Laryngitis in children: symptoms and treatment at home

Parents should begin treatment of laryngitis in children in a timely manner . Symptoms of this disease are quite pronounced, but can manifest themselves in different ways, depending on the form of the course. The child begins to develop an inflammatory process of the larynx, which often affects the initial parts of the trachea.

Causes of occurrence

In most cases, it is necessary to treat viral laryngitis in children. Symptoms in this case are not as pronounced as with a disease caused by a bacterial infection. The larynx is usually affected by influenza viruses, herpes simplex, measles and some others. Of the bacterial pathogens, staphylococci, pneumococci and streptococci are most often found. Since vaccination against diphtheria is mandatory, this type of infection is very rare.

It is in the cold season that symptoms of laryngitis and tracheitis in children begin to appear. The treatment of diseases is not complicated, but requires the right approach. Inflammation of the larynx is promoted by such factors:

• hypothermia;
• lack of normal nasal breathing;
• weakening of the immune system;
• lack of vitamins;
• inhalation of harmful substances in large quantities;
• overstrain of the vocal cords.

In some situations, even severe emotional upheavals can invoke a disease in children. However, in medical practice this is quite rare.

Features of the course in infants

It is necessary to carry out immediate treatment for symptoms of laryngitis in infants, since their airways have a narrow clearance. That is why with edema in many cases there is a sharp lack of air. Narrowing of the larynx usually occurs at night, which is associated with changes in the circulatory system.

If there is a disease in infants in a complicated form, even resuscitation measures may be required. This is due to the fact that in a child the nose does not yet perform a protective function in the required volume. You can suspect a disease in infants by a cyanotic triangle around the lips or a characteristic whistle in a dream.

It is because of the narrow lumen in the airways that adults should immediately begin treatment for laryngitis in children up to a year old. Symptoms are usually most pronounced at night or early in the morning. A barking cough may appear.

Main forms

Laryngitis can occur quite diverse, so it is classified as follows.

Most often, signs and symptoms of acute laryngitis are manifested in children, when the inflammatory process manifests itself once, but in a pronounced form. However, sometimes the disease becomes chronic. In this case, relapses appear at certain intervals.

Standard symptomatic manifestations

At the first stage, the child may experience the main signs of a cold. One of the first symptoms is a runny nose. It may not be very pronounced. At the same time, a sore throat begins. After some time, the voice becomes hoarse or even disappears.

Dry barking cough is the main symptom of laryngitis in children. With treatment, after about 3-4 days, sputum forms, and after a week it completely disappears. With inflammation of the larynx, the temperature rises, as the body tries to fight the infection.

The appearance of false croup

Shortness of breath can also be a symptom of laryngitis in children 3 years old. Treatment in this case does not require urgency, as this is due to stenosis of the larynx (false croup). Narrowing of the airways is observed mainly in young children, since loose fiber contributes to the development of large edema. The conical shape of the larynx favors the occurrence of obstruction.

Most often, false croup begins to develop 2-3 days after the appearance of the first signs of a respiratory tract disease. It is characterized by noisy breathing, which is associated with a narrowing of the lumen of the larynx. When it occurs, shortness of breath is observed. When inhaling, wheezing may appear.

The clinical picture depends on the degree of narrowing of the airways. There are four of them.

• I degree of stenosis leads to shortness of breath only with physical exertion and emotional experiences. When listening to the lungs, wheezing wheezing is found, which is usually heard precisely on inspiration.
• II degree of stenosis is characterized by the appearance of dyspnea at rest. On inspiration, the intercostal spaces and jugular fossa are retracted. When listening, dry wheezing is detected. The skin around the lips and near the nose acquires a bluish tint. This indicates oxygen starvation.
• III degree of stenosis is accompanied by a distinct palpable inspiratory dyspnea. The patient has a clear barking cough. Paradoxical breathing occurs and a strong voice change occurs. The presence of mixed dyspnea indicates an unfavorable sign in terms of prognosis of the disease. The child becomes drowsy, his consciousness may be confused.
• IV degree of stenosis is characterized by the absence of a specific cough and severe breathing. Bradycardia and arterial hypotension are observed. Cramps may be present. False croup of this degree, due to the development of asphyxia, sometimes leads to death.

Violation of natural respiration with stenosis often leads to the attachment of bacterial infections and the appearance of films with purulent contents on the walls of the larynx. Therefore, along the way, many other diseases begin to develop: bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis and sinusitis.

Features of the chronic form

A more thorough approach requires the treatment of chronic laryngitis in children, the symptoms of which are similar to the disease in an acute form. However, their severity depends on the duration of the inflammatory process. The disease can progress with a certain regularity, exerting its negative effect on the child's body as a whole.

During periods of remission, symptoms become more pronounced. The body temperature rises, a dry cough rises, a severe sore throat appears, general weakness occurs, signs of suffocation may be present. Sometimes a headache begins to bother. Coughing fits occur most often at night.

Used drugs

In any case, treatment with medications for symptoms of laryngitis in children should be prescribed strictly by a doctor, but parents should know what drugs are used to get rid of the disease. With proper therapy, recovery usually occurs within a week.

For the treatment of the disease, drugs of the following categories can be prescribed.

• Antihistamines are intended to relieve swelling. They are recommended to be taken at night to avoid an attack of false croup. Drugs and doses are selected taking into account the age of the child.
• Antipyretics should be taken only at high temperatures. Paracetamol-based preparations are mainly used. For infants, it is better to use drugs in the form of rectal suppositories.
• Means for the nose with inflammation of the larynx are very important. With their help, it is possible to ensure free breathing. Before using them, it is necessary to clean the nose of accumulated mucus.
• Antibiotics are used for complications if a bacterial infection has spread greatly. They are prescribed only by the attending physician who examined the child.
• Probiotics are means to normalize the intestinal microflora. They are usually used after a course of antibiotics. Drugs help to avoid digestive disorders.
• Cough medicine can relieve night attacks. When the risk of laryngeal stenosis is behind, expectorants are prescribed.

Numerous reviews in the treatment of symptoms of laryngitis in children show that new drugs should be used with extreme caution, since they can cause allergies. This can lead to an increase in laryngeal edema. The condition of the child after taking them will deteriorate significantly.

The use of folk remedies

You can not treat acute laryngitis in children with symptoms with pronounced severity, hoping only for folk remedies. They can be used as adjunctive therapy. Before using them, you must always consult a doctor.

1. Horseradish root helps a lot. It should be grated and pour boiling water in an amount of 200 ml. The resulting mixture is infused for about 15 minutes, after which it can be taken orally several times a day. If necessary, sugar can be added.
2. Oak bark also helps to get rid of the disease. It must be taken in the amount of 3 tablespoons and mixed in a ratio of 1 to 1 with a pharmacy chamomile. The tool is infused for 15 minutes. With its help, gargling is performed. Oak bark can be combined with oregano and marshmallow.
3. To combat the disease, ordinary cabbage is often used. You need to cook a few leaves. They should become soft. On the day, the child should eat 5-6 leaves and drink with a warm broth.
4. Raisins help alleviate the inflammatory process. It is necessary to take 2 source spoons of the feedstock and pour a glass of boiling water, stand for 5 minutes over low heat.
5. The most affordable product is milk with grated garlic. It boils over low heat for several minutes. It is defended for half an hour, after which it is filtered. It is recommended to use the resulting milk drink 3-5 times a day.
6. The boiled apples have a healing effect. They can be taken with honey if you are not allergic to this ingredient. It is enough to drink half a glass of the prepared product twice a day.
7. The therapeutic effect of beets. It is passed through a grater, and juice is squeezed out of the obtained pulp. A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar is added to it. The resulting mixture gargles three times a day.
8. Ginger root also helps with symptoms of pharyngitis and laryngitis in children. Treatment involves the use of raw materials with honey in a ratio of 1 to 4. The mixture over low heat should simmer for 15 minutes. It is necessary to use the remedy with tea. Just add one teaspoon of the finished mixture.

Creation of special conditions

For the quickest recovery and ease the course of the disease, it is necessary to create certain conditions.

• The temperature in the room should not exceed 22 degrees. If it is higher, then you should take the child out of the room for a while and ventilate it.
• Humidity in the range of 60-70 percent is considered optimal. Dry air adversely affects the patient's condition. To ensure this level of humidity allows special devices.
• The child should consume as much fluid as possible in the form of water, fruit drinks or fruit drinks. With proper drinking regimen, metabolic processes are accelerated, allowing you to get rid of waste products of viruses or bacteria much faster.
• Products that can cause an allergic reaction and irritate the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract are necessarily excluded from the daily diet. It is not recommended to eat citrus fruits, spices, chocolate, red fish.
• The vocal cords should rest as much as possible. During illness, you need to try to talk less.

Ambulance for asphyxiation

It is necessary to be able to provide first aid if, in the treatment of laryngitis in children, suffocation symptoms become pronounced. Be sure to provide access to cool and humid air. If necessary, a window opens. You can just take the dressed child to the balcony.

If the weather is hot outside, the bathroom will help ease the condition. It requires opening a tap with cold water. Since the room is usually small in size, humidity will rise rapidly and air temperature will drop slightly. This will help the child survive the asthma attack before the ambulance arrives. At high temperatures, an antipyretic drug is necessarily given. A vasoconstrictor should be instilled into the nose.

Final part

In any case, all drugs and procedures used should be agreed with the doctor. Treatment for symptoms of laryngitis in children cannot be carried out independently. Only a doctor after conducting diagnostic measures and examination is able to prescribe those drugs that will be effective in a particular situation. Without consulting with doctors, you can not only delay the development of the inflammatory process, but also harm the health of the child.