For all parents, children are the most expensive. And, of course, the older generation takes care of the child and tries to maintain his health. But this does not always work out. One of the symptoms of a cold is a cough, resulting in sputum. It occurs most often due to viruses and bacteria that are in the bronchi. A cough helps remove dead or living germs. Sputum should cough reflexively. If the child’s body cannot get rid of sputum on its own, then it needs help. But be careful, the well-known drug "Mukaltin" is unsafe for the child. This medicine stimulates sputum synthesis, and this, in turn, worsens coughing. Unfortunately, because of this, the child can choke.
The bronchial system has its anatomical and physical features:
- Reduced bactericidal function of mucus, since the child’s immunity is not fully formed.
- A cough that does not stop can lead to obstructive syndrome.
- If a child coughs in the morning, there is likely to be an excess of sputum in his body.
How to help your child cough up? You will find the answer to this question further.
Cough in infants
The most difficult to treat infants. The baby has very narrow respiratory channels, due to which sputum accumulates faster, but very slowly leaves. What to do if the child cannot clear his throat?
Only a doctor can prescribe the correct treatment. The doctor should listen to the baby’s breathing and examine the oral cavity, assess the general condition of the baby. Sometimes mucus occurs due to the fact that the child's teeth are cut.
Unfortunately, obstruction of the airways can lead to suffocation. What to do in this situation? First of all, be sure to call an ambulance. Keep your child upright and provide access to fresh air. You can notice the state of suffocation in time by bluing the nasolabial triangle and by rapid breathing.
Cough without fever
Sputum is absolutely normal for every person. It is produced in the bronchi. Excessive secretion leads to the appearance of a cough. If he does not bother the child, he should not be treated, since with his help sputum is excreted. If the cough begins to intensify, inhalation should be done.
Runny Cough
Most often, the cause of this cough is inflamed adenoids, which is why in a sick child, the tonsils in the throat expand. The baby will not be able to breathe through the nose and will be forced to breathe through the oral cavity. The airways dry out, the child begins to cough dry, does not cough.
Another cause of a cough with a runny nose may be sinusitis. In this situation, the mucus flows down the back wall of the pharynx and causes irritation.
Types of sputum
By the type of sputum, you can determine the disease. So, what are the symptoms and what do they mean:
- copious coughing is a sign of bronchitis;
- thick and viscous sputum indicates bronchial asthma;
- rusty mucus appears during inflammatory processes in the lungs;
- mucus with impurities of pus indicates a bacterial infection in the respiratory tract;
- sputum with blood occurs in case of tuberculosis in a child or heart failure.
Treatment methods
There are two treatment options for coughing if the child is one year old. Can't the baby cough? Use the following remedies:
- Two types of expectorant drugs: herbal and combined. Herbal medicines include: anise, ivy, plantain, thyme. Combined drugs are more effective, because they include chemicals
- Mucolytic drugs. Such medications help to remove mucus more intensively.
Drugs for treatment
If at an older age the child has a cough and sputum does not cough, then the following groups of drugs are used:
- Anti-inflammatory: such drugs are used to stop inflammatory processes. They can only be prescribed by a doctor, since these drugs change the course of the disease and can cause an imaginary recovery. These include the Ibuprofen and Nurofen medicines.
- Expectorant: they help sputum leave the sick child faster by enhancing the reflex. These medicines are called: "ATSTs", "Ambrohexal".
- Mucolytics: stimulate the elimination of sputum from the lungs and dilute it. Apply when the sputum in the child does not cough. Mukaltin and Bromhexine are suitable here.
- Bronchodilators: most often prescribed for allergies. Bronchilithics adversely affect the work of the heart. These are quite serious drugs that require specialist advice before use. Mostly these are inhalers: Berotek, Berodual.
- Antihistamines: stop the negative effects of histamine on the body. Such drugs include Cetrin, Suprastin, and Diphenhydramine.
Inhalation
If the existing mucus does not clear up well, steam inhalation can be prescribed using herbal decoctions. Also for steam inhalation, iodine, soda and essential oils are perfect. What to do, the child cannot clear his throat already know.
But it is important to remember the safety rules with this method of treatment:
- The liquid should not be too hot.
- Steam should not be inhaled too deeply; this can cause burns to the respiratory tract.
- Such a procedure is recommended for children over three years of age.
- Inhalation should be carried out no later than an hour after a meal.
- In winter, after inhalation, you should not immediately go outside.
- Medication for inhalation can only be prescribed by a doctor.
It is not necessary to buy a solution for inhalation in a pharmacy, you can make it yourself at home. You will need water and honey in a 5: 1 ratio. The water temperature should be approximately 45 ° C.
The baby should be planted so that his face is above the solution, and it is desirable to cover the child with a blanket. First you need to breathe through the mouth, then the nose and so on in a circle.
Inhalation, of course, is a good way if the child clears his throat poorly, but, unfortunately, can not always be used. You can not use this method when a child:
- dry cough and it is difficult for the baby to breathe;
- sputum with pus and a bacterial infection;
- fever.
With all these signs, inhalation is contraindicated.
Therapeutic, breathing exercises
It is worth mentioning other methods of treatment when the child cannot clear his throat. What else can be done in these cases? Respiratory gymnastics is a good option that helps sick children remove sputum from the body, strengthen immunity. In order for such exercises to be beneficial, you need to do them correctly. The implementation technique recommended in the article will contribute to the following: the work of the respiratory organs will improve, immunity will increase, respiration will be restored, vital activity will increase, and the dosage of required medications will be reduced. Now we will consider what exercises are and how to do them correctly.
Exercise complex
- "Drop the load." It is performed standing, hands should be clenched into fists. We take a breath - palms open, we exhale - we relax the whole body. Then you need to tilt your neck forward, and put your hands on your stomach.
- "Eight". Lean forward slightly, take a breath and hold our breath. At this moment, slowly count to eight. After that we slowly exhale.
- "Pump". Sit on the exhale, stand on the inhale.
- "Watch." We play the game. The legs are shoulder-width apart, the back is straight, with our hands we perform the swings and say “tic-tac”.
- "Skiing". Everything is simple and clear here. We simulate skiing for two minutes.
- “Growing big.” We stand on socks, stretch up, take a breath. On exhalation, we lower ourselves and relax the body.
- "Semaphore". The sick child gets up, puts his feet shoulder width apart. It is necessary to raise your arms to the sides as you inhale and slowly lower them as you exhale.
A set of breathing exercises should be performed for two to three months.
Such exercises undoubtedly have contraindications. It is not recommended to perform this set of exercises if the child has heart defects, with acute painful conditions associated with the lungs, if the baby has diseases such as bronchitis, acute pneumonia.
Favorable conditions for a sick child
The conditions in which the child should be during illness are of great importance. List of minimum requirements:
- The air temperature should be approximately 20 ° C.
- The room should have fresh air.
- The absence of dust, its presence can aggravate the health of the child.
- Do not use perfumes, aerosols, or pungent household chemicals.
- Try to maintain the required humidity at 60%.
- A sick child should drink more, for example, hot tea.
- Do not forbid the child to move, take him out for a short walk. Activity will not harm, but rather help to remove sputum from the body.
- The child should sleep in a cool room, but in warm pajamas and always under a warm blanket.
- Feed when he asks, and not according to the schedule and against the desire of the child himself.
Why does sputum cough badly?
The appearance of sputum in a child may not be accompanied by a cough. This is due to an allergy or infection. In the case of infection, pathogenic bacteria that are in the bronchi are to blame. With complications, the mucus becomes elastic and sticky, bronchial channels cannot pass the mucus in such a consistency during breathing, which will lead to a dry cough.
In the case of allergies, mucus also becomes viscous. Sputum excretion will increase if irritants (dust, wool, pollen) influence the body. In this situation, the child will not be able to cough up sputum due to its large amount. The remainder of the mucus in the bronchi most often leads to exacerbation.
How to make a dry cough wet?
You can make a wet cough out of dry without medicine. To do this, regularly moisten the room where the child is. It is enough to wet the towels and hang them on batteries or just around the room.
If the child has a dry, obsessive cough, then you need to draw hot water into the bath and add a little soda. At this point, the humidity in the bathroom will be high and it will be very beneficial for the baby’s breathing.
If the child has a high fever, he should not bathe. If the temperature is absent, then the child can be bathed by adding sea salt to the bath. After such a bath, sputum should better cough.
Therapeutic massage, how to do it?
Another way when the child does not clear his throat. What to treat? Massage, but only in case of wet cough. It is useful in that it stimulates blood flow, strengthens muscle fibers, and also increases the mobility of the ribs and stabilizes breathing.
There are also contraindications: fever, a child recently ate, a disease with complications, the baby has skin diseases or the weight of the child is below normal. Better, of course, if the doctor will do it. But parents can themselves, most importantly, know how:
- It is necessary to turn the child on his back.
- With stroking movements, move palms upwards.
- Turn the child on his stomach, pat his back with rubbing movements in a circle, avoiding the spine.
- Do the same with slightly patting movements.
How to understand that a cough is dangerous for a child?
Coughing can be a symptom of quite serious illnesses. In such situations, parents will not be able to eliminate the cough on their own. Need to call a doctor:
- If the child was healthy, but suddenly a severe cough appeared.
- If coughing is accompanied by wheezing.
- Paroxysmal cough, sputum with blood or green.
- If, along with a cough, a high fever rises and does not decrease.
- The child cannot cough at night.
Do not forget about prevention after treatment. It is recommended to drink hot tea with honey more often, continue the complex of breathing exercises, and also temper the body of the child. Only all this needs to be done correctly and accurately. Also, these recommendations include healthy, sound sleep, walks in the fresh air for at least two hours a day. Do not forget to drink vitamins, especially in autumn and spring. Many doctors advise excluding cow's milk, canned food, sugar, marinades and sausages from the diet of children. Instead, add the following foods: vegetables (zucchini, peppers and cauliflower), fruits, fish, dairy products, beans, peas, eggs and raisins. Do not forget about vaccination. Doctors have developed a special schedule according to which children should be vaccinated throughout the year. There is a lot of controversy surrounding these vaccines. But one thing is clear - these vaccines strengthen the immunity of young children, and they tolerate diseases much easier.