Parents often have a question, how to treat cough in children of 8 months. If the baby begins to cough, he should be shown to the pediatrician as soon as possible to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment in order to avoid complications in the future.
Causes of coughing in infants
Before treating cough in children of 8 months, you should understand the causes of its occurrence. The reasons may be:
- Acute viral, bacterial and fungal infections of the nasopharynx, bronchi and lung tissue.
- Chronic processes in the palatine tonsils, posterior pharyngeal wall, adenoids, larynx, trachea, bronchial tree and lungs.
- Foreign objects in the baby’s airways (buttons, balls, small toys and their fragments, feathers, specks).
- Toxic toxic effect of tobacco smoke, paints and varnishes, exhaust gases.
- Dry air in the room where the baby is.
- Heart disease (defects, heart failure).
- Reflexogenic cough with teething.
- An allergic cough in the presence of an allergen in the air (dust, feather, hair and animal dander).
- Helminthic infestations during the migration of parasites throughout the body and their entry into the lungs cause a cough and can be very dangerous.
Cough in a child under 1 year old
Coughing is a reflex for irritation of the receptors of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. The presence of receptor clusters in the epiglottis, vocal cords, tracheal bifurcation, branches of the bronchi cause it to intensify when these sections of the airways are involved. At the initial stage of the infectious process, the cough is dry, there is no separation of sputum, which causes severe discomfort to the baby. Coughing fits are accompanied by pain in the walls of the airways. The child is in a restless state, sleeps poorly, eats less, cries.
A dry barking cough in a child of 8 months may indicate damage to the larynx, this often happens with a viral infection (parainfluenza). This disease is often complicated by swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and vocal cords, which, if not rendered in a timely manner, can result in death.
A wet cough appears when there is a large amount of sputum and its discharge. The children's airways are very small and narrow, and the muscles are weak, therefore, babies cannot cough out sputum even with a wet cough. Therefore, with the appearance of sputum, a cough remedy for children of 8 months should help to remove it from the lungs of the child. In addition, treatment should be aimed at the main cause of the disease, that is, kill the pathogen in the presence of infection.
How to treat cough in children of 8 months
Antitussive drugs for babies should be safe and have an age-appropriate release form (drops).
Medicines that help cough up and remove sputum, which protect the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract from damage and have an anti-inflammatory effect:
- "Panatus" in drops is applicable in pediatrics from two months of age. The medicine contains as active substance butamirate citrate, which has a blocking effect on certain parts of the brain. This helps alleviate the condition of the baby with a dry cough. In addition, the drug expands the bronchi, which helps to improve respiratory functions, and also reduces the intensity of inflammation.
- "Sinecode" is a drop with an identical active substance. Children under one year of age are prescribed with a dry cough, up to 10 drops four times a day.
- Drops "Stoptussin" are combined, incorporate butamirate dihydrocytrate, the effect of which is described above, as well as guaifenesin. The latter has the property of enhancing the secretion of mucus to protect the walls of the respiratory organs from cough damage, reduce the viscosity of sputum and increase its excretion by activating ciliated cells of the bronchial tree epithelium. It is allowed to use it from six months of age, according to weight (the maximum amount is 100 drops per day, the amount must be divided into 4 doses).
- "Lazolvan" (syrup for children) according to the instructions for use is allowed up to 12 years. For babies, the drug is prescribed only under the strict supervision of a pediatrician, taking into account all contraindications and adverse events.
- "Ambrobene" - a syrup for children under one year old - contains the same active substance - Ambroxol hydrochloride, which has the property of diluting and removing phlegm. The medication increases the secretion of surfactant substance by the lung cells, which protects the bronchial mucosa.
Contraindications to antitussive drugs
Parents need to know what to give their child 8 months of cough, taking into account not only his age, but also contraindications to antitussive drugs.
"Panatus" is contraindicated in case of individual sensitivity to butyrate, as well as for babies under the age of two months.
"Sinecode" is not prescribed for hypersensitivity to the active substance and minor components (sorbitol).
"Stoptussin" is forbidden for myasthenia gravis and children up to six months of age, as well as for allergies to all components of the drops.
"Lazolvan" ("Ambrobene") can not be taken with fructose intolerance, lack of enzymes that process sucrose, glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome, individual ambroxol intolerance.
Side effects of antitussive drugs
"Panatus", according to the instructions, can cause dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash and other allergic reactions.
"Sinecode" in rare cases has unpleasant consequences in the form of drowsiness, nausea, loose stools, allergic rashes and itching.
“Stoptussin” in one percent of cases can cause headache, drowsiness, dizziness, decreased appetite, nausea, regurgitation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, allergic rashes. To get rid of undesirable manifestations, the number of drops is reduced.
Instructions for use of the syrup for children "Lazolvan" indicates that the drug may cause allergic reactions. Rarely able to worsen the digestive system (nausea, vomiting, loose stools, pain, constipation). Headache, hyperthermia, dryness of the oral mucosa, and urination disorders (in very rare cases) may occur.
Forms of release and prices for cough medicines
"Panatus" for infants is available in the form of 4mg / 5 ml drops. The cost of the drug is 220 rubles.
Sinecode for babies from two months old is released in drops of 20 ml. The price in the pharmacy chain is from 336 to 434 rubles.
"Stoptussin" in drops is applicable from six months. It costs in pharmacies from 75 to 399 rubles, depending on the size of the bottle.
Admission "Lazolvana" ("Ambrobene") in children up to a year is consistent with the pediatrician. Syrup 15mg / 5ml and a solution of 7.5mg / ml are sold from 98 to 390 rubles, it all depends on the manufacturer.
Reviews of pediatricians and parents
If we systematize the reviews of doctors and parents about the medications that they use to facilitate the discharge of sputum, then the cough medicine for children of 8 months, which occupies a leading position among the above medicines, is Stoptussin drops, which received positive reviews in almost 90% of cases.
"Sinecode" takes an honorable second place, given the effectiveness and safety of use.
“Panatus” was in third place, and “Lazolvan” and “Ambrobene” took fourth position.
Non-drug activities
How to treat cough in children of 8 months in addition to drugs?
Traditional medicine comes to the rescue, but you should not abuse it because of the large number of allergic reactions.
For infants with inflammatory processes in the throat, a decoction of chamomile helps well, you need to cook it according to the instructions indicated on the package. And you can use the broth up to three teaspoons six times a day.
The amount of fluid in inflammatory diseases should be increased in order to quickly remove toxins from the body.
Alcohol, vinegar compresses and mustard plasters are contraindicated, since the baby's skin is very delicate, burns from such agents can easily appear on it.
Useful for diseases of the respiratory system is a light massage of the chest and back, including circular stroking movements, tapping the ribs of the palms and kneading the skin.
If the cause of the cough is not an infection, then the first thing to do is to eliminate the source of cough from the room where the baby is. It is forbidden to smoke in the house where there is a baby, to use paints and varnishes. All allergens should be excluded, tests for the presence of parasites.
When teething, it is necessary to alleviate the fate of the baby with the help of special tools.
Cough Prevention in Toddlers
Preventive measures include:
- Hardening the baby from the first days. The room should not be hot, clothes are too warm. When bathing, infuse the baby's legs with cool water, gradually moving to other parts of the body. But provided that the child is healthy.
- Daily walks in the fresh air.
- Ventilate the nursery at least three times a day.
- Regular cleaning with mopping and dust removal.
- Humidification, especially during the heating season.
- Massage of the chest, back and feet, as there are a large number of points on the feet that increase the body's immune defense.
- Breastfeeding and proper introduction of complementary foods containing vitamins and minerals.
Such simple actions will help prevent the disease and improve the health of the baby.