Dry cough in a child: how to treat it at home? Constant dry cough in a child What is a dry cough in a child?

Colds in children of all ages are almost always accompanied by a cough, which clears the airways of accumulated bacteria. With a mild disease of the respiratory system, the cough in the first days is very frequent and dry, but as the disease progresses it becomes more moist and sputum appears. In this article we will look at How to treat dry cough in a child.

Feverish syndrome is not uncommon during a cold; the body temperature rises. However, you should not worry or be scared, because this is a sign that the body has activated its protective function. Parents may have cause for concern if there is no increase in temperature. After all, the cause of this condition can be not only a viral, but also a more serious disease.

How to treat dry cough? To do this, you need to use medications prescribed by a specialist. It follows that at the first symptoms of a cold you need to visit a doctor. Remember, when you have a cold, you should not resist the cough reflex. This will prevent the body from getting rid of bacteria accumulated in the lungs. We recommend taking other measures to relieve dry cough:

1. It is recommended to give the child alkaline solutions. Milk with soda or warm mineral water. Hot milk with honey or butter will also help.
2. Excessive cough without fever can be moistened with steam inhalation. For breathing, you can use boiled potatoes or herbal infusions.
3. You can use heat compresses. They help improve blood circulation in the chest and create mucus in the lungs. They need to be applied to the breast and left for several hours, after which they should be removed and the baby should be wrapped in a warm blanket.
4. The air in the room should be slightly humid, smoking, or using perfume, etc. is strictly prohibited. Any irritating substances must be excluded.
5. Make your child drink more fluids. Not just water, but compote, rosehip, lemon, lingonberry tea or cranberry juice. Decoctions of plantain, nettle, thermopsis, coltsfoot, oregano and sea buckthorn also help greatly. These herbs should be taken with caution, as an allergic reaction to one of them may occur.
6. Honey and lemon juice in equal quantities fight cough very well if it doesn't last long.

This method is very effective; it can be used to treat children with both dry and wet cough. Today, inhalations are done already at the very last stages of inflammation of the respiratory tract simultaneously with therapeutic treatment. With the help of such procedures, you can greatly facilitate the release of sputum, moisten the cough, and reduce the period of the disease.

Today, pharmacies offer inhalation with a nebulizer, of which there are two types:

1. Ultrasonic. Small in size, quiet operation, the device is very convenient when treating small children. But it has the ability to destroy the active substances of medicinal drugs, so antibiotics are not used with it.
2. Compression. Large size, very noisy, but produces even the smallest particles.

When choosing a camera, you need to pay attention to the child’s age and disease. We recommend purchasing a device with a particle diameter of no more than 10 microns.

Inhalation nebulizer recipes for children, what to do at home?

1. With Berodual dosage for one inhalation for children over 12 years old, 40 drops are needed, for children under 6 years old - 10 drops. The product must be diluted in saline solution in an amount of 3 ml.
2. With Mukaltin– take 4 ml 3 times a day.
3. With Propolis– for one inhalation you need approximately 3 ml of a solution made from 1 ml of propolis and 20 ml of saline solution. Take 3 times a day. If you have an individual intolerance to beekeeping products, this method is prohibited.
4. With Eucalyptus– for one procedure you need 3 ml of solution, also take 3 times a day. To obtain a solution, you need to mix 12 drops of eucalyptus and 200 ml of saline solution. Do not use if you have bronchial asthma.

You can buy these products at a pharmacy and easily inhale them at home.

For children aged up to 1 year Doctors often prescribe syrups for coughs. Because they have a pleasant taste and smell, but tablets are the opposite. Let's consider the most inexpensive options for syrups for these purposes, which are now sold in pharmacies:

Expectorants for dry coughs for children

Thermopsis

You need to be very careful when using herbal infusions from thermopsis. With a minimal overdose, the child may simply vomit. Moreover, cytisine, which is part of the composition, in large doses, has a very detrimental effect on the child’s respiratory system. Recommended for children from 6-7 years, Not earlier.

Codelac Phyto

The drug is a combination drug. It copes well with coughs and helps with expectoration. Do not use during pregnancy or asthma. Not suitable for children up to 1 year, on the advice of doctors, it is better to give it to children only at age from 2 years. The composition contains plant substances that can cause an allergic reaction.

Stoptussin

Shows itself very well in the treatment of dry cough in children aged from 3 years old, is an excellent expectorant. Due to the active components in the composition, it helps to reduce the viscosity of sputum.

Alteyka

We have already talked about it, but it has an excellent expectorant effect. Taken after meals, children are allowed to take it before 12 years. One teaspoon 4 times a day should be diluted in ¼ glass of one tablespoon of syrup. Treatment time is 14 days.

Libexin

The drug has a triple effect, helping to reduce sensitive nerve endings. Helps relax the bronchi and reduce irritable reactions. Prescribed for severe cough, the effect of the drug is noticeable within 3 hours after administration. The product can be found both in the form of tablets and syrup. Allowed for children from 1 year. The average cost is 300 rubles.

Lorraine

An excellent remedy for dry cough, available in many forms, including tablets. Quickly relieves cold symptoms and reduces fever. Allowed for children aged from 6 years. There are side effects: agitation, dizziness. The average cost is 200 rubles.

Omnitus

Produced in tablets. Relieves inflammation, fights infectious diseases, and has a positive effect on a person’s overall well-being. It has some undesirable effects: vomiting, loose stools and makes you sleepy. Prohibited for pregnant women and children under age 7 years.

Falimint

These tablets are used for irritable cough, in case of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. The drug is absorbed fairly quickly, can be used up to 10 times a day, treatment should not exceed several days. Do not take to children under 4 years, lactating and pregnant women.

How to treat dry cough in a child Komarovsky

What is a cough and what causes it? how to treat? What do parents demand from doctors when their child gets a cold? Existing cough medications, what are they? How can you help a coughing child? Will answer all these and many other questions Doctor Komarovsky in his video.

Have you encountered a dry cough in a child? How to treat it is the same opinion? Leave your opinion or feedback for everyone on the forum

Anna Sheveleva, a pediatrician and mother of two children, explains what a dry cough is, why a dry cough appears, and how to treat it.

Cough is one of the most common symptoms of various diseases that occur in children. Often, when describing a child's cough, it is called dry or wet. What is meant by this description? A dry cough is a cough without producing sputum. A wet cough produces and produces sputum.

The most common causes of dry cough in a child are as follows:

Colds. Dry cough due to respiratory infections usually occurs in the first days of illness.

Cough with diseases of the ENT organs. In this case, mucus flows down the back wall of the throat, irritating the cough receptors.

The cough in acute tracheitis is paroxysmal, dry, painful, with a “metallic” tint, followed by a wet cough with scanty sputum.

Also a common cause of concern for parents is a dry cough (or coughing) after an infection, which can last up to 2-3 weeks after an acute respiratory infection or bronchitis. For example, the baby ran, breathed in cold air, and coughed. The reason for this cough is that the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract has not yet fully recovered from the disease and remains overly sensitive to the smallest irritants.

A few more diseases that can cause a dry cough in a child:

• Pneumonia. A child's dry, painful cough in the first days of illness is then replaced by a wet one. Pneumonia is accompanied by shortness of breath, fever, and general malaise.
• Foreign body in the respiratory tract
• Smoking in the presence of a child
• Psychogenic cough (cough due to stress)
• Heart diseases
• Digestive system diseases (reflux disease)
• Pleurisy
• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Tumor in the chest area
• And others

Dry cough in a child. What to treat.

The following medications are available to treat dry cough in children:

1) Antitussives - medications that inhibit the cough center of the brain or reduce the sensitivity of respiratory tract receptors. Drugs in this group are used only as prescribed by a doctor for diseases such as whooping cough and pleurisy.

2) Expectorants (expectorates) and mucolytics - drugs that intensify cough, promote liquefaction and secretion of sputum. They are not prescribed for dry cough.

3) Bronchodilators - used for coughs accompanied by bronchospasm, such as bronchial asthma, obstructive bronchitis.

Medicines for the treatment of cough are prescribed in combination with other drugs that act on the cause of the disease. It is important to note that this or that drug should be prescribed by a doctor after examining the baby. To alleviate the child’s condition before the doctor arrives, give him “throat softeners” - warm drinks; Older children can also be given lozenges to dissolve in the mouth.

One of the common symptoms of various diseases in childhood is a dry cough. Usually it causes severe discomfort, so when it appears, parents try to help the baby in all available ways.

Causes of cough

A child may develop a dry cough when:

Much less often, a dry cough is one of the symptoms of a tumor process in the lungs, heart disease, inflammation of the lymph nodes in the bronchial tree or aortic aneurysm.

It is also worth noting that infants may develop a physiological cough in the morning, during which the airways are cleared of mucus. In this case, there will be no other symptoms of illness.

Why is it dangerous?

Coughing by its nature is a protective reflex and can occur in a healthy child, but a prolonged dry cough most likely indicates that the baby has some problems with the respiratory system. Sometimes these are diseases for which treatment should be started as soon as possible. So if a lingering cough has been tormenting your child for more than a day, you should definitely go to the doctor with your baby.

Peculiarities

Cough at night

In many children, the cough gets worse at night because sputum is separated less easily when lying down. In addition, mucus draining from the nasopharynx can also provoke a cough. In addition, if a child’s nasal breathing is difficult, the baby will breathe through his mouth in his sleep, which will lead to additional drying of the mucous membranes and an increase in dry cough.

Barking cough

A barking cough is a strong cough that sounds like a dog barking.

This rough cough, in which you can hear whistling and wheezing, often occurs with whooping cough. Other causes of such a cough are laryngitis, allergies, nervous disorders, dry indoor air, and a foreign body in the larynx.

A barking cough significantly affects the child’s well-being, intensifies at night and, as a rule, occurs in paroxysms. During such a cough, the child may even lose his voice.

Allergic cough

Such a cough can occur for no apparent reason, periodically disappearing and reappearing. This cough is often associated with the flowering period, as well as with the child’s body exposed to household allergens. It is often accompanied by a runny nose and lacrimation, and the temperature with such a cough, as a rule, does not rise.

Temperature as a sign of disease

Most often, the appearance of a dry cough is combined with elevated body temperature. Such symptoms are typical for acute respiratory infections. The child may also have weakness and lethargy, poor appetite, runny nose, moodiness and other manifestations of the disease. As a rule, after some time the nature of the cough changes - it becomes wet.

Child care rules

• To prevent dry room air from provoking additional coughing attacks, it should be humidified. Use a special device, wet towels or containers of water.
• Maintain optimal temperature conditions. Let the room where the child with a cough is, have a temperature of about 20-22 degrees.
• Avoid any irritation to the respiratory tract. The child should not be exposed to any chemical odors or tobacco smoke.
• Take care of a special drinking regime. Give a coughing child a warm, alkaline drink, such as still water, tea, or milk, more often.
• It is better to make nutrition sparing during illness. Don't force your child to eat if he refuses. The menu prefers low-calorie and light dishes, for example, fruit puree, jelly, mashed potatoes.

Medicines

When using medications to treat dry cough in children, you should remember the following nuances:

• In childhood there is a high risk of exceeding the dose. For this reason, the use of medications to eliminate cough in children under 2 years of age should be monitored by a doctor, carefully selecting the dosage taking into account the age and weight of the child.
• All drugs have side effects. The medicine can be safe for adults, but in children it can cause drowsiness, dizziness, allergies and other problems.
• Children under two years of age do not know how to cough to produce sputum, so they try to prescribe expectorants as rarely as possible.
• Babies are more sensitive to various chemical compounds, so the prescription of any medications should be combined with plenty of fluids.

In the treatment of dry cough in childhood, the following groups of drugs are used:

1. Drugs that inhibit the cough reflex. They affect the child's brain.
2. Local drugs. They moisturize the mucous membrane and relieve irritation.
3. Drugs that reduce the viscosity of sputum, thereby improving its discharge.
4. Antibiotics and antimicrobials. They are prescribed in situations where cough is a symptom of a bacterial infection.
5. Combined medications. In addition to coughing, they also affect other symptoms of the disease, for example, they reduce temperature.

Effective drugs for treatment

Most often, syrups are used to treat dry cough in childhood. The choice of a suitable drug is primarily influenced by the age of the child.

For babies

Under the age of one year, children are often prescribed Prospan and Gedelix. These are mucolytics based on ivy leaf extract. Also, children under 12 months of age may be prescribed syrups containing ambroxol, for example, Ambrobene or Lazolvan. The use of marshmallow-based syrups is also allowed at this age, and Linkas can be given to six-month-old babies.

For children under 3 years old

One-year-old children are prescribed Tussamag (a preparation based on thyme extract), Dr. Theiss plantain syrup, and the multicomponent herbal preparation Travisil for cough. Two-year-old children can take Gerbion syrups (plantain or ivy), syrups with marshmallow and syrups with ambroxol. The baby's back and chest can be lubricated with Pulmex Baby.

For children over 3 years old

From the age of three, the use of Doctor Mom syrup is allowed. You can also give all the syrups used in the treatment of younger children.

Folk remedies at home

Quite often, when dealing with a dry cough, parents limit themselves to traditional methods of treatment, since they are available and can be used even in children under one year old.

• Gargle with water and salt (sometimes iodine and soda are added to it) or herbal infusions.
• Breathe steam.
• Drink tea with breast milk, rosehip infusion, cranberry juice.
• Do various warming manipulations.

Here are several commonly used remedies for dry cough in childhood from the arsenal of traditional treatment:

1. Bring 500 ml of milk to a boil and cool. Stir the yolk, a teaspoon of honey and a tbsp into warm milk. spoon of cream. Give it warm to your child up to 5 times a day.
2. Squeeze the juice from a medium-sized lemon, mix with a spoon of honey. Give your child one spoon at a time.
3. Cut out the flesh of a medium-sized black radish and fill the radish with honey. After a day, drain the juice and honey and give the child a tablespoon three times a day. You can also squeeze the juice out of the radish and mix it with plenty of sugar.
4. Brew two teaspoons of elecampane roots with a glass of boiling water, divide into three parts and give to the child throughout the day.
5. Mix sugar with water and boil until brown. Give this caramel syrup to your child.
6. Peel a ripe banana and crush it with a spoon, add boiling water and mix well. Give 2 spoons up to 10 times a day.

Compresses

A warm compress helps relieve a dry cough by locally increasing blood circulation. Before putting a compress on your child, you should definitely consult a doctor. For compresses, you can use boiled potatoes, a mixture of water, honey and apple cider vinegar, heated sunflower oil, and lard. When the compress is removed from the child’s body, it is important to immediately dress him warmly.

Inhalations

Such procedures help soften a dry cough and moisturize the mucous membrane. Usually, special devices called nebulizers are used to carry them out. At home, a child can simply breathe over the steam that rises from brewed chamomile, boiled potatoes, or sage infusion. Inhalation is permissible only in the absence of fever.

Is it worth using banks?

In the past, cupping was often used as a remedy for colds and coughs, but its use is not recommended in modern times. This is not only ineffective, but also a skin-traumatic procedure.

Komarovsky's opinion

A well-known pediatrician calls coughing a useful reflex that clears the lungs of mucus, bacteria and viruses accumulated in them. He recommends combating dry cough by keeping the child hydrated and providing the child with access to cool air.

Komarovsky considers it unacceptable to give children medications that suppress cough unless prescribed by a doctor. He emphasizes that such drugs are permissible only for whooping cough and must be prescribed by a pediatrician. In other cases, a popular doctor advises limiting yourself to medications that reduce the thickness of sputum and cause contraction of the bronchi to remove it.

Komarovsky lists effective and harmless drugs that help with coughs as mucaltin, lazolvan, potassium iodide, ACC and bromhexine. The doctor advises keeping them in your first aid kit, but consult your doctor about the advisability of their use and dosage in each case of cough.

In the video below, Dr. Komarovsky gives advice on treating dry stool.

• If you notice that your child coughs frequently, do not delay in contacting the pediatrician. It is better to make sure that the cough is physiological than to waste time in treatment. It is especially important to consult a specialist in time if the child is suffering from a debilitating cough.
• When purchasing any medicine for a child with a cough, read the instructions carefully. Before giving the syrup to your baby, it is important to make sure that it is suitable for your age, and that the dosage indicated by the doctor matches the manufacturer's recommendations.
• Remember that the child needs your care and love. Treat your baby’s illness with understanding, even if the baby is capricious or refuses treatment.

• Komarovsky about cough
• Treatment
• At night
• Potions
• Folk remedies

A dry, or non-productive, cough is an unpleasant symptom that can appear in both adults and children. It may differ depending on the reasons for its development, severity and duration. The cough may last for several days, and sometimes it may not stop after several months. In any case, this symptom prevents both the child and his parents from leading a normal life. In general, a dry cough in a child has a number of its own characteristics that doctors should be aware of.

Despite the fact that this symptom itself does not cause positive emotions, but, on the contrary, brings with it only discomfort, in fact, coughing is a protective reflex, thanks to which the body can get rid of an infectious agent, as well as a foreign body. Sometimes a cough can occur in healthy people, but most often it is a consequence of viral diseases.

Treatment of dry cough in children directly depends on the specific provoking factor; it is not enough to simply fight the symptom. A doctor will be able to understand the true reasons with the help of a diagnostic examination; you should not engage in self-diagnosis.

Causes of dry cough in a child

Let's consider the most likely causes of a severe dry cough in a child:

• viral diseases;
• cold or hypothermia;
• whooping cough. This is a disease caused by a bacterial infection. The child suffers from bouts of buzzing cough. In some cases, the cough may even end in vomiting, the child has a pale complexion, the tongue protrudes outward, and lacrimation also appears;
• reflux esophagitis. This pathology is caused by the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. As a result, irritation of the mucous membrane of not only the esophagus, but also the throat will occur. In addition to coughing, the child may be bothered by increased salivation, burning in the throat and esophagus, and sometimes even vomiting;
• Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx that causes a dry barking cough in a child. The temperature may also rise, hoarseness appears, and symptoms of intoxication may also be present. A throat cough is usually treated with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs of plant origin, and in the case of a bacterial nature of the disease, antibiotics cannot be avoided;
• measles, in which, in addition to the cough reflex, the temperature rises;
• laryngotracheobronchitis. This is a rather dangerous pathology that requires qualified help. Swelling of the larynx and trachea causes a barking cough and shortness of breath;
• allergic reactions;
• dirty air (tobacco smoke, chemicals, etc.).

Attacks of a dry cough in a child are a serious reason to consult a doctor to determine the cause and prescribe the optimal treatment.

What will help with dry cough for children?

Treatment depends on the cause of the cough, namely:

Treating a rare dry cough in a child is a little more difficult than in adults; it is important to take into account the following factors:

• possibility of overdose. Typically, dosage is based on age and body weight, so the smaller the child, the greater the risk of overdose. For children under two years of age, medications are used according to strict doctor’s instructions and under his strict supervision;
• side effects. Unfortunately, unwanted complications occur more often in childhood. If, for example, we talk about the antitussive group of drugs, they can often cause the following side effects: dizziness and drowsiness;
• characteristics of the body. Small children do not yet know how to fully cough up, so it would be wrong to give drugs to clear sputum;
• the need to consume large amounts of fluid. To remove toxic substances you need to drink a lot of water.

A doctor should prescribe cough medicine

Cough preparations

Antitussives are prescribed in the following cases:

• painful sensations;
• disrupt proper sleep;
• do not fulfill their protective function;
• the appearance of convulsions and vomiting.

It should be understood that antitussives can be narcotic and non-narcotic, but only non-narcotic ones are used to treat children. Children under two years of age should not use such drugs. If the disease is mild, then it is better to use herbal remedies that will safely affect the child’s body.

As an additional treatment for a child’s cough, the following groups of drugs can be used:

• mucolytics. They dilute the mucous secretion and promote its rapid separation. Mucolytics make the cough moist, or productive, thereby accelerating the healing process;
• resorptive expectorants. They dilute sputum and increase its quantity;
• expectorants that have a secretomotor effect. The rapid discharge of sputum in this case is carried out due to the activation of the cough and vomiting center.

The child should drink as much fluid as possible for a speedy recovery

Let's talk about popular and effective drugs that will help relieve frequent dry cough. These products have a number of contraindications and possible side effects, so you should read the instructions before use.

Falimint

The properties of the product are similar to menthol and in the oral cavity it creates a feeling of coolness and pleasant freshness. Falimint does not dry out the mucous membrane. The effect occurs after the first use, the cough is significantly relieved.

The drug is available in the form of tablets for resorption. Falimint is prescribed to children after five years of age. In principle, the product has no contraindications, except for allergic reactions. You can buy dragees for about 150 rubles.

Libexin

The drug has a triple effect, namely:

• the sensitivity of nerve endings is significantly reduced;
• relaxation of the bronchi;
• the response to irritating factors is reduced.

About a few hours after application, the effect of Libexin begins. The product is available in the form of tablets and syrup. The price varies within 300 rubles. Sometimes unwanted side effects such as dizziness, increased fatigue or an allergic reaction may occur.

Codelac

Codelac is a herbal preparation that has antitussive properties. Available in the form of tablets, elixir and syrup. In general, Codelac is a combined remedy that reduces excitability, increases the viscosity of sputum, but does not affect the respiratory center.

The drug is prescribed to children from six years of age. Codelac is not recommended for long-term use. The average price is 150 rubles.

Gerbion syrup has an antibacterial and antitussive effect. The drug helps to increase the secretion of mucous secretion, as well as reduce its viscosity. The syrup contains ascorbic acid, thanks to which Herbion can safely be considered a remedy that strengthens the immune system.

A special feature of the drug is that it forms a film on the surface of the mucous membrane, which performs a protective function. As a result, irritation and the manifestation of the inflammatory process are reduced.

Herbion can be used for children from two years old; it has virtually no contraindications. The price is on average 250 rubles

Halixol

After about thirty minutes, the effect of using Halixol begins. The product thins mucus and reduces its viscosity. Halixol has a calming effect on the vulnerable mucous membrane. The syrup is prescribed to children from five years old and can be purchased for 100 rubles.

Lazolvan

Lazolvan begins to act after about half an hour and maintains its effect for ten hours. The drug relieves cough, thins mucus and reduces irritation of the respiratory tract. Lazolvan is sold in the form of syrup, tablets, and a solution for inhalation.

Proper child care

Actions against dry cough include not only the use of medications:

• compliance with bed rest;
• drinking plenty of alkaline drinks;
• ventilation of the children's room and wet cleaning;
• maintaining optimal air humidity;
• steam inhalations;
• use of safe traditional medicine recipes.

Separately, I would like to say about fluid consumption and air humidification. The phrase that drinking plenty of fluids is the key to a speedy recovery is, at first glance, hackneyed and banal, but in fact, drinking enough fluid plays a really important role in the body’s fight against illness. Thanks to water, coughing attacks will become less and less frequent.

For an irritating cough, you can give your child the following drink:

• rosehip decoction;
• cranberry juice;
• decoctions of medicinal herbs, namely: plantain, sage, licorice;
• hot tea with honey, raspberries;
• hot goat milk with a melted piece of butter;
• warm alkaline water without gas;
• infusion of licorice root, etc.

When treating a debilitating cough, it is important that the room in which the child is located is sufficiently humidified

As for maintaining optimal humidity levels, we can say with confidence that this plays an important role in the fight for the health of your baby. Dry air negatively affects the condition of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, making them vulnerable to attacks by infectious agents. To sufficiently humidify the room, you can use both special devices and improvised materials, for example, a container of water.

Homeopathy as a treatment

Homeopathic remedies have been used for treating children for quite some time. And this is not surprising, because many parents prefer those drugs that contain safe and natural ingredients.

Homeopathic remedies can help cure a persistent cough

Let's talk about homeopathic remedies that doctors prescribe for treating children. Often used for coughs Bronchalis-heel, Bronchogran, Umkalor. Homeopathic remedies may contain the following substances:

• aconite. A special feature of this drug is the possibility of its use at all stages of the disease;
• belladonna. The drug especially helps with spasmodic cough. Typically, the indication for the use of belladonna is the appearance of the following symptoms: sudden onset and end of an attack, headaches, fever, flushed face;
• opium. It is usually prescribed when a child’s dry cough is accompanied by a sore throat. It is usually prescribed to children when the child’s condition worsens at night, and the attack is slightly relieved after drinking a small amount of water.

Inhalations will help you recover

Inhalation procedures help alleviate dry cough. To carry out the procedure, you can use special inhalers, or you can use methods that have been known for a long time, for example, inhaling steam from a pan, wrapped in a towel, or breathing over the spout of a kettle.

For inhalation, you can use various solutions, namely:

• medicines, for example, Lazolvan, ACC, Ambrobene;
• decoctions of medicinal plants: chamomile, calendula, eucalyptus, juniper, sage, St. John's wort.

What to do if your child constantly coughs?

A persistent cough reflex may be due to the following reasons:

• re-infection;
• ascariasis can provoke coughing;
• the pathological process spreads down the respiratory tract;
• viral diseases of the upper respiratory tract can provoke frequent attacks of dry cough;
• chronic respiratory diseases;
• allergic reactions, etc.

First of all, it is important to find out what caused the continuous cough.

If a persistent cough is accompanied by high fever, sweating, weakness, and the condition does not go away within several days, this can be dangerous to the child’s health and therefore it is extremely important to consult a doctor. The doctor prescribes medications based on the baby’s age, symptoms, general condition, and test results.

A long cough can be treated using traditional methods:

• chest collection To treat a child, you will need a collection of the following plants: pine buds, thyme, linden, plantain, mint, licorice, calendula. For 500 ml of boiling water there are two tablespoons of the medicinal mixture. The product should sit for two hours. After it has been strained, it can be safely taken. You should drink half a glass of the infusion before meals;
• vanilla syrup. This is not only healthy, but also tasty, which children love. One glass of milk must be heated, then add two tablespoons of vanilla and a little honey. The cocktail should brew for half an hour. It is enough to take the finished product just one tablespoon four times a day;
• liquorice root. The root must be mixed with a small amount of linden blossom, as well as rose hips. Pour the ingredients into a glass of water and place it all in a water bath, where everything is steamed for half an hour. You need to take the decoction three times a day, one hundred milliliters.

So, a dry cough in a child is a common phenomenon, the appearance of which can be caused by a number of factors. Treatment depends on the immediate cause. It is worth remembering that cough is not a disease, but only a symptom indicating the presence of some disease. Treatment includes taking medications. The pharmaceutical industry is replete with a large number of safe drugs, including homeopathic ones. Before taking medications, it is important to undergo diagnostics and make an accurate diagnosis. Do not self-medicate, and be sure to discuss all your actions with your doctor.

Text: Tatyana Maratova

Young mothers begin to panic at any sign of illness in their baby. A dry cough occurs quite often in a child. What are the causes of dry cough in a child and how to treat dry cough in children - every parent should have answers to these questions.

Causes of dry cough in a child

A dry cough is one that does not produce sputum or mucus. A child's dry cough can be very severe and painful. Correct treatment will always depend on determining the causes of a dry cough in a child. For example, in case of bacterial infections, antibiotics should be prescribed. And home treatment for colds may include chest rubbing and steam inhalation. It must be remembered that when treating children, the dosage of medications is very important, therefore, before giving a child any medications (even if a prescription is not needed to purchase them) or using folk remedies, parents must consult a doctor.

The most common cause of a dry cough in a child is a cold, that is, a viral infection that affects the respiratory system. At the very beginning of the disease, a child may experience a sore throat or mild irritation, which will cause a cough. As the disease progresses, the cough may become wet due to phlegm produced by the body. A few days later, when the cold has subsided, the child's cough will dry up again, as mucus production will slow down. When it comes to treatment, since most types of colds are caused by viruses, home remedies are the most effective way to combat them.

Another cause of a dry cough in a child may be the influenza virus, which causes symptoms similar to those of a cold. In this case, the child may look and feel much worse. Just like a cold, the flu can begin with a dry, hoarse cough that eventually turns into a raw cough. Another cause of a dry cough in a child can be various irritants that are in the environment. The younger the child, the more sensitive his body is to influences such as cigarette smoke, too hot or too dry air, strong odors of chemicals, and so on.

A child's dry cough may also be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease, which occurs when stomach acid and stomach contents rise back up the esophagus, causing a burning sensation, increased salivation, or even vomiting. Stomach acid will irritate the throat, causing the child to cough. However, no other symptoms of the disease will be noticeable.

Finally, another cause of a dry cough in a child can be whooping cough in children, which is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the respiratory system. Children who have whooping cough develop what is called a “whooping cough,” which is accompanied by a characteristic buzzing sound. A child's dry cough can be so severe that his eyes begin to water, his saliva becomes bluish, and his tongue sticks out.

Treatment of dry cough in children

As you know, medications for the treatment of dry cough in children are not recommended for children under two years of age. It's all about the risk associated with a possible accidental overdose. Older children can take these medications to block the cough reflex, but for babies there are other treatments that can help soothe an irritated throat. When choosing a medication to treat a child, it is important to consider possible side effects. Usually this is dizziness and drowsiness, so if you still need to give medicine to your child, it is better to do it before bed.

Recently, among the most popular treatments for dry cough in children are Robitussin, which blocks cough reflexes, and Delsim, a long-acting suspension that can relieve a child of symptoms for at least twelve hours. Of the home methods for treating dry cough in children, parents most often resort to steam inhalation. Moreover, they are made using an automatic humidifier. The cool steam from this humidifier helps open up your nasal passages and ease throat irritation. Among the popular homeopathic remedies that are used to treat dry cough in children, you can recall the following recipe: one spoon of honey mixed with the juice of one lemon. And of course, we should not forget that drinking any liquids helps remove toxins from the child’s body, so the child should prepare chicken soup, give him hot tea more often, and also gargle with warm salt water. And children over four years old can already suck cough drops.

Children's dry cough without fever

If a child coughs, but does not have a fever or other signs of a cold, it is logical to assume that some kind of irritant, a foreign body, simply got into his throat. Such an irritant can have different sizes: it can be a part of a children's toy, a piece of food, or just dust. A child's dry cough without fever usually begins abruptly and is often accompanied by signs of suffocation. In this case, it is important to quickly and delicately, if possible without frightening the child, provide him with first aid: place him on your knee with his head and body down, open his mouth and clear his throat, making several sliding blows from top to bottom in the area between the shoulder blades. Even if the object quickly pops out and the coughing stops, it is better if you call a doctor - you need to check the airways to make sure they are not damaged.

A child's dry cough without fever can also occur in infants up to one year old. It usually starts in the morning. The function of such a cough is to clear the baby’s upper respiratory tract, in which phlegm has accumulated overnight. It is normal for children of this age to cough several times a day.