in equal quantities. The mixture is applied to the skin of the chest and back, then wrapped in polyethylene or tracing paper, covered with a terry towel on top.

Mustard tortilla is used for children over 6 years old. Mustard powder is mixed with warm boiled potatoes and laid out on the skin of the back, covered with tracing paper and a terry towel.

Applications are performed at night. The child is treated like this for no more than 3-4 days.

Physiotherapy

• inhalations with aromatic oils;
• chest massage;
• electrophoresis - the introduction through the skin of the chest using an electric current
• medicines;
• heating with the use of low-frequency electric currents and magnetic fields.

Video: Bronchitis, bronchitis in children, acute bronchitis in children

A large number of visits to pediatricians are associated with symptoms of acute bronchitis in children. According to statistics, among those hospitalized for treatment with a diagnosis of "acute bronchitis in children" is 3/4 of all patients. Quite often, complications arise due to the fact that parents do not diagnose and incorrectly use folk remedies in treatment. Let's see what we're dealing with. This information will help parents understand among acute bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is the most common disease in children in the first years of life.

Age limits of viral etiology of acute bronchitis in children:

• In children of the first year - are determined: cytomegaloviruses, enteroviruses, herpes, respiratory syncytial viruses, rhinoviruses;
• A child of 2 years of age has influenza viruses A, B, C, parainfluenza (types 1 and 3), respiratory syncytial viruses;
• Children 3 years of age are more likely to: parainfluenza, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, coronaviruses;
• In children 5-8 years old - adenoviruses, influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial;

Viruses as an independent cause of the disease are found in children older than 3 years of age, and in infants under three years of age, as a rule, along with bacteria.

The following criteria predispose the child's body to acute bronchitis in babies from birth to 6 years of age:

1. Narrow width airways.
2. Imperfect structure of cartilaginous structures.
3. Slow rate of excretion of mucus from the bronchi and trachea.
4. Immaturity of the cough reflex.

This is not all, but the main signs that lead to illness, especially in infants. It is necessary to understand why pathogens invade a fragile organism.

The onset of the disease is preceded by the interaction of viruses, bacteria on the air tubes of an early child, as well as the concomitance of predisposing factors. Pathogens, if local immunity is reduced, destroy the respiratory epithelium, contribute to increased secretion of exudate and the development of edema, and mucociliary clearance is disturbed.

Symptoms of simple bronchitis

Acute bronchiolitis

The disease is observed mainly in children in the first year of life. In particular, the following symptoms are observed:

1. Hyperthermia.
2. The serious condition and well-being of the child, because if left untreated, signs of respiratory failure increase rapidly: rapid breathing, it is difficult for the baby to breathe.
3. Most often, rales are heard from small-caliber bronchi. emphysema develops.

Acute obstructive bronchitis

This is acute bronchitis, in which the symptoms of bronchial obstruction predominate. It often develops in children at 2-3 years of age.

Signs:

1. Symptoms develop in the first days after infection.
2. The child has noisy wheezing with prolonged exhalation.
3. Anxiety, fear in children.
4. Appetite decreases.
5. Expiratory dyspnea, the child breathes quickly.

Diagnostics

The x-ray picture includes an increase in the pulmonary pattern in the lungs. Diagnosis is carried out to exclude pneumonia.

In the hematological analysis, minor inflammatory changes with the addition of bacterial flora. Viral infection is characterized by leukopenia.

The function of external respiration is reduced by 15-20% of the vital capacity.

Acute bronchiolitis:

1. Changes in the hemogram are characteristic of viral damage: a decrease in the number of leukocyte cells and an increase in lymphocytic ones;
2. X-ray - increased vascular pattern, atelectasis.

Diagnosis of acute obstructive bronchitis:

X-ray: horizontal course of the ribs, expansion of the fields of the lungs, increased blood supply and pulmonary pattern in the area of ​​the roots of the lungs, increased transparency.
Changes in the blood test correspond to a viral infection, with an allergic background - eosinophilia.

Differential Diagnosis

It is necessary to differentiate acute bronchitis with such diseases:

1. Pneumonia - crepitus, moist rales, increased voice trembling are detected.
2. Pertussis - persistent cough for more than 2 weeks, paroxysms of coughing with inspiratory dyspnea and possible vomiting.
3. Chronic sinusitis is discomfort in the sinuses.
4. Bronchial asthma - is determined in the process of diagnostic search.
5. GERD is a cough that occurs after eating a large amount of food, decreases with a change in body position.

Main criteria for treatment

Treatment of the child begins with the appointment of strict bed rest during the period of hyperthermia for better and faster recovery. Food intake changes: the daily volume of food should be 2/3 - 1/2 of the norm, the number of feedings in children of the first year of life is increased by one or two. Nutrition should be hypoallergenic, high-calorie, balanced in vitamins and trace elements. The volume of liquid must be increased by 1.5 times the daily requirement. Compliance with the correct regimen helps to heal the baby faster, no matter how old he is. With a viral etiology of bronchitis, sick children begin to be treated with antiviral therapy, for which the use of leukocyte interferon is recommended (the dosage depends on how old the child is and what body weight). Folk remedies often do not have the expected result and are not suitable for treatment, it is necessary to consult a doctor in time, especially if the child is in the first year of life. He will prescribe a treatment that will soon be able to put your child on his feet.

Criteria for prescribing antibiotic therapy for acute bronchitis in children:

• the presence of symptoms of intoxication and prolonged pyrrexia (more than 3 days), especially in children 1-2 years old;
• lack of improvement after 10 days from the start of therapy;
• established bronchiolitis;
• in order to treat broncho-obstructive syndrome;
• risk of developing pneumonia.

Symptomatic treatment of catarrhal bronchitis, all doses depend on how old the children are:

1. Antipyrrhetic drugs (panadol, nurofen, analgin).
2. Antihistamines (allergic origin).
3. Preparations that facilitate sputum discharge: (mukaltin, prospan, herbion, ambroxol).
4. Against cough, only with obsessive, exhausting dry cough (glaucine).
5. UHF, EVT on the chest area, vibration massage, exercise therapy.
6. Folk remedies are represented by recipes that help relieve a child's cough: pine or coniferous infusions, they have antipyretic and expectorant effects. Herbs are very popular in the home first aid kit, they have an antiseptic and sedative effect on the air tubes. For example, fees that include: mint, chamomile, oregano, coltsfoot, linden, marshmallow, sage and plantain. Essential oils of garlic, which evaporate into the air, have a powerful disinfecting effect. Inhalation over potatoes is an old recipe used by our grandmothers. Instillation of aloe juice into the nasal passages (1-2 drops each) has proven itself. Practiced treatment with folk remedies in children of the first year of life is not recommended, a high risk of developing allergies. It is necessary to use cooking recipes with extreme caution, do not be zealous, because the effect obtained can be negative. For example, a burn of the breathing tubes may develop. It is important to help children, especially with a tormenting cough, which causes a lot of trouble and inconvenience to the baby. Also, you should not independently purchase medications, they may not be suitable, you need to take into account the history of the child.

Treatment of acute obstructive brochitis:

1. Inhalations with salbutamol, atrovent.
2. If the expected therapeutic effect does not occur, then methylxanthines (eufillin), glucocorticosteroids (prednisolone) should be used.
3. Folk remedies for the treatment of obstruction of the respiratory tubes include bee products: dead bees, propolis. But do not forget that this type of bronchitis can develop into bronchial asthma, so you need to monitor a sick child constantly.

Sick children with acute bronchiolitis should be hospitalized and treated in a hospital under the supervision of pediatric pulmonologists, since complications can later develop into disability.

Acute bronchitis can vary in severity from mild, which is treated on an outpatient basis, to severe with complications. It all depends on the individual structure of the child's body. In any case, an examination and a doctor's opinion is necessary.

Video: Bronchitis, bronchitis in children, acute bronchitis in children

Bronchitis is a disease of the bronchi, that is, the airways leading to the lungs. Its cause in children is almost always viruses. Usually the disease is accompanied by a strong cough. Sometimes it seems that the child does not have enough air. At times, a whistling sound can be heard when breathing. Parents think they can hear the mucus vibrating in the baby's chest. In fact, the mucus is in the throat, and the noise it makes is transmitted to the chest.

Mild bronchitis, without fever or loss of appetite, is only slightly more serious than the common cold. Treatment is no different from aggravating a cold. The child must be provided with peace, given a little more liquid to drink than usual, and surrounded by care and attention. If the cough is preventing him from sleeping, you can use a cough suppressant. Antibiotics are not used, as they do not kill the viruses that cause bronchitis.

However, if the child looks ill, is breathing heavily, and has a temperature above 38.3°C, a doctor should be called. The fact is that bronchitis is easy to confuse with other, more serious infections that require antibiotic treatment.

Bacterial or viral infection, stress, fatigue, malnutrition (for example, excessive consumption of dairy products) are not all causes of the disease. Cough is a reflex clearing of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. The goal of natural therapy is to eliminate the causes of the disease, not its symptoms.

Cough can be wet, dry, soft, hard, with sputum, etc. Depending on your "investigation" about the causes of the cough and its nature, certain remedies are selected.

As an independent disease in children, it practically does not occur, and most often it is one of the manifestations of SARS and is accompanied by any other signs of an acute respiratory disease: runny nose, laryngitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, etc. The development of bronchitis is typical for whooping cough.

Causes of bronchitis in children

The cause of bronchitis is the ingress of bacteria or viruses into the respiratory tract against the background of a weakening of the general condition (decreased immunity, hypothermia or sudden overheating, inhalation of polluted air and tobacco smoke, etc.).

Bronchitis, as a rule, is a consequence of viral diseases. With bronchitis, the infection penetrates the bronchial tree (it starts from the trachea and leads to the lungs) and provokes the production of sputum, which, in turn, leads to blockage of the bronchi, coughing and, as a result, a deterioration in the general condition of the child.

You can suspect bronchitis in a baby if he coughs, and this cough is wet, and if it seems to you that his chest is very stuffy (that is, the bronchi are clogged). Because the symptoms of bronchitis are less frightening than those of bronchiolitis, many mothers miss the onset of the disease. Applying for several days, if not weeks, only symptomatic treatment, they hope that nothing serious can happen without a sharp increase in temperature. Now the baby will take some cough medicine - and it will become easier for him to breathe, and everything will go away by itself ... This is a completely wrong tactic!

If a child has a wet cough with frequent bouts, if it is difficult for him to eat, if he does not sleep well - do not hesitate to consult a doctor. Bronchitis is characterized by coughing attacks both at the time when the child is awake and during sleep, both at night and during the day, but mainly in the supine position. Sometimes the cough is so strong that the baby is sick and even vomits (as parents say, “some kind of mucus”). Blockage of the bronchi makes itself felt with a characteristic, similar to snoring, noise that appears both during inhalation and exhalation. When the obstruction of the bronchi is insignificant, it sometimes really goes away by itself due to the fact that sputum comes out when you cough.

When to See a Doctor...

A deep and prolonged cough that is accompanied by impaired breathing (difficulty or rapidity), blue skin, blood in the sputum, weight loss and a cough that lasts for 2 weeks is best treated under the supervision of a specialist .... when the child first comes down with bronchitis.

When bronchitis is severe enough: a wet cough is accompanied by bouts of vomiting with mucus discharge (which sometimes interferes with normal feeding of the child).

We can talk about a serious blockage of the bronchi when a child cannot, on the one hand, neither drink nor eat, and on the other hand, when his sleep is disturbed.

When bronchitis occurs at a high temperature.

When bronchitis is accompanied by a deterioration in the general condition of the child: he has a fever, it is difficult for him to eat and drink, he does not sleep well.

For any side diseases or unusual manifestations: a rash that makes one suspect the presence of one of the “childhood diseases”, diarrhea (diarrhea), nausea or vomiting, etc.

Therapeutic measures

It is necessary to help the child get rid of the blockage of the bronchi, and for this, on the one hand, you should use all the possibilities of kinesitherapy (massage and breathing exercises), which will facilitate the removal of sputum that clogged the narrow "tubes" of the bronchi, and on the other hand, within a few days, if not for several weeks, it is necessary to use agents that thin this very sputum and contribute to its discharge. If a newborn or an infant a few months old is sick with bronchitis, antibiotics are also usually prescribed, since a bacterial infection often joins the viral infection as a secondary one.

You can “call simply saving and warm baths.

It is advisable to often raise the child to a vertical position and, when he sleeps, put a small pillow on it - so it will be easier for him to breathe.

It is also necessary to constantly humidify the air in the room and reduce the temperature II in it (this contributes to the separation of sputum).

What to Avoid...

Mainly, thinking that frequent and severe coughing in the absence of a high temperature is not a sign of illness.

With the next exacerbation of bronchitis, try to treat the child in the same way as last time.

You run the risk of lowering the baby's susceptibility to certain antibiotics, and most importantly, you cannot influence the cause that caused the recurrence of the disease. Recurrent bronchitis can be a complication of nasopharyngitis, associated simply with excessive growth of the adenoids. But this may indicate both the presence of gastroesophageal reflux and diseases. So the first step is to look for the cause of the disease.

To say that the observed symptoms are characteristic of the teething process.

In fact, the appearance of each tooth will certainly provoke an increase in the amount of saliva, but by no means the development of bronchitis.

Be afraid of bronchitis, when during nasopharyngitis there is a slight cough or even rare bouts of dry cough.

Symptoms and signs of bronchitis in children

Usually, the development of bronchitis is preceded by fever, headache, deterioration in general condition and other symptoms of SARS. The leading symptom of bronchitis is a cough. The diagnosis of "bronchitis" is established by the doctor based on what he hears in the lungs, listening to the child with a phonendoscope. A sign of bronchitis is a certain character of wheezing in the lungs and an extended exhalation (harsh breathing). Wheezing occurs due to the presence in the lumen of the large bronchi and trachea threads of viscous sputum. When breathing, these threads are stretched like strings and emit, vibrating, musical sounds. When coughing, the position of sputum in the lumen of the bronchi changes, and wheezing may also change in its sound or disappear altogether.

Obstructive bronchitis. Occurs when the inflammation of the bronchi joins their spasm (contraction of the muscles of the bronchi and, as a result, narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi). At the same time, exhalation is difficult, and dry whistling rales appear on exhalation when listening to the lungs. The mechanism of development of obstructive bronchitis is similar to the occurrence of an attack of bronchial asthma.

Treatment of bronchitis in children

Since in the vast majority of cases bronchitis occurs as a result of ARVI, the manifestations of this disease are treated (see "ARVI"). Antiviral drugs are prescribed, body temperature is reduced, a runny nose is treated, etc., depending on the symptoms that the patient has.

If, after normalization of the temperature on the 3-5th day of the disease, a fever reappears or the temperature persists for more than 5 days, then a bacterial infection has joined. This requires the appointment of antibiotics, which ones specifically - at the discretion of the doctor.

I. Expectorants. Leading in the treatment of bronchitis will be the appointment of expectorants. The main task is to translate a dry cough into a wet one, in other words, to achieve sputum discharge. Because sputum, stagnant in the lungs, supports the inflammatory process in the bronchi.

The best expectorant and mucus thinner is water. Sputum must form from something, and no matter how much you drink expectorant medicines, nothing will come of it without water. Therefore, it is necessary that the patient drink as much liquid as possible. For this, mineral water, tea with lemon, herbal teas of general strengthening and vitaminizing action, compotes and fruit drinks are suitable. You can also use juices, but it is better to dilute them with water 1: 1.

At the beginning of the disease, the cough is dry. At the same time, marshmallow infusion, mukaltin, burnt sugar, licorice root (syrup, decoction or breast elixir), pertussin, ammonia-anise drops help well. Dry cough mixture helps a lot.

In the future, the cough softens, sputum is expectorated. To improve the discharge of sputum, chest preparations, mixtures containing potassium iodide, ammonium chloride, sodium benzoate, and expectorant herbs are prescribed. Special preparations are also used: lazolvan, ambroxol, ambrohexal, ambrobene, erespal, bromhexine, etc.

Detailed treatment of cough is described in the chapter "Cough". However, due to the large selection of drugs offered for the treatment of bronchitis, it is best to entrust the choice of drugs that relieve coughing to a doctor.

II. Inhalations. Good for soothing coughs.

The following inhalations help with bronchitis:

• Infusion of pine, poplar or birch buds. Brew 1 tsp. kidneys 200 ml of boiling water.
• Infusions and decoctions of herbs with anti-inflammatory and soothing effects: sage, eucalyptus, mint, calendula, chamomile.
• Steam inhalation with a decoction of jacket potatoes.

III. Distraction procedures. Mustard plasters on the chest area or mustard "socks" in the absence of an allergic reaction to mustard.

Mustard wraps. It is carried out in the absence of an allergy to mustard. Take 2 tbsp. l. mustard, 2 tbsp. l. flour, 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 4 tbsp. l. water, mix until a homogeneous mass is formed. Warm up to a temperature of 38 ° C, apply evenly on gauze or cotton cloth the size of a child's chest. It is best to use a two-layer fabric, like an envelope, place the prepared mixture between the layers. Wrap the baby's chest without touching the heart area. Put a layer of cellophane or compress paper on top of the fabric, and then a woolen scarf or cotton wool. Place the child under a warm blanket for 20-30 minutes. After the procedure, if the mixture has been in direct contact with the skin of the child, it is necessary to wash or wipe his skin thoroughly. It is better to carry out mustard wraps before going to bed.

Warm oil wraps. If there is an allergy to mustard, it is better to give the child oil wraps. They are carried out similarly to mustard wraps, but instead of a mixture containing mustard, vegetable oil heated to 37.5-38 ° C is used.

Hot wraps. Prepare a blanket on which to put oilcloth or cellophane. Immerse a terry towel in hot water, wring it out and put it on the prepared blanket. Wrap the baby's chest and cover it with a second blanket from above. The procedure takes 20-30 minutes.

IV. Aromatherapy. Apply inhalations, hot inhalations and baths.

Essential oil of eucalyptus. Apply 2-3 drops of oil on a handkerchief and inhale for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times a day. You can use a combination of essential oils of eucalyptus and sage (1 drop of each oil).

Hot inhalations. Add 1 drop each of eucalyptus, tea tree and thyme essential oils to 200 ml of hot water. Inhalation should be carried out 5-10 minutes 2-3 times a day.

Bath with essential oil of juniper. Add 5-7 drops of oil to a bath at a temperature of 37-38 ° C. Take a bath for 10-15 minutes, a course of 10-15 baths.

V. Capillary therapy. An excellent effect in the treatment of bronchitis is obtained in the treatment of Zalman's turpentine baths. A course of white turpentine baths of 10-12 procedures every other day is recommended. In case of poor tolerance of white turpentine baths, mixed baths can be used.

Give your child soft and liquid foods. Many children have a habit of consuming food and drinks straight from the refrigerator - this can make coughing worse. Food should be warm, its temperature should not be lower than room temperature.

If a cough interferes with sleep, give your child a massage to help him relax. See special massage techniques in the Asthma section. You can do a general massage using your intuition - rub the child's feet or back. Make sure he doesn't get tickled.

A good sedative is visualization. Older children can do visualization on their own. See the Asthma section for an example.

In cold weather, central heating affects the air, making it too dry, and a humidifier can help prevent coughing.

OLD RUSSIAN RECIPE

By the bed (or in the room) of the child, it is useful to keep an open vessel with water, to which oils or decoctions of fragrant herbs and conifers are added.

Expectorants. This group of plants helps to separate phlegm. Examples of expectorants are anise seeds, mullein, coltsfoot, elecampane, shandra, angelica and lobelia. Expectorants can act as respiratory stimulants, which loosen phlegm and help it move through the respiratory tract, or as anti-spasmodic, muscle relaxants, which are helpful in irritating mucous membranes. Plants such as mullein, anise seeds, licorice root, viburnum bark, lobelia and angelica are especially useful for a child.

Emollients. These plants are also expectorants, but their characteristic feature is the formation of liquid mucus. Mucus has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect, protecting the tissues of the bronchi and nasopharynx from irritation. Emollient herbs moisturize the airways, which is especially helpful for dry throats. These include: marshmallow root, licorice root, slippery elm bark, plantain and violet tricolor leaves.

Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial herbs. Burdock root, red clover flower, and echinacea are not emollients, but their anti-inflammatory properties help with coughs. The bactericidal properties of plants help the body cope with an upper respiratory tract infection. Thyme, anise seeds, garlic, ginger, angelica, calendula, and echinacea are great additions to any cough mixture. These herbs can be combined.

Choosing the right tool. To prepare a cough remedy suitable for a particular case, you need to determine what type of cough the child has and, based on this, make a mixture of appropriate herbs. For example, if the cough is very dry, focus on emollients. If the child produces a lot of sputum, and he cannot cough it up, expectorants will do. If the cough is associated with irritation, accompanied by tickling sensations, then relaxing agents (relaxants) are best suited. Try to make several mixtures using at least one herb of each type.

Herbal baths. Herbal baths are good for young children: they make breathing easier and loosen phlegm. Add 1 to 5 drops of eucalyptus or thyme oil to bathing water, or use a strong infusion of 1-2 tablespoons of dry thyme in a liter of hot water for 30 minutes. The infusion must be filtered and poured into bathing water.

OLD RUSSIAN RECIPE

The mucous membrane and smooth muscles of the internal organs during the illness need an additional amount of potassium, because during this period there is an increased metabolism in the tissues of the body. Inhalations over boiled potatoes are an old way to treat coughs. With potato steam, which a person inhales, the necessary potassium enters the mucous membranes. Eucalyptus, oregano, thyme (thyme), chamomile, calendula, etc. can be added to inhalation with potatoes. These herbs can be drunk as expectorants and emollients for all forms of cough. Potato broth (which we usually pour out) contains a large amount of potassium, which is useful not only for the respiratory system, but also for strengthening the heart muscle. Therefore, mashed potatoes containing a decoction are an essential part of the patient's diet.

Slippery elm bark. Sweep 1 teaspoon slippery elm bark with warm apple juice or sweetened water. You will get great drinks that can be given to small children from a cup, from a spoon or even with a dropper. Slippery elm bark can be made into pills or, as my children call them, "balls". Mix a couple of tablespoons of slippery elm bark with enough honey to make a dough. For flavor, you can add a few drops of lemon, mint or vanilla extract. Roll out the dough into a long rope and cut into pieces half a centimeter long. They can be rolled on top in powder or baked in the oven at 120 degrees. Children can suck on these balls instead of candy.

Aunt Eviva's potion. It is an effective and pleasant cough remedy. This medicine should not be taken during the first three months of pregnancy. At a later date, you can drink in small doses, excluding coltsfoot from the recipe. 1 tablespoon angelica root 1 tablespoon coltsfoot.

• 1 tablespoon mullein leaves
• 1 tablespoon marshmallow root
• 1 tablespoon licorice root
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon anise seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon wild cherry bark
• 1/2 tablespoon burdock root
• 1 teaspoon slippery elm bark
• 1 teaspoon lobelia

Mix all herbs. Put 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a glass vessel, add a liter of boiling water, cover and infuse for 2 hours. Strain into a saucepan and simmer over low heat until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Add half a glass of honey (for children under one year, put sugar instead of honey). After the syrup has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a bottle and refrigerate. It can be stored up to 2 months.

Single dose: children from 1 to 3 years old - 1 teaspoon, older children - 1 tablespoon, adults - 2 tablespoons.

Garlic lemonade. See section "Worms". For acute coughs associated with colds and respiratory infections, garlic lemonade is simply irreplaceable. It soothes coughs, has a bactericidal and expectorant effect, and strengthens the immune system.

Ginger tea. Grate the ginger root and pour 1 teaspoon into a glass of boiling water. Steep for 20 minutes, strain, sweeten with honey and drink hot. You can add lemon for taste.

Echinacea and vitamin C. If the child has an infection, supplement simple cough remedies with echinacea tincture: 20-60 drops, depending on age, 4-6 times a day. Together with vitamin C (250-500 mg), this will prevent the occurrence of secondary infections, such as inflammation of the ear, which often accompanies diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Cognac with lemon and honey. It is a well known home remedy for cough. Mix the ingredients in equal parts and give 1 teaspoon as needed. Make sure your child doesn't get too much alcohol. This remedy is good to give before bedtime. You can add one drop of thyme or eucalyptus oil to each teaspoon, but not more than 4 times a day.

Cough tincture. This sweet tincture based on glycerin has antispasmodic, expectorant and bactericidal action.

• 2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
• 1 tablespoon anise seed tincture
• 1 tablespoon viburnum bark tincture
• 1 tablespoon thyme tincture
• 1 tablespoon of elecampane tincture
• 1/2 tablespoon red clover flower tincture
• 1/2 tablespoon black cohosh tincture
• 1/2 tablespoon lobelia tincture

Mix all ingredients in a dark glass bottle. Shake well before each use. The tincture can be stored for a long time at room temperature. For acute coughing fits, give 1/2 to 1 teaspoonful every 30 minutes for 2 hours. For milder or chronic coughs, give the tincture 2-4 times a day.

mustard plasters. With a protracted form of cough or bronchitis, in addition to the listed remedies, you can make a mustard wrap (or put mustard plasters) to warm up the chest and increase blood circulation. Increased blood circulation reduces coughing and speeds up recovery.

Do not put mustard plasters on children under 3 years of age, as well as on a sleeping person who is unconscious or who, for some reason, cannot tell about the sensations of a strong burning sensation. Mustard is very caustic and misuse can cause severe skin burns.

Mustard wrap. Making a mustard wrap is not at all difficult.

For this you need:

• 1/4 cup mustard powder
• 2 cotton kitchen towels
• large bath towel
• hot water
• large bowl
• warm, damp washcloth or rag
• ointment or vaseline

1. Spread one kitchen towel on the table. Sprinkle mustard powder on it and spread evenly, not reaching the edges by 3 cm. Fold the bottom edge so that the mustard does not spill out, and cover everything from above with a second towel. Twist the short edges towards the center to make a double roll.
2. Place the rolled up towel in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Bring the bowl and everything you need to the child's room. Make sure there are no drafts in the room.
3. Spread a large bath towel on your pillow. Remove the shirt from the child and smear the skin (especially the nipples) with petroleum jelly to avoid burns.
4. When the mustard towels have cooled slightly, wring them thoroughly. Attach the mustard plaster to your chest and roll out the edges to the sides and back. Quickly place the baby on the bath towel and cover with a blanket.
5. To avoid burns, remove the wrap as soon as the child says that the mustard stings. This can happen in just a few minutes. Wipe the skin with a warm, damp cloth to remove mustard residue, and warmly cover the baby with a blanket. For children under 8 years old, do a mustard wrap for no more than 5 minutes. Adults can withstand it for a maximum of 20 minutes. Do not do a mustard wrap more than 2 times a day and for more than 2 days in a row. Remember that you can not leave the child alone with mustard plasters.

Features of the treatment of obstructive bronchitis in children

In the treatment of obstructive bronchitis, drugs with a bronchodilatory effect are additionally prescribed. In pediatric practice, aminofillin is usually used, but its appointment should be strictly under medical supervision.

Antiallergic drugs (suprastin, claritin, tavegil, diazolin, etc.) are also prescribed by a doctor, and with great care. The reason is that these drugs greatly "dry" the mucous membranes, and with obstruction, the cough is already dry. Therefore, only a doctor can determine how useful they will be in these specific circumstances.