What helps with bronchitis in children. bronchitis in a child

The body of children is more prone to various diseases and their consequences, but with proper and timely therapy, it copes well with them. Among respiratory pathologies, one of the first places is occupied by bronchitis. Many parents are afraid of such a diagnosis. How to treat bronchitis in a child? Use the recommendations below.

Children's bronchitis

Treatment of bronchitis in babies requires mandatory medical supervision. After finding out the type and cause of the disease, he will prescribe the correct therapy. At home, it is allowed to be treated only for those babies who do not have symptoms of intoxication, i.e. high fever and shortness of breath. This fact is especially true for children under 3 years of age. Treatment of such small patients is carried out only in a hospital.

Obstructive bronchitis in children

Treatment of obstructive bronchitis in children, unlike simple catarrhal, has the main goal - to eliminate obstruction, i.e. narrowing of the bronchial lumen. This is done through inhalation using a nebulizer, and about 2-3 times a day. An alternative to them are drugs with bronchodilators: Clenbuterol, Salmeterol, Ascoril. A good anti-inflammatory agent are hormonal drugs such as Pulmicort, Prednisolone, Dexamethasone. At high temperatures, antipyretics are connected to the treatment.

Acute bronchitis

This form respiratory disease also requires complex therapy. Treatment of acute bronchitis in children folk ways possible only in the absence of complications, and always on the advice of a doctor. The main principles of therapy are the following:

Compliance with half-bed rest with limited physical activity.
An increase in the daily amount of liquid you drink by 2 times.
Taking antiviral drugs at the beginning of the disease, such as Interferon, Ribavirin, Remantadine and their analogues.
Treatment with antipyretics at temperatures above 38.5 degrees. Paracetamol, Panadol can be used as such drugs.
Carrying out inhalations to reduce inflammation in the bronchi and accelerate the discharge of sputum. Solutions can be saline or soda-salt. The use of essential oils, decoctions and mucolytics is allowed: Fluditec, Carbocysteine, Mucosolvin.
Taking medication for dry cough. These include Prospan, Stoptussin, Pertusin, Lazolvan, Bromhexine, Mukaltin.

bronchiolitis

Under this concept lies an infectious inflammation of the bronchioles of the lungs, i.e. small breathing tubes. More often, the respiratory syncytial virus that provokes it affects infants. In adults, it becomes only the cause of a cold. For newborns on breastfeeding, it is dangerous with possible attacks of asphyxia, i.e. temporary cessation of breathing. Treatment of bronchiolitis in children is longer, especially for infants. The therapy includes several activities:

Rehydration is a procedure for replenishing the body with the missing glucose-salt solutions. At emergency care they are administered intravenously or orally.
Restoration of normal breathing with the help of oxygen masks, inhalations with drugs. In a more severe course of the disease, artificial ventilation of the lungs is used.
Antiviral measures in the form of medications based on interferon.
Antibiotic therapy in the presence of a bacterial infection. After bacteriological culture, it is determined which antibiotics the bacteria are sensitive to. Among the prescribed drugs may be Macropen, Amosin, Sumamed, Amoxiclav, Augmentin.
Anti-allergic measures that relieve swelling of the bronchi and make breathing easier.

Recurrent bronchitis

This type of bronchitis has to be treated 3 or more times a year, while exacerbations can last about 2 weeks. This form of the disease is considered more characteristic of children, but it is not chronic. Treatment of recurrent bronchitis is carried out according to the following principles:

with the antibacterial nature of the disease, antibiotics are prescribed, for example, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin;
with viral causes of bronchitis, it is necessary to take antiviral tablets, and for allergic ones, antihistamines;
bronchodilators and antispasmodics are used to thin sputum;
to remove accumulated sputum, inhalations with an alkaline solution from mineral water or essential oils;
cleansing of the nasopharynx is carried out with silver-containing compounds, for example, saline or Borjomi;
at elevated temperatures, start taking Paracetamol or other antipyretics.

How to cure bronchitis

Therapy against bronchitis is symptomatic. In general, children are prescribed antipyretic, expectorant, antimicrobial, antiviral drugs. Distracting activities such as mustard plasters, foot baths or warm compresses have a good effect. Bed rest does not mean complete restriction of movement. The child must sometimes change position so that the lungs do not become congested.

no temperature

The treatment of bronchitis in children includes various activities prescribed depending on the condition of the small patient. Therapy for this disease without temperature differs only in that antipyretics are not prescribed. The rest of the treatment remains the same:

taking antibacterial or antiviral drugs;
symptomatic therapy with expectorant drugs;
restriction of products that provoke allergic reaction;
taking effective vitamin complexes;
physiotherapy, inhalations, physiotherapy exercises and vibration massage.

At the baby

Babies are more prone to developing complications from bronchitis. At the first strange wheezing or coughing, parents should call a doctor. Treatment for these young children includes the following:

Drainage massage. The baby is placed down with his tummy on his knees and tapped on the back with the edge of the palm, sometimes allowing the child to cough.
Preparations with ambroxol. This substance is approved for use in children under one year old. It is expectorant. These include Lazolvan.
Antibiotics. For children under one year old, drugs such as Sumamed or the weaker Zinnat are used.
Preparations for the restoration of intestinal microflora. Assigned such as Bifidobacterin or Lacidophil.
Inhalations. used mineral water Borjomi, Berodual to eliminate obstruction, Lazolvan.

How to treat bronchitis at home

To fight children's bronchitis at home can only be allowed by a doctor, and after examination. If not found serious complications and the specialist will make sure that the child is able to cope with the disease, then he will prescribe therapy that the parents themselves can carry out. After finding out the causative agent of bronchitis, children are prescribed antiviral drugs or antibiotics. Attention is paid to the presence of fever and cough, dry or wet.

Medications for the bronchi

First on the list of drugs are antibacterial drugs. Antibiotics for children with bronchitis are used from 3 different groups:

2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins: Cefixime, Ceftibuten, Cefuroxime, Cephaloclor;
penicillins: Amoxicillin, Panclav, Amoxiclav;
macrolides: Vilprafen, Rovamycin, Midecamycin, Erythromycin.

In addition to antibacterial drugs, the following drugs are used:

antiviral: Ingaverin, Tamiflu, Arbidol, Rimantadine, Kagocel;
antifungal: Levorin, Griseofulvin, Intraconazole, Diflucan;
thinning sputum: Acetylcysteine, Fluimucil, Streptokinase, Ambrobene, Bromhexine;
antihistamines: Cetirizine, Loratadine, Levocabastine;
antipyretic: Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Ibuklin, Aspirin, Metamizol, Panadol, Kalpol;
inhalation: Lazolvan, Ambrohexal;
multivitamin: Alphabet, Multitabs, Supradin, Vitrum;
expectorants: Mukaltin, Pertusin, Libeksin, Glaucin.

Treatment of bronchitis in children with folk remedies

With a mild or moderate course of the disease and good prognosis, the doctor may allow the treatment of bronchitis folk remedies. Among these methods are the following:

Cabbage juice. Cabbage juice slightly sweetened with honey should be given to a child to drink: 4 tbsp. l. during the whole day.
Linden infusion. Take 1 tbsp. l. dried linden flowers, pour them with a glass of boiling water. After that, hold under the lid for about an hour, strain. Give the child a drink of 0.5 cups. Repeat 2-3 times a day.
Carrot juice. Add 3 tsp to freshly squeezed carrot juice. honey, mix well. Give the child 2-3 tbsp. l. up to 2-3 times a day.

Video: massage for bronchitis according to Dr. Komarovsky

It is easy to get sick with bronchitis and recover quickly, without complications, not all children succeed. To competently help a child get rid of the disease, you need to understand how to treat bronchitis in children at home, what can and cannot be done. We have devoted our article to this topic.

From this article you will learn

Types of bronchitis

In medicine, there are several classifications of bronchitis. The disease is divided into types according to the provoking factor, severity, duration of treatment and localization of the secret. Let's consider each of them in detail.

According to the causative agent

Viral. Caused by influenza germs, adenoviruses. It is a complication of SARS.
Bacterial. It develops rapidly against the background of infection as a result of airborne droplets entering the child's body of pathological bacteria, various cocci, whooping cough and hemophilic bacilli. Usually starts as a cold due to the cold.
. It is a complication when allergens (dust, wool, plant pollen) enter the bronchi and blood. Characteristic for children with a genetic predisposition to asthma, atopic dermatitis, infant diathesis, food and other allergies.

On a note! Viral and bacterial bronchitis are contagious, can be transmitted through saliva through the air. When sneezing and coughing, pathogenic microbes spread up to 10 meters from the patient. If there are babies in the house, and an older child or adult has picked up bronchitis, be sure to isolate the contagious family member from others in a separate room.

By duration of symptoms

Spicy. The disease lasts 10-14 days, can rise to 37.5-38°C. Cough accompanies the baby throughout the course of treatment, changing from dry to wet.
Chronic (repeated). The cause of the chronic form is a tendency to allergies and undertreated acute bronchitis. The child will be sick for a long time, cough for a long time (at least a month), become infected 2-3 times a year.

On a note! If in a baby every cold turns into bronchitis, we are talking about chronic form diseases. Pay attention to this fact Special attention because chronic bronchitis is the first step to asthma.

According to the severity of the disease

Simple. Received such a name, as it is the simplest form of bronchitis. The cough becomes wet almost immediately, the child recovers in 5-10 days.
Obstructive. Cured completely in 14-21 days. The child is breathing heavily, there may be asphyxia, sputum is viscous and coughs heavily. Due to obstruction in the patient's chest, wheezing and whistling are clearly audible.
Protracted (obliterating). The most severe degree of bronchitis. Bronchioles are affected, respiratory failure develops.

On a note! The obstructive form is characterized by rapid inhalations and exhalations during sleep, if the baby lies on its back. With difficulty breathing and viscous sputum, it is better to sleep on your stomach or lower your head low, curled up.

According to the localization of sputum, a breeding family of viruses and bacteria

Tracheobronchitis. Inflammation is concentrated in the bronchi and trachea. Sputum is well coughed up after 4-7 days from the start of treatment. Residual cough can be observed for another 7-10 days. This is not dangerous.
bronchiolitis. The baby is tormented by wheezing, shortness of breath, a hard cough for a long time. Viruses and bacteria penetrate deep into the respiratory system. With bronchiolitis, a child can moan in a dream, wheeze, wake up from a lack of oxygen, the temperature rises to febrile levels.

Watch the video of Dr. Komarovsky about what bronchitis is and what features it has:

Causes of the disease

The main culprits of inflammation of the bronchi in children early age are physiological features buildings respiratory system and weak immunity. bilateral inflammation quickly develops, the disease passes into pneumonia.

Important! It is possible to determine that bronchitis provoked pneumonia by outward signs and clinical manifestations. Pneumonia is characterized by: shortness of breath, chest pain, blueness skin in infants, hyperthermia above 38°C for more than 3 days, abdominal breathing, deep and frequent wet cough.

Another cause of bronchitis in children, especially of kindergarten age, from 2 to 3 years old, is infection from a sick adult, the same age. In allergy-prone babies, a wet cough and inflammation in the bronchi cause irritating substances (household chemicals, dust, tobacco smoke).

Chronic forms, turning into asthmatic ones, affect premature babies, children with birth injuries and malformations of the respiratory system (adenoids, atypical structure of the nasal septum).

Acute bronchitis of a bacterial nature occurs as a complication of tonsillitis, sinusitis. Phlegm from the nose, ears, throat with angina descends down the larynx, lingers in the trachea, bronchi. Pathogenic microbes multiply on this part of the mucosa.

According to WHO and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, bronchitis is diagnosed 50–60% more often in autumn and winter, during influenza epidemics, in children attending kindergartens. The recurrent (neglected) form of the disease is typical for children from dysfunctional families, where the child is not provided with favorable conditions for recovery.

Often it is impossible to determine the culprit of the inflammatory process. Differential causes affect the child's body in the aggregate.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of inflammation of the bronchi in young children depend on the type of disease. Bacterial and viral bronchitis begin like a common cold and gradually become more severe. Allergic proceeds smoothly, the symptoms throughout the entire period of the disease are the same.

Symptoms of simple acute bronchitis

The incubation period lasts from 3 to 5 days after infection. At this time, the child has weakness, headache, loss of appetite.
3-5 days dry cough, then wet.
Vomit.
Barking cough when the larynx is affected.
Runny nose, green discharge.
Hyperthermia up to 38°C with a bacterial infection, up to 39°C with a viral infection.
Rattling and gurgling are heard in the chest as the mucus thins.
Greenish sputum with a bacterial type, white, transparent - with a viral one.
Conjunctivitis.
If the disease is started or treated incorrectly, bronchitis will turn into pneumonia, bronchiolitis.
The defeat of the bronchi can be unilateral and bilateral.

The viral form disappears in a week - 10 days, but sometimes children begin to cough, have a temperature after a short time. This suggests that a bacterial infection has joined the viral infection. The disease began again, now you need to apply. Treatment of a bacterial infection lasts from 10 to 20 days.

The main symptom of acute bronchitis in children is a cough. But sometimes the disease proceeds without coughing and sore throat. There is an atypical pathogenesis. But the accumulation of pathological sputum is present in the bronchi, a whistle is heard in the child’s chest, the baby can snore in his sleep. The inability or unwillingness to clear your throat is a bad sign. This is the main sign of complications: pneumonia, destructive bronchitis with damage to the walls of the respiratory organs.

If, after curing bronchitis, the child continues to cough for several more months, wheezing and whistling persist, we are talking about radical inflammation of the bronchi. Microbes are localized in an atypical place. It is very difficult to recognize this type of bronchitis, it is not enough to listen to the chest and take tests, tomography and x-rays are required.

Symptoms of allergic bronchitis

Allergens irritate the mucous membranes and bronchi, swelling occurs. The temperature with this type of inflammation may not rise, but it is difficult for the child to breathe. Additionally, the patient has the following unpleasant symptoms:

rhinitis. Snot transparent, liquid;
itching on the skin, in the nose;
dry cough, it is difficult to pass into a wet one;
dyspnea;
asphyxia;
bouts of vomiting on the background of coughing;
weakness, loss of appetite;
drowsiness;
sweating.

Important! Allergic bronchitis cannot be treated with antibiotics or antiviral agents. It is necessary to use antihistamines, in severe cases, hormonal drugs.

Symptoms of obstructive bronchitis

This type of inflammation occurs against the background of a viral and allergic form of bronchitis. Obstruction is a narrowing of the passages in the respiratory system due to mucosal edema. This condition is characterized by the following symptoms:

The temperature may not rise or stay at 37°C for 2–3 days.
It occurs suddenly if the baby has been in contact with allergens.
Coughing attacks provoke vomiting.
Breathing is hoarse, prolonged, deep.
With shortness of breath, the child breathes with the stomach, draws in the intercostal muscles while inhaling, the chest swells.
The doctor and parents hear wheezing, whistling.

Diagnostics

First of all, the pediatrician must identify the cause of the disease, determine the type of bronchitis: simple or obstructive - and the etiology: viral, bacterial, allergic. The conclusion is made on the basis of inspection, listening chest, parental interviews, blood, urine and sputum tests.

With a bacterial infection, the KLA shows:

an increase in the number of leukocytes;
elevated ESR.

With a viral infection in the blood, the following changes are observed:

decreased or normal white blood cell count;
an increase in the number of lymphocytes.

Allergic bronchitis is characterized by such indicators:

increased number of eosinophils;
the rest of the parameters are normal.

For the diagnosis of bronchiolitis, pneumonia, x-rays, bronchoscopy, CT scan. An x-ray image shows not only hidden inflammation in the lungs, but also what changes in the bronchi look like.

You can search for the causative agent of the disease through the analysis of the composition of sputum. It:

PCR analysis;
bakposev.

On a note! Doctors usually use a certain standard to diagnose bronchitis. Parents can insist on the appointment of additional studies if pneumonia is suspected, the child does not tolerate medication well. The pediatrician has no right to refuse.

Basic principles of treatment

It is impossible to do without drug therapy and regular examinations by a doctor for bronchitis. Simple sharp look inflammation requires complex treatment. The main goal of doctors and parents is to overcome the infection, that is, get rid of bacteria or viruses, and free the bronchi from sputum. To solve these interrelated tasks, it is important to follow the principles of treating bronchitis in children:

Provide the child with peace, compliance with the daily routine.
Increase the amount of drinking. Approximately 2-3 times from the usual norms.
Ventilate the room at least 4 times a day. Make sure that the air does not cool below 18-19°C.
Follow a light diet. Exclude fatty, fried, sweet. Include vegetable, dairy foods in the diet, cook light broths. With allergic bronchitis, remove food that is not tolerated by the sick.
Give antipyretics at temperatures above 38.5 ° C, if there is a tendency to convulsions - from 37.5 ° C. Can be replaced by wiping with water.
At the initial stage of treatment, use antiviral therapy, antibiotics to connect when a bacterial infection occurs.
Boost immunity with interferons.
Liquefy sputum with inhalations, syrups, herbal infusions.
With a strong cough that provokes vomiting, use antitussive syrups - Libeksin, Stoptussin.
Eliminate dry cough with the help of natural medicines - "Gerbion", "Prospan".
Use expectorants: "Lazolvan", Bromhexine, Mukaltin.
allergic bronchitis treat antihistamines: "Fenistil", "Zodak", "Zirtek".
Use drainage massage when wet cough to facilitate the expectoration of mucus. Allowed from any age.
Do breathing exercises.
It is forbidden to use mustard plasters and cans for warming the chest. It is better to apply rubbing with warming ointments (“Doctor Mom”, “Badger”) at night, soak your feet with herbs or dry mustard if there is no temperature.

Simple acute bronchitis does not require hospitalization unless the doctor suspects bronchiolitis, obstructive inflammation, and pneumonia. With bronchitis without complications, it is quite possible to cope at home, being observed in the clinic.

Mothers with infants and weakened children six months and older should definitely go to the hospital, they have a high risk of developing pneumonia and obstruction. The course of treatment in the hospital lasts 7-10 days, if the therapy is carried out correctly, the symptoms will completely disappear during this time.

Treatment

The therapeutic course for bronchitis cannot be prescribed independently. This is fraught with complications and even death of children under two years of age. For appointments, you need to contact the pediatrician, if necessary, to the otolaryngologist.

The pulmonologist is connected to the treatment of bronchitis, if the disease has turned into pneumonia, bronchiolitis, he observes babies in the hospital. With allergic bronchitis, the pediatrician always consults with an allergist-immunologist to draw up the correct course of therapy, with a bacterial infection respiratory tract the help of an infectious disease specialist may be required.

Treatment methods and a list of drugs for therapy determine the signs of bronchitis in a child. Usually, the list of medicines includes a set of medicines to get rid of cough, thin and remove sputum, relieve fever, antiviral and antimicrobial. Tablets, syrups, suspensions are taken according to the instructions, observing the dosage. Here is a short list of the most effective and safe medicines for babies.

Antipyretic

These are candles and syrups for newborns, tablets from 2-3 years old.

"Cefekon";
"Nurofen";
paracetamol;
Ibuklin Junior.

On a note! In infants, you need to check the temperature every 30–60 minutes if it approaches a critical mark. Fever can develop rapidly.

Antiviral

Shown to all children at the initial stage of the development of the disease, are required for viral bronchitis.

"Arbidol";
"Anaferon";
"Interferon;
"Laferobion";
"Alfaron".

Antibiotics

Indicated for bacterial, chlamydial, streptococcal, pneumococcal bronchitis.

"Azithromycin";
"Zinnat";
"Sumamed";
"Flemoxin Solutab";
"Amoxicillin";
"Amoxiclav";
"Ceftriaxone".

Antihistamines

"Zodak";
"Zyrtec";
"Fenistil";
"L-Zet";
"Suprastin";
"Diazolin".

To loosen phlegm

Syrups, solutions for inhalation, tablets are used.

Bromhexine;
"Lazolvan";
"Ambrobene";
"Libeksin.

Expectorants

They remove sputum, strengthening the work of the muscles of the bronchi.

"Mukosol";
"Erespal";
"Prospan";
"Gerbion";
licorice syrup;
"Bronholitin".

To relieve obstruction

Expand the passage for air, relieve bronchospasm.

"Ascoril";
"Teopak";
"Eufillin";
"Berodual".

Antispasmodics

They relieve spasm of the bronchi, restore the frequency and rhythm of breathing.

papaverine (children from 4 years old can be injected intravenously, candles can be used from six months);
"No-shpa";
"Drotaverine".

Preparations for inhalation

Liquefies sputum, enhances the action of antibiotics, strengthens the immune system.

"Pulmicort";
"Ambrobene";
"Lazolvan".

Immunomodulators

Helps to recover from illness, develop immunity to viruses.

"Immunal";
"Viferon";
"Interferon".

To restore intestinal microflora

Should be taken with antimicrobial therapy, from the first day of antibiotic treatment, if 2-3 weeks after recovery, the child has diarrhea.

Lactobacterin;
Bifidumbacterin;
Lineks.

Here is what pediatrician Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky says about methods of treating bronchitis:

Are antibiotics needed?

The opinion that the treatment of bronchitis in children cannot be carried out without antibiotics is erroneous. Specific indications are required for prescribing antimicrobials. It:

The baby has a high temperature for more than 4 days.
The baby is highly toxic.
Bacterial bronchitis was diagnosed.
Sputum descends into the lower parts of the respiratory system.
After a course of antiviral drugs, there was an improvement, and after a few days the temperature rises again, the signs of bronchitis return.

Antibiotics are taken in the form of tablets (after 2 years), in syrup, in the form of injections. Injections are required for a severe form of infection, they are given every 12 hours, a young child should be observed in a hospital. If there is no positive effect from taking antimicrobial agents after 3-5 days (the baby does not eat, does not sleep, constantly coughs, continues to choke, there is a fever), the medicine must be changed to another. The course of antibiotic treatment lasts 7 days, with chronic bronchitis - 14 days.

Important! With the advent of a large selection of electronic inhalers (nebulizers) for home use in pharmacies, doctors are increasingly prescribing antibiotics by inhaling drug vapors. This method is less dangerous for the microflora of babies and more effective.

Complementary therapies

Inhalations and physical procedures cannot be used as a full-fledged course of treatment. Combine doctor's recommendations for home therapy and grandmother's advice with medications.

Bronchitis will be cured faster and more efficiently if the following auxiliary procedures are used to remove sputum, eliminate families of bacteria in the bronchi and larynx:

Electrophoresis. Babies are prescribed an average of 5 sessions of physiotherapy for 10 days. Anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiviral drugs are administered through the skin using a low-power current.
. The most efficient drainage. After kneading the skin on the back and chest, tapping, you need to clear your throat. It is useful to tickle a child, jump on a trampoline, run.
Mustard plasters. According to Dr. Komarovsky, putting mustard plasters, a warming alcohol compress on the chest of a child, is ineffective and even dangerous. Soar legs and rub with ointments with menthol, badger fat, even newborns can.
Inhalations. You can breathe through the nebulizer "Ambrobene", saline and saline solutions. Procedures relieve cough, relieve hoarseness. It is forbidden to use hot steam inhalations at a temperature.
UHF. Helps relieve spasm in the airways, eliminate inflammation of the larynx, restore a hoarse voice.
Magnetotherapy. It is necessary for the treatment of acute and chronic bronchitis. Improves the work of the bronchi, lungs with constant coughing. It is used as a preventive measure for frequent SARS, colds.
Blue lamp. It has been used for the treatment of inflammatory processes since Soviet times. The procedure helps to liquefy sputum, resorption of infiltrates. Do not use if the child has skin lesions.
Homeopathy. It is allowed to give to children from 2-3 years old, you need to look at the instructions for the drug. With a strong wet cough, drink ipecac, with a dry cough - aconite.
Folk recipes. Breast collections, milk with honey and soda, steam inhalations with chamomile and string, compresses with sunflower oil and honey on the chest are good for removing and thinning sputum. Instead of tea or compotes, prepare a decoction of thyme, let the child drink 3 times a day in a small glass.
Walks and hardening. Take your baby for a walk every day when the temperature returns to normal. AT summer period you can be outside for an hour, an hour and a half, in winter - 2 times for 20-30 minutes.

Baby care

Compliance with simple rules for caring for a small patient contributes to a speedy recovery:

Organize bed rest for the patient. The child should lie or sit in bed more during the first 2-3 days of illness. Active games are allowed when the acute period is over.
Remove allergens (flowers, carpet, animals) away from the baby's crib.
Do not smoke in the house.
Put a humidifier in your bedroom as well. Be sure to turn it on at night, several times a day.
Ventilate the apartment 3-4 times a day.
Give the patient plenty to drink. Especially if the baby has a high temperature for a long time, he sweats a lot, there is vomiting and nausea, severe intoxication.
Establish a light vegetable and dairy diet. Food should be unsalted, non-sour and unsweetened. If, during the treatment of allergic bronchitis, the baby began to cough again, review the diet. Perhaps a provocateur of mucosal edema is any product.
Actively remove sputum with massages, tapping on the back, turn the baby up to six months in a dream.
For apnea, asphyxia, obstruction, call an ambulance.
For prescribing antibiotics, drug therapy contact your GP as soon as possible. It is not necessary to wait for the cough and wheezing to go away on their own.
According to the testimony of doctors, treat children in the hospital until the age of two, after three years - outpatient.
Do not refuse physiotherapy in the clinic and at home. Physiotherapy is a good auxiliary method for the prevention of chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

What Not to Do

Be especially careful when treating at high temperatures. When the thermometer is kept at 37 ° C and above, and also a few days after the normalization of heat transfer, the following should not be done:

Walk outside, especially in winter, with strong wind and rain.
Bathe the baby in the bath, wash your hair. It is only allowed to wash the ass and lightly wipe with heavy sweating. Bathing resume after the end of the acute period of illness.
Visit saunas, baths. Excess inhaled moisture with bronchitis worsens the situation, the cough will intensify. Steaming in the bath is possible with a residual cough and for the prevention of colds later.
Give expectorant medicines, decoctions of herbs with a dry cough.
Do hot steam inhalations. Infants and children under the age of three are generally prohibited because of the risk of burning the mucous membrane.
Wrap, warm with ointments, put mustard plasters and make foot baths. Use these treatment measures after the temperature has returned to normal.
Engage in self-medication. To prescribe a course of therapy, the doctor must listen to the child's chest, get a transcript laboratory tests and x-ray, examine medical card for allergies, chronic diseases. The use of drugs without the advice of a doctor leads to complications.
Use several antibiotics and cough syrups at the same time. If the treatment does not help, the pediatrician will prescribe another medication, it is dangerous to combine medications of different groups and directions of action.

Prevention

To prevent inflammation of the bronchi in young children, it is important to identify predisposition to diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract in time. If a one-year-old baby often gets colds, go to the sea, to a sanatorium, where the air is clean and humid. For preventive sanatorium treatment, you will need a medical history of the child, the doctor must know how many times a year the baby is sick with ARVI, how the symptoms appear.

Protect kids from passive smoking, hypothermia, saturate the children's diet with vitamins. Frequently ill crumbs must be vaccinated against bronchitis. It has been on the mandatory vaccination list since 2014. Protects the child from pneumonia, infections transmitted by airborne droplets.

Lead healthy lifestyle life. One-year-old babies are shown hardening with dousing with cool water, playing sports from 2-3 years old, breathing exercises from any age. Immunity needs to be strengthened from birth.

On a note! Pay attention to the psychosomatics of bronchitis. According to experts, chronic bronchitis in children two years of age and older occurs due to resentment, emotional discomfort, and fear of being alone.

FAQ

How to relieve a cough at night in a child

You can relieve an attack of night cough in a child with inflammation of the bronchi with a warm drink, inhalation with saline, if the baby does not cry. Be sure to plant the baby, calm down, give milk (it needs to be slightly warmed up). Night cough can be characterized by whooping cough, bronchial asthma. It is difficult to distinguish the conditions on your own, seek help from a doctor.

What to do if the child snores

The cause of snoring can be dried mucus in the nasal passage or residual phlegm in the bronchi. If the baby feels good, active, clean the nose sea water before going to bed and do a drainage massage to cough up the secret from the bronchi faster.

Why does a child have a stomach ache with bronchitis

These are the consequences of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract due to an infection or virus, medication, herbal infusions. The stomach hurts more often in infants, kindergarteners. Rezi in the navel, diarrhea are sometimes observed after the initial use of antibiotics. To restore the intestinal microflora, you need to drink Linex, lactobacterin.

What to do if the child sweats a lot

High sweating is characteristic of a viral infection. Sweat flushes out toxins, helping the body heal. It is very important to drink more to restore internal water balance. Children can also sweat from taking strong antibiotics.

Why does a child have bad breath with bronchitis

With inflammation of the bronchi and rhinitis, children breathe through the mouth, the mucous membrane dries up, and bad breath appears. Phlegm is another source of bad breath. This symptom is typical for adenoids, tonsillitis, sinusitis. The defect will disappear after full recovery.

IMPORTANT! *when copying article materials, be sure to indicate an active link to the first

How to treat bronchitis in children at home is an urgent issue, since this disease is one of the most common pathologies of the human respiratory system, which occurs in all age groups.

If bronchitis is suspected in a child, treatment may require, in addition to physical diagnosis, laboratory research blood, sputum, X-ray diagnostics, bronchoscopy .

How to treat bronchitis in children at home

Treatment of bronchitis is usually carried out at home, and only if the disease is severe and / or with complications - in a hospital. Medicines should be given to a child only after consulting a doctor.

It is strictly forbidden to take any antitussives on your own - in some cases they can cause serious harm.

Prescribing certain medications to children depends on the cause of the disease and the available clinical signs. Antibacterial drugs are used only if the causative agent of bronchitis is bacteria (or when a secondary bacterial infection is attached).

To facilitate the discharge of sputum, the child may be prescribed expectorant, mucolytic drugs. It is strictly forbidden to take any antitussives on your own - in some cases they can cause serious harm.

With prolonged bronchitis, children can undergo drainage, vibration, acupressure, cupping massage, as well as massotherapy with honey. Massage is recommended to be done in the morning before breakfast.

The therapeutic effect of mustard plasters in bronchitis is disputed by experts, in any case, they should not be used in children under 5 years of age.

It is recommended to adhere to the bed and abundant drinking regimen, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room in which the patient is located, and carry out wet cleaning in it daily.

Of the physiotherapeutic procedures for bronchitis in children, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, ultraviolet irradiation can be used. Physiotherapy is indicated at the stage of recovery, only after the acute process subsides.

How to treat bronchitis and cough in children at home with folk remedies

The main treatment of bronchitis can be supplemented with folk remedies with the permission of the doctor.

Mixtures for ingestion based on honey are widely used. So, you can prepare products from honey and freshly squeezed juice from vegetables (beets, carrots), viburnum, radish juice, freshly prepared applesauce mixed with honey has immunostimulating properties. Often with bronchitis, children are given boiled milk with the addition of sage and honey.

It is believed that black radish juice with honey will help to quickly cure bronchitis in a child. Prepare it as follows: wash the black radish thoroughly with a brush, but do not peel. Cut off the top, gently make a recess with a knife, put a teaspoon of honey in it, close the top. After some time, honey will mix with the secreted radish juice, it is taken 2 tablespoons before meals and at bedtime.

Decoctions of sage, peppermint, linden, ginger, elderberry, violet, as well as breast collection are popular. Children with bronchitis are advised to drink tea with raspberries (dried, mashed with sugar or raspberry jam), after which they should put on woolen socks and a warm sweater. It is useful to use figs boiled in milk, as well as warm whey. Cabbage juice and lingonberries have an expectorant effect.

You can prepare a remedy from peppermint (3 teaspoons) and wheatgrass (5 teaspoons), which are poured into 600 ml of water, brought to a boil and allowed to cool. The finished product is filtered and drunk 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals.

The therapeutic effect of mustard plasters in bronchitis is disputed by experts, in any case, they should not be used in children under 5 years of age.

For bronchitis and coughs in children, you can use a remedy from onion and garlic. To do this, chop 1 small onion and 3 cloves of garlic, add 1 glass of milk to the mixture, bring to a boil and cook until the garlic and onions soften. After that, the product is removed from the fire, allowed to cool and filtered. Honey can be added to the mixture. Means take 0.5 tablespoon every hour throughout the day.

Effective remedy based on propolis. To prepare it, 50 g of pre-frozen propolis is grated, 300 g of melted butter is added, the mixture is kept in a water bath for 20 minutes, allowed to cool, filtered through 2 layers of gauze and consumed in a teaspoon with warmed milk 30 minutes before meals .

According to patients' parents childhood you can get rid of a prolonged cough with bronchitis with a remedy of 1 part of crushed aloe leaves, melted pork and badger fat (1 part each), 2 parts of honey and 1 part of chocolate. All ingredients are put in a saucepan, heated to a temperature of 35-40 ° C, mixing thoroughly. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals. In chronic bronchitis, the remedy is used for prevention in spring and autumn.

You can treat bronchitis and cough with an infusion of licorice root and pine buds. The ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 1: 1, after which a tablespoon of the resulting mixture is poured into a glass of water, brought to a boil and left to cool. Take an infusion of 2 tablespoons 3 times a day before meals.

With bronchitis, compresses from grated horseradish or boiled potatoes help, in which you can add a few drops of iodine, olive, linseed or sunflower oil.

You can use a compress on the chest of honey, dry mustard and flour, mixed in equal parts.

Treatment of bronchitis is usually carried out at home, and only if the disease is severe and / or with complications - in a hospital.

In addition, you can lubricate the child's chest with honey, lay a cloth soaked in vodka on top (vodka should be diluted with water in a ratio of 3: 1). It is convenient to put the compress at night, firmly fixing it on the body.

Causes and risk factors for developing bronchitis in children

Bronchitis is inflammatory disease bronchial mucosa.

There are primary and secondary bronchitis. In primary bronchitis, the pathological process begins to develop directly in the bronchi. With secondary bronchitis, the disease occurs against the background of another pathology (flu, heart disease, chronic diseases of the respiratory system, etc.). Usually, inflammation begins in the nasopharynx, and then goes to the bronchi, i.e. often bronchitis is a complication of an acute respiratory infection.

In addition, bronchitis is divided into acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis usually has an infectious (viral, rarely bacterial) etiology. Bronchitis caused by microscopic fungi is rare, it develops in children with significantly weakened immunity - in premature babies, as well as in weakened babies who have been treated with antibiotics for a long time.

The chronic form of bronchitis develops with improper therapy (or lack of treatment) of the acute form as a result of a long stay of an infectious agent in the respiratory tract.

Risk factors for the development of bronchitis in children include exposure to the body of adverse environmental factors, frequent stress, hypothermia, prolonged exposure to damp and / or dusty rooms, inhalation of tobacco smoke, dust, allergens, chemical substances, lack of oxygen in the inhaled air, undergone surgical operations.

Hot steam inhalations are not recommended for children; aerosol inhalers can be used, as well as inhalations with a nebulizer.

Signs of bronchitis in children

In acute bronchitis, children experience sore throat, discharge from the nasal cavity, headache, cough (dry at the beginning of the disease and then wet), fever (usually up to 37.5-38 ° C), lethargy, loss of appetite. In the absence of complications and with the right treatment, recovery usually occurs in 1.5-2 weeks.

Chronic bronchitis is accompanied by violations of the secretory, protective and cleansing functions of the bronchi, has a long course. In this case, the body temperature, as a rule, does not rise, or rises slightly during exacerbations. Exacerbations of chronic bronchitis usually develop in winter and in the off-season.

According to the type of inflammatory process and the nature of sputum, bronchitis is divided into the following forms:

catarrhal - with increased production of mucus in the bronchi;
mucopurulent - with the release of mucopurulent sputum;
purulent - the production of purulent sputum is characteristic;
fibrinous - very thick sputum due to increased release of fibrin;
hemorrhagic - there is an admixture of blood in the sputum due to hemorrhage in the bronchial mucosa.

When obstruction of the bronchi of small caliber, patients complain of shortness of breath.

On a functional basis, bronchitis is classified into non-obstructive and obstructive. With non-obstructive (simple) bronchitis, increased secretion of mucus in the bronchi of medium and large caliber is observed. The main symptom of non-obstructive bronchitis is chest cough with a large amount of sputum. With obstructive bronchitis, the child has shortness of breath, hoarse wheezing, and increasing weakness. At the initial stage of the disease, the changes are reversible, with the progression of the pathological process, qualitative changes in the bronchi can occur, which, in the absence of treatment, become irreversible.

The chronic form of bronchitis develops with improper therapy of the acute form as a result of a long stay of an infectious agent in the respiratory tract.

Against the background of bronchitis in children, especially in the case of improper treatment of the disease, pneumonia, emphysema, bronchial asthma, heart pathologies, etc. can develop.

Prevention

In order to prevent the development of bronchitis in children, it is recommended to vaccinate against influenza, a balanced diet, strengthen immunity, regular physical exercises, observing the rules of personal hygiene, teaching children to breathe only through the nose, avoiding physical and mental overload, timely treatment acute respiratory diseases.

Video

We offer you to watch a video on the topic of the article.

Being a mother is the greatest happiness for every woman. Children make life brighter, happier, time passes so quickly and easily with them. A real disaster for any mother is the illness of her child, even a banal cold causes a lot of anxiety and inconvenience. With the onset of cold weather, the number of morbidity among children increases sharply. The most common diseases in the cold season are: acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections and influenza. One of the main consequences of these diseases is bronchitis.

What kind of disease is bronchitis?

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchi, accompanied by the formation of sputum. Bronchitis can be infectious and allergic in nature. Infectious bronchitis is caused by a cold or the flu. Allergic bronchitis occurs due to irritation of the lung tissue by harmful substances (aerosols, exhaust gases, tobacco smoke, etc.). By duration, bronchitis is divided into:

spicy, lasting from 2 to 3 weeks;
recurrent(recurring) when a child gets sick with bronchitis three times a year;
chronic when bronchitis drags on for 3 months or longer and occurs once a year or more often for 2 years.

Depending on the causes provoking the development of bronchitis, there are:

viral bronchitis when the disease is caused by various viruses;
bacterial bronchitis - in this case, the disease is provoked by bacteria staphylo-, strepto-, pneumococci, as well as chlamydia and Haemophilus influenzae.
allergic bronchitis - Compared to other types of bronchitis, allergic symptoms occur in more mild form, the attack of the disease softens after the elimination of the allergen - a factor that provokes an allergic reaction. And so the signs are similar - cough, shortness of breath, lacrimation, laryngitis and tracheitis are often observed.

Figure 1. The lumen of the bronchus in the context of bronchitis.

Deserves special attention obstructive bronchitis when blockage occurs. Obstruction can be triggered by a combination of the following factors: discharge of sputum that is difficult to separate, naturally narrow bronchial lumen, bronchospasm (additional narrowing of the bronchial lumen). As a result of obstructive bronchitis, the passage of air into the lungs is difficult. If obstructive bronchitis is common, this should be a reason to suspect the presence of bronchial asthma.

Figure 2. Bronchial obstruction.

Symptoms of bronchitis in children

The main symptoms that define bronchitis include:

runny nose and frequent cough;
high temperature (up to 38-39⁰С);
breathing is accompanied by wheezing;
cough is accompanied by specific sounds (gurgling, wheezing cough);
general weakness, loss of appetite.

To diagnose a cough, you need to contact a pediatrician. The doctor will perform auscultation (listening) and percussion (tapping with fingers) of the lungs. This is done to assess the condition of the lung tissue. If necessary, an x-ray of the lungs is performed to exclude suspicions of pneumonia, as well as a blood test to determine the nature of the disease. With recurrent and chronic cough, sputum analysis may be taken to exclude the allergic nature of the cough.

Bronchitis treatment

You need to know that self-medication in case of bronchitis is fraught with deterioration, therefore, for an objective assessment of the nature and nature of bronchitis, it is necessary to show the child to the doctor. The doctor, depending on the nature of the disease, will prescribe the appropriate treatment. With bacterial bronchitis, antibiotics are prescribed, with viral bronchitis - the use of antiviral and immunostimulating drugs. In addition, to improve sputum discharge, bronchodilators and mucolytic drugs are prescribed, and antipyretics to reduce temperature. If the disease is accompanied by difficulty in breathing, the use of bronchodilators or inhalations using a nebulizer is prescribed.

Allergic bronchitis is treated after the identification and elimination of the allergen - a substance or object, disease-causing. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating agents are prescribed for treatment. If the allergic nature of bronchitis is not detected in time, the disease will turn into bronchial asthma.

If the baby's condition worsens, symptoms of intoxication appear and the high temperature does not decrease, then the decision to hospitalize is appropriate.

In addition to taking medications, in order to speed up the recovery of the child, it is recommended to provide the patient with a heavy drinking regimen, make sure that the air in the house is sufficiently humidified - for this, you can buy a humidifier in a household appliance store or you can often carry out wet cleaning.

For additional therapeutic effect with bronchitis in a child, you can turn to traditional medicine. Alternative treatment bronchitis in children is desirable to carry out with the consent of the attending physician. Follow the link to see what methods of treating bronchitis are recommended by the most famous doctor in Russia - Elena Malysheva:

Traditional medicine contains knowledge about diseases, as well as effective methods their treatments, accumulated by generations over the centuries. After all, there were no pills and hospitals before, and people had to look for solutions to treat diseases among the available means.

Bronchitis treatment folk recipes in children, it can help relieve symptoms of illness, strengthen the body's defenses and promote a speedy recovery.

Folk "helpers" in the fight against childhood bronchitis

In recipes traditional medicine The following products are most effective in the fight against bronchitis:

onion and garlic - they have excellent antimicrobial properties due to the content of special substances - phytoncides;
honey - due to the high content of trace elements, biological enzymes and other useful substances honey has a good antiviral, antifungal and tonic effect; in the treatment of bronchitis, it helps to alleviate cough, strengthen the body's natural resistance to viruses and infections, and remove harmful toxins;
lemon - it contains vitamin C; in the treatment of bronchitis, it has an anti-inflammatory, antitoxic and tonic effect.
figs - rich in vitamins and microelements, has antiviral, expectorant, diuretic and laxative effects;
radish - contains vitamins, microelements, organic acids, essential oils, glucosides, mineral salts, and has phytoncidal and bactericidal properties;
propolis it contains about 300 different compounds - these are flavonoids, and terpene acids, and organic acids, and essential oils, which together have an antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect;
horseradish- rich in organic acids, essential oils, fatty acids and antioxidants, it has an antimicrobial, bactericidal, hematopoietic, diuretic and choleretic effect on the body;
mustard powder- used as a warming agent, to improve sputum discharge;
badger fat - contains easily digestible vitamins, fatty and organic acids, cytamines, various microelements, due to which the inflammatory process in chronic bronchitis is reduced, efficiency is increased drug therapy, an expectorant effect is provided;
quail eggs- saturated with vitamins and valuable trace elements, help a weakened body to recuperate after a long illness;
potato - potatoes do not have any specific properties, but are often used for inhalation and for the preparation of compresses;
chamomile flowers - a decoction of chamomile helps to increase sweating, the removal of harmful toxic substances;
liquorice root- rich content of nutrients, vitamins, as well as glycyrrhizic and glycyrrhetic acids have a softening effect and eliminate cough;
coltsfoot- a decoction prepared from the leaves of this plant has anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects;
Linden blossom - linden flowers contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), various flavonoids, talicine, carotene, glirrizin, due to which the area of influence of linden blossom decoction on the body is very large: elevated temperature, elimination of toxins, analgesic effect;
raspberry - infusions of raspberry leaves have antitoxic, antiseptic, expectorant and hemostatic properties;
peppermint - the content of menthol, ascorbic acid, tannins and carotene in the leaves of peppermint provides an analgesic, vasodilating and restorative effect;
cinnamon - valuable biochemical composition of cinnamon powder provides antimicrobial, mucolytic and tonic action;
ginger- the rich composition of ginger promotes a speedy recovery due to expectorant, bactericidal, choleretic and tonic properties;
royal jelly - high biological value this product in the treatment of bronchitis has a tonic, antiviral, regenerative effect;
milk - contains vitamins, important trace elements, amino acids, different kinds fatty acid. Accelerates recovery after illness.

If tablets and potions often give an additional burden on the liver and kidneys, then treatment with folk remedies, with the right combination of active ingredients, does no harm to work. internal organs does not deliver.

Cough relief recipes

Boil a glass of milk, pour it into a mug, add a tablespoon of honey, grate half a medium or one small onion on a grater, add the resulting slurry to the milk, cool everything to a warm state, then strain the milk. The finished product is recommended to drink in small sips and always warm.
Take a black radish, wash it, remove the top, put it aside. Gently make an indentation on top with a spoon or knife, removing some of the pulp from the middle of the radish. Ideally, you should get a semblance of a vessel in which you need to put 2-3 tablespoons of honey. Cover our vessel with a lid from the top of the root crop and set aside for 12 hours. The released radish juice in combination with honey gives a good softening effect. For children, this remedy should be given one teaspoon before the main meals.
Three tablespoons lemon juice mix with 50 grams of honey, mix well. Give a sick child one tablespoon at bedtime.
Pour a glass of milk into a small saucepan, add honey and finely chopped peppermint leaves (you can also use dry mint leaves). Boil the mixture, strain and cool. Take this drink before bed.
Grind 50 grams of dried licorice root in a coffee grinder, pour the resulting powder into a small container, pour boiling water in accordance: one part of the powder to three parts of boiling water. Let it brew for several hours. The resulting infusion should be taken one tablespoon 2-3 times a day.
Boil potatoes, peel. Grate onion with garlic. Make mashed potatoes from hot potatoes, add onions and garlic to it, make a cake from the resulting slurry. Lubricate the child's chest with any vegetable oil, then distribute the resulting cake on the patient's chest. Cover the child with a woolen towel so that under the blanket there is a part of the body from the chin to the hips. The child must lie still for at least half an hour.

Recipes to increase sweating and improve sputum waste

Boil the potatoes in their skins in a medium saucepan. From a large piece of thick paper (several layers of newspaper will do), twist into a cone, the diameter of the base should be equal to the diameter of the pan in which the potatoes are boiled. Cut off the sharp end of the cone. After the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the stove, pour baking soda into boiling water with potatoes and immediately cover the pan with a paper cap, then let the child breathe steam through the hole made in the cone. Such inhalation should be carried out with signs of difficult sputum and at normal body temperature.
Grate ginger root, pour boiling water in a ratio of 1:5, add honey, cinnamon powder. Let the resulting mixture brew for 10 minutes, then strain the broth through a strainer and let the child drink.
Pour raspberry, coltsfoot and lime blossom leaves with boiling water. For 100 grams of dried plants, you need to take 2 liters of boiling water. Leave the mixture to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain the resulting infusion and take half a glass every 2 hours throughout the day. Before taking the infusion should be warm.
Apply badger fat liberally on the chest and back of the child. Wrap the child in a woolen blanket and lay him on the bed. From above, cover the child with another thick blanket. Let the child sweat well.

Traditional medicine is very effective in prevention. In general, for the prevention of any disease, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system. Immunity in children is formed during a period of active growth, so it is important to take measures to strengthen it. It is necessary to try to get the child more often, regardless of weather conditions, to be in the fresh air. You can teach your child to harden. It is necessary to ensure that the child receives a sufficient amount of vitamins with food for normal growth. To strengthen immunity, you can take:

Tea with lemon;
badger fat;
royal jelly;
vitamin and mineral complexes;
propolis tincture;
goat milk;
fish fat.

You can also additionally take the child to the pool, sauna, bath, so that the child gets used to different environmental conditions.

When a child is sick, it is always accompanied by anxiety: why did he get sick, what did he get sick with, what will happen now ... It is important to understand that any baby has a very close psychophysical connection with the mother, so when the mother is very worried about something, the child may unconsciously or at the subconscious level experience similar feelings. And almost always this unawareness manifests itself in the form of diseases. Therefore, all mothers need to think deeply: are the daily anxieties and worries of the health of their beloved child worth it? The well-being of children directly depends on how parents, and especially mothers, perceive this world. If you live every day with joy, enjoying even the queues in front of the cash registers or standing in traffic jams, the child will also learn to take life with ease and then any illness will not cause any particular harm to his health.

The child coughs - the alarm “rings” in the mother’s chest. With bronchitis, the child coughs especially hard, causing parents to literally panic. Meanwhile, the signs and symptoms of bronchitis in a child are not yet a verdict on his health. We will tell you in detail how to adequately treat bronchitis in children, avoiding complications.

Darkening in the sternum, clearly visible on the X-ray, is an obvious "hint" of bronchitis in a child.

What kind of "beast" is this - bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi, which are part of the airways and are the tubular branches of the trachea necessary to connect it to the lungs. Doctors, not devoid of romance, appearance bronchi resembles trees with branched crowns, which at the base of the trunk are securely attached to the trachea, and with the tops of the branches they "dig" into the delicate tissue of the lungs.

At the junction with the trachea, the bronchi are essentially two massive hollow tubes, the deeper into the lungs, the more shallow and branched the structure becomes at the bronchi. We need this organ so that the air that we inhale safely reaches the lungs.

It is no secret that in the air, no matter how clean it is, there are always all kinds of viruses, bacteria and allergens. Which with every breath rush into our body.

At any point along the way, they can “attach” to the mucous tissue, “settle” there, “take root” and begin to multiply, thereby causing an inflammatory process. If this happens in the upper respiratory tract (nasopharynx, larynx), we get diseases such as laryngitis, sinusitis, or for example or.

And it also happens that hostile viruses, microbes or allergens penetrate deeper - into the lower respiratory tract - that is, into the bronchi and the lungs themselves. In this case, inflammation usually has such frightening names as bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.

We repeat: the "branches" of the bronchi in structure resemble a kind of hollow tubes. When inflammation occurs in them (to be more precise, it occurs on the mucous membrane of the inner surface of the bronchi), then this “tube”, through which air should normally flow freely into the lungs, swells strongly (which means it narrows!).

In addition, in response to inflammation, an increased amount of mucus begins to form on the inner surface of the bronchi. To rid itself of a possible blockage, the bronchi (through contraction of the outer muscular layer) begin to produce a kind of spasm. Doctors are able to listen to this phenomenon with a stethoscope. They usually refer to such contractions in the bronchi as "bronchospasm".

The first thing a pediatrician does when a child is suspected of having bronchitis is to listen to his lungs.

So three things: swelling of the bronchi, increased production of sputum in the bronchi and bronchospasm give reason to physicians, including pediatricians, to make a diagnosis - "bronchitis". Alas, only one, but the most expressive, symptom is available to parents at home - it is really difficult for the baby to breathe. And especially when trying to take a deep breath.

Why is bronchitis dangerous for children?

Since the patency of the airways is greatly reduced with bronchitis, this disease is primarily dangerous because it worsens the ventilation of the lungs in a child. Less oxygen enters the lungs - which means that less oxygen penetrates into the blood. As a result - temporarily all organs and tissues of the body receive less vital oxygen.

In addition, bronchitis is the most favorable condition for the development of pneumonia - that is, inflammation of the lungs. It happens something like this: due to temporary obstruction of the bronchi, the lungs are poorly ventilated. However, viruses and bacteria still penetrate there. Having settled on the area of the inner surface of the lungs, which is temporarily deprived of ventilation, the "treacherous guests" begin to multiply instantly. Inflammatory process caused by this activity is pneumonia. Alas, in children, pneumonia is one of the most frequent complications bronchitis, especially with improper treatment.

Bronchitis itself is a serious and dangerous disease, which even adults sometimes “surrender” with difficulty. Children also suffer from bronchitis even more - since sputum clots accumulate deep in the bronchi, and babies are almost deprived of the opportunity to get rid of them on their own.

The point is to remove mucus from the respiratory tract human body can only with the help of the so-called respiratory muscles, which in children under 6-7 years old is still poorly developed. Simply put, children can cough even at the age of one and a half, but they can cough up effectively only when their respiratory muscles get stronger - that is, at about the age of 6-7 years.

This explains the fact that most respiratory diseases, including bronchitis, are more severe and more difficult in children than in adults.

Bronchitis: symptoms in children

The most common and obvious symptoms of bronchitis in children are:

high temperature, fever;
Labored and "noisy" breathing;
Rapid and not deep breathing;
Lack of appetite;
General weakness;
Drowsiness;

All of the listed symptoms of bronchitis in children are related to the most common form of the disease - bronchitis caused by viruses. But in fairness, it is also worth mentioning the symptoms of bacterial bronchitis, which is much more difficult than its viral counterpart.

Bacterial inflammation of the bronchi (no more than 1% of all cases of bronchitis) is different:

Extremely serious condition of the child (often with loss of consciousness);
intense heat;
Signs of intoxication (possible vomiting, headache, nervous disorders etc.);
The absence of a runny nose against the background of extremely difficult breathing (wheezing, coughing, etc.).

Even the slightest suspicion of bacterial inflammation of the bronchi requires immediate hospitalization of the child.

If the doctor has difficulty in diagnosing bronchitis in a child, then simply a clinical blood test will definitely dispel all doubts.

Causes of bronchitis in children

In the vast majority of cases, bronchitis in children occurs against the background and is caused by the activity of viruses. There is a whole group of viruses that most often “take root” on the bronchial mucosa. It is believed that, for example, influenza viruses especially "like" to multiply precisely on the inner surface of the bronchi, provoking the development of bronchitis. This means that your child may well get sick with bronchitis, just by contacting another baby with SARS.

It is important to understand that the occurrence of bronchitis in a child is not directly related to factors such as:

Hypothermia (you can catch bronchitis even while sitting by a hot fireplace, if at the same time your interlocutor is a carrier, for example, of the influenza virus);
Precedent disease of bronchitis in the past (in contrast, for example, whether the child had bronchitis once or not yet - does not play any role);
Nasal congestion, inability to exercise nasal breathing(viruses will enter the bronchi through the nose or through the mouth - it does not matter);

There is a very common myth: they say that bronchitis can develop when the inflammation that began in the nose, in the trachea or in the larynx, "falls" lower. That is, bronchitis, in the eyes of the inhabitants, is often a continuation of laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, etc. In fact, if inflammation has arisen on the mucous membrane, say, of the nose or larynx, then it cannot move to any other areas.

How to treat bronchitis in children

Antibiotics are useless! No matter what parent you ask, every second believes that the treatment of bronchitis in children is necessarily associated with a course of antibiotics. In fact, antibiotics, even the most modern and effective, in 99% of cases of bronchitis are completely useless. Because, as we have mentioned more than once, bronchitis - in 99 cases out of 100 - is viral disease! And so any antimicrobials in the fight against him completely helpless. Why, then, do doctors themselves often prescribe antibiotics for bronchitis in a child?

The fact is that most physicians seek to prevent the occurrence of childhood pneumonia in this way - we have already mentioned that against the background of bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs (which, unlike bronchitis, occurs due to the activity of pathogenic bacteria, not viruses) is very likely. However, such preventive antibiotic therapy is not justified.

Popular pediatrician, Dr. E. O. Komarovsky: “Prescribing antibiotics for acute viral infections, including in bronchitis, does not reduce, but on the contrary - increases the likelihood of complications "

So, bronchitis in a child cannot be treated with antibiotics. But how to carry out adequate treatment of bronchitis in children?

Step 1: Drink plenty of water. Drinking plenty of water thins the blood - this is a well-known fact. At the same time, many medical studies have proven that the density of blood and the degree of density of mucus on the mucous membranes are directly related. Therefore, the more liquid the child's blood, the less dried mucus accumulates in the respiratory tract, including in the bronchi.

Simply put: rather than puzzle over how to help the baby cough up excess sputum from the bronchi, just do not let it accumulate there and dry up to the walls. The more liquid the baby drinks, the easier it is for him to breathe.

Step 2: Use of antipyretics. If the child's temperature rises rapidly, and passes the mark of 38 ° C, he should be given an antipyretic.

Step 3: Humid and cool climate in the room where the child lives. The drier and hotter the air that the baby breathes, the more mucus is formed in his respiratory tract, and the faster it shrinks into dangerous clots. In order to prevent sputum from accumulating in the bronchi, it is enough to change the climate in the children's room - ideally, the humidity should reach 65-70%, and the temperature should not exceed 21 ° C.

Step 4: Special massage. With bronchitis in children, mucus accumulates in the bronchi, which partially dries up, literally “sticking” to the walls of the respiratory tract. If the baby is not able to cough it up on his own, he can be helped with a special massage:

Lay the child on your lap (face down) so that his butt is just above his head. Such an inclination to the floor is necessary in order to use the force of attraction - it will also contribute to the removal of sputum from the bronchi.
Then, with your fingertips, gently but firmly tap him on the back in the area of the shoulder blades. The movements of your fingers should be slightly "raking" - as if you are trying to dig a small hole in the ground with your hand. Perform these "raking movements" strictly in one direction - "row" from the lower back to the head.
Then abruptly put the child on your lap and ask to cough.
These manipulations can be repeated 2-3 times in a row.

Please note that in no case should massage be carried out while it is hot. And also it is not recommended to do it for those children who cannot yet cough “on command”.

Step 5: Go for a walk. It is obvious that with an acute form of bronchitis, no one takes children outside for walks. And not because a sick child has fresh air and sunlight harmful - on the contrary, they are extremely necessary for him. Just in the presence of heat ( high temperature) and general feeling unwell It's really hard for him to walk. But if you can organize a “half-walk” for the baby without leaving home (dress warmly and let him sit / lie down on the balcony or on the veranda) - this will only benefit his respiratory system. Indeed, in order to reduce the activity of viruses in it, fresh air is needed, banal ventilation of the lungs is necessary. Which naturally occurs during a walk in the fresh air.