An unproductive cough in a child is one of the most common reasons that you have to contact a pediatrician. This is an extremely unpleasant symptom that causes severe discomfort in the baby, and in parents - anxiety. Painful and uncontrolled seizures exhaust the patient throughout the day, and at night simply keep him awake. A series of regularly returning coughs irritates the mucous membrane of the throat and injures it. All this contributes to the appearance of unpleasant and painful sensations. In some cases, a dry and intense cough even causes vomiting, minor skin hemorrhages, and loss of consciousness.
The main task of parents at the same time, as quickly and efficiently as possible to alleviate the condition of the child, weaken the severity and frequency of attacks, relieve inflammation in the throat. In this article, we will talk about the symptoms of an unproductive cough, its causes, methods of treatment and the advice that doctors give.
How to determine the ailment?
An unproductive cough in a child is not as easy to determine as it might seem at first glance. Some parents claim that this can be considered so if there is no sputum, but in reality this is not so. The absence or presence of sputum is not enough to accurately establish its type. For example, in primary school children, even in the presence of sputum in the bronchi, coughing may not be accompanied by its discharge. This is due to poor development of the muscles of the chest. A more viscous sputum consistency in children than in adults plays a role in the formation of an unproductive cough in a child. That is why expectoration and coughing up sputum can not be quite effective.
An additional sign that will help determine that a child has an unproductive cough is to determine the source of his sound. A wet cough, which is accompanied by sputum separation, most often comes from the depths of the chest. But dry is formed mainly in the larynx.
In this case, the inflammatory process develops in the mucous membrane of the pharynx and on the back wall of the larynx. This provokes sensations of soreness, tickling and characteristic tickling. There is a feeling that something is annoying and constantly interferes.
Due to the cough reflex, impulses of irritation of the laryngeal mucosa enter the center of the brain. All this also stimulates a cough. Each new attack of dry unproductive cough in a child causes a new irritation and trauma to the mucous membrane, which occurs due to forced air flows. The vicious circle closes. As a result, the cough itself becomes the cause of the cough.
It should be clearly understood how a dry unproductive cough in a child differs from a wet one. In our case, seizures usually follow one after another, without bringing any relief to the patient. Moreover, with a wet cough, sputum discharge improves the condition of the child, at least for a while. But due to the fact that with a dry cough, sputum is absent, the true cause is the dryness of the mucous membrane of the larynx and its intense irritation.
Each new attack only worsens the overall well-being of the child. In some particularly severe cases, coughing can even be uncontrollable and unpredictable. The child is not able to independently stop coughing attacks, even just inhale.
It is worth noting that when a cough comes from the chest, but is not accompanied by sputum separation, it can no longer be called dry. Finally, another criterion that helps to accurately determine the type of cough in a child is the sound that it makes. With the formation of sputum, it will be gurgling and deaf, and in the case of an unproductive cough, it becomes swollen, loud, nosad and crackling. Because of this, he is more often called still barking, to some he resembles a dog barking.
As a result of a strong unproductive cough in a child, the patient is greatly exhausted and weakens. It is impossible to recover even in a dream, since the attacks do not depend on the time of day. As a result, it’s not possible to get enough sleep.
Causes
The main cause of unproductive cough is ARVI, that is, acute respiratory viral infections. Dry cough is mainly characteristic in the initial period of the disease; it is present in the first two days of the development of the common cold. Once on the surface of the respiratory tract, viruses contribute to the development of edema, inflammation, irritation of the throat and mucous membrane of the posterior wall of the larynx.
A frequent unproductive cough in a child is a classic companion of all kinds of colds. In particular, tracheitis, laryngitis, laryngotracheitis, in some cases bronchitis. In addition to the initial period of acute respiratory viral infections, such attacks occur even at the final stage of a cold, when the patient already begins a recovery period. A cough may appear some time after the illness. In this case, he, as a rule, will be characterized by obsessive and infrequent coughing. Then they talk about dry residual cough. It happens that such residual effects persist for one and a half to two months after an acute cold.
Finally, in addition to directly respiratory diseases, an unproductive cough accompanies a number of childhood infections. For example, whooping cough. It can also be a manifestation of an allergic reaction, a consequence of irritation of the respiratory tract by vapors of aggressive and corrosive chemicals, and also the result of inhalation of the smallest foreign particles suspended in the air - ash, dust, smog, burning.
If there is no temperature
There may be other causes of unproductive cough in a child. Without temperature, the body does not activate immunity to fight the disease. As a rule, in such a situation, it is assumed that some foreign body has got into the throat. This stimulus can be of various sizes. For example, to be a piece of food, a part of a children's toy, and even the most ordinary, at first glance, dust.
Without temperature, a child’s unproductive cough usually begins abruptly, accompanied by characteristic signs of suffocation. In such a situation, it is important to provide first aid to the baby as soon as possible. You need to do this as delicately as possible so as not to scare him. The most effective way is to put it on your knee with your body and head down. Then open your mouth and clear your throat, making several sliding strokes from top to bottom between the shoulder blades. Even if the item that caused the cough pops up and all the symptoms stop, you still need to call a doctor. The situation should not be left to chance. After checking the airways, the doctor must make sure that the danger has passed, the baby did not hurt himself.
An unproductive cough that is not accompanied by fever occurs in infants under the age of one year. It usually starts in the morning. Its function is to release the upper respiratory tract from sputum, which accumulated overnight. It is considered normal when children can cough in this way several times a day.
Treatment features
But if the reason lies in some kind of disease, you need to know how to treat an unproductive cough in a child. The choice of therapy and specific medicines is the prerogative of the doctor. In this situation, they are not advised to engage in amateur performances, only a professional will be able to analyze all the nuances, to draw up a complete clinical picture.
In the treatment of unproductive cough, a child has several fundamental features. First, you need to understand that such a symptom does not always indicate a cold. To exclude other diseases, the child must be shown to a specialist, and then precisely follow his recommendations.
Secondly, when purchasing medicines in a pharmacy, be sure to consider the form of release. Small children are not recommended to give drugs in the form of capsules or tablets. Due to their size, it will be difficult for them to swallow. In this situation, it is preferable to use liquid dosage forms. These are syrups, drops, solutions and elixirs. The selection of a specific drug and its dose depends on the weight of the child and his age. In most cases, liquid products are sold complete with a measuring device - a glass or a spoon.
Thirdly, the composition of the drug itself plays an important role. Before buying, you need to study the instructions, find out at what age it is allowed to take this drug, as well as with what duration and frequency. Please note which main and auxiliary components the manufacturer indicates. Be sure to read the sections on side effects and contraindications.
Fourth, always remember the general rules that should help you alleviate the condition of the baby. Provide him with peace, limit his communication with other family members. Give the patient as much fluid as possible, such as tea, warm milk. It is advisable to humidify the air in the room where the patient is. To do this, there are special moisturizers that help to quickly and effectively improve the patient's condition.
Ways
Now we will understand in detail how to treat an unproductive cough in a child. Due to the fact that this disease in most cases develops against a cold, the main forces should be directed to the fight against respiratory viruses. In the treatment of dry unproductive cough in children, complex therapy is used. These are antiviral etiotropic drugs. True, some modern specialists doubt their effectiveness.
It must be borne in mind that with an unproductive cough, the patient is very irritated by the mucous membrane of the larynx. Therefore, it is important to use products that have a softening effect. It can be honey, warm milk, butter. They will not relieve the most unpleasant symptom, but they can significantly alleviate the condition of the patient, neutralize the discomfort in the throat. To do this, use warm drink, which partially suppresses the cough reflex and reduces intoxication of the body. It is important to consider the type of drink. Fruit drinks and fruit juices are contraindicated in this case, as they can cause the opposite effect, intensifying a dry cough due to irritation of the mucous membrane, which is already damaged.
Another option than treating a dry unproductive cough in a child is lozenges for resorption. They have a local effect, reducing inflammation, reducing the severity of the cough reflex at the peripheral level. These agents may be of plant origin or contain synthesized substances. Many of these lozenges have a combined composition, which includes an antiseptic with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and an anesthetic with an analgesic effect. When using lozenges and candies, be sure to consider how old the patient is. To have a positive effect on the mucosa, they must be completely absorbed. However, babies often swallow them, which in this case will not make any sense. In addition, it is important to ensure that too small a child does not inhale them "wrong way."
Finally, another type of drug for unproductive coughs in children is drugs that suppress symptoms by acting directly on the cough center. They quickly improve the condition of the child, simply inhibiting the cough reflex. With an unproductive cough, this is not dangerous, since there is no sputum in the lungs and bronchi. As a result, increased suppression of cough does not entail unpleasant consequences in the form of stagnation.
By blocking the cough center, it is possible to effectively break the cough reflex, breaking the vicious circle. Reducing the frequency, intensity and severity of dry cough will alleviate the condition of a small patient, will give him the opportunity to restore strength and fully relax. It is recommended to give such drugs before bedtime so that the child can fully sleep.
Means of treatment
In the treatment of unproductive cough, two types of drugs are used. These are means that have a direct effect on the cough center and peripheral links of the cough reflex.
Medicines that affect the cough center act for a longer time, their effect can be selective. The main thing is that they do not oppress the nearby breathing center. In this they are fundamentally different from the antitussive drugs of the early generations, whose action was based on codeine. At the same time, they are in no way inferior to them in terms of efficiency, severity of action and reliability. Due to their safety, they can be used for a sufficiently long time without the formation of addiction and dependence.
Among the popular agents that have a central effect, called butamirate-based drugs are called. This is the name of the compound with a long period of practical use. It has by now been well studied in all kinds of clinical trials. The main active ingredient butamirate suppresses the excitation of the cough center, located directly in the medulla oblongata. Moreover, it has an anti-inflammatory effect, which further increases its benefit.
It should be noted that one of the main requirements that apply to cough medicines for children is their safety. Modern drugs are often allowed to give to infants already from two months of age, so they are harmless. For the smallest medicines, they are produced in the form of drops, for older patients, syrup for children with an unproductive cough is recommended. You can dose it with a special measuring spoon.
Talking about antitussive drugs that have peripheral effects, they primarily call drugs based on prenoxdiazine. They also do not form a drug dependence, but they are relatively short-lived - only three to four hours. They are recommended to be given in order to alleviate severe and painful attacks during the day, but they will not help to get enough sleep at night.
Parent Tips
Modern pediatricians have developed a number of tips that will help parents deal with their child's cough as quickly as possible.
When you try to cure an unproductive cough in a child, the main thing is not to harm. It is strictly forbidden to give remedies for wet and dry cough at the same time. This, ultimately, will only significantly increase the total amount of sputum. With the suppression of the cough reflex, the body is not able to effectively clear the airways of the mucus that accumulates in it. So the result of such treatment in most cases is very deplorable.
Caution should be used rubbing and ointments with a pungent odor. Due to the powerful smell of menthol, camphor and some other components that make up the grind, the mucous membrane can become inflamed again, and this will only provoke another strong attack of unproductive cough.
Another contraindication for this symptom is mustard plasters. With tracheitis and bronchitis, they are actively used to reflexively increase blood flow to the respiratory system and increase sputum discharge. But with the diagnosis of laryngitis, such a treatment method can only significantly worsen the patient's condition.
If the cough persists for a long time, you should definitely visit your attending pediatrician again. Do not let the disease drift. This symptom may indicate that the baby has quite serious and dangerous ailments that may require immediate treatment. For example, these include heart failure, asthma, or various rheumatic diseases.
Finally, in order for the incessant unproductive cough to stop bothering the child, you need to clearly understand for yourself, which led to its appearance, how to deal with this problem. Correctly selected medicines will help to significantly improve the well-being of the child, allow him to sleep normally, restore the forces that are necessary to strengthen the immune system. The main thing is not to neglect a visit to a doctor, so as not to miss a more serious and dangerous disease behind the mask of a usual uninterrupted cough.
Tips by Dr. Komarovsky
Many listen to TV tips for treating an unproductive cough in a child.Komarovsky is a well-known pediatrician who conducts his own broadcast on television, telling parents how to cope with various health problems of their children. A sort of Dr. Spock.
With dry unproductive cough in a child, Komarovsky advises to approach the treatment comprehensively. Give the child a lot to drink, increase the humidity in the room.
, . , . , , . . , . "", "", " ", "", "" .
Especially impressionable parents Komarovsky recalls the existing limits of parental care and love. Because of any sneeze, a child should not be immediately given pills.
If the baby has had an attack of coughing once a night, this is a normal situation, which is not considered an excuse to begin immediate treatment. Also, the norm is 10-15 coughing a child during the day, especially if at the same time he maintains an outwardly peppy and healthy appearance, reports that he feels good.
Until the cause of coughing attacks has been clarified, no medicine should be given. After all, the root of evil can hide in a foreign body, and in some cases, the drug that you give the child is at risk of becoming a potential allergen.
Wet, unproductive cough
As we have already found out, a wet unproductive cough in a child is not nonsense, but a condition that may well occur. In this situation, it is necessary to combat the disease simultaneously in several directions. It is necessary to dilute viscous sputum, fight the inflammatory process and stimulate the removal of sputum from the bronchi. It is also advised to eliminate spasms in the bronchi, if it has a place to be.
When treating a wet, unproductive cough in a child, the choice of a specific medicine depends on the patient's condition. The main thing is not to give children aspirin if there is even the slightest suspicion of a viral infection. Mucolytics are actively used, which help to liquefy sputum, mucokinetics, bronchodilators.
The most important thing is to start treatment in time to avoid possible complications that often occur with such a cough.