Treatment of cough in infants with folk remedies: safe and effective. How to treat a cough in a baby: safe methods Baby has a cough what to do

The symptoms of a cold always worries parents, but if a newborn baby develops a cough, it is especially dangerous. Manifestations of cough in young children cannot be ignored, even if it is a very mild cough in infants.

It can be caused by dry air or excess saliva in the mouth, a physiological runny nose, or the first sign of an impending illness.

Cough in the chest

All children get sick during childhood, but diseases are especially dangerous in early infancy. This is due to weakened immunity and contact with viruses and microbes. One of the common symptoms of a cold, along with a runny nose, is a cough in an infant.

The presence of a cough in a baby, first of all, suggests that the child has caught a cold, but coughing is far from always a sign of only colds.

Cough in infants can be a sign of allergic reactions, diseases of the bronchi, lungs and digestive system, heart and metabolic disorders.

To properly treat a cough in infants, you must always correctly and accurately find out its causes.

Cough in an infant

First of all, coughing in an infant is one of the body's defense mechanisms, which helps to naturally protect the body from dust, germs, foreign particles and mucus from the oral cavity entering the respiratory system.

Therefore, coughing in infants will not always be a sign of pathology or colds.

A cough in a newborn may be due to the accumulation in the tracheal area of ​​\u200b\u200bsecret from the nasopharynx or milk residues caught during feeding.

Cough in newborns can occur if he chokes on saliva or breast milk, as children in early age mostly in a horizontal position.

Such a cough is classified as physiological, it is repeated several times a day, but not long, when coughing up mucus, everything immediately passes. At the same time, it’s even more likely not a cough, but a cough, and with such a cough, the child’s condition is quite normal, there are no signs of a cold or other diseases.

If the baby coughs, and there are no signs of infection, measures are reduced to more frequent holding of the child in an upright position, airing and moistening the room, and daily wet cleaning. If these measures are not enough, and the cough intensifies, it is worth looking for its cause.

Baby cough: causes

If the baby coughs, there can be many reasons for this. Such reasons include:

• inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract(tonsillitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis)
• damage to the lower respiratory tract (bronchitis and pneumonia)
• middle ear lesions
• allergy
• entry of foreign bodies into the respiratory tract
• dryness and air pollution,
• regurgitation, digestive disorders.

In this case, cough in infants can be of two types:

• dry cough in infants, hacking, wheezing, painful and without sputum
• moist cough in infants, gurgling, productive, with discharge a large number liquid sputum.

Usually, diseases begin with a dry, strong cough in infants, which, as the disease develops, becomes more humid, with sputum.

Some pathologies, in particular pneumonia, can immediately begin with a wet cough. Before starting the treatment of cough in infants, it is necessary to find out its cause by contacting a doctor.

How to treat a cough in a baby

First of all, before giving any cough medicine to a baby, you need to consult a doctor and make a diagnosis.

Only a doctor will be able to determine whether cough remedies for newborns are needed, which ones will definitely be shown, and which ones are prohibited.

First of all, how to treat cough in newborns? Need to start with medications which are no less important than taking medications. They help to quickly cope with the cough and alleviate the condition.

From coughing the baby helps:

• Maintaining a sufficient level of humidity in the room (humidifier, wet towels, water containers), especially during the heating period.
• Giving the child's head an elevated position so that mucus and sputum can be removed more easily, and it is easier for the child to breathe. In a semi-vertical position, it is easier to breathe when coughing.
• In the presence of a wet cough, postural drainages are effective (adoption by the child special position) with vibration massage (tapping on the back for better sputum discharge).
• When coughing, the baby needs to be given more fluids to expel sputum, especially if there is a fever.
• Ventilation and walks in the fresh air in the absence of temperature will be useful. Oxygen deficiency aggravates cough in infants.

Treatment of cough in infants

The question of how to treat a cough in an infant should be decided exclusively by a doctor who will observe the child during the entire period of illness.

It is forbidden to give any remedy for a cough on your own, this can lead to negative consequences, delaying treatment and passing the infection down with the formation of complications.

Cough for a child is painful, it disrupts the process of eating and sleeping, and it needs to be eliminated as soon as possible.

Used in the treatment of cough various means cough for children under one year old. Mainly:

• with a wet cough, cough syrup for babies (prospan, gedelix)
• with a dry cough, drugs that thin sputum are shown (from coughing up to a year, you can use ambroxol, ambrobene, bromhexine, mukaltin and some others).

Sometimes, with a strong, dry and painful cough, antitussives are used, but only in a short course and under the strict supervision of a doctor.

Such drugs are prohibited when sputum appears, otherwise it will lead to swamping of the lungs and the development of pneumonia.

It is also important that cough medicines for babies have a lot side effects and contraindications.

Cough medicine for babies can be in syrup, drops or inhalation solutions with an ultrasonic device.

The dosage and method of using cough medicines for an infant is chosen by a doctor; it is forbidden to seek advice on what can be given to an infant for coughing, to neighbors, friends and traditional medicine.

It is extremely careful to use folk remedies for coughing. to an infant. They can lead to the development of allergies, complications and delay in treatment. All prescriptions should be discussed with the doctor in advance.

With the advent of autumn and winter comes the time of colds and infections. Toddlers become especially vulnerable as their immune system only adapts to fight viruses and foreign microorganisms. Hearing a cough from a newborn, a young mother may panic and react incorrectly, although such a symptom is quite serious. What are the causes of cough in children? How to start treating cough in newborns? The most popular cough medicine for babies.

Cough in a newborn

To begin with, it is worth recognizing the nature of the disease.

Cough in infants can be of several varieties at once:

1. Dry.
2. Wet.
3. With and without temperature.

By its intensity and sound accompaniment, one can guess whether the cause of the disease lies or something simply does not allow the infant's airways to function normally. The most common symptomatology of the development of cough in an infant.

• SARS.

In more than 90% of cases, coughing is considered the first symptom of an incipient ARVI. The infant coughs very rarely, and the intensity of the cough increases in the evening or at night. The child's throat becomes red and inflamed. The cells of the body begin to actively eliminate sputum. A prolonged cough that lasts more than two weeks is very dangerous for the health of the child. In this case, the immune defense of the body as a whole is weakened, the process can become chronic.

Described by the obsessive spread of the symptom, with a dry cough first. It is very dangerous for the baby. At an advanced stage of development, it can be very complicated. Most serious complication for the child's body is considered false croup. At the same time, the walls of the throat begin to narrow sharply, along with this, the newborn experiences a lack of oxygen and begins to whistle hoarsely, as well as suffocate. With such a disease, the parent of the child should promptly seek help from a treating specialist.

• Dry air in the room.

Dry air can create a tickle in a child's throat. If the baby has a strong cough that does not have any prerequisites for the disease, then you should contact Special attention to normalize the humidity in the room where the child spends most of the time.

• Inflammation of the middle ear.

In the process of inflammation of the nervous ear, the baby develops a reflex cough. This is a kind of reaction of the baby's body to such inflammation. When pressing on the earlobe, the newborn begins to scream - this means that the cause of the disease lies precisely in the ear pain. The best option will call an emergency ambulance.

• Foreign body inhalation.

If for some reason a foreign object - any - has got into the baby's airways, you should immediately call ambulance. At this time, there is a strong threat to the life of the baby, so the time is counted in seconds. You should not knock on the back of the child, and also do not try to knock this object back - by doing this you can ensure that the object gets stuck inside the bronchi or trachea.

• Dirty air all around.

There is a lot of smoke in the room, or there is too much exhaust fumes in the street that pass into the room through an open window. In this case, do not be surprised if the baby begins to cough non-stop. The longer the baby lives in such conditions, the more harmful microorganisms it absorbs into unformed and weak lungs.

How is cough in infants treated?

Treatment of cough symptoms, both with and without a developed temperature, should be carried out only under the supervision of the attending physician. With the development of the first symptoms, it is worth immediately starting the implementation of treatment therapy.

What can a mother do to alleviate the disease process?

A good drug for the prevention and treatment of coughing at the initial stage is a nebulizer. The agent should be poured into a glass of 5 m.o. physical. Solution (sold in pharmacies within 50 rubles) and is given to the baby for 5-7 minutes. So the mucous membranes can be qualitatively moistened, the sputum will become less viscous. This method is good to use at a time when the child develops a cough without an increase in body temperature.

It is better not to joke with the temperature during a cough. During a cough and a temperature of 38.5 in most cases, the child should be hospitalized in medical institution. Do not be afraid to hospitalize the child, as it is better not to take risks and be under constant supervision by treating specialists. So, the main thing is the health of the child, and inconvenience for a short period of time can be endured.

How to treat a cough in a baby

It should be noted that all medicines can only be prescribed by a pediatrician.

How to treat cough in infants?

Together with SARS, the baby may experience acute bronchitis or pneumonia, which are secondary to the initial bacterial infection. The baby will have to be treated with antibiotics and other different drugs. They should not be used during the development of immunity in a child. Also, during pneumonia transferred at 2 months or earlier, the alveoli in the lungs are affected, which will continue to remain undeveloped in the future.

Cough in an infant

Whooping cough has many special characteristics. It is for this reason that the attending specialist will immediately tell you whether the child has whooping cough or not. If the baby has DTP vaccination, then he is able to transfer this disease to mild stage development. To date, whooping cough is more common, the diagnosis of the disease occurs late, on the second or third week of a child's life, and in some cases even later.

This can be explained by massive refusals to carry out vaccinations. Severe varieties of whooping cough are very dangerous for newborns. A hysterical cough of a paroxysmal nature can develop in a child a failure in the respiratory system, severe vomiting and nausea, and a lack of respiratory processes. How can you quickly distinguish whooping cough?

1. At the first stage of development, it is more similar to a dry cough during SARS.
2. It has a paroxysmal distribution.
3. With all this, the cough is not able to turn into a productive one, it begins to become more and more obsessive and irritable.
4. Cough shocks are mainly developed at the exit.
5. After a large number of coughing shocks, the newborn most often takes a deep breath (in a different way, a reprise).
6. Inhalation occurs together with a whistle.
7. In most cases, a coughing fit ends with a retching, in some cases a certain amount of sputum is discharged.
8. Whooping cough attacks can occur about 50 times a day.

How and by what means can whooping cough in a newborn be treated? For treatment, most often a course of prophylaxis with antibiotics should be carried out, since whooping cough is a bacterial disease that is caused by whooping cough. Treatment with antibacterial agents is effective only at the initial stage of the development of the disease, at a time when the cough center is not yet very excited and irritated.

Even whooping cough symptoms was discovered only in the third or fourth week of the child's life, then the attending specialist should still prescribe a course of antibiotics so that the child is not contagious. The specialist also prescribes antitussives. They are able to stop a debilitating cough in a child. Whooping cough is a disease that can last for months. The disease is treated over time, and regular fresh air in the room where the baby is located is also useful.

Treatment of a cough of any nature in a child should be under the strict supervision of a treating specialist. Newborns can quickly recover and recover when they are not overheated and given enough water per day. In the treatment of a child, an important place is also occupied by walks with a good health of the baby, humidified and cool air in the room.

Cough in infants without fever treatment

The most common cause of cough is the SARS virus.. It can affect both the area of ​​​​the upper respiratory tract of the newborn and the lower ones. With this disease, the trachea, nasopharynx, lungs and larynx are also affected. The second main infection after the ARVI virus is considered to be inflammation of various ENT organs in a child. This may be the adenoids, the territory of the pharynx and nasal cavity. Coughing can be a sign of the development of serious disorders in the body, for example, during inflammation or asthma.

Cough can develop in babies in the form of a signal when any foreign body . If the cough does not go away for a long time, then the newborn should be taken to the hospital without fail in order to remove the foreign object by surgical intervention.

In some cases, cough symptoms occur as a result of completely different abnormalities in the body, for example, heart disease, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

To help your child cope with a coughing fit, you need to know the causes of its occurrence. The doctor can help you choose effective means including inhalation and medications allowed from birth.

A cough that occurs in a baby brings him and his parents a lot of trouble. Sleep is disturbed, the baby's appetite is disturbed. In addition, the risk of transmission of the disease to the lower respiratory tract increases. Therefore, at the very first stages, it is important to understand why the child is coughing in order to start correct treatment. But you should not do this on your own, you definitely need to contact a specialist. by the most effective way cough control are inhalations. The doctor will help you choose the medicine and exact dosage for the nebulizer.

Characteristics of cough

Cough is a defensive reaction of the body. Thus, he tries to get rid of the irritant or infection. Normally, a baby may have several coughs a day.

Why the kid infancy can cough? The reasons can be both the most harmless and very serious. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo an examination in time, establish a diagnosis in order to help the child alleviate the condition.

In young children, a physiological cough that is not associated with pathology may appear. Mom observes that after sleep, in the morning, he begins to cough. In a dream, babies sleep only on their backs, as they cannot roll over on their own. Mucus can accumulate in the nasopharynx, which begins to irritate the walls of the trachea. Treatment in this case is not required.

During teething, a lot of saliva begins to be produced, which causes coughing, especially during sleep or in the morning. At night, the child does not have time to swallow saliva, and a cough reflex occurs. Treatment should begin with the use of special gels and ointments for the gums.

Other causes of cough in a child include:

• viral infection;
• diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
• allergy;
• otitis;
• foreign body in the airways;
• dry, polluted air.

Coughing can be caused by a reflex when food from the esophagus enters the nasopharynx. The child begins to vomit after feeding while awake and coughs in the morning after sleep.

Why can an unpleasant symptom in a child go away with or without a temperature? If a runny nose appeared along with a cough, the temperature rose, most likely, the baby had ARVI. Cough develops during sleep. If these symptoms are not present, but it continues long time, then you can suspect an allergy or whooping cough. Even if the child occasionally coughs, it still needs to be shown to the doctor. In children under one year old, the respiratory system is not fully formed, and viscous mucus stagnates in the lower sections. respiratory system. And this leads to bronchitis or pneumonia.

With SARS, a child begins a severe attack in a dream, symptoms such as fever, sore throat and head, runny nose join.

Cough is dry and wet

Dry cough causes irritation of the mucous surface of the respiratory system, does not bring relief. There are many reasons for its occurrence. With this type of cough, any colds. Most often, cough develops in the morning, after sleep. At the same time, body temperature rises. As he recovers, the cough turns into a wet one.

Dry cough in a child may occur due to an allergic irritant (food, dust, animal hair), bronchial asthma or whooping cough. If the cause is an allergy to bedding or dust in the room, then the cough most often intensifies in the morning.

Why can a child cough in the morning? If a child coughs heavily in the morning, while it is difficult for him to cough, take a breath, bronchitis and asthma should be ruled out. At night, the spasm of muscle muscles intensifies, a cough appears during sleep and after sleep.

A wet cough is not accompanied by an increase in body temperature and brings relief. The color of sputum can also be used to judge the processes occurring in the body. If the mucus is clear, then there are no complications. If it has a greenish or yellowish tint, then it is inflammatory process in the bronchi or lungs.

The child urgently needs to be shown to the doctor and treatment should be started if other symptoms appear against the background of coughing:

• coughing attacks become stronger at night, interfere with sleep;
• the baby refuses to feed, vomiting is observed;
• coughing attacks are getting worse every day.

Wet cough does not always indicate the stage of recovery. If it is prolonged, does not decrease every day, but, on the contrary, the amount of sputum increases, increases in sleep, then tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchitis should be excluded.

Therapeutic procedures and medicines

If it is established that the baby has ARVI, then the doctor can begin treatment according to the following scheme.

• Antiviral agents.
• Nasal lavage saline solutions. Sometimes vasoconstrictor drops may be prescribed.
• Antipyretics.
• Homeopathic remedies are often prescribed for babies, as they have a natural basis. For example, "Stodal". The medicine helps with cough of any nature, relieves inflammation, thins and removes sputum.

The most popular cough medicines used in pediatrics for infants are divided into three groups: expectorants, mucolytics and antitussives.

Treatment with expectorants begins with a wet cough, when mucus is poorly excreted. Vegetable syrups based on, for example, herbs such as plantain, thyme, and thyme will come to the rescue. But they can cause allergies in a child. Due to the activation of the ciliated epithelium, sputum begins to separate from the mucosa.

1. "Gedelix". The syrup can be used from birth. It should be given a lot of liquid at the same time, it is allowed to dilute in the diet.
2. Syrup based on licorice root.
3. "Linkas". The syrup has an anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic effect, liquefies and removes sputum. The syrup is approved for use from 6 months.

Mucolytic drugs are designed to thin viscous sputum in the respiratory system. These are drugs based on bromhexine, ambroxol. Among them, the most famous are "Ambrobene", "Lazolvan". Effective inhalation with these drugs.

Pediatricians for cough are prescribed the following expectorant drugs for babies:

1. "Ambrobene". The syrup is allowed for children from birth - 2.5 ml each. Facilitates breathing, thins mucus and removes phlegm. Known for its effectiveness solution for inhalation.
2. "Bronhikum". Syrup based on thyme is allowed for use from six months of age, ½ teaspoon. You can use this syrup for up to two weeks.
3. "Ambroxol". The syrup is effective for viscous sputum, it is prescribed from birth in 2.5 ml. Do not drink syrup for more than 5 days.
4. "Bromhexine". Syrup and solution for inhalation for children from birth.

Treatment with antitussive drugs is necessary to suppress the cough reflex. They are prescribed for a strong, dry cough that interferes with sleep and eating. They are also prescribed for whooping cough. Treatment with these drugs is carried out with extreme caution among children under the age of one year.

1. The permitted drug is drops or syrup "Sinekod", you can give it from 2 months.
2. "Stoptussin". The drug is presented in the form of drops that can be given with a dry cough after 6 months. You need to drink it after feeding.

You can not combine expectorant and antitussive drugs. This leads to the development of pneumonia. Do not exceed the dosage prescribed by the doctor - the risk of side effects increases.

What are adults allowed to do?

When the baby coughs, parents try to help him by all means. Among them there are those that can be harmful to health. Should be used with caution folk remedies.

How can mom help?

1. As often as possible, put the baby to the breast. If the child is bottle-fed, then give him more fluids. Children after six months can be given a decoction or compote.
2. You should not dress your child too warmly, especially when he has heat.
3. When the cough proceeds without a high temperature, it is allowed to walk on the street. There is better ventilation of the lungs, microbes begin to die faster. Do not be afraid if the child began to cough more after a walk, this is normal.
4. The room where the baby is located should be ventilated more often. Be sure to humidify the air. Dry air provokes a cough even more due to the drying of the mucous membrane.
5. You can do inhalation. Only babies under one year old are not recommended to do steam inhalation, as the risk of burning the respiratory tract increases. If the cough is dry, then they go into the bathroom with the baby and fill it with water. You can breathe the steam that comes from hot water with soda.
6. If there is no temperature and the baby feels satisfactory, you can take a bath with sea salt or add a decoction of eucalyptus, chamomile.
7. Chest and back massage.

Do not make compresses with alcohol, vinegar or dry mustard - the risk of poisoning, burns and the development of spasms of the larynx increases. Caution should be given herbal decoctions and infusions. Allergic reactions often occur.

Folk remedies in the fight against cough are:

• tea with raspberries, chamomile;
• you can give a little honey, putting it on the cheek or under the tongue;
• warm milk with soda on the tip of a knife will help relieve the attack.

Treating a cough in a child with soda has several options.

Treating the throat with soda can help relieve inflammation and irritation in the throat. To do this, gauze soaked in water with soda is wound around the finger, and the child's oral cavity is carefully treated with it.

Inhalations are effective mineral water"Borjomi" or water with soda. To make a solution with soda, you need to take 3 teaspoons of soda and dilute in 800 ml of water. The water should be warm, but not hot.

Useful are steam inhalations with soda, performed in a different way. Pour a liter of water into the pan, throw in a few cloves of garlic and boil for 5 minutes. Then diluted with soda. You can breathe for about a few minutes.

A liter of hot water is diluted with soda and 2 drops of iodine are added. Baking soda helps loosen mucus and make breathing easier.

Folk effective means are inhalations with eucalyptus. They eliminate wheezing and prolonged coughing. Cough treatment at the initial stage can be carried out using a nebulizer and saline. Inhalations should be done for 5 minutes. Pour 5 ml of the solution into the cup of the device. The tool helps to moisturize the respiratory organs, relieve irritation and dilute thick mucus.

Parents should pay attention to even slight coughs in the baby. Many respiratory diseases are silent and may not be accompanied by fever or other symptoms. Only an experienced specialist can understand the problem.

Cough in an infant is quite rare in comparison with children aged 1 to 7 years. If the baby receives only mother's milk as food, then the risk of suffering a cold for up to a year is minimized. In the presence of a runny nose and high temperature, ARVI can be suspected. If there is no snot, the thermometer shows 36.6 C, and the child begins to cough, you should check for allergies or whooping cough. In no case should you engage in self-medication, since the respiratory muscles of newborns and infants are not sufficiently developed. The baby will not be able to cough up sputum from the lungs and bronchi, which leads to stagnation of mucus in the airways and the occurrence of complications.

Types of cough

Coughing in babies is the same protective reflex inherent in nature as sneezing. Mothers worry when they notice that the child is coughing. Pediatricians consider a slight manifestation of the reflex to be the norm, even if the baby coughed several times a day. There are two types of cough:

1. Dry. It is typical for the initial stage of acute respiratory viral infections, parapertussis and whooping cough, bronchial asthma or an allergic reaction, which makes it difficult to make a correct diagnosis. An examination by a pediatrician is necessary, since mothers without experience often mistake a wet cough for a dry one (see also:). A baby under 3 months of age swallows mucus rather than coughing it up, so parents are confused.
2. Wet. If a cough in a baby begins without a fever, this means that the disease is nearing completion. Do not worry when clear and thin sputum leaves. Yellowish or greenish mucus indicates a serious infection in the respiratory tract.

If the cough in an infant is wet, does not go away within a month and is not accompanied by fever, this may be a sign of pneumonia, tracheitis, or chronic bronchitis. The bronchi of children older than six months are able to self-cleanse, but in newborns and babies up to 5-6 months, this function has not matured. Cough appears when sputum irritates the back wall of the nasopharynx, flowing down.

Basic therapy

Cough treatment is always individual and is prescribed only after a doctor's examination. The course depends on the nature of the disease and includes:

• Antipyretic drugs. If the temperature rises with coughing, syrups with ibuprofen or paracetamol will help to reduce it.

• Antiviral medicines. SARS can be treated with immunomodulatory agents. Doctors recommend using Viferon suppositories, since they have no contraindications and age restrictions (we recommend reading:). The drug can be prescribed to children from birth to one year.
• Washing the nasal passages. If the baby is prevented from breathing by thick snot, he sneezes and begins to breathe through his mouth (we recommend reading:). After a short period of time, the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat will dry out, and the child will cough. Before going to bed, it is important to rinse the baby's nose with saline or saline. During the day, you can instill 3 drops in each nostril 4 to 8 times. After the washing procedure, it is useful to drip a nose oil solution"Ectericide" in a dosage of 1 drop. This will create a thin protective layer of the drug on the mucous membranes.
• Homeopathy. To cure an infant from coughing, pediatricians prescribe drugs based on natural products. Especially popular is the Stondal syrup, which has established itself as an excellent antitussive, bronchodilator and expectorant.

With a runny nose, it is forbidden to use antibacterial drops for the treatment of infants. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe a vasoconstrictor if the baby sneezes, but not for the treatment of SARS.

If you have a cough month old baby accompanied by the release of snot, but the temperature remains within the normal range, this may indicate pharyngitis, laryngitis or rhinitis of allergic etiology.

Cough remedies for babies

Infants and one-year-olds can be treated with safe forms of medications - drops and syrups. Cough medicines are divided into three groups:

1. Mucolytic. They are produced on the basis of hydrochloride, acetylcysteine, bromhexine and ambroxol, which thin thick sputum in the respiratory tract. Among the popular ones are: "Mukodin", "Flavamed", "Flyuditek", "Mukosol", "Bromhexine", "Ambrobene", "Lazolvan". Syrups are given to children up to a year, but only after consultation with a pediatrician.
2. Antitussives. They are prescribed for dry cough, which has the form of seizures. The drugs reduce the occurrence of the cough reflex, which is most effective in the treatment of whooping cough. Among contraindications childhood up to 2 years. Syrups "Panatus" and "Sinekod" are allowed for children of the first year of life, if the therapy is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor.
3. Expectorants. They are effective if the cough of a one-month-old baby is wet, but the sputum comes out with difficulty (for more details, see the article:). Assign syrups based on plantain or ivy extract. Additionally, the composition includes plant components: coltsfoot, rosemary, thyme, oregano, elecampane, marshmallow, licorice, anise, thyme. Among the well-known drugs are recommended: "Prospan", "Doctor MOM", "Gedelix", "Bronchicum" and "Dr (we recommend reading:). Theiss. "Prospan" and "Bronhikum" are allowed from 4-6 months. A month-old baby may be allergic to herbs, so the baby's well-being must be monitored. If a skin rash or swelling occurs, the medication should be stopped and a pediatrician should be visited.

If a newborn sneezes and coughs, the doctor calculates the dosage of the drug (we recommend reading:). An overdose of an expectorant medicine is dangerous, since a month-old baby's cough can drag on. The volume of secreted mucus will increase, but a baby aged from a month to a year cannot physically cough it up.

It is forbidden to combine antitussive and expectorant medicines, as manufacturers warn about in the instructions. With the suppression of cough and the simultaneous formation of a large amount of mucus, pneumonia occurs.

Baby first aid

Before the arrival of the doctor, parents are able to follow simple tips to alleviate the condition of the crumbs. At home, it is difficult to determine why the baby is coughing and sneezing, but you can help reduce negative symptoms:

1. Plentiful drink. If a newborn coughs, then it is allowed to drink only water. When breastfeeding, breastfeeding should be offered more frequently. Do not forget that high temperatures lead to dehydration. Do not miss a dangerous signal if you watch the filling of the diaper. With infrequent urination (1 time in 4 hours), it is necessary to start soldering the little one. Babies from six months are offered raisin water, a decoction of wild rose or linden, diluted juice or dried fruit.
2. Minimum clothing. The warmer the baby is dressed, the faster it loses moisture. The mucous membranes dry out, so the baby begins to cough.
3. Walks in the open air. If the child coughs, but other health indicators are normal, short walks are allowed. The exception is weather conditions when it is very cold outside. Do not be afraid if the baby only coughed during the day, and in the evening after the walk, the cough intensified. This leads to a better discharge of mucus.
4. Comfortable air humidity. In order for a dry, painful cough to turn into a wet one, it is not necessary to resort to medicines. It is enough to set the humidity in the house at the level of 50-70%. The temperature in the room where the baby is located should not rise above 22 C. 18 C is considered ideal, otherwise the sputum in the airways will be more viscous and thick.
5. Safe inhalation. Steam procedures are prohibited in order to avoid burns to the skin and mucous membranes. If the baby coughs, it is recommended to install next to the arena for the duration of the illness. Doctors advise with a dry cough to fill the bath with hot water, adding soda to it. Then take the baby in your arms and sit in the bathroom, inhaling wet alkaline fumes.

Additional measures: do's and don'ts

A wet cough in one-year-old children is often accompanied by mucus that is difficult to separate. In this case, drainage massage will help. You can invite a specialist to your home who does professional massage for babies, but the mother is able to carry out some manipulations on her own:

• lay the baby on the back;
• on the chest put your palms and stroke her from bottom to top;
• turn the little one on his stomach;
• in circular soft movements "walk" along the back, avoiding the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe spine.

Finish the massage with light pats from the bottom up. It is advisable to position the baby so that the head is below the buttocks.

Fearing negative consequences from taking medications, mothers, on the advice of grandmothers, resort to using traditional medicine. Pediatricians are categorically against such experiments on the children's body:

1. Thoughtless manipulations almost always lead to the opposite effect. Compresses with dry mustard, vinegar or vodka provoke burns and poisoning. Often there are dangerous spasms of the bronchi and larynx.
2. Babies in their first year of life are allergic to medicinal herbs, so breast fees, infusions and decoctions should be used after consultation with a specialist.

We must not forget that the time of shortage has long passed, and medicine does not stand still. The pharmaceutical industry can offer a lot of effective and safe drugs.

Expert opinion

Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky does not see anything terrible in the cough reflex, since it is inherent in all people. The snot that appears flows down the nasopharynx in children, so the body is forced to get rid of mucus. When diseases of the upper respiratory tract or lungs occur, the volume of sputum increases, it is removed through a natural reflex.

If the snot in the nose dries up, it becomes difficult to breathe, which leads to further complications. Komarovsky believes that preventing sputum from drying out in the bronchi is also important if the little one is coughing. It is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of drink for the baby and organize access to fresh cool air. Without consulting a doctor, it is forbidden to use antitussive drugs that are effective only for whooping cough. The use of mucolytic and expectorant drugs is allowed if it is evening outside and you need to somehow act.

Symptoms of any type of cough allow you to visit a pediatrician and get the necessary recommendations. The following drugs are effective and relatively safe:

• lazolvan;
• acetylcysteine;
• bromhexine;
• potassium iodide;
• mukaltin;
• ammonia-anise drops.

They should be in the home first aid kit, but the doctor sets the dosage. The specialist will also tell you the appropriateness of using a particular medication.

The danger of complications after ARVI lies in the development acute bronchitis or pneumonia, secondary bacterial infections are not uncommon. The baby is prescribed antibiotics in tandem with additional medicines. Such treatment will negatively affect the formation immune system but there is no other way. For this reason, Komarovsky recommends not self-medicating, contacting specialists in time and not endangering the baby. If the child has pneumonia before the age of 2 months, the lung alveoli remain affected and stop developing.

Why is whooping cough dangerous?

With whooping cough, the cough reflex has some characteristic features, only a pediatrician is able to make a correct diagnosis. A timely DPT vaccination does not completely protect against infection, but allows you to transfer the disease to more mild form. Mass denial of vaccination last years led to the fact that whooping cough is more common among preschool children. Self-treatment and self-confidence of mothers in their own actions complicate and slow down the diagnosis, since they turn to doctors at 2-3 weeks of illness.

whooping cough and severe forms deadly to babies due to paroxysmal hacking cough, which provokes severe vomiting, respiratory failure and even stop breathing. Whooping cough symptoms include:

• dry cough, similar to a common cold;
• in subsequent stages, the cough becomes more painful, not turning into a wet form;
• cough reflex occurs on exhalation and is paroxysmal in nature;
• after a prolonged cough, the child takes a deep breath, which is accompanied by a whistle;
• sometimes an attack of coughing can result in vomiting with a discharge of viscous sputum.

The cough reflex can occur up to 50 times a day, which should alert parents. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection, so antibiotics are used in therapy. Antibacterial agents are effective at the first symptoms, when the cough center is not yet in the stage of excitation. Additionally, antitussive drugs are prescribed to reduce the frequency and intensity of the cough reflex. The course lasts from several months to six months, so that the baby ceases to be contagious and does not pose a danger to others. During therapy, outdoor walks are not contraindicated, and it is advisable for parents to be patient.

A cough in a baby can be caused by a number of reasons that can be recognized if you carefully observe the baby. Of course, it will be better if a pediatrician helps you with this.

1. The common cold is the most common cause cough in an infant. At first, the baby coughs only occasionally, but soon the cough becomes more intense, especially in the second half of the day. On examination, a reddened neck can be found. Infants, due to their still fragile immune defenses and an imperfect thermoregulation system, are prone to colds. Therefore, it is not difficult to “catch” a draft or an infection at this age. The task of the mother in this case is to detect the problem in time and consult a doctor, otherwise the disease may drag on.
2. Inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory organs - it can be a runny nose, pharyngitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, provoked by a bacterial infection. During a runny nose, mucous secretions can enter the trachea, which can cause a cough in a baby. In other cases, coughing can be caused by narrowing of the airways (as a result of inflammation), which is initially manifested by a dry persistent cough, which can later develop into wheezing, wheezing and respiratory failure. Of course, in no case should you wait for the condition to worsen: you should immediately consult a doctor.
3. A low degree of humidity in the room is a very common cause of a cough in a child. Excessively dry air causes drying of the mucous membrane of the baby's throat, which first provokes the appearance of perspiration ("scratching") of the throat, and then, as a result, coughing.
4. Otitis media is an inflammatory process in the middle ear, the presence of which causes the appearance of a reflex cough. How to determine such a state? Put a little pressure on the baby's ear: if this causes a sharp scream or crying, then this means that the child has an earache. Call the doctor.
5. Getting a foreign object into the airways is, unfortunately, also a fairly common situation that requires immediate medical attention, otherwise the baby may simply suffocate. If the child begins to cough sharply and strongly, with anguish, "excitedly" - it is urgent to call an ambulance. Trying to remove a foreign body from the trachea on your own is a very dangerous occupation and often only worsens the situation.
6. Intolerance to odors, lack of ventilation in the room are reasons that can not only cause a cough in an infant, but also serve as an impetus for the onset of bronchial asthma. Such a condition in a baby can develop if he is often in a smoky room, or other sharp and unpleasant odors for the child are constantly present in the air. In such situations, there is an improvement in the condition of the baby after airing the room.

All of these are the most common causes of cough in an infant. Less commonly, a cough can be associated with diseases of the digestive system and the heart, but such pathologies can only be determined by a doctor after a thorough examination of the baby.

Severe cough in an infant

The appearance of a strong cough can be triggered by the influence of any damaging factor on the respiratory mucosa. This may be due to infection, or other causes. As a rule, a strong cough in an infant indicates that something “interferes” with the baby in the airways - it can be excessively dry mucous membranes, foreign objects (crumbs, animal hair, toy elements, etc.), sputum and mucus, accumulating in the trachea. As a result, a strong cough occurs, the main purpose of which is to eliminate the obstacle to normal breathing, to clear the airways.

A strong cough is dangerous for the baby. In case of its occurrence, the help of a doctor is required. Urgent help a doctor is required in such situations:

• if a strong cough appeared suddenly and does not stop;
• if a strong cough is accompanied by wheezing;
• if a strong cough occurs at night in the form of an attack;
• if, against the background of a strong cough, pink or green sputum is released.

Also, concerns should be caused by a strong cough that does not go away for a long time, or occurs against the background of an increase in body temperature or difficulty breathing.

Wet cough in an infant

AT healthy condition A wet cough in an infant may appear immediately after the baby has woken up. If the child slept on his back, then the mucous discharge from the nose could get into his throat. In this situation, the baby may cough slightly, but such a cough subsides if you turn it on its side. The same condition develops when a large amount of saliva enters the throat or breast milk: the child simply does not yet know how to swallow correctly and on time.

If we consider a wet cough as a manifestation of the disease, then the most common pathologies in this case may be:

• infections of the upper respiratory organs (which are accompanied by the formation of sputum);
• inflammation in the bronchi with impaired airway patency (obstructive bronchitis);
• pneumonia;
• allergic diseases ( bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis);
• lung abscess;
• tuberculosis disease.

If a wet cough indicates the occurrence of a disease in a baby, mandatory medical care will be required.

Dry cough in an infant

It should be noted that a dry cough in an infant is the most painful for a small patient, since with a dry cough, the mucous membrane is traumatized, which causes pain and extremely unpleasant sensations to the baby.

How can you tell if a cough is dry? As a rule, such a cough is sonorous, sharp, without characteristic "gurgling" sounds. Possible "whistling" and barking sound when coughing. The child often cries, and the baby's voice may change due to damage to the larynx and vocal cords. With the progression of the inflammatory process, the ligaments can swell and stop properly airflow, which will lead to the fact that the child will suffocate.

As a rule, a sick child with a dry cough becomes capricious, lethargic, his appetite disappears. In such a situation, it is important not only to call a doctor: it should be done as soon as possible. Moreover, a dry cough can be a formidable symptom of incipient bronchitis or pneumonia, as a complication of SARS or acute respiratory infections. If the doctor suspects such diseases, then the baby, most likely, will be sent to the hospital with his mother.

Infant: cough and runny nose

The main cause of cough and runny nose in an infant is a cold, or ARI - for the most part viral disease affecting primarily the respiratory tract. The disease can also affect the middle ear, lungs, and in severe cases, the meninges and the skeletal system.

A baby can “catch a cold” from a family member who has an acute respiratory disease, or is a carrier of the disease, as well as through dirty hands and means of caring for a child. The immunity of the baby also plays an important role: malnutrition, hypothermia, drafts - all this can adversely affect the health of the baby.

What symptoms of a cold can a baby show: cough and runny nose, high fever, lack of appetite, lethargy, possibly disordered stools, constant crying and spitting up food.

With an uncomplicated course of a cold, the disease can regress as early as 4-5 days: while the body temperature returns to normal, and the signs of the inflammatory process weaken. If the condition has not improved, then the addition of a microbial infection can be suspected. In such a situation, the intervention of a doctor is simply necessary. Sometimes you have to connect antibiotic therapy.

Chest collection for children from cough

The question of the use of breastfeeding in young children is quite controversial. Most doctors do not recommend giving such decoctions to children, at least children under 1 year old, as herbal ingredients can cause allergic reaction or even poisoning in a small child.

If you still decide to use any of the 4 existing breast fees, adhere to the following rules:

• do not start treatment without consulting your doctor;
• start treatment, using a highly diluted decoction at the beginning to check the baby's reaction to the medicine. If there is no negative reaction of the child, you can move on to a more concentrated decoction;
• the total daily volume of decoction from the breast collection for an infant is no more than 30-50 ml.

Remember: breastfeeding can be the culprit for some side effects such as skin rashes, itching, allergic rhinitis, symptoms of poisoning.

In any case, a cough in an infant should be a signal to see a doctor: a newborn baby is still too weak to cope with the disease on its own. And the timely help of a doctor will never be redundant: it often helps to prevent dangerous complications and consequences.

Treatment of cough in infants

If we are dealing with a slight cough due to irritated throat mucosa, then drug treatment cough in infants can be avoided. Such irritation is eliminated by increasing the humidity in the room, warm drink (including breast milk).

If there is an inflammatory process in the trachea or bronchi, then heated non-carbonated mineral water (from 30 to 50 ml / day) can be added as a warm drink.

To facilitate sputum secretion, you should periodically turn the baby over, do not limit him in active movements, and do a light chest massage. For massage, the baby is placed on the stomach and gently tapped on the back with fingertips in an ascending line.

With the consent of the doctor, expectorant drugs such as Lazolvan or Gedelix can be used, the dose of which is determined by the doctor depending on the weight and age of the baby.

Of the anti-inflammatory drugs, Erespal enjoys a good reputation.

Thermal procedures for infants should not be carried out in any case. Such procedures include hot baths, mustard plasters, jars, warming plasters, etc. Rubbing and warm compresses are also not welcome, although their use is possible if the attending pediatrician does not mind. The fact is that rubbing and compresses can, in some cases, worsen the condition of the child, increasing blood circulation and thereby exacerbating swelling and inflammation in the respiratory system. Moreover, the use of drugs with eucalyptus, menthol or coniferous oils can provoke bronchospasm in infants, or cause an allergic reaction.

How to treat a cough in an infant?

Medicines for the treatment of cough for an infant will be prescribed by a doctor: we will talk about them below. And what can the parents of the baby do when coughing to alleviate his condition?

• Call a doctor, regardless of whether the child has a fever.
• Maintain an optimal level of humidity in the apartment, especially in winter, when the air in the room is obviously dry. The best degree of humidity in order for the child to feel good is 50-60%. An ideal device to achieve the optimal level of humidity will be a humidifier. However, if it is not there, then you can get by with improvised means. For example, you can place containers with water on the batteries, or put towels moistened with water on the batteries. You can use a spray gun and process the room clean water several times a day.
• Provide fresh air access to the apartment: ventilate the room at least in the morning after waking up, in the afternoon before feeding and at night.
• To ensure the activity and mobility of the child, to carry out light gymnastics, massage.
• Often offer the baby to drink, especially at elevated temperatures.
• Despite the cold, it is necessary to go for walks (dressing the baby according to the weather so that he does not overcool or overheat). In winter, walks should be short.

The attending pediatrician will tell you the medical treatment of the baby.

Cough medicine for babies

• Prospan is an expectorant based on an extract from ivy leaves. Helps soften bronchial secretions, relieve bronchospasm. Prospan can be used both from birth and older children, starting from 2.5 ml three times a day.
• Ascoril - an expectorant drug in the form of syrup, promotes the discharge of bronchial secretions. Use 2-3 ml of syrup three times a day.
• Lazolvan syrup - stimulates the secretion of mucus from the respiratory tract, reduces the manifestations of cough. For children under 2 years old, 7.5 mg of syrup (2.5 ml) is used twice a day.
• Ambroxol (syrup and solution for injection) is a drug that stabilizes the secretory activity of the bronchi and prevents airway obstruction. Assign 2.5 ml of syrup twice a day, or in the form of intramuscular injections of ½ ampoule twice a day.
• Ambrobene is a mucolytic drug used as a syrup (2.5 ml twice a day) or injections (half an ampoule twice a day).
• Stodal - homeopathic herbal preparation, an expectorant and bronchodilator that does not have age contraindications. Use up to 5 ml of syrup for every 8 hours.

You should not use medications for children on their own, first consult a doctor

Not always medicine marked "children's" can be used to treat infants.