A child has a severe cough at night: what to do and how to treat the disease

Coughing is a natural reflex through which the body clears the respiratory system of irritants, such as dust, dirt or mucus in diseases of the nasopharynx.

Coughing attacks at night in a child can occur due to pathologies of the lungs, bronchi, stomach, allergic or mental reactions. To eliminate the problem, you need to find out the cause of the condition using characteristic symptoms.

Let's consider what the symptom is associated with, how to help the patient with medications or folk remedies, and in what cases a mandatory visit to the pediatrician is required.

What childhood diseases can be accompanied by coughing attacks?

There are 7 common diseases in which this symptom is observed.

Allergic reaction

A common cause of night cough is considered to be hypersensitivity to bedding - down pillows, wool. The baby inhales small particles of these materials, they penetrate into the lungs, and in response to this, a protective mechanism is activated - the cough reflex is activated.

It is easy to suspect such a condition. If there are no symptoms during the day and coughing appears only after going to bed, then the symptom is most likely of allergic origin.

Bacterial and viral infections

A cold may be the cause of a paroxysmal cough. These processes are accompanied by increased production of sputum in the lungs. During the day it accumulates in the bronchial tree. When the baby assumes a horizontal position, mucus moves up the respiratory tract and irritates the receptors. Against this background, severe night cough and runny nose occur.

ARVI is one of the causes of cough in children

Laryngitis

Inflammatory damage to the larynx leads to the child developing a strong dry cough, the so-called “barking”. The symptom is usually worse in the evening and at night. Other manifestations of laryngitis include sore throat, nasal congestion and hoarseness, up to complete loss of voice.

Bronchial asthma

In severe cases of the disease, nocturnal attacks occur. In addition to a strong suffocating cough, they are accompanied by periods of feeling a complete lack of air. The child begins to choke, breathe shallowly and quickly, and respiratory arrest develops. The condition requires emergency treatment (for example, administration of Pulmicort).

Whooping cough

This is a rare infection, since universal vaccination against the disease is carried out in Russia. However, if the baby has not been vaccinated, it is worth suspecting its presence. The main symptom of whooping cough is a paroxysm of painful dry cough, which intensifies at night.

Reflux of gastric contents

In the absence of symptoms of infection (fever, weakness, headache), gastroesophageal reflux disease should be suspected. This pathology occurs when the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus. Gastric juice has an acidic environment, which aggressively affects the mucous membrane of the organ. The reflux of secretions leads to heartburn, sore throat and severe cough.

Tuberculosis

If your baby has been in contact with an infected patient and develops symptoms of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Why does my child cough at night?

The appearance of the symptom is explained by the physiological characteristics of the body. When sleep occurs, the regulatory activity of the nervous system decreases slightly. This leads to an increase in the severity of clinical manifestations.

At night, the child lies almost motionless, which leads to the accumulation of sputum.

To prevent blockage of the bronchial tree with viscous secretions, the body triggers a protective cough reflex, which helps clear the airways.

Therefore, if a symptom is present, it is not always worth using antitussives. It is much more effective to use mucolytic drugs, which dilute mucus and promote its rapid removal from the bronchi.

Types of cough

There are two main types of symptoms in children. Dry implies the absence of phlegm; it occurs due to irritation of the bronchi and a reflex reaction of the body. Another reason is the release of viscous sputum, which covers the walls of the bronchi and does not come out during coughing.

Dry cough is typical for the following diseases:

• flu;
• initial stages of development of ARVI;
• pharyngitis;
• laryngitis;
• early stage of bronchitis.

A wet cough is characterized by active sputum production. Coughing is considered a more favorable prognostic sign for the patient, since during the discharge of mucus the bronchial tree is cleared and the child recovers. Therefore, usually the wet type of symptom is found in the later stages of pneumonia or bronchitis.

Dry cough: what to do for treatment?

The main method of therapy is the prescription of mucolytic agents. The most effective drugs from this group are Ambrobene, Bromhexine and Herbion.

They thin mucus and help remove it from the lungs. Medicines transform a dry cough into a wet one, which is much easier to treat.

Removing mucus from the bronchi helps cleanse the airways and restore normal condition.

First aid for wet cough

In this case, expectorant drugs are prescribed. These medications accelerate the removal of mucus from the bronchi. Dr. Komarovsky recommends using the following products:

• Mucaltin is a derivative of medicinal marshmallow;
• Bronchicum and Pertussin are thyme-based forms;
• Bronchophyte is a preparation made from wild rosemary;
• Herbion is a syrup containing plantain.

Medicines for children are of plant origin, so they rarely cause side effects.

How to relieve an allergic cough

Hypersensitivity reactions are dangerous conditions that require emergency treatment. They can manifest as swelling of the larynx, which will cause an attack of suffocation that is dangerous to health, so it is important to start therapy in a timely manner.

If the symptom is of allergic origin, the patient is prescribed treatment aimed at relieving the cause of the disease. It is necessary to establish the specific allergen to which the reaction developed.

After this, treatment with special drugs is prescribed - antihistamines (Suprastin or Tavegil). Their use inhibits the development of allergies and eliminates severe clinical manifestations.

How to help with a neurological cough

With strong cough impulses that cannot be controlled with conventional medications, it is worth suspecting a neurogenic origin.

If the symptom occurs due to a disorder of the brain, centrally acting antitussives (for example, Codeine, Omnitus) are prescribed.

They affect the area of ​​the brain that stimulates the cough reflex. The remedies quickly alleviate the patient's condition.

Drugs with a central effect have contraindications. They must be taken into account when carrying out treatment. Before starting therapy, you should consult your doctor.

For what symptoms should you call an ambulance?

Signs of anxiety that should promptly take your child to the doctor include:

1. Attack of suffocation.
2. Swelling of the larynx.
3. Severe rash over the entire surface of the skin.
4. A sharp increase in temperature.
5. Severe headache.
6. Incessant vomiting and constant nausea.

The listed symptoms indicate serious violations of vital organs, so if they appear, you need to call an ambulance. At night, parents should monitor the child's condition. The presence of episodes of suffocation is a reason to hospitalize the baby, since it is not always possible to quickly respond to an attack without the intervention of a doctor.

How to help at home

Self-treatment is only permissible for mild coughs. In more severe cases of pathology, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Self-medication is dangerous because home methods usually only eliminate the symptoms of the disease. They blur the picture of the infection, the parents think that the child has gotten better. In fact, the pathology continues to progress.

A child with a night cough should definitely be seen by a doctor. After examination and diagnosis, the specialist prescribes specialized treatment. You can use additional folk remedies, but only together with therapy, and not instead of it.

Sufficient indoor humidity

Coughing may occur due to dry air in the bedroom. The bronchial tree is irritated by dust particles that enter the respiratory tract, which leads to the appearance of a symptom.

Therefore, before going to bed, it is recommended to ventilate the room and do a little wet cleaning. At the moment of ventilation, you need to take the baby to another room so that he does not get blown out.

You can use special air humidifiers that quickly saturate the bedroom with moisture.

Bathing

Immediately before bedtime, it is necessary to carry out water procedures. They have a beneficial effect on the body. The layer of dust and dirt that inevitably accumulates during the day is removed from the skin.

Bathing also has a positive psychological effect. After water procedures, the child calms down, which reduces the likelihood of neurogenic coughing.

To achieve this effect, you can add a few drops of essential oils to the water, which have a calming effect on the baby.

Inhalations

Inhalation of saline solutions moisturizes the mucous membrane of the bronchial tree, reducing the severity of dry cough. The procedure directly affects the respiratory tract, promoting the removal of mucus. Regular use of the technique calms the child, so he falls asleep faster.

Parents should understand that inhalations should be done for bronchitis, pneumonia or colds. For other pathologies they are ineffective. It is prohibited to carry out procedures for laryngitis and allergic reactions. A contraindication to inhalation is severe fever.

Folk remedies

Home treatment methods include:

• Warm milk with honey. The solution warms the throat and stimulates local blood circulation.
• Drink plenty of water (compotes, tea with raspberries, fruit drinks). The intake of fluid into the body reduces the severity of intoxication.
• Potato compresses applied to the chest. The product has a mild effect on the condition of the respiratory tract.
• Rubbing. The procedure warms up the skin and accelerates blood circulation in the lung area.

Pharmacy drugs

To treat coughing, medications are used that have an expectorant and mucolytic effect. You can buy lozenges or baby syrups at the pharmacy without a doctor's prescription.

The most effective drugs are Mucaltin, Ambrobene, Travisil.

Regular use of these drugs stops the progression of the symptom and helps cleanse the bronchial tree by liquefying sputum and releasing it through coughing.

What to do when you cough for no apparent reason?

In some cases, the occurrence of coughing is not associated with infectious diseases - colds or flu. The appearance of a symptom for no apparent reason confuses parents and forces them to use cough medications uncontrollably. This cannot be done, since symptomatic treatment does not affect the factor that caused the clinical manifestations.

If coughing occurs that is not associated with obvious reasons, it is necessary to take the child to the pediatrician. The doctor will ask the parents in detail about their complaints, conduct an examination and prescribe an examination. Based on the test results, it will be possible to determine why the pathological cough appeared. This will allow you to begin specialized treatment and eliminate the unpleasant symptom.

Eliminate the possibility of allergies

The appearance of a symptom for no apparent reason is caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to a substance. This is especially true for bedding, for example, coughing often occurs due to down pillows.

If a child's condition worsens immediately after he goes to bed, an allergy should be suspected and special tests should be done. If the diagnosis is confirmed, completely eliminate the harmful substance from the baby’s environment and carry out special therapy.

If a foreign body is inhaled

In case of a severe attack, it is necessary to inspect the throat for a foreign object getting into it. Small toys can get stuck there, leading to breathing problems.

Parents should try to remove it themselves using tweezers. If you cannot quickly relieve attacks of dry cough in a child at night, you need to urgently call an ambulance.

If there is a risk of damaging the throat tissue with a foreign body, you should not carry out the procedure yourself - it is better to trust a healthcare professional.

Arose without any reason

If the baby can cough without external reasons, you need to contact your local pediatrician and describe the condition.

Were there any stress factors, did symptoms arise from other systems - for example, signs of digestive disorders.

The doctor will prescribe an examination that will determine the cause of the symptom. Additional consultations with other doctors may be required for an accurate diagnosis.

What should not be done during coughing attacks?

During treatment, it is forbidden to use mustard plasters on children aged 2-3 years. At an older age, they must be used with caution, since the use of the product can lead to an allergic reaction to skin irritation.

During attacks, you should not use medications uncontrollably. Parents must follow the doctor's recommendations. You should not self-medicate, as this is fraught with serious consequences.

The admission rules must be strictly followed. It is important to avoid overdosing on medications, especially antibiotics. Violation of prescriptions leads to the development of undesirable reactions.

To avoid complications, you must follow the instructions for use of the drug.

Source: https://stoporvi.ru/kashel/detskiy/pristup-kashlya-u-rebenka-nochyu-chto-delat.html

Severe cough in a child at night - causes and what to do

Cough accompanies many childhood illnesses. With the help of this symptom, the child can get rid of the respiratory irritant.

If cough did not occur, any infection would lead to serious damage to the lower or upper respiratory tract. It’s good when the cough is productive and wet, and the child can easily get rid of accumulated mucus.

It’s worse if it becomes intrusive and dry, causing considerable discomfort to the baby and his parents not only during the day, but also during sleep. When a child has a severe cough at night, it is worth thinking about it and at least contacting a pediatrician for help. After all, parents are not always able to independently determine the cause of this symptom.

Night cough in a child: causes

A child's severe cough at night may be a natural defensive reaction or a manifestation of pathology.

In the latter case, additional signs usually appear, by which an attentive parent can determine that the child is unwell. Depending on what causes this symptom, the doctor will select a comprehensive and effective treatment for the child.

Do not forget that any cough is divided into two types:

1. damp or wet (with it you can hear a distinct bubbling in the bronchi, and mucus is easily coughed up);
2. dry (spasmodic, annoying, painful, in which coughing does not bring any effect).

Allergic reaction

If you notice that your child has a strong cough at night, but the baby does not cough during the day, this may indicate an allergy.

Every parent should be wary of the fact that the attack begins the moment the baby’s head touches the pillow. The absence of catarrhal manifestations (sputum production) adds confidence that the cough is provoked by an allergy.

Check what your child's bedding is made of. Often an allergic reaction occurs to sheepskin and feathers. Have you recently changed your baby's pajamas? Check its composition as well.

Perhaps the cough will disappear along with them.

You will also be interested in:

• Causes and treatment of Allergic cough in children

Viral infection

A child may cough at night due to a common cold. Often a viral infection is accompanied by mucus in the nose and throat. Sputum drains into the larynx as soon as the child assumes a horizontal position.

As a result of this irritation, a cough begins. In most cases, this symptom is productive, but with large volumes of sputum, it is difficult for the baby to cough it up. As soon as the baby gets better, the night cough will go away on its own.

Bacterial pathologies of the lower parts of the respiratory system

• Diseases such as laryngitis, bronchitis, whooping cough, pneumonia (caused by bacteria) provoke attacks of night cough in children.
• They are often accompanied by vomiting, as the child gets into trouble and simply cannot stop.
• If a child has a dry cough repeatedly at night, you should show the baby to a doctor as soon as possible.
• Only a doctor can prescribe effective medications to eliminate this symptom.
• But do not forget that in case of bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, the baby will need complex therapy, and not just symptomatic remedies.

Other reasons

Bronchial asthma and cystic fibrosis can cause nighttime coughing attacks in children. Accumulation of dry air and poor ventilation also provokes this symptom.

Gastro-food reflux is accompanied by a night cough, while during the day the child looks completely healthy. It is almost impossible to determine the cause of this anxiety on your own.

Doctors strongly do not recommend risking the health of children and self-medicating.

First aid: how to relieve a coughing attack?

1. Home methods, including inhalations and herbal decoctions, will help relieve a child’s cough at night, and drug therapy will help completely cure its cause.
2. If your child has a disturbing symptom that prevents him from sleeping, then you should resort to effective methods that will help you survive these few hours.
3. Even if these rules help you, don’t be too lazy to go to the pediatrician the next morning.

Any herbal decoctions, fruit drinks based on vitamin C, juice, baby milk, as well as plain water will help calm a child’s cough at night. Place a bottle or glass next to the crib, and if a cough appears, give the baby a little drink.

The liquid will soothe an irritated throat, wash away remaining mucus from the larynx, and moisturize dry mucous membranes. Giving your child more to drink is the first thing that should come to your mind.

Do not forget that herbal infusions should not be given to children under 6 months of age, as they can cause allergies.

• Setting the right conditions.

If your baby starts coughing, pay attention to the environment. Is it very warm at home? Lower the temperature! Is the air predominantly dry? Hydrate it! You can almost immediately stop your child’s cough at night.

If you see that the baby’s nose is not breathing, then the use of saline solutions and vasoconstrictor nasal agents will help normalize the little patient’s condition. To survive until the morning, or rather to sleep peacefully, rinse your nasal passages with special products for children:

• Aqualor,
• Aquamaris,
• Rinostop,
• Dolphin.

And drop the drops:

You can use those products that have already been tested by your baby and are in your home medicine cabinet. Do not forget that the use of vasoconstrictor medications for the nose should not last more than three days in a row.

Inhalation procedures

Doctors unanimously say that inhalations for both dry and wet coughs are extremely effective.

Their action is almost immediate, and contraindications are either absent or minimal.

But many parents make the main mistake: they perform steam inhalations. This should not be done if you have allergies, laryngitis or fever.

It is worth refraining from such self-medication and resorting to the cold method. The procedure is carried out using a special device: a nebulizer.

Let the child breathe in saline solution or ordinary mineral water. The mucous membranes of the irritated respiratory tract will be moistened, and this will calm a strong cough at night, and the little patient will be able to sleep peacefully until the morning.

Rubbing

• Warming ointments such as Doctor Mom, Badger, Vicks and others will help stop coughing at night.
• They will have an irritating and distracting effect, ease breathing, and also warm inflamed organs.
• Please note that many of these drugs are prohibited for use in children under 2-3 years of age.
• Rubbing can be carried out only if the child’s cough occurs without fever.

Effective treatments

1. What to do if a child’s severe cough at night is regular?
2. First of all, you need to consult a doctor and, taking into account the individual characteristics of the little patient and the nature of the disease, he will prescribe effective medications.
3. Here's what your doctor can recommend for you to finally get rid of the root cause of the symptom:

You should take such medications only after examination. Never give antibacterial medications to a child yourself.

• For pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, penicillins are usually prescribed: Amoxiclav, Augmentin, Flemoxin.
• If the bacterial disease occurs in a sluggish form and is not accompanied by a high temperature, then macrolides can be used: Sumamed, Azitrus.
• Cephalosporins are prescribed to children for pneumonia, acute bronchitis and other serious pathologies of the lower respiratory system.
• Antiviral drugs and immunomodulators.

Such drugs will help speed up the treatment of cough caused by a viral infection. A strong child with good immunity can completely do without them, but doctors like to prescribe at least something.

For young children, the drugs Ergoferon, Anaferon, Bronchomunal are recommended. From 4 years old you can use the popular Cycloferon, and from 7 years old the long-known Rimantadine.

You will find a complete list of antiviral drugs by age in this article.

Syrups

Any treatment for cough comes down to the use of anti-inflammatory drugs that normalize the functioning of the lower respiratory system.

Askoril, Erespal, Siresp - syrups for young children. The listed agents and others like them also have an antispasmodic effect. You should not expect an instant effect from them.

Therapy usually lasts at least 5 days.

You will also be interested in:

• Antitussive medications are a faithful assistant for night coughs.

But such drugs should be given to children only with the permission of a doctor, since in some situations they can be harmful. Bronholitin, Codelac NEO, Libexin, Sinekod and other agents affect the respiratory center, calming it. The cough stops instantly. But do you need it?

• Expectorants are often used to treat nighttime coughs.

They should only be taken during the daytime. If you give Ambrobene, Lazolvan, ACC, Fluditec and other similar drugs to your child before bedtime, the cough will only get worse.

All treatment options can be supplemented with inhalations. A popular and safe medicine for young children is Berodual. It is used diluted in saline solution.

The drug has a dilating effect on the bronchi, which normalizes the child’s condition within a few minutes.

If there is no effect from the use of medications, the pulmonologist may prescribe Pulmicort to the child.

This is a hormonal drug that has an anti-inflammatory, normalizing effect on breathing. The drug is most often used for bronchial asthma, but can also be prescribed for other diseases.

Let's sum it up

Attacks of night cough torment children and their parents. The reasons for the appearance of this symptom can be very different: from a runny nose and adenoiditis to pneumonia.

Do not forget that there is also a so-called psychosomatic cough. To get rid of the disturbing manifestation quickly and without complications, be sure to consult a doctor.

Labored breathing. Cough without stopping. What to do? — Dr. Komarovsky

Source: https://pneumoniae.net/silnyj-nochnoj-kashel-u-rebenka/

Coughing attacks in a child at night: how to help?

Night cough in a child is a problem that almost all parents have encountered. Coughing attacks not only disturb the baby’s sleep, but also exhaust him and deprive him of strength. Most parents begin to stuff their child with all sorts of syrups and tablets, which often only worsen the situation. Therefore, before providing any help to the baby, it is worth understanding the reason that causes these attacks.

Types of cough

• There are several types of cough in children, each of which can be considered as a symptom of a specific disease.
• If a baby suddenly develops a strong and incessant dry cough with barking sounds at night, while sputum is either not produced at all or is produced in small quantities, this may indicate that the child has an acute viral inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.
• If the cough is dry at first and becomes wet over time, developing bronchitis can be suspected.
• If the cough immediately begins with sputum production, you will need to check the baby for the possibility of pneumonia.

If the cough is accompanied by severe spasms, there is a high probability of developing bronchial asthma.

Spasmodic cough in newborns is often a sign of obstructive bronchitis. Children who have recently had bronchitis may often cough at night due to increased phlegm production, inflammation of the tonsils, or because mucus from the nasopharynx flows into the airways.

A cough that occurs in attacks, in which mucous lumps come out of the lungs and lasts more than a month and a half, is a sign of viral tracheobronchitis or tracheitis. Another reason for this cough is a type of whooping cough.

If greenish sputum or blood clots are released, it is necessary to urgently take the child to the doctor. Medical attention is also required if, along with a cough, the baby has a fever and shortness of breath.

Causes of cough

Why does a baby have coughing attacks at night? The fact is that when the child lies down, the mucus accumulated in the bronchi and nasopharynx gradually resolves and the body rejects it. Sometimes the cause of a cough can be air that is less humid and warm at night than during the day.

If your baby has coughing attacks at night regularly, the problem may be due to diseases such as:

• Acute viral infection - pharyngitis, rhinitis, adenoiditis, sinusitis, etc. The first days of these diseases are characterized by a dry cough, with further transition to a wet cough. The mucus that accumulates in the bronchi has an irritating effect on the receptors located in the respiratory tract, which provokes a cough. The hardest time to endure these attacks is at night, in a supine position.
• Bronchial asthma or whooping cough. These diseases can be identified by the debilitating nature of the cough. The attacks are so strong that they sometimes lead to vomiting. Asthma usually worsens in the second half of the night; a whistling sound can be heard when the child breathes. Both whooping cough and asthma are very serious and dangerous diseases that develop quickly and can cause serious complications, so you should never delay treatment.
• Allergy. If your child starts coughing immediately after going to bed, with tears flowing and difficulty breathing, then the cause is most likely an allergic reaction. It can manifest itself in dust accumulated in a pillow or mattress, washing powder, synthetic linen, and more.
• Gastroesophageal reflux. This is a condition in which food particles move from the stomach into the esophagus. In addition to coughing, this problem is almost always accompanied by regurgitation of lumps of food. Older children may often complain of heartburn, which is another symptom of reflux.
• Teething. When a baby is teething, he or she begins to salivate excessively. Saliva enters the larynx, the child chokes and coughs. Raising the head of the bed or placing the child on his side can help here.
• Worms. One of the common manifestations of worms in a baby’s body is a severe cough, which is especially pronounced at night.

Regardless of the cause of the cough, if it continues for several days, there is an increased body temperature and the baby’s condition is getting worse every day, you should immediately contact your pediatrician in order to diagnose the disease in time and prevent possible complications.

If the cough occurs as a result of a specific disease, therapy will be aimed specifically at treating this disease. For viral infections, treatment is usually done at home.

Herbal tea helps relieve cough

The following recommendations will help relieve an acute cough attack:

• The child needs to be given plenty of fluids. The liquid softens a dry cough and also helps get rid of accumulated phlegm. Herbal teas, warm milk, rosehip decoction, chicken broth, and berry juice have a good effect.
• The room where the child spends the night should be regularly ventilated. It is also recommended to wet clean this room several times a week.
• Rinsing the baby's nasopharynx with water with the addition of a small amount of salt will help get rid of excess mucus that provokes coughing attacks.
• If the room temperature is too high, you will need to lower it. Dry warm air has an irritating effect on the baby's respiratory tract, intensifying coughing attacks.

The most common remedies against dry cough are:

• Antitussive non-narcotic drugs - Glauvent, Sinekod, Tusuprex, Sedotussin.
• Agents that soothe respiratory tract receptors: Levopront, Libexin.

If the cough is wet, accompanied by mucus, the following drugs may be prescribed: Tussin, Doctor Mom, Pectusin, Terpinhydrate, Marshmallow syrup, Glyceram.

Antihistamines are contraindicated for use in children under 6 months of age. In addition, breast rubbing and steam inhalation are prohibited for newborns. You can ease the passage of sputum and reduce the frequency of coughing attacks by turning the baby over in his sleep.

Traditional methods

Traditional methods

Many folk remedies can relieve nighttime coughing attacks in children. It is recommended that you consult your doctor before using any of these recipes.

• Cool sage boiled in milk, strain and let the child drink this decoction at night.
• For dry coughs, honey or butter helps a lot. One teaspoon before bed is enough.
• Tea with raspberry jam will help relieve a dry cough at night.
• Steam inhalations with the addition of cedar or sage essential oils to the water.
• Black radish. It is cut into small cubes, sprinkled with a spoon of sugar and placed in the oven, where it is baked for 1.5 hours. You will get a paste that needs to be strained and given to the baby 2-3 spoons a day. An ordinary radish will also help with a cough - you need to cut out its core and pour honey into it. After steeping, the honey will absorb the radish juice. Give it to your child in the same way as black radish.
• Rubbing the child's chest with vodka. After such rubbing, you need to dress the baby in a warm sweater and wrap a scarf around his neck.

A certain diet will help reduce attacks of night cough. Hercules porridges, vegetables and fruits high in vitamin C, radish salads, purees, freshly squeezed juices - these dishes relieve spasms and alleviate the baby’s condition.

We recommend contacting a specialist!

Source: https://12mama.ru/zdorove-rebenka/pristupy-kashlya-u-rebenka-nochyu.html

A child has a severe cough at night, what to do and how to help

A child's night cough is most often a symptom of a viral (dry) or bacterial infection (wet). If a child has a severe cough at night, what to do in this situation? First of all, it is worth establishing the cause of the problem.

The child coughs at night and in cases of more serious illnesses. A dry, tedious cough at night may indicate asthma or sinusitis. A nighttime cough in infants and young children may indicate laryngitis.

Night cough in a child is a serious problem, especially if it lasts long enough. This leads to the child waking up several times during sleep and in the morning looking sleepy and tired.

Sleep does not bring him rest and restoration. There are many different causes of coughing at night. It is worth paying attention to additional symptoms that accompany a cough. A correct diagnosis will allow for proper treatment.

Why does my child cough at night?

A child's night cough is most often a symptom of a cold or a mild form of a viral infection. It's hard, tiring and can disrupt your sleep patterns.

Although this is not a cause for particular concern, the problem still requires symptomatic treatment. A wet cough at night is most often a chronic bacterial infection.

Night cough in a small child in other cases is usually associated with bronchial obstruction caused by spasm and swelling of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.

Bronchial asthma.

Sinusitis.

The pathological process of the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses is caused by a viral or bacterial infection. A dry cough at night and in the evening is a sign of secretions from the air sinuses.

• Acute laryngitis.
• This disease is caused by viruses and occurs more often in children between 6 months and 3 years of age.
• Gastro-food reflux.

This is the passive flow of food from the stomach into the esophagus due to decreased tension in the esophageal sphincter. Promotes heartburn or vomiting.

Chronic sinusitis.

In this case, there is copious flow of mucus down the back wall of the throat. Occurs in both viral and bacterial respiratory tract infections. The cause is the flu, rhinitis or the common cold.

Whooping cough.

The disease manifests itself at night and early in the morning. This is an acute infectious disease with paroxysmal cough.

Circulatory disorders.

It is quite rare as a cause of dry cough at night in a child. The pathology develops due to improper functioning of the left ventricle of the heart.

Allergens and dry air: can also contribute to the occurrence of night cough.

Various allergens are often the cause of night coughs.

Symptoms of night cough in a child

Often the only symptom of bronchial asthma in children is a dry cough (the so-called cough variant of asthma). Cough is observed without sputum discharge. If bronchial asthma is severe, coughing occurs both during the day and attacks occur at night.

Another symptom indicating bronchial asthma is shortness of breath. Attacks also occur at night (at about 3-4 am), wheezing, a feeling of tightness in the chest and lack of air.

If the cause of coughing at night is inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, a runny nose, fever, pain in the orbital area and nasal discharge are formed.

A child's night cough during acute inflammation of the larynx has a characteristic sound, described as a barking or guttural cough.

If a child is suspected of having heart failure, symptoms that may suggest a diagnosis include: shortness of breath, changes in the lungs, fatigue, lack of appetite, swelling, poor weight gain and excessive sweating.

The child also coughs heavily at night if he has whooping cough. After a series of several attacks, the child takes a deep breath and again coughs violently, until he loses consciousness.

During a deep breath, the child's cough resembles the crow of a rooster. During whooping cough, petechiae can be observed in a child on the skin of the face, neck and conjunctiva. The cough may result in vomiting.

Dry and wet cough in a child at night - what tests to do

If there is a suspicion that

• the child has asthma, you should pay attention to allergic diseases and perform a lung spirogram. You can do spot skin tests, as well as assess the concentration of IgE in the blood serum.
• Diagnosis of sinusitis is based on clinical examination and examination of the nasal cavities.
• Acute forms of laryngitis are most often diagnosed based on clinical symptoms.

Inhalations are an excellent treatment for cough in children

If reflux is suspected, 24-hour pH-metry of the esophagus, endoscopic examination with biopsy, X-ray examination, and contrast study are performed.

Whooping cough can be diagnosed based on the clinical picture and information about contact with the patient. Laboratory tests require a blood test. In case of doubt, performs serological tests of sputum and throat swab.

How to help your baby with a night cough

To effectively treat a child’s night cough, it is necessary to carry out a good differential diagnosis that will indicate its cause. Only after a correct diagnosis is made is effective treatment possible.

If a child has asthma, treatment uses inhalations of fast-acting drugs that must be prescribed strictly by a doctor (for example, Theophylline or Berodual).

Whooping cough cough is treated by administering medications to thin the mucus. Facilitates its evacuation from the respiratory tract by inhalation with 0.9% sodium chloride.

Severe inflammation of the paranasal sinuses is an indication for antibiotic therapy. You can use local intranasal saline solution for rinsing and inhalation.

There are no medications that effectively and safely control reflux symptoms.

In the treatment of inflammation of the larynx, glucocorticoids, hydration, and inhalations are used. It is worth remembering to humidify and ventilate the room in which the child is located.

If the cause of cough in infants is gastrointestinal reflux, the baby should be fed formula and anti-reflux prophylaxis should be used (lying position: head higher than the rest of the body).

In older children, it is sufficient to avoid large meals immediately before bedtime, and also use positional therapy (head higher than the body, sleep only on the side).

Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment

If conservative treatment is not effective, surgery is required.

When a child coughs a lot at night, what should parents do in this situation? First of all, do not panic, monitor the baby’s condition and be sure to show him to the doctor in the morning.

It is important not to leave very little ones alone in the room at night. In case of severe illness, the child may need emergency care.

Source: https://DokSovet.ru/u-rebenka-silnyj-kashel-nochyu-chto-delat/

The child coughs at night, but not during the day, what does Komarovsky recommend?

The child coughs at night, but not during the day; Komarovsky in this case reminds that a cough is only a sign of an existing disease. What could be the causes of the pathology? This is what we will talk about.

Causes of night cough

A child coughs at night, but not during the day, Komarovsky considers various causes of night cough.

Cough is a defense mechanism. In this way, the child’s body tries to get rid of pathogens on its own. Most often, the bronchi and respiratory tract are involved in the inflammatory process.

The most common causes of night cough :

• Allergic reaction . Anything can provoke such a response from the body, from food to pillow filling and plants in the room. As a rule, in this case, the child also develops other symptoms: allergic conjunctivitis, itchy rash, etc.
• ARVI . Simultaneously with the cough, other pathological symptoms develop: body temperature rises, pain appears when swallowing, and general weakness develops. The cause of the cough reflex is the accumulation of mucus in the bronchi. In a horizontal position, its passage is difficult, which explains the development of attacks of night cough.
• Whooping cough . The disease is characterized by the development of severe coughing attacks at night.
• Bronchial asthma . In this case, the attack develops in the morning.
• Parasitic infection . When helminths enter the lungs, the child may also experience severe attacks of night cough.
• Pulmonary tuberculosis . A prolonged dry cough (more than a calendar month) that cannot be treated requires qualified medical advice.

Dry cough at night - what could be the reasons?

The child coughs at night, but not during the day. Komarovsky believes that a child may develop a dry cough at night for the following reasons:

• Whooping cough . Attacks of dry cough develop in a child at night. The result is the discharge of viscous sputum and even vomiting. During an attack caused by whooping cough, the child takes a forced position: he leans forward and puts out a tense tongue with the tip curved up from his mouth. Breathing heavy. At the exit you can clearly hear wheezing and whistling. This disease is very dangerous in terms of infection: the child remains dangerous to people around him within a calendar month from the onset of the disease.
• Laryngitis . The pathology is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx and is a symptom of a cold/infectious disease. It develops in a child at the beginning of the disease and looks like annoying coughing shocks caused by the accumulation of thickened mucus.
• Heart disease . In some cases, attacks of dry night cough can be a symptom of heart pathologies. The provoking cause is stagnation of blood in the pulmonary circulation, which is one of the signs of heart failure. If the child does not have any other pathological symptoms, then he should be shown to a cardiologist.
• Reflux esophagitis . The condition is caused by the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. It causes severe irritation of the mucous membranes of the throat, to which the body responds by developing a cough reflex.

Wet cough at night - causes

A wet cough differs from a dry cough by the ability to discharge viscous sputum. Very often it is accompanied by a runny nose. Such attacks are typical for acute bronchitis and respiratory infections. Additionally, the child exhibits pathological symptoms :

• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx and pharynx;
• redness and swelling of the throat.

Causes of a wet cough can also be:

• pharyngitis - inflammation of the lymphoid tissue of the throat;
• tracheitis - damage to the tracheal mucosa of infectious origin;
• teething (in children of the first year of life);
• inflammation of the adenoids.

A wet night cough is one of the symptoms of inflammation of the maxillary sinuses . The attacks are caused by the drainage of purulent contents along the back wall of the larynx.

If during the day the child swallows mucous discharge, then at night, due to being in a horizontal position, the mucus penetrates the respiratory tract. Hence the severe attacks of wet cough. They can occur several times a night. You can get rid of a cough only by curing the underlying disease - sinusitis.

The child coughs without stopping - possible reasons

If a child coughs without stopping, the reasons may be as follows:

• Respiratory infection. In this case, attacks of debilitating cough are accompanied by redness of the throat, runny nose and increased body temperature.
• Pleurisy/pneumonia. These diseases are characterized by a strong cough reflex, accompanied by the development of shortness of breath, coughing and vomiting.
• Inflammation of bronchioles. If the child has already been diagnosed with bronchitis, then bouts of painful coughing indicate the development of bronchoscopic syndrome/inflammation of the bronchioles.
• Bronchial asthma. The disease is characterized by a severe cough that occurs in the morning.
• False croup. The condition is characterized by a non-stop cough that develops at night. Additional signs include hoarseness and heavy breathing.
• Whooping cough. Severe attacks occur at night. Ends with vomiting.
• Inflammation of the pharynx and larynx (laryngitis).

The cause of the development of a prolonged night cough may be conditions that are in no way related to respiratory diseases:

• Allergic reaction. In addition to coughing, the child may develop swelling.
• Foreign object in the respiratory tract. It can also cause non-stop coughing as the body tries to get rid of it.
• Dry air in a child's bedroom. In this case, the baby also develops uncontrollable coughing attacks.
• Cough of nervous origin. The unhealthy psychological situation in the child’s family is to blame.

Komarovsky: a pediatrician’s opinion on night cough

Dr. Komarovsky classifies night cough as a symptom of the disease and urges parents to treat not the cough reflex, but the disease that provoked it.

The pediatrician warns that the use of any cough suppressant medications is strictly prohibited. Before starting treatment, the child must be shown to a doctor and the specialist, based on the patient’s current condition, will prescribe the necessary medications.

How to treat a child: how to help him

How to treat a child, how to relieve a night cough? First of all, before going to bed, the room must be thoroughly ventilated and the air humidity level must be controlled.

A warm drink gives a good result. Your child can be given drinks such as:

• warm tea with a slice of lemon;
• tea with honey and milk;
• milk with honey;
• herbal teas - chamomile, sage, thyme, St. John's wort;
• fruit drinks and compotes from berries;
• green tea with a small piece of ginger.

A warm drink has a warming and soothing effect on the upper respiratory tract. Drinking facilitates the passage of mucus, helping to thin it. The mucus begins to release the bronchi, and the child experiences temporary relief.

The second method is to apply mustard plasters before bedtime. The warming effect they have will allow the child to sleep peacefully throughout the night. The procedure must be carried out 2 hours before bedtime, otherwise the desired result will not be obtained.

Inhalations help relieve the condition . You can use medications selected by your pediatrician or use home remedies - herbal decoctions, soda solution, essential oils (but only if there are no allergies).

The child coughs at night, but not during the day, Komarovsky warns that before starting treatment, the child needs to be shown to a pediatrician. Self-diagnosis and drug selection are unacceptable!

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