How to stop a child’s cough: treatment methods available to everyone

Cough is a defense mechanism of the body aimed at eliminating an obstacle or irritant from the bronchopulmonary system. A wet cough removes mucus from the respiratory tract, making breathing easier.

However, the cough can be debilitating, hacking, dry and paroxysmal. This situation is especially unpleasant when children are ill. Information on how to stop a coughing attack in a child is useful to alleviate the baby’s condition.

Causes of coughing attacks and its types

Cough, including paroxysmal cough, is due to the following reasons:

1. Residual effects after an infectious disease of the bronchopulmonary system.
2. Allergic reaction.
3. Psychogenic reaction.
4. Bacterial or viral infection.
5. Presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract.
6. Reflux of stomach contents into the esophageal canal (reflux).
7. Bronchial asthma.

There are the following types of cough:

1. Dry (unproductive or unproductive), without mucus separation from the respiratory tract. Characteristic of viral infections, allergic reactions, diseases of the pleura or lower respiratory system, whooping cough and parawhooping cough. A foreign body entering the respiratory tract is also often accompanied by a dry cough.
2. Moist (or wet, productive), accompanied by sputum production. It accompanies bacterial infections of the respiratory tract. At the same time, at the initial stage of treatment it is difficult to cough up sputum.

The doctor’s task for a dry cough that accompanies bacterial infections is to transform an unproductive cough into a wet one. This is necessary in order to facilitate the removal of mucus from the bronchi.

Note! Bronchial asthma may be accompanied by paroxysmal unproductive cough combined with shortness of breath and weakness, especially at night. At the end of the attack, viscous glassy sputum is released.

Night coughing attacks are most often caused by swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and lower respiratory tract, as well as the accumulation of mucus in them. This occurs under the following conditions:

• bronchitis;
• laryngitis;
• tracheitis;
• pneumonia;
• cystic fibrosis;
• asthmatic bronchitis.

Sometimes a clear connection between coughing attacks and putting the child to bed is due to an allergy to the components of the pillow filling - feathers and down. Replacing feather filler with synthetic material can improve the situation.

A sudden dry cough in a practically healthy child can occur if a foreign body is present in the respiratory tract.

It could be a small piece of a construction set, a toy, a bread crumb that has already penetrated deep into the object, and it is not possible to remove the object on your own.

It is urgent to seek the help of doctors to perform a bronchoscopy in a hospital setting to remove the object.

If the baby is often sick, parents wonder what to do if the child coughs, how to stop coughing attacks.

The following actions will help ease a coughing attack:

1. You need to take the child in your arms and give his body a vertical position. Often, when lying down, the contents of the nasopharynx flowing into the larynx irritate the mucous membrane, causing a cough.
2. Rinse the child’s nose with saline solution and remove nasal discharge (if any). If a baby's cough is caused by a dry nasal mucosa, treat the nasal cavity with a cotton swab dipped in peach oil.
3. In case of swelling of the nasal mucosa, drip a vasoconstrictor (children's Naphthyzin, Vibrocil) into the nasal passages.
4. Give the child a warm liquid to drink - herbal decoction (chamomile), alkaline mineral or regular water.

On a note! In infants, raising the head of the bed to an elevated position sometimes also helps to cope with a cough caused by the flow of excessively secreted saliva during teething or the drainage of nasal contents into the throat.

In the room where the sick child is located, the following measures must be taken:

1. Humidify the air in the room to a level of 50-70% using a special device (humidifier), containers with water, or hanging wet diapers on heating radiators.
2. Ventilate the room.
3. Normalize the air temperature in the room, which should be within +18...+25°C.

If the attack is caused by an allergic component, you need to give the child an antihistamine. The drug Fenistil is approved for use in children from 1 year of age, other drugs can be recommended for older ages (for example, Zyrtec, Cetrin).

If a child coughs at night, the sequence of actions should be approximately the same as in the daytime. The child needs to be woken up, picked up, calmed down, and after a warm drink the baby can walk.

If there is a cough accompanied by vomiting, before the doctor arrives, slightly tilt the child forward so that he does not choke on the vomit, then you need to rinse his mouth and wash his face.

You can do express inhalation: go into the bathroom with your baby, turn on the hot water, stand over the clouds of steam for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes these actions are enough to stop the attack.

Inhalation procedure

If you have a prolonged coughing attack, you can perform steam inhalation. The temperature of the solution for children under 2 years of age should not exceed +37°C. As components of the inhalation solution, you can use a decoction of chamomile and wild rosemary.

For older children, you can add a few drops of Zvezdochka balm to the water. Convenient to use and more effective than conventional steam inhalations, a nebulizer is an ultrasonic or compressor inhaler. The smallest particles of the solution will moisten the child’s airways, including the most distant ones.

For young patients, a nebulizer is the most comfortable device.

• Chest massage is recognized as an effective way to eliminate a coughing attack.
• It is carried out with light, stroking movements as follows:

1. Circular movements with your hands on the skin of the chest in one direction and the other.
2. Up and down movements.
3. Light tapping and pinching on the skin.

Massage during a cough will have a distracting effect and will also facilitate the removal of sputum during a wet cough.

Medicines to relieve a cough attack

To alleviate a child’s cough, the doctor may recommend some medications in the form of syrups or tablets:

1. Overslept.
2. Lazolvan.
3. Bromhexine.
4. ACC.
5. Ambrobene.
6. Mukaltin.

These drugs thin the mucus and improve its discharge. Some have an anti-inflammatory and enveloping effect on the bronchial mucosa.

Note! When using these products, you must read the instructions, since some medications can only be used from 2 years of age.

Sometimes a cough can be calmed by giving your baby a lozenge (for example, Doctor Mom). But during an attack, synthetic drugs are more effective than herbal remedies.

If the cough is caused by an attack of bronchial asthma, Salbutamol and Berotec inhalers are usually used.

Centrally acting antitussives (acting on the brain) can only be prescribed by a doctor. These include Glaucine, Libexin.

Folk remedies

When answering the question of how to stop an attack of wet cough in a child, it is important to note the importance of traditional medicine methods. Among non-traditional remedies, compresses based on boiled potatoes, honey, vegetable oil or cottage cheese, mustard plasters, and rubbing the chest with black radish juice are popular.

The following oral medications have a good effect:

1. infusion of figs with warm milk;
2. infusion of chopped aloe leaves, honey and butter;
3. infusion of sage leaves and hot milk;
4. infusion of black radish juice and a small amount of honey (sugar);
5. decoction of onions, honey and sugar;
6. mashed warmed bananas with sugar;
7. fresh cabbage juice with honey;
8. infusion of plantain leaves;
9. decoction of thyme leaves;
10. lemon juice with glycerin and honey;
11. warm milk with butter;
12. syrup from fresh onion juice with sugar.

Simple exercises will help to avoid congestion in the bronchopulmonary system, improve sputum discharge and prevent coughing attacks in a child:

1. In a sitting position, rest your hands on your waist. As you inhale, turn your entire body to the right, while moving your right arm to the side, and as you exhale, imitate the buzzing of a beetle. Do the same sequence of movements to the left. Repeat 5 times in both directions.
2. In a sitting position, raise both arms up and, while inhaling, spread them to the sides. As you exhale, lower your arms, while loudly shouting “Kaaar!” Repeat 5 times.
3. In a sitting position, while inhaling, bend your torso towards your knees. Bring your palms to your shoulders. As you exhale, say loudly “ga-ga-gaaaa.” Repeat 5 times.
4. In a sitting position, raise your arms up while inhaling. As you exhale, smoothly and slowly lower your hands to your knees, saying smoothly “meow.” Repeat 5 times.

Emergency measures during a coughing attack

Lack of effect, deterioration of the child’s condition (shortness of breath, change in skin color, hoarseness) is a reason to immediately call an ambulance. After examination, the doctor may decide whether hospitalization is necessary, and may administer prednisolone to reduce laryngeal swelling.  

Source: https://antirodinka.ru/kak-mozhno-ostanovit-pristup-kashlya-u-rebenka

How to stop a child’s cough at night: how to treat it to relieve an attack

Not all parents know how to stop a child’s cough, and during severe attacks this leads to panic. First of all, the baby needs to be calmed, ensure a flow of fresh air into the room, and give him a warm drink. Further therapy depends on the cause of the cough. For acute respiratory viral infections, treatment is limited to symptomatic treatment, and in the case of a bacterial infection, they are treated with antibiotics.

How to quickly relieve a child's coughing attack

What to do during a coughing attack depends on the accompanying symptoms and the child’s general well-being. First aid is aimed at:

• stopping the attack;
• relieving spasms from the bronchi and respiratory muscles;
• reduction of swelling and irritation of mucous membranes;
• restoration of breathing.

How to help with a coughing attack in a child:

• Calm the baby down. If your child coughs at night, you need to place a couple of pillows under his back or pick him up. To prevent panic, speak to your baby in a calm voice.
• Ventilate the room. Open the windows in the room to provide fresh air.
• Give warm drink. To stop a cough attack, warm milk, tea with honey or a decoction of chamomile and sage are suitable.

If a child coughs, a whistling sound appears, the nasolabial triangle turns blue, this indicates false croup. In this case, first aid begins with calling a doctor at home.

To stop coughing due to sinusitis, postnasal drip, or runny nose, rinse your nasal passages with warm saline. For false croup, foot baths are recommended.

What to do next

Before stopping a child's night cough, you need to find out its cause. After the first attack, make an appointment with your pediatrician. Diagnosis of ENT diseases includes:

• laboratory tests - sputum culture, general blood test;
• instrumental methods - rhino-, pharyngo-, bronchoscopy;
• X-ray examinations - fluorography, CT scan of the chest;
• serological reactions - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Based on the examination results, the doctor determines the cause of the cough. Treatment includes medications and physiotherapeutic techniques. Additionally, you need to observe bed rest and drinking regime, and exclude spicy foods from your diet.

How to stop a child’s severe cough with inhalations

Inhalation is a physiotherapeutic procedure that involves inhaling aerosols and vapors of medicinal solutions. It is used in pediatric otolaryngology to combat many diseases - pharyngitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, laryngitis, etc.

A persistent cough in a child is dangerous due to overstrain of the abdominal muscles, inguinal and umbilical hernias. To avoid negative consequences, you need to stop it as quickly as possible.

If a cough attack occurs in a child without fever, they resort to steam-moisture inhalations.

To prevent thermal burns of mucous membranes, heat medicinal solutions to a temperature of 37-40°C (no more). Suitable for inhalation:

• soda solution - reduces the viscosity of mucus, inhibits the proliferation of fungi in the respiratory tract;
• essential oils (cedar, eucalyptus, rosemary) – deodorize the mucous membrane, reduce inflammation, strengthen local immunity;
• herbal infusions (coltsfoot, plantain, sage, oregano) - heal mucous membranes and reduce the sensitivity of cough receptors, which makes it possible to stop coughing.

At elevated body temperatures, nebulizer therapy with compressor inhalers is performed. They convert liquids into aerosols at room temperature, so there is no risk of burns.

Preparations for nebulizer therapy:

• secretolytics (Ambrobene, Sinupret, Gedelix) – thin and remove mucus from the respiratory tract, thereby accelerating recovery;
• bronchodilators (Atrovent, Salgim, Berodual) – relieve bronchospasms, help stop a cough attack against the background of bronchial asthma, obstructive pulmonary disease;
• glucocorticosteroids (Dexamethasone, Budesonide, Pulmicort) – eliminate allergic manifestations and inflammation, are used for bronchial asthma, chronic lung diseases;
• healing agents (propolis tincture, Rotokan, calendula tincture) - relieve inflammation and irritation, which helps stop the attack.

Before calming a child’s dry cough with warm-moist inhalations, make sure there is no high temperature. If it is, only a nebulizer is allowed.

To stop paroxysmal coughing, inhalations are done 2-3 times a day for 1-2 weeks. If your health worsens - yellow sputum appears, wheezing in the lungs - contact your pediatrician.

Rules for performing massage

To stop an attack of night cough in a baby, they resort to drainage massage. It includes various manual techniques:

• effleurage;
• stroking;
• trituration.

The physiotherapeutic procedure stimulates the functioning of the lungs, increases the tone of the respiratory muscles, and removes mucus from the bronchi. To calm an attack of night cough, you need:

• place the child on his stomach so that the head is slightly lower than the body;
• rub your back in the direction from the lower back to the shoulder blades for 3-4 minutes;
• Gently tap the intercostal spaces with your fingertips for 2-3 minutes.

If the child does not have a fever, warming ointment can be applied to the subscapular area.

To stop coughing, massage is performed in the morning and before bed for 3-5 days.

How to stop a child's cough at night with medications

The choice of medications when treating a child depends on the nature of the cough. If it is dry, the attack is stopped with antitussives. When coughing up sputum, you need to give the child a mucolytic and expectorant.

How to stop a dry cough in a child:

• Omnitus is an antitussive syrup with butamirate that affects the cough center in the brain;
• Stoptussin - combined oral drops with guaifenesin and butamirate, which help stop coughing and reduce the viscosity of sputum;
• Libexin - tablets with prenoxdiazine, which reduce the sensitivity of cough receptors in the ENT organs;
• Codelac Neo is a drug with butamirate that quickly stops an attack and makes breathing easier.

If your baby has a severe cough with fever, he needs to stay in bed. The appearance of shortness of breath, daytime drowsiness, and white plaque on the pharynx indicates complications.

To stop a productive cough, mucolytic and expectorant drugs are used:

• Ambrobene;
• Mukaltin;
• ACC;
• Ascoril;
• Bromhexine;
• Lazolvan;
• Dr. Theiss with plantain;
• Pertussin;
• Vero-bromhexine;
• Broncathar;
• Atsestad;
• Bronchipret;
• Sinupret;
• overslept;
• Tussin.

Special treatment is required for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma.

To stop bronchospasms, bronchodilators are used - Saltos, Clenbuterol, Salbutamol, Atrovent.

Folk remedies to relieve dry cough

You can stop a paroxysmal cough using alternative medicine. To relieve cough spasms, use infusions, decoctions and other remedies with medicinal plants and food.

How to calm a child's cough at home:

• Liquorice root. 1 tbsp. l. the raw materials are poured into a thermos and steamed with 300 ml of water. Leave for at least 2.5 hours and filter. To stop a severe cough, drink 150 ml of warm infusion 4 times a day.
• Radish with honey. The vegetable is grated or passed through a meat grinder. The squeezed juice is mixed with melted honey in a ratio of 1:2. To stop coughing, eat 1-2 tsp. up to 4 times a day.
• Mint and oregano. Mix herbs in equal quantities. 2 tbsp. l. the raw materials are boiled in half a liter of water for 15 minutes. The strained broth is drunk 200 ml three times a day.
• Milk with soda. A glass of milk is brought to a boil and 15 ml of honey is added. To stop a barking cough, give the child 150-200 ml of the product before bedtime for 5 days.
• Marshmallow root. Boil 10 g of crushed root in 350 ml of water for 3 minutes. Drink a glass of filtered broth 3 times a day.

Traditional medicine does not destroy the infection, but only alleviates the symptoms of ARVI. Therefore, they are used only as an addition to basic therapy.

Physiotherapy

To overcome a suffocating paroxysmal cough in a child, exercise therapy helps. Moderate physical activity prevents stagnation of mucus in the bronchopulmonary system and helps relieve an attack.

Cough exercises for children:

• Sitting on the floor, raise your arms up. When you inhale, spread your arms to the sides, and when you exhale, lower them down and say “kaar” loudly. Repeat up to 5 times.
• In a sitting position, hands are placed on the belt. While inhaling, turn the torso to the left. Bringing your left hand behind your back, exhale sharply. The exercise is performed in a similar way with the torso turning to the right. Repeat the movements 3-4 times on each side.
• Sitting on your knees, your torso is tilted forward and your arms are spread to the sides. When bending over, take a deep breath. Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.

To relieve a coughing attack, exercises should be done daily for 5-7 days.

Other treatment and prevention measures

If your child coughs severely due to sinusitis, pharyngitis or sore throat, you should:

• Gargle. To reduce inflammation and swelling of the throat, use anti-inflammatory and healing agents - Rotokan, Stopangin, Eludril, Malavit.
• Rinse your nose. A wet cough in a child against the background of a runny nose is treated with Salin, Physiomer, Aqualor. Washing is performed up to 4 times a day.
• Do rubbing. To calm a paroxysmal cough, the back and chest are rubbed with warming ointments. For the treatment of children the following are used: Vicks Active, Doctor MOM, Roztiran, Pulmex Baby.

How to calm a child's cough at night:

• ventilate the room before going to bed;
• perform wet cleaning daily;
• remove dust collectors from the room;
• humidify the air;
• give milk and honey at night.

To stop a dry cough due to pharyngitis and laryngitis, provide your child with a gentle diet. Eliminate sour vegetables and fruits, spices and carbonated drinks from your diet.

What not to do to stop a child's dry cough

When trying to stop paroxysmal coughing in children, parents make many mistakes. To avoid complications, you should not:

• Combine antitussive and mucolytic medications. The former stop the cough, and the latter thin the mucus and increase its volume in the lungs. When taking medications at the same time, sputum is not excreted, but accumulates in the lungs, so the risk of inflammation increases.
• Use antibiotics without the advice of a doctor. In 90% of cases, coughing attacks in preschool children are caused by viruses that are invulnerable to antibiotics. But uncontrolled antimicrobial therapy is dangerous by disrupting the intestinal microflora and severely reducing immune defense.
• Take mucolytics for allergies. Allergic cough in a child is treated with medications that block histamine receptors. Therefore, antiallergic tablets or combined cough remedies are prescribed - Coldrex Knight, Antigrippin-Anvi.
• Resort to heat therapy for fever. An increase in temperature indicates the body's resistance to infection. When using warm compresses, steam inhalations, and ointments, blood circulation accelerates. Therefore, pathogens spread throughout the body faster, causing health conditions to worsen.

If the attack cannot be controlled with symptomatic medications, call a doctor at home. Shortness of breath, a rough barking cough and whistling breathing indicate stenosing laryngitis, which is dangerous due to suffocation.

A cough attack in a child is a manifestation of a respiratory disease of allergic or infectious origin. To stop it, take bronchodilators, antitussives or antihistamines. Treatment of preschool children is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

Source: https://tden.ru/health/kak-ostanovit-kashel-u-rebenka

How to help your child stop coughing

All materials on the site are published under the authorship or editorship of medical professionals, but are not a prescription for treatment. Contact the specialists!

A child's cough is an unpleasant phenomenon that can cause discomfort. If therapy is not carried out, complications may occur. At an appointment with an experienced pediatrician, you can learn how to stop a child’s cough. Treatment is prescribed depending on the type of bronchospasm.

How to recognize a cough in a child

Bronchospasm is a physiological process that occurs under the influence of irritants - dust, strong odor, smoke or the presence of bacteria and viruses. Ideally, a child’s cough at home may appear sporadically.

If the cough becomes regular, has a paroxysmal nature and bothers the baby at night, then you should visit a specialist.

After a thorough examination, the pediatrician will tell you what medications to use to stop the child’s cough.

It is important to find out the reasons for this condition. If you use medications incorrectly, very severe swelling may occur due to an allergic reaction, or the disease may become chronic. How to stop a child’s severe cough so that complications do not occur? First you need to decide on the type of bronchospasm:

• dry – occurs due to inflammation in the throat. When it is not strong, parents do not pay attention to the problem, this leads to complications. It occurs against the background of a cold;
• productive - during it, mucus closes the airways, so the body strives to get rid of phlegm. Night coughing attacks prevent the baby from resting, so every parent wants to stop them. But you should not prescribe medications yourself.

Before you relieve a child’s coughing attack, you also need to study the time of day at which the spasm worsens:

• morning - the body's reflex indicates inflammation in the upper respiratory tract. More often, a spasm occurs due to the fact that mucus drains from the nose and makes breathing difficult;
• evening - occurs against the background of bronchitis and pneumonia;
• night attack - this condition indicates the development of whooping cough, laryngitis or bronchial asthma.

How to stop a child’s cough, and what medications to choose for effective therapy? It's rational to ask these questions in the doctor's office.

How to stop a coughing attack in a child: first aid

How to quickly cope with painful coughing attacks? Constantly coughing is a reason to consult a pediatrician. Experts recommend following the following plan if a continuous cough is unproductive:

1. Bronchial spasm without fever can cause a feeling of suffocation. If your baby wakes up from a night cough, you should calm him down and offer him warm water.
2. How to stop a child’s dry cough with fruit drinks and compotes? Drying of the pharyngeal mucosa causes pain and discomfort. As soon as they are moistened, the attack will stop.
3. Parents also need to ensure that the nasal passages are clean. For penetration, it is better to use saline solutions from a pharmacy (Aqualor, Aquamaris) or homemade drops. Pediatricians recommend using agave juice.
4. Attacks of dry cough at night often occur due to excessively dry air in the room. It is necessary to ventilate the child’s room before sleeping at night; you can also purchase a humidifier.
5. Doing inhalations is also useful; we’ll talk about how to calm a cough with their help in this article, just below.

How to stop an attack of dry cough in a child is now clear. A spasm with mucus discharge requires other actions:

1. Newborns and adult children will benefit from a back massage. It is necessary to help the respiratory system; for wet coughs, rubbing is allowed. To do this, you should use fats of animal origin - badger, lamb or goose.
2. Bronchial spasm is the body’s reaction to clear the bronchi. In a horizontal position, mucus accumulates, which provokes an attack. It is necessary to wake the child, sit him down and allow the sputum to come out.
3. If the cough is of an allergic nature, then antihistamines should be given.
4. A wet cough intensifies if mucus also accumulates in the baby’s nose. You should get rid of it.

A coughing baby needs help. You should not let the child panic, this will only increase discomfort and may cause difficulty breathing.

How to stop an allergic coughing attack in a child at night

What to do if bronchospasm attacks your son or daughter at night for no apparent reason? Parents should immediately suspect an allergy. During such an attack, visible swelling of the nose or throat may appear, and the mucous membrane turns red. You need to act quickly:

• you need to call an ambulance;
• the room is ventilated, all irritants that can cause such a reaction are removed from the room;
• for food allergies, you can give activated charcoal or similar drugs;
• Antihistamines will temporarily relieve the cough.

Allergies can cause suffocation and death occurs in every tenth case. Emergency doctors give an injection that relieves swelling. The child is admitted to the hospital.

How to stop a child's cough at night

If your child coughs at night, then you need to alleviate this condition. All parents should know how to stop a child’s night cough. If a spasm occurs during sleep, then the baby must be woken up. The bronchi and trachea become clogged with mucus during a horizontal position of the body, which interferes with normal breathing.

A child’s temperature is 37-38 and cough: causes and treatment

Treatment is carried out after visiting a doctor. But all mothers and fathers can provide initial assistance:

• it is necessary to offer the child a warm drink - milk with butter, tea with honey or rosehip decoction;
• humidify the air or you can simply hang wet towels on the radiators before going to bed;
• a spoonful of honey - the product simply dissolves;
• Children's syrups also work, but they can only be given after talking with a pediatrician.

Many parents wonder how to stop their child’s cough at night. It is better to avoid drugs that act on the part of the brain responsible for the cough reflex. Such medications are prohibited for children under 12 years of age. They only muffle attacks, but do not cure.

How to stop a child's barking cough

Such spasms can be long-lasting and debilitating. Not every children's cough syrup helps get rid of it. Before choosing an effective remedy, you need to understand the reason for the formation of a barking cough:

Source: https://sukhoikashel.ru/kashel-u-rebenka/kak-pomoch-rebenku-ostanovit-kashel

How to stop a child's cough?

A child's cough is an elementary protective reaction of the body that helps clear the airways of various irritants: mucus, smoke or dust. Most often, it becomes a faithful companion of ARVI and colds, causing severe attacks and anxiety.

What is a cough like and what causes it? How to stop a child's cough at night and during the day? Is it possible to take expectorants or is it better to treat a cough with folk remedies? Finally, in what situations should you call a doctor immediately?

Varieties and reasons

Cough is divided into:

• “productive” when sputum is released during it;
• “unproductive” when the cough is dry.

The causes of cough are a variety of infections and very often its “allies” are fever, poor appetite and difficulty breathing.

What can cause an infectious cough?

• hypothermia;
• various viruses;
• false croup;
• tracheal diseases;
• bronchitis;
• pneumonia;
• whooping cough

Cough as a result of hypothermia

The most common cause of cough is hypothermia. The child's throat begins to hurt, and then the microbes collected in it creep into the respiratory tract. The lower the damage accumulates, the more difficult the disease is to treat.

However, it is the cough that helps the body fight the infection: the mucus that forms in the nose flows further into the larynx and causes a coughing attack that fights the infection lurking there.

Drug treatment of cough

It is possible to treat a cough with medications only when the child’s condition worsens and the baby cannot sleep peacefully due to attacks. To determine which drug is best for him, you need to establish an accurate diagnosis of the disease.

For a nonproductive cough, doctors prescribe medications to a small patient to help thin mucus and suppress the cough reflex. Intense, accompanied by anxiety during sleep, is treated with expectorants.

For this purpose it is determined:

• How long and hard has the baby been coughing?
• does he expectorate sputum?
• how the child feels;
• Does he have bronchospasm?

Typology of drugs according to cough type

To expectorate sputum, doctors prescribe ACC, Ambroxol or Mucaltin to the patient. They fight dry cough with the help of “Bronholitin” (if the child is already three years old), and “Gedelix” if he is still small.

Narrowing of the bronchi, accordingly, is treated with bronchodilators, and cough caused by ARVI is treated with combination drugs like Doctor Mom or Codelac Phyto.

Treatment of cough with folk remedies

You can also overcome a cough using folk remedies; fortunately, quite a lot of them are known today.

Tinctures

Black radish

It is cut into cubes, placed in a small saucepan and generously sugared on top. Then it is baked for about 2 hours, and the resulting liquid is filtered and this tincture is given to the child 3 times a day (2 tsp before meals).

Lemon juice

You need to add 2 tbsp to it. spoons of honey and 1 more glycerin. The resulting mixture is given to the baby six times a day, 1 teaspoon.

Honey with onions

You need to grind the peeled onion and mix the mixture with honey. Take 1 tbsp after meals 3 times a day. spoon until cured. This remedy is not given to children under one year of age.

Compresses

Compresses are very effective for treating coughs, as they increase blood circulation in the throat and bronchi, and, as a result, reduce inflammation. Contraindications for their use are only obvious problems with the baby’s skin.

Treatment with potatoes

Unpeeled potatoes are boiled, then a mixture of alcohol, turpentine and sunflower oil is poured into it (1 spoon is added to each product). The resulting mass is thoroughly kneaded and mixed, peculiar flat cakes are formed from it, which are wrapped in gauze and applied to the back and chest (but not on the heart).

The patient is carefully wrapped and lies with a compress for 1.5 hours. After this, the body is wiped dry, and the baby changes into clean clothes. A similar potato procedure is carried out 3-4 times.

Apple cider vinegar treatment

Apple cider vinegar is diluted with water (3:1), after which 1 tsp is added. honey. A napkin soaked in the solution is applied to the child’s chest and throat and covered with a film and a fluffy towel on top. Keep the compress for 20 minutes.

Inhalations

You can also try to overcome a cough using inhalations. Moreover, these can be either handy means like boiled potatoes or pharmacy inhalers-nebulizers, which are considered absolutely safe for children.

Mustard plasters

They can be used on children over 10 years old, since children have very thin and vulnerable skin that can easily be burned. If there are no other treatment options, then mustard plasters are placed on young children through a thin cloth, covering them with a towel on top.

The most common contraindications to their use are allergies to mustard, skin damage and fever.

Where to put it?

The optimal place for installing mustard plasters is considered to be the area between the shoulder blades and the chest (not the heart).

How to put it?

• for children from 1 to 3 years old they are placed for 2 minutes;
• from 4 to 7 years - by three;
• from 8 to 12 years - for 10 minutes.

Banks

Some time ago they were given to children without any exceptions, but today cups are rarely used to treat coughs: not only are the sensations not very pleasant, but the skin can also be damaged.

Diet

In addition to all of the above, following a milk diet and actively eating regular cabbage helps your baby recover quickly from a cough.

How to overcome children's cough at night?

Coughing attacks at night are a common phenomenon caused by the same mucus that accumulates in the nasopharynx and does not dissolve on its own due to the fact that the child is lying down.

The result is a clogged nasopharynx and a cough reflex.

What can a systematic night cough indicate?

He can testify:

• about viral infection (rhinitis, sinusitis, adenoiditis);
• about an allergic reaction (attacks are triggered by dust and begin as soon as the child goes to bed);
• about whooping cough or bronchial asthma (reaches vomiting and is accompanied by noise and whistling);
• about teething (the child is choking on saliva);
• about gastroesophageal reflux (complaints of heartburn);
• about helminths (cough may be associated with the movement of worms inside the body).

How to relieve an attack?

1. Give your baby warm milk with honey, chamomile tea, marshmallow infusion, elecampane or plantain juice.
2. Ventilate the room to make it easier for the child to breathe.
3. Invite your child to visit the home “steam room”: fill the bathtub and stand in the room for 10-15 minutes.

4. Give your child a spoonful of buckwheat honey to suck on.
5. Perform steam inhalation with a warm soda solution.
6. Give your baby a chest massage.
7. Rinse the nasopharynx before going to bed with a salt solution.
8. Turn your child over at night as often as possible - from back to side and back.

What to do if your baby inhales a foreign body?

Sometimes a cough is triggered by an object getting into the throat. It is quite simple to determine whether there is something foreign in the baby’s respiratory tract: he begins to choke, loses consciousness, and his face turns blue.

How to help?

Tapping

You can help him push out an object, be it a bead or a coin, by placing the child's face on his knees and gently, as if pushing, by tapping his hand between his shoulder blades.

Remember, the blows should be gentle, rhythmic and directed towards the head.

Coup

If the object still does not pop out of the throat, try turning the baby upside down and shaking him while tapping his back.

Ambulance

If the child is unable to cough up the foreign body, immediately take him to the hospital. Every lost minute can cost a child his life!

What should not be done when treating a cough?

1. If a child suffers from attacks of night cough, you cannot just start stuffing him with antibiotics, without any consultation with a pediatrician or ENT specialist.
2. Infants under 6 months should not be given antihistamines.
3. In children under six months old, cough should never be treated with rubbing or inhalation.

When to call a doctor?

If a cough has been bothering your baby for a very long time, and you have used almost all of the methods listed above in search of the best remedy, do not delay calling a doctor at home. The fact is that the cause of a cough may not be a cold, but a completely different disease, for example, laryngitis or even pneumonia.

If the doctor insists on hospitalization, do not refuse, as coughing attacks can cause suffocation and pulmonary edema. In medicine, this phenomenon is called false croup, sometimes leading to death.

Severe cough is treated strictly under the supervision of a doctor. According to the indications, he will give the baby prednisolone, and then, in the hospital, he will be treated with special equipment.

Source: https://otvetprost.com/574-kak-ostanovit-kashel-u-rebenka.html

How to stop a child’s cough at home using pharmaceutical and folk remedies?

Cough is one of the protective mechanisms of the human body, with the help of which irritating factors are removed from the respiratory tract. However, sometimes it becomes unbearable.

It is especially dangerous when the cough does not disappear for a long time in children. Parents need to know why this happens and how to solve the problem. This article will discuss exactly this.

Causes of coughing attacks in children

Cough can be infectious or non-infectious. In children, it is more often caused by colds, one of which is laryngitis, accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx. The cough with this disease is barking and loud.

In the absence of proper treatment, laryngitis becomes more complicated, developing into bronchitis. Mucus accumulates in the lower respiratory tract, which irritates the receptors that cause a child to cough (see also: nervous cough in a child: causes, treatment methods).

READ ALSO: How to relieve a child’s cough at night at home?

Whooping cough has a different effect; it causes attacks by activating a special center of the brain. Approximately according to the same principle, a cough occurs as a reaction to external stimuli (sounds, light, etc.).

Another common non-infectious disease is asthma. The attacks are accompanied by suffocation, i.e. The cough is spasmodic in nature.

Less commonly, this problem worries children due to congenital heart defects. Pathology occurs as a result of stagnation of blood in the pulmonary circulation, which is also called pulmonary. Blood stagnates in the vessels of the lungs.

Also, a severe cough often occurs due to dry air, small objects or large amounts of dust entering the respiratory tract. Another reason is the beginning of teething in babies, which contributes to increased secretion of saliva.

What causes nighttime coughing attacks?

Parents are perplexed by a situation when a child seems to have completely gotten rid of the disease, but at night he is bothered by coughing attacks. Sleep is a rest for the body, when all processes slow down, and accordingly, the breathing rhythm changes. Also, the cause of the problem may be the lying position of the child.

It is also worth paying attention to products that dilute mucus and promote its removal. If this problem occurs, consultation with a specialist is necessary.

Types of cough and accompanying symptoms

To prescribe the correct treatment, it is necessary to recognize the type of cough. It is better to entrust this to a specialist, but at home, without special education, you can try to diagnose a type of pathology. In any case, you should consult a pediatrician who will select the appropriate therapy.

Dry cough

This type of pathology is often associated with throat diseases, which are rarely accompanied by an increase in body temperature. If sputum is released in small quantities, the source of inflammation is in the larynx or pharynx. If the cough is strong and sharp, the inflammatory process develops in the trachea.

A dry cough is always a manifestation of some disease. It is often accompanied by the following symptoms:

• sleep disorder;
• increased symptoms at night;
• nausea and vomiting;
• hoarse voice;
• increased secretion of saliva;
• sore throat;
• runny nose.

Moist cough

Sputum is produced when coughing is caused by:

• most viral diseases;
• bronchitis;
• asthma;
• diseases of the nasal cavity.

A wet cough is often accompanied by:

• prolonged bouts of coughing;
• increased body temperature;
• decreased appetite;
• green discharge;
• exacerbation of symptoms at night, which contributes to sleep disturbance;
• pain in the chest.

As a rule, a wet cough appears after a long dry cough. It is more difficult to cure, so therapy must be started as soon as the first signs of the disease appear.

How to quickly stop a child's coughing attack?

There are many home remedies that can be used to relieve a cough in a child. However, when the first symptoms appear, it is recommended to contact a pediatrician, who should be consulted before using any treatment methods. Self-prescription of therapy is fraught with aggravation of the disease.

Performing a massage

Massage helps stop coughing because... it helps strengthen the muscles involved in the breathing process. It also increases the mobility of the ribs, which helps them open when inhaling. External influence stabilizes the breathing rhythm and slightly stimulates the action of medications, sputum is diluted and easier to remove from the body.

It is prohibited to conduct massage sessions for dry coughs, but it is effective for wet coughs when the disease is not aggravated. Contraindications:

• body temperature above 37 degrees;
• feeding - you need to wait several hours after eating;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• stomach ache;
• skin pathologies: urticaria, allergies, etc.;
• age up to a month;
• the child is in a bad mood - it is necessary to console him, conduct a session in a playful way.

There are several types of massage; drainage massage is most convenient to perform at home:

1. The child is placed on his stomach, with a bolster or small pillow placed under his hips. The arms are extended along the body.
2. First, warm up the muscles by stroking the back. Movements can be longitudinal and circular.
3. When the skin becomes hotter, move on to tapping. Place your palms together and lightly tap the back with the edge of the boat. In this case, avoid the area above the lower back and the spine itself.
4. Then the child's back is gently stroked.
5. At the end, he is seated and pressure is applied to the ribs on both sides. Movements should be short and not too strong. The baby must clear his throat.

Massage is done with dry hands or using baby cream. The temperature in the room should not exceed 25 degrees. Up to 6 procedures per day for several minutes are allowed.

Room temperature

The composition of the air, its degree of purity, humidity and temperature are factors that influence the success of cough treatment.

The first two characteristics cannot be controlled at home, but the rest can and should be monitored. Simple instruments help with this - a thermometer and a hygrometer.

The optimal temperature for an apartment in which a child suffering from cough lives is 18°C ​​and 70% humidity.

Another affordable way to lower the temperature is to open a window. However, the child should not be in a room with an open window; he should be taken to another room until a constant temperature of 18°C ​​is established.

Inhalation with a nebulizer

Inhalations will help relieve spasmodic cough; they are effective for a number of reasons:

• the medicine is supplied in a spray form, which increases the rate of its absorption by the mucous membrane;
• low risk of adverse reactions;
• children easily tolerate the procedure;
• the drug has a complex effect.

A nebulizer is the most convenient device for inhalation, which is suitable for almost everyone.

Before using it, you must wash your hands, assemble according to the instructions, and check the tightness of the container for the drug. Then the medicine is prepared and warmed to room temperature.

It is poured into the reservoir, diluted with saline or distilled water to the mark. Then inhalation is carried out.

Recommendations for the procedure:

• after eating or exercising, you need to wait 1.5 hours;
• Before inhalation, you should not rinse your mouth with antibiotics or use mucolytics.

Antihistamines

You can quickly stop airway spasms and coughs caused by allergies with the help of antihistamines. However, in some cases a comprehensive approach is required.

Usually parents know what drug their child needs. Otherwise, you should consult a doctor. It is necessary to find out the causes of the allergic reaction in order to combat its manifestations.

At the first sign of allergy, the child should be given Suprastin. Usually the effect appears within half an hour. In general, the drug acts for about 12 hours, after which it is excreted from the body with metabolic products. If coughing attacks are too intense, the nasopharynx is treated with warm water or a weak solution of sea salt.

Antitussives

Medicines that act on the brain to stimulate the removal of mucus from the respiratory tract (Glauvent) are often used. Mucus-removing agents (Tusuprex) are also used.

Antitussive drugs are contraindicated in children under 2 years of age. In such a situation, herbal syrups are prescribed. They are not as effective in fighting cough, but cause less harm to the body. Some herbal preparations cause an allergic reaction, so parents should monitor the child.

Rubbing and rules for performing them

How to relieve a child's coughing attack at night? You can resort to rubbing, which not only relieves the unpleasant symptom, but also fights the disease. General recommendations:

• you need to rub the body smoothly, with warming movements;
• it is allowed to rub the heels, back, chest, without affecting the area around the heart;
• The procedure is carried out before bedtime.

The procedure is contraindicated if the child is allergic to the components of the drug or has an elevated body temperature. It is advisable to consult your doctor.

Rubbing can be done with special ointments: Doctor Mom, Badger, etc. Camphor oil, badger or goat fat, honey or vodka are also used.

Folk remedies

In the fight against cough, a decoction of sage in milk is often used. The herb is boiled with milk, allowed to brew for several hours, filtered and given to the child before bedtime. Regular use of the product helps to cope with a persistent cough.

Black radish is also used. The vegetable is cut into cubes, mixed with sugar and baked in the oven for 1.5 hours. The result is a paste that is given to the child 3 tsp per day. The last dose of medication should be before bedtime.

There is another way to use radish. The core is cut out, the cavity is filled with honey and left until the vegetable gives juice. Mixed with honey, give it to the child 1 tbsp. several times a day.

Other methods

Physical therapy often comes to the rescue with a lingering cough. The following exercises are used:

1. Take a sitting position, keep your hands on your waist. As you inhale, turn your torso to the right, move your right arm to the side. As you exhale, “buzz.” Repeat in both directions 5 times.
2. In a sitting position, raise your arms. As you inhale, separate them, and as you exhale, lower them down, shouting “kar” loudly. Repeat several times.

Such exercises imitate the sounds of animals, so they can be presented to the child as a game. However, it is almost impossible to force a child to do this.

In what cases is emergency medical care necessary?

Parents should sound the alarm and call an ambulance if:

• blue discoloration of the skin is observed;
• the discharge is rich green in color and mixed with blood;
• The child vomits or faints.

READ ALSO: How to stop vomiting in a child at home?

In such cases, you should not think about how to stop coughing at night. If the child is small and his cough does not cure for a long time, he sleeps poorly, eats poorly, loses weight and constantly cries, you should call a doctor.

What is forbidden to do if coughing attacks occur in children?

Parents should be guided by the principle of “do no harm” when treating a child. To avoid aggravating the disease, you should not:

• calculate the dosage and course of the drug without relying on the instructions;
• simultaneously give drugs that remove phlegm and suppress cough;
• give babies inhalations with essential oils;
• apply alcohol compresses.

Source: https://www.deti34.ru/simptomy/uho-gorlo-nos/kak-ostanovit-kashel-u-rebenka-nochyu.html