Cough in a 5 month old baby: causes and treatment in various ways

A dry or wet cough in a 5-month-old child is a cause of panic among parents. At this age, the baby is still unable to cough on his own, and often the attack ends in vomiting.

Unfortunately, according to statistics, cough and snot appear in 70% of infants.

Contrary to the belief of many parents that it is impossible to catch colds, upper respiratory tract infections are considered the most common occurrence in children in the first year of life.

There can be many reasons for a cough in a five-month-old baby.

A cough in a 5-month-old child should be treated immediately after it appears, because in addition to the discomfort it causes, children run the risk of encountering complications. You need to choose drugs for therapy with extreme caution, and only after finding out the causes of unpleasant symptoms.

Why does the baby cough?

To find out the causes of cough in a 5-month-old baby, it is important to carefully monitor his condition. This is done in order to determine at what moments the attack begins, what additional symptoms it is accompanied by, and whether there are factors influencing its intensification or weakening. The doctor will need this information to make the correct diagnosis and select effective medications.

Physiological cough

The body of a newborn, even in the absence of a developed immune system, has a defense system. One of them is the reflex clearing of the respiratory tract from foreign objects:

The appearance of a cough without a rise in temperature is usually not harmful and is normal

saliva (it can enter the respiratory tract);
pollen and much more.

If the baby has periodic coughing, but there are no snot, fever and other symptoms of colds, most likely we are talking about a physiological protective cough.

There is no need to take special measures to eliminate it.

Moreover, the use of antitussive drugs can harm the child - the airways without natural cleansing can be attacked by infections.

Good to know! When a child is 5 months old, the norm is a cough with a small amount of phlegm or a dry cough that occurs up to 20 times a day and lasts less than a minute each time.

The baby may cough if saliva gets into the airway

Reflux

Despite the fact that at 5 months, cough due to reflux (regurgitation with secretions entering the respiratory tract) occurs very rarely, this reason should not be written off.

If at this time the parents began to feed the child with formulas or vegetable purees, reflux may resume.

In this case, a small amount of stomach contents can enter the respiratory tract and provoke a cough.

Cough due to reflux occurs without fever, but in some cases it can provoke aspiration. You can recognize it by the following signs:

when coughing, babies experience lacrimation and the skin of the eyelids turns red;
the cough is short-term paroxysmal in nature, it is difficult for the child to breathe;
the child’s lips turn pale, and in some cases acquire a bluish tint.

In rare cases, a baby is diagnosed with reflux, which can also be a cause of coughing.

You can help a 5-month-old child with a cough that occurs due to reflux without medication. To do this, parents need to hold the baby in an upright position after feeding. It will also be useful to track which foods cause problems. If a certain type of complementary food constantly leads to coughing attacks, it is better to give it up for a while.

Allergic cough

A strained dry cough, which is accompanied by lacrimation, snot or swelling of the nasal mucosa, rashes on the skin, but occurs against a background of normal temperature, indicates an allergy. It can be called:

down and feathers, animal hair;
plant pollen;
perfume or household chemicals.

A child's cough may be caused by an allergy to pet fur.

Allergic coughs are often triggered by foods. Moreover, the baby himself does not always use them. There are known cases when babies are allergic to mother's milk - irritating elements get into it from food.

To eliminate allergic cough in 5-month-old infants, treatment should begin with identifying the source of the allergy. To do this, parents will have to carefully monitor the baby to understand which objects trigger an attack after contact.

Important! Leaving an allergic cough in newborns unattended is dangerous for their life. If left untreated, they may develop allergic shock.

ARVI and acute respiratory infections

It is impossible not to recognize a cough caused by colds.

With ARVI or ARI, in addition to coughing, the baby develops snot

To a competent attending physician, as well as to parents, the cause of poor health becomes clear thanks to the following signs:

The cough is dry at first and then becomes wet;
with a cold, the child experiences problems breathing through the nose - in addition to swelling, there is liquid watery or viscous green snot;
temperature rises;
the baby becomes restless, sleeps poorly, and sometimes vomits.

It is important to provide assistance to babies with acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections as quickly as possible, since these diseases without appropriate therapy can be complicated by pneumonia (a deadly disease for children in the first year of life), pericarditis and rheumatism.

A doctor should treat viral diseases in an infant.

Cough caused by bacterial or viral infections can be treated only after consultation with a doctor and under his supervision. At the same time, in addition to eliminating the symptoms of the disease, it is important to pay attention to the fight against pathogenic microorganisms and strengthening the immune system.

What remedies can cure a child’s cough?

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to quickly help a 5-month-old child suffering from a cough, since all potent drugs are approved for use from the age of 12. It is because of such restrictions that parents do not know what to give their baby to ease coughing and get rid of severe attacks.

Important! Only a doctor can select cough medicine for children! Parents should not ignore his recommendations regarding additional procedures that will help clear the lungs of mucus.

You should only choose tablets to treat your baby in consultation with your doctor.

How to treat an allergic cough

When treating an allergic cough, it is necessary to eliminate the source of irritation to the respiratory tract. Many doctors call this point more important than taking medications. The fact is that even if you give your child antiallergic drugs, the cause of the cough will remain.

What parents need to do:

limit the baby’s contact with feather and down pillows, woolen items;
remove synthetic things that attract dust from the children's room;
regularly carry out wet cleaning, install an air humidifier;
if necessary, change baby food and review the diet of a nursing mother;
Limit your baby's contact with animals.

When coughing due to a dust allergy, it is important to regularly carry out wet cleaning

If the newborn's condition has improved after these measures have been taken, but he still suffers from allergy symptoms, medications will be required. Most often, babies in the first year of life are prescribed:

drops "Fenistil";
Nazol Baby drops;
Aqualor drops;
saline solution for rinsing the nose "Aquamaris".

It is important to understand that antihistamines can be used in children of five months for a limited time. With prolonged use of this group of drugs, children develop addiction. To prevent this, it is important to strictly follow your doctor's recommendations regarding dosages and duration of treatment.

Medicines used to relieve allergic symptoms

Important! Allergic cough is often complicated by bronchial asthma and false croup. To prevent this from happening, it must be treated under the supervision of a competent specialist.

How to treat a cold cough

Doctors recommend treating the symptoms of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections in children of the first year of life with pharmaceutical preparations based on medicinal plants. You need to choose them according to the nature of the cough. In addition, you can alleviate the baby’s condition with preventive measures:

Increase the amount of liquid you drink - children at this age can be given dried fruit compote, diluted juices, and regular boiled water.
Massage the back and chest in the projection of the lungs - delicate rubbing and tapping on the back will help when the child is lying on his tummy.
This method will help cope with coughing up phlegm. During treatment, it is necessary to humidify the air in the child’s room.
Frequently change the child's position - even if he is sleeping, it is worth turning him over to the other side more often. It is also recommended to place the baby on a higher pillow.
Regularly ventilate the room where the baby is and install a humidifier in it.

To eliminate dry cough, safe herbal mucolytics are selected. These medications promote the synthesis of sputum, due to which the mucous membrane will be less injured.

At this age, pediatricians recommend using drugs in this group only when absolutely necessary and under medical supervision, since additional production of sputum can lead to aspiration and even death.

It is necessary to pay special attention to the choice of mucolytics and the duration of their use for a five-month-old child - the lower the dosage and the shorter the period of therapy with them, the better.

Interesting fact! In most European countries, mucolytics are prohibited for use in children under two years of age. Russian doctors also express doubts about their benefits for babies in the first year of life.

Means effective in treating cough in children

For a productive cough, when a child coughs up phlegm, plant-based remedies are indicated:

herbal pharmacy mixtures - “Breast collection No. 1”, “Breast collection No. 2” and others;
Alteyka syrup;
syrup with licorice root;
Pertussin syrup;
Doctor Mom syrup;
Gedelix syrup.

The choice of drug to treat a cough is made by the doctor, taking into account the child’s condition. After taking the first dose, it is important for parents to monitor the newborn's reaction. If his condition worsens, abdominal pain or skin rash appears, the drug will have to be changed to another.

Herbal remedies are safe for children

A good expectorant effect is achieved by using inhalations with chamomile or plantain decoctions. Doctors recommend using a nebulizer for this. If there is none, simply let the baby breathe the steam that rises above the bowl of broth.

Important! Parents need to remember that inhalation is allowed only in the absence of high temperature.

In severe cases, to cure an old cold cough, pediatricians, in addition to expectorants, prescribe drugs to strengthen the immune system in the form of nasal drops.

Coughing in babies of the first year of life does not always indicate a serious illness. However, you need to be careful about this symptom. It is better to consult a pediatrician “in vain” than to miss the right moment and end up in the hospital with complications.

From the video you can find out what medications are used to treat cough:

Source: http://bolezni.com/stati-o-simptomax/kashel/lechenie-kashlya-u-pyatimesyachnogo-grudnichka.html

Cough in a 5-month-old child without fever: how to treat it, what can be given

Coughing is a clinical manifestation of many respiratory diseases. A cough in a 5-month-old child is caused by inflammation of the upper or lower respiratory tract, or, less commonly, by physiological factors.

To find out its cause, diagnostics are carried out - auscultation (listening to wheezing in the lungs), chest x-ray, laboratory analysis of blood and sputum.

Treatment involves taking medications, inhalation, rubbing, and drainage massage.

Possible reasons why a baby is coughing

Coughing is a protective function aimed at clearing the respiratory tract of mucus, dust, and allergens. Coughing does not indicate inflammation of the respiratory system. But if the symptom is combined with rhinitis, redness of the throat, or fever, the child should be shown to a pediatrician.

Pathological causes of cough in infants:

flu;
measles;
bronchitis;
tracheitis;
rubella;
laryngitis;
pneumonia;
reflux disease;
bronchial asthma;
respiratory allergies;
false croup

A wet cough in an infant most often occurs when the lower parts of the respiratory system are affected - the bronchi, larynx, trachea.

Therefore, if it is combined with shortness of breath, lack of appetite, or excessive sweating, you need to make an appointment with a pulmonologist.

How to treat a cough in a 5 month old child

In infants, the respiratory muscles are weak, the immune system is underdeveloped, and the lumen of the bronchi is small. They cannot cough up mucus effectively, so they are not prescribed mucolytics to stimulate mucus production. Your pediatrician will tell you what to do if your child has a dry or wet cough.

The basis of therapy is:

medicines;
inhalation;
drainage massage;
warm drink;
rubbing.

Irrational treatment of respiratory diseases in infants is dangerous due to complications. Therefore, medications and physical procedures should be prescribed exclusively by a pediatrician.

Medicinal drinks

Cough in a 5-month-old child should be treated with caution. To alleviate his condition, warm drinks are prescribed. Toxins released by bacteria or viruses are removed from the body with fluid. As a result, the symptoms of intoxication disappear - nausea, sweating, headaches, lack of appetite, body aches.

For nonproductive cough, children are given:

diluted fruit juices;
boiled water;
children's tea;
strained dried fruit compote;
alkaline mineral water (still).

The drink should be warm, so it is heated to 38-39°C. Otherwise, the baby faces local hypothermia, snot and increased cough.

Drugs

Cough medicine is chosen based on its effectiveness. If sputum is not coughed up, antitussives are prescribed. In pediatrics, oral solutions and syrups based on butamirate are used, a centrally acting drug that suppresses the activity of the cough center in the brain:

Stoptussin is an antitussive agent with antispasmodic and antitussive properties. Oral drops are prescribed if the child's weight exceeds 7 kg.
Sinekod is an oral solution that improves respiratory function and relieves paroxysmal cough.
Panatus forte is a syrup for unproductive coughs that has a relaxing effect on the bronchi.

For difficult to separate sputum, mucolytic and expectorant medications are used.

To prevent side effects, syrups and oral drops based on ambroxol are used:

Ambrobene is a cough syrup that reduces the viscosity of bronchial mucus and makes it easier to cough up;
Lazolvan is an oral solution that stimulates the cleansing of phlegm from the bronchi;
Bronchoval is a syrup that thins mucus and makes coughing easier.

Before giving your child a mucolytic drug, consult your pediatrician.

It is difficult for babies to cough up mucus, so be sure to perform a drainage massage during treatment. Then sputum does not accumulate in the lungs, which prevents pneumonia or the transition of bronchitis to a chronic form.

Rubbing

For a cold cough, rubbing with warming ointments and balms is effective. They stimulate blood flow to the lungs, which leads to:

increasing the tone of the respiratory muscles;
increased nutrition of the lungs and bronchi;
strengthening local immunity;
reducing the viscosity of sputum.

Pharmacy rubs:

Dr. Theiss eucalyptus - ointment with camphor, eucalyptus oil and pine needle extract. It has anti-inflammatory, warming, analgesic and mucus-thinning effects.
Vicks Active is a warming balm with terpene and eucalyptus oils, which facilitates the passage of bronchial mucus and stimulates local immunity.
Doctor Mom is a drug based on levomenthol, camphor, turpentine and eucalyptus oil. It has a local irritating, distracting and analgesic effect.
Pulmex baby is an ointment with balsam tree resin, camphor, rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils. Relieves inflammation, relieves pain during bronchitis, facilitates sputum discharge.

Warming cough ointment is applied only to the chest or back. To prevent allergic reactions and bronchospasms, the wings of the nose and temples are not treated.

If pharmaceuticals are not at hand, use folk recipes. To relieve cough in an infant, the following are suitable:

Pork fat. 100 g of fat is melted in a water bath. Add 1 tsp. dry mustard, 3-5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Apply only to the upper back for 30-40 minutes.
Goat fat. Add 15 ml of propolis tincture to 100 g of melted fat. Apply to the chest, avoiding the heart area. After half an hour, the remaining product is removed with a napkin.

The procedure is performed up to 3 times a day for 4-5 days. If there is no result, you should contact a pulmonologist.

Drainage massage

To relieve a wet cough in a baby without fever, massage helps a lot. It prevents the stagnation of mucus in the bronchi and lungs, stimulates its expectoration. Physiotherapeutic procedure is indicated for:

chronic bronchitis;
viral pneumonia;
cystic fibrosis;
tracheitis;
bronchial asthma.

Massage technique:

the baby is placed on his stomach so that the head is lower than the body;
massage oil is applied to the back;
make circular movements from the lower back to the neck;
tap on the intercostal and scapular areas.

Chest massage is performed in the same way. After the procedure, a warming ointment is applied and the baby is wrapped in a blanket.

For severe coughs, drainage massage is performed twice a day - morning and evening.

Vibration massage with tapping is contraindicated for children with pulmonary insufficiency, purulent inflammation of the bronchi, and a febrile condition.

Inhalations

Inhalation therapy is one of the methods of physiotherapy that involves inhaling steam or aerosol. Cough in a 5-month-old child without fever is treated with drugs with expectorant and mucolytic effects. Inhalations are recommended for:

pneumonia;
rhinitis;
tracheitis;
pharyngitis;
bronchitis.

Pediatricians advise treating coughs and runny nose only with safe medications:

Lazolvan;
Bromhexine;
Mukaltin;
Bronchosan.

To prevent burns in an infant, it is better to use a nebulizer.

This is a compressor inhaler that converts liquid into an aerosol. The base used is saline solution – 0.9% sodium chloride solution. A few drops of a mucolytic or expectorant are added to it.

Recommendations for performing inhalations:

for nasal congestion, pre-use vasoconstrictor nasal drops (Otrivin, Nazol Baby, Nazivin);
to prevent nausea and vomiting, the procedure is performed 1.5 hours after eating;
for inflammation of the nasopharynx, use a nasal cannula;
if the lower parts of the respiratory system are affected, use a mask;
The procedure is performed for 2-3 minutes up to 3 times a day.

The course of inhalation therapy consists of 10-15 sessions. After the procedure, 25% of children experience a coughing attack caused by sputum production. If it lasts more than 2-3 minutes, you should contact your pediatrician.

Physiotherapy is contraindicated for diseases of the inner ear, abscesses in the bronchi, and disturbances in the functioning of the vestibular apparatus.

Herbs

If a child has a productive cough, herbal medicine is helpful. To remove mucus from the respiratory tract, medicinal plants that have expectorant properties are used:

common anise;
marshmallow root;
mint;
marsh wild rosemary;
common oregano;
tall elecampane;
calendula;
roundleaf sundew;
thyme;
plantain;
coltsfoot;
ivy.

Traditional recipes for expectorants for children:

Recipe No. 1. Mix coltsfoot, oregano and thyme in equal proportions. 2 tbsp. l. Boil the herbs in 1 liter of water for 5 minutes. The filtered and cooled decoction is given to the child 30-50 ml up to 3-4 times a day.
Recipe No. 2. Mix 1 tbsp. l. mint and chamomile, add 1 tsp. calendula. Boil the herbs in 1.5 liters of water for 2 minutes. The decoction is given to the child warm, 30 ml 4-5 times a day.

Warm drinks can be given to a child only if there is no allergy to medicinal herbs.

Therefore, before herbal medicine, an allergy test is carried out: the product is applied to the wrist for 30-40 minutes. If there is no rash or redness, the decoction can be given to the baby.

How else can you treat a cough in a 5-month-old baby?

To relieve a strong dry cough, you need to increase the air humidity to 70-75%. If you don't have a humidifier, hang damp blankets, towels or sheets in your room. To prevent cough attacks, you need to do wet cleaning 2-3 times a day, wiping all horizontal surfaces.

To cure a cough, you should:

remove dust collectors from the room (stuffed toys, carpets);
temporarily stop using air fresheners;
Ventilate the room once every 2-3 hours;
wrap the child warmly;
maintain the room temperature at 21-23°C.

If a cough in an infant is caused by postnasal drip syndrome, the nasal cavity is cleared of mucus. To do this, use a syringe or a baby aspirator. After the procedure, a vasoconstrictor is instilled - Sanorin, Otrivin, Naphthyzin for children, Vibrocil.

Treatment of cough due to bronchitis takes from 10 to 14 days. To shorten the recovery period, they resort to physiotherapeutic procedures - ultraviolet irradiation, UHF therapy, inductothermy.

When to contact your pediatrician immediately

Treatment of cough in babies under one year of age is carried out under the supervision of a pediatric ENT specialist or pediatrician. You should consult a doctor if the clinical picture adds new symptoms:

dyspnea;
wheezing in the lungs;
temperature increase;
expectoration of yellow mucus;
severe runny nose;
sweating;
pale skin.

A child's persistent cough is a good reason to make an appointment with a pediatrician.

Timely identification and elimination of the underlying disease prevents undesirable consequences - chronic inflammation, pulmonary edema, pneumonia.

Source: https://tden.ru/health/kashel-u-rebenka-5-mesyatsev

Cough in a 5 month old baby

Causes of cough

Factors that lead to the appearance of a cough symptom can be different, from a cold to a foreign body entering the respiratory organs. How to treat a cough, wet and non-productive (dry) will depend on the cause.

The second type of cough symptom is more dangerous for the body. Typically, dry coughs disappear after the development stage of the disease, developing into a wet type.

For cough for children 5 months old, complex therapy is used as treatment.

Causes of cough symptoms in children.

Allergic reaction of the body. Dust, the presence of pets in the house, or pollen from plants can be an irritating factor. The cough of an allergic breed intensifies when the child comes into contact with an allergen, especially at night. In such a situation, the baby does not suffer from a runny nose or body temperature. There are no standard cold symptoms. The only way out is to prevent the baby from contact with allergens.
Some children suffer from cough symptoms for up to 1 year. This phenomenon is considered normal. Physiological coughing helps the lungs clear mucus. No treatment will be required.
Dry oxygen in the room. In some cases, this is the cause of the cough symptom. Exacerbation of coughing occurs at the beginning of the heating season. To get rid of this deviation, you should purchase an air humidifier and thoroughly clean the apartment.
Presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract. The baby may choke and swallow part of a toy, hair, or a feather from a pillow. Any of these microscopic things can be inhaled. If the baby coughs sharply and begins to choke, action must be taken. The airways should be cleared, you can put the baby on your knees, tilt his body down, tap on the back with your palm, open the baby’s mouth and try to pull out the object. After you remove the irritant, show the baby to the doctor. A respiratory examination will be necessary.
During teething. In rare cases, babies develop a cough at such a moment; it can be dry or wet. The symptoms of such coughing are not dangerous and do not require medical therapy.

Recommended reading: What to do if a 9-month-old child has a cough?

Cough causes a lot of trouble for the child and parents. Children have a hard time suffering from illnesses due to underdeveloped immunity. Usually a cough in a five-month-old baby is caused by a cold. Why a newborn is coughing must be addressed immediately.

It is best to conduct respiratory examinations and treat the baby with folk and pharmacy medicines. Thus, it is possible to “defeat” a cough in a 5-month-old child within a week.

For example, if the cause of an allergic cough is not identified in time, and the baby is constantly in contact with the allergen, a chronic cough symptom may occur. A pediatrician can determine how to treat a cough in a 5-month-old child.

Associated symptoms

If a 5-month-old child is coughing, the first step is to determine the cause and only then take treatment measures. In addition to determining the etiological factor, special attention should be paid to the accompanying symptoms:

increased body temperature;
shortness of breath;
runny nose;
increased fatigue;
chest pain;
wheezing.

When the cause is an allergic reaction, the patient may experience excessive lacrimation, itchy nose, sneezing, and breathing problems. Unlike the bacterial or viral nature of a cough, there is no elevated body temperature with allergies.

How to treat a cough

In situations where a baby has coughing attacks, you should resort to drug therapy. Fever and severe cough that does not go away within 5 days may indicate a serious illness that requires immediate treatment. You can take syrups and drops for cough for 5 months, but they must be prescribed by a doctor.

Expectorant medications (prescribed for wet cough). These include “Prospan”, “Gedelix”.
Dry coughs are treated with homeopathic medicines - Stodal, Oscillococcinum.
At high temperatures, you need to take antipyretic medications, such as Paracetamol, Ibuprofen.

When an infant coughs, note the frequency and nature of the attacks. Each type of cough symptom is cured by certain medications that are effective for a specific type of cough. The pediatrician will be able to find out why the newborn is coughing and whether it is dangerous for the baby’s health.

The use of traditional medicine for cough symptoms should be done with due care. It is necessary to take into account all the nuances and advice of doctors on the Internet. Parents often treat a baby's cough with chamomile infusion. Tea from this plant does not entail any side effects and effectively treats cough.

How to treat a cough in a five-month-old child, how to stop her attacks - the doctor will tell you. Good results can be obtained from the use of chamomile, which helps to have the following effects on the body:

Provokes coughing;
Helps restore the body's protective functions.

Sometimes people use chamomile tea as a daily drink. Coltsfoot teas with the addition of chamomile are also effective in eliminating cough symptoms.

Many parents relieve their children from coughing using inhalations. Infants are not advised to do steam activities, as they should not be overheated. For children 5 months of age, it is best to inhale using a nebulizer. The solution for this procedure is usually based on saline solution. A few drops of Lazolvan are added to it, which helps to cough up phlegm.

What to do if a 5 month old baby is coughing

Young children often cough for a variety of reasons. The cough symptom is a protective function of the body aimed at cleansing the respiratory tract.

What to do if your baby suffers from cough symptoms:

Don't overdo it with medications. When a baby takes medications that relieve a cough, but do not affect the cause of its appearance, they can harm the baby.

If you deprive your child of the ability to cough, every cold can develop into pneumonia. In addition, most cough medicines are not intended for newborn babies.

Antitussive drugs are prescribed for debilitating cough.

Identify the cause of the cough symptom. If a 5-month-old baby begins to cough, this may be due to teething. In this case, you cannot take medical therapy. Check when a newborn baby starts coughing and under what circumstances.

A wet cough in a baby without fever usually occurs after a cold. This disease can be treated with expectorants, which will help remove mucus from the respiratory tract.

If you are sure that the above factors are not the case, you need to call a pediatrician. The doctor will need to provide the following information:

How often does the baby cough?
how long do cough attacks last?
what type of cough does the baby have?
Do cough attacks occur while eating?

Parents usually believe that the treatment prescribed by the pediatrician is not effective enough. They begin to look for additional treatment methods on the Internet, in various forums about what can be given to a 5-month-old child to eliminate cough.

There people receive a lot of advice from the same young parents, sometimes without positive effects. Don’t give in to panic and listen to recommendations on the Internet; consult only with specialists.

The doctor will best determine how to treat a cough in a 5-month-old child after a detailed examination of the baby.

Komarovsky's opinion

Dr. Evgeniy Komarovsky notes that the principle of action of drugs for cough symptoms affects the cough center, bronchial mucosa and sputum. The simplest way to eliminate cough symptoms in a child is to “disable” the cough center. For such purposes, medications that reduce the density of sputum and provoke an improvement in the mucous membranes of the respiratory system are suitable.

Komarovsky often advises parents not to resort to medications at the first symptoms of cough, but to try to create favorable conditions for the baby that will help his body cope with the disease faster.

Cough prevention

Every parent wants to see their child healthy. Many measures can be taken to prevent childhood colds.

Make sure your child does not get hypothermic.
During outbreaks of respiratory diseases, walk with your baby only wearing a mask, avoid crowds of children.
Give your baby a chest and back massage.
Keep the room in which the baby is located clean.
Avoid drafts.

By taking simple precautions, you can protect your newborn from colds and related symptoms. If the baby’s body is hardened and healthy, treatment of the disease will not take much time, and complications will be avoided.

Source: https://nasmork.net/kashel-u-rebenka-5-mesyatsev/

Cough in a baby. How to cure it?

Cold symptoms always worry parents, but if a newborn baby has a cough, it is especially dangerous. Manifestations of cough in young children cannot be ignored, even if it is a very mild cough in an infant.

Cough in a baby

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

The presence of a cough in an infant, first of all, suggests that the child has a cold, but a cough is not always a sign of only colds.
Cough in infants can be a sign of allergic reactions, diseases of the bronchi, lungs and digestive system, heart and metabolic disorders.
In order to properly treat cough in infants, you must always correctly and accurately find out its causes.

Cough in an infant

First of all, a cough in an infant is one of the body's defense mechanisms, which helps to naturally protect the body from dust, germs, foreign particles and mucus from the mouth entering the respiratory system.
Therefore, a cough in infants will not always be a sign of pathology or colds.
A newborn's cough may be due to the accumulation of secretions from the nasopharynx in the trachea area or milk residues that have entered during feeding.
Coughing in newborns can occur if they choke on saliva or breast milk, since children at an early age are mostly in a horizontal position.

This type of cough is classified as physiological; it is repeated several times a day, but it does not last long; when the mucus is coughed up, it goes away immediately. Moreover, it is even more likely not a cough, but a cough, and with such a cough the child’s condition is quite normal, there are no signs of a cold or other diseases.

If the baby coughs, and there are no signs of infection, measures come down to holding the child in an upright position more often, ventilating and humidifying the room, and daily wet cleaning. If these measures are not enough and the cough gets worse, it is worth looking for its cause.

Infant cough: causes

If your baby is coughing, there can be many reasons for this. These reasons include:

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

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

dry cough in an infant, hacking, with wheezing, painful and without sputum production
a wet cough in an infant, gurgling, productive, with the release of a large amount of liquid sputum.

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

Some pathologies, in particular pneumonia, can immediately begin with a wet cough. Before starting treatment for cough in infants, you must find out its cause by consulting a doctor.

How to treat a cough in a baby

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

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

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

Helps a baby with a cough:

Maintaining a sufficient level of humidity in the room (humidifier, wet towels, containers of water), especially during the heating period.
Giving the baby's head an elevated position so that mucus and phlegm come out more easily and it is easier for the baby to breathe. It is easier to breathe when coughing in a semi-upright position.
In the presence of a wet cough, postural drainage (the child adopting a special position) with vibration massage (tapping on the back for better sputum removal) is effective.
When coughing, the baby needs to be given more fluid to expel sputum, especially if there is a fever.
Ventilation and walks in the fresh air when there is no temperature will be useful. Oxygen deficiency worsens cough in infants.

Treatment of cough in infants

The question of how to treat a cough in an infant should be decided exclusively by a doctor who will monitor the child throughout the entire period of the illness.
It is prohibited to give any cough medicine to a baby on your own; this can lead to negative consequences, delaying treatment and the infection spreading lower with the formation of complications.
A cough is painful for a child, it disrupts eating and sleeping, and it needs to be eliminated as soon as possible.
When treating cough, various cough remedies are used for children under one year of age. Mainly:

for wet coughs, cough syrup for infants (prospan, gedelix)
for a dry cough, drugs that dilute sputum are indicated (for coughs up to a year you can use ambroxol, ambrobene, bromhexine, mucaltin and some others).

Sometimes, for a strong, dry and painful cough, antitussives are used, but only for a short course and under the strict supervision of a doctor.
Such drugs are prohibited when sputum appears, otherwise it will lead to swamping of the lungs and the development of pneumonia.
It is also important that cough medications for infants have many side effects and contraindications.
Cough medicine for infants can be in syrup, drops or solutions for inhalation with an ultrasonic device.
The dosage and method of using cough medications for an infant are chosen by the doctor; it is prohibited to seek advice on what to give a baby for a cough from neighbors, friends, or traditional medicine.

You should use folk remedies for cough in an infant with extreme caution. They can lead to the development of allergies, complications and delay of treatment. All prescriptions should be discussed with your doctor in advance.

Source: https://mapapama.ru/children/diseases/kashel-u-grudnichka

Cough in infants - types, causes and treatment features

Cough is a common problem with which parents of a sick child consult a pediatrician. This is a reflex act that occurs as a result of irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.

A cough in an infant is an alarming symptom. It often accompanies colds and viral infections. It is important for parents to know that the development of diseases in children at this age occurs rapidly and even a rare cough is a need to visit a doctor.

Types of cough

Depending on the presence or absence of sputum, the following types of cough are distinguished:

Dry (unproductive). Often this type of cough occurs at the beginning of a viral illness. It begins with the child coughing, and after a few hours there are already all the pronounced signs of ARVI: lethargy, runny nose, high body temperature, poor appetite, moodiness. A dry cough occurs as a result of irritation of the mucous membranes, increased viscosity of sputum, which is accompanied by difficult discharge. Due to its poor evacuation, the passage of air is disrupted, which causes the mucus to “dry out” even more. In addition, in children of the first year of life, the cough reflex is not sufficiently developed, which makes coughing even more difficult.
Wet (productive) - at this stage, sputum is well formed, the release of which leads to cleansing of the respiratory tract and recovery. The color of the mucus can tell about the nature of the disease: green or yellow sputum is a bacterial infection, clear mucus is a viral disease; complications in this case are rare. But, despite its relative safety, a prolonged productive cough should not be ignored, because often pneumonia and bronchitis occur without fever.

Causes of cough in infants

Why does an infant cough? The most common reasons are:

Viral infections (about 90% of cases). The pathological process in this case can be localized in the respiratory tract - upper (oropharynx, nose, nasopharynx) or lower (larynx, bronchi, trachea, lungs).
Inflammatory processes of the ENT organs, adenoids in a baby.
A sudden cough may indicate that a foreign body has entered the respiratory tract. This condition requires immediate medical attention, as it can threaten the baby’s life.
It is one of the symptoms of bronchial asthma.
The presence of harmful substances in the air in high concentrations (tobacco smoke, increased gas pollution, etc.).
Too overheated and dry air in the room.
Cough in diseases that are not associated with the respiratory system - pathology of the digestive organs, cardiovascular system (heart defects).
Reflexogenic or psychogenic cough, which occurs, for example, with otitis media, sulfur plugs in the ear canal.
A newborn coughs in the morning. Parents should not worry about this, because mucus from the nose flows into the lower parts of the respiratory tract.

Cough without fever in an infant and how to eliminate it

Quite often a baby develops a cough without fever. The most common reasons for this manifestation are the following:

Allergies are the most common cause. It can be triggered by substances such as plant pollen, animal saliva, food products, dust, etc. If you suspect an allergic cough in an infant, it should be shown to a doctor. Also in this case, hoarseness of the voice occurs, sometimes even its complete disappearance. You should definitely avoid contact with the allergen, as otherwise the condition may worsen significantly.
Excessive dryness of indoor air, especially when heating devices are turned on. You can determine humidity using a hygrometer; this figure should be above 40%. You can help your baby with severe dry air by using a humidifier or regularly carry out wet cleaning of the room.
Ingestion of a foreign body into the respiratory tract. Babies are capable of choking on small objects. In the event of a sudden coughing attack, emergency assistance is required. To clear the airways, the child should be placed on his knees, his body tilted, and his back should be tapped with the edge of his palm. Then open your mouth and take out the foreign object. After this, the child must be examined by a specialist.
A physiological cough in babies under 1 year of age helps clear mucus from the airways. It manifests itself in the form of coughing and should not occur more than 20 times a day. If the child is not capricious, has good sleep and appetite, parents should not be concerned. It is also possible for a baby to cough from drool during the period of teething and the development of the salivary glands, and this is also normal.

Teething cough

A baby's cough during teething is not a pathology. But not all young parents know about this, so they often start giving various synthetic drugs. But how can you find out that this symptom arose due to the growth of teeth and help your baby cope with this process more easily?

When teething, the cough can be dry or wet. The occurrence of the first is possible due to nasal congestion, as a result of which the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract becomes dry. A productive cough occurs due to the accumulation of mucus in the respiratory tract and esophagus.

During teething, coughing often occurs at night. The baby is horizontal, so mucus swells more intensely along the back wall of the throat. In order not to confuse a protective-adaptive reaction with a symptom of a particular disease, it is necessary to pay attention to other signs of teething:

the mucus is watery, transparent, without an unpleasant odor or foreign impurities;
chin skin irritation due to excessive drooling;
low-grade body temperature, sometimes this indicator can increase more significantly;
with cough reflexes there is no wheezing or other extraneous sounds;
the cough does not progress, its frequency and intensity gradually decreases;
Loose and frequent stools are possible.

Also, when the baby is teething, the gums become swollen and red, there is profuse drooling, a desire to put any object in the mouth, and capricious behavior.