Komarovsky child has a hoarse cough. We treat children's dry cough with folk remedies. Dry cough in a child: how to treat it at home

One of the most painful and alarming manifestations most often encountered with a cold is a cough, which requires immediate treatment. Many adults do not even suspect what the treatment in which they made mistakes could turn out to be for their beloved child, because they were guided not by medical instructions, but by the advice of their grandmothers. Komarovsky explains how to properly treat a child’s dry cough and how to treat it in quite a detailed and accessible manner, and his recommendations help adequately cope with the most intense cough attacks in a child.

Dry cough in a child without fever

How to properly treat a dry cough in a child without fever is a question that sooner or later arises in all parents. It is difficulties with expectoration that can cause the development of complex processes in the body - pain in the chest, irritation of the throat mucosa, even injuries to the respiratory tract. That is why, according to Komarovsky, it is necessary to act immediately, without waiting for consequences that are dangerous for the baby.

What medications to use if a child has an intense dry cough, and how to treat it, Komarovsky says - here you won’t be able to get by with home remedies. Only proper medical treatment will help relieve your baby of discomfort and unpleasant symptoms of a cold.

One of the remedies that will perfectly help with difficulties with expectoration of mucus is Gerbion syrup. The components of the drug are plant extracts that effectively dilute phlegm. Simultaneously with its effect on mucus, the medicine has remarkable properties to relieve irritation in the throat and make breathing easier. Children can be given this remedy only 15 ml at a time. You are allowed to consume syrup only three times a day.

Dry cough in a child with fever

You need to act immediately if a dry cough appears in a child with a fever. These signs may indicate dangerous processes in a small organism associated with serious diseases. The first thing parents should do, according to the doctor, is seek medical help. Only a specialist can diagnose the disease and recommend the necessary medications.

If no complex diseases have been diagnosed, you can use simple pharmaceutical drugs that will help cope with cough and fever. First of all, you need to try to cope with the fever - for this you can use any antipyretic medicine. The main thing is that it must be allowed for the child, for this you must carefully study the instructions.

How to influence an alarming dry cough in a child, how to treat it, Komarovsky says - you should only use drugs designed to thin the mucus. One of these products is Doctor Mom syrup. It has several useful qualities:

1. thins mucus;
2. relieves inflammatory processes in the respiratory system;
3. soothes irritation;
4. relieves breathing problems and shortness of breath.

It is allowed to take the composition only after 3 years. The dosage for a child is only 15 ml. It is strictly forbidden to give the baby a larger amount of medicine - this can lead to the accumulation of active substances in the body and the appearance of side effects.

What danger is hidden in a dry barking cough and how to properly treat it? Most often, this alarming sign notifies about colds, against which an effective pharmaceutical medicine can be used. There is no need to make the mistake of using home remedies - this will not lead to anything good, especially if it is not possible to stop the development of the disease in a timely manner. Exacerbations and complications can be very serious.

One of the effective remedies that can be used in treatment is Bronchicum syrup. You can give medicine to a child from two years old. The dosage recommended by doctors is 15 ml. You can take the composition only three times a day - this is enough to get rid of the longest and most severe cough.

The peculiarity of the drug is its completely herbal composition. Thanks to this, there are practically no contraindications; the only limitation is related to age. Side effects are extremely rare, and the most common among them is redness on the skin.

Dry allergic cough - what to do?

What measures should be taken first if a dry allergic cough appears? Komarovsky argues that you should not immediately rush to the pharmacy and buy antitussive drugs. Most likely, here they will turn out to be not only ineffective, but even harmful.

The first thing to do is to determine which irritant caused this alarming manifestation. Allergies in a child most often appear to the following irritants:

1. dry indoor air;
2. pet hair;
3. dust;
4. products;
5. some pharmaceutical drugs;
6. plant pollen.

The future well-being of the baby depends only on how quickly the parents identify the allergen and eliminate it. Usually, just this simple measure is enough for coughing attacks to begin to lose intensity and completely disappear after a short time.

What Komarovsky thinks about the treatment of dry cough, video

It will help you find out in more detail the opinion that Komarovsky has about the treatment of dry cough, video. In this short video, the famous doctor talks about how to properly treat a problem that can bring many complications. The doctor claims that treatment can only begin after a visit to the doctors. During the examination, the specialist will certainly determine the main cause of coughing attacks, diagnose the disease, and prescribe the most effective treatment.

Komarovsky warns that it is under no circumstances recommended to use any remedies, pharmaceutical or home-made, before consulting with a doctor. This can not only affect further treatment, but also cause irreparable harm to the baby. If for some reason it is impossible to take pharmaceutical drugs, the use of folk remedies should only occur with the approval of a doctor.

Basic rules to follow during the course of treatment

Dr. Komarovsky often claims that much in the treatment of a child depends not only on the correct diagnosis or prescribed treatment, but also on the conditions in which the sick baby is located. Often the results of treatment depend on the fulfillment of important requirements and recommendations.

One of the main rules that must be followed is that the baby must be in comfortable conditions. The room should be cool - no higher than 20 degrees. Be sure to provide high humidity, especially in the baby's bedroom. If you can't buy a humidifier, you can use wet towels. It is enough to hang them on heating devices for the humidity to increase sharply.

Another important requirement that must be fulfilled is that the baby must drink plenty of liquid during the day. It is not necessary to use ordinary water for these purposes - you can give your child juice, homemade fruit compotes, and fruit drinks. You can even give sparkling water after keeping it open for several minutes. The main thing is that the baby actively absorbs liquid - he should drink at least one and a half liters per day. This is enough for the mucus to begin to actively cough up the very next day.

How dangerous is a dry cough in a child, how to treat it, Komarovsky can tell a lot of useful things for parents on this topic. You definitely need to listen to the opinion of a famous doctor - the result of treatment often depends on how carefully parents follow all the recommendations.

Save the information.

Does your child constantly cough, have a red, irritated throat, a headache or general malaise? It’s good if sputum comes out along with the cough, because in this case we can say that the baby will quickly recover. But in the case of a dry cough, everything is more complicated, since it can be a symptom of various diseases, including serious ones. In our article we will look at how to treat it.

The main causes of dry cough

Coughing is an important “signal” of the body, which is a reflex that helps remove mucus, germs and other foreign bodies. If the cough begins to “suffocate”, the sputum is not expectorated, it is called dry. This situation is especially dangerous in a child, since it indicates the presence of a viral infection, which can either last in the body for a long time or will go away in a couple of days with proper treatment.

Many parents do not want to stuff their children with pharmaceuticals. In this case, you can resort to traditional medicine, since in this case the influence of “chemistry” on the body will be minimal.

We use herbs

Treatment using various herbs helps get rid of dry cough. Let's look at the most famous options:

Mustard plasters

Mustard plasters must be used very carefully, as they can cause increased production of sputum, which can provoke inflammation in the bronchi. In addition, mustard plasters vapors are quite caustic - inhaling them can cause burns to the mucous membranes.

You should also not use them when:

Inhalations

If you persuade your child to do the procedure, you can get rid of a dry cough quite quickly, since this procedure is much more effective than the most well-known pharmaceutical drugs.

The main thing is to use natural ingredients for the procedure, adding two drops of rosemary or tea tree oil to the water. This will not only relieve symptoms, but also relieve headaches.

Compresses

Compresses are a fairly effective folk remedy. When applying compresses to the chest, the tissues quickly warm up, they have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.

They can be oil, alcohol, wet, dry or hot.

Before using them, you should make sure that the baby does not have a very high temperature.

What medications should I use?

It is worth noting that folk remedies are not always as effective as we would like; for example, they are unlikely to cope with a disease that is too advanced. In this case, you should pay attention to pharmaceutical drugs, and you should consult a doctor in advance.

Syrups

Thanks to the development of modern pharmaceuticals, you can buy any drug, choosing the most suitable one both in terms of cost and effect; dozens of different drugs are on sale.

Before buying syrup, you should carefully study the instructions, which contain contraindications. The drugs have different effects:

To get rid of an obsessive cough, doctors usually prescribe dry mixtures: they need to be diluted with water in the required proportion and taken orally. The advantages include: natural composition, wide range of effects, convenient dosage.

Remedies for allergic cough

It is best to first remove the cause of the allergy. For example, dust, animal hair, the use of certain washing powders. If this does not help get rid of the cough, you should buy a suitable remedy at the pharmacy to suppress this reaction. In this case, it is very important to consult a doctor; there is no need to self-medicate.

Other drugs

If a child has pneumonia, inflammation, or laryngitis, the doctor may prescribe cough powders. The most famous is the ACC remedy, when taken, the effect will be visible already on the second day.

Treatment methods according to Dr. Komarovsky

Dr. Komarovsky is a famous doctor who is popular for his non-standard, but very effective methods of treatment.

In his opinion, in the fight against dry cough it is necessary to influence the cough center. This is where drugs containing codeine will come to the rescue, but taking them without a doctor’s prescription is strictly not recommended.

There are also more gentle means that are as safe as possible for the child. The most effective include:

• Mukaltin;
• Bromhexine drops;
• Ambroxol.

The regimen and period of their use should be prescribed only by a doctor.

You should also take preventive measures to help your child recover faster. For example, according to Komarovsky, moist indoor air is one of the important conditions for recovery, since the composition of the air directly affects the amount of sputum excreted. But dry air in the apartment, on the contrary, leads to increased coughing.

Hence the conclusion: constantly ventilate the room, or better yet, buy special air humidifiers. In addition, the room temperature should not be more than +20 degrees.

Another important recommendation is the absence of dust in the apartment, because the more there is, the higher the risk of mucus drying out. This is why it is so important to regularly carry out wet cleaning, and without using household chemicals, as it can, on the contrary, provoke a cough.

Don’t neglect other advice from Dr. Komarovsky:

1. Drink as much fluid as possible - water, herbal teas, healthy drinks. Moreover, the water temperature should be the same as body temperature, this leads to rapid dilution of sputum. To understand whether a child drinks enough liquid, you just need to watch how he goes to the toilet - if the baby goes to the toilet once every 3-3.5 hours, then there is enough liquid.
2. It is also recommended to keep your feet warm. If the temperature is low, you can make mustard baths, wear warm socks - you can even add a teaspoon of mustard to them. During this same period, it would be useful to make mustard plasters.

To alleviate the child’s condition, you need to take walks - this is what Komarovsky believes. But only in the absence of high temperature. Folk remedies will also help:

• a glass of milk and honey before bed;
• raspberry tea;
• cranberry warm drink.

Mashed bananas can also help relieve symptoms: mash one fruit, add a small amount of warm water to thin the puree, and give it to your child. You can prepare decoctions or teas based on viburnum, since it contains a large amount of vitamin C.

In the absence of fever, you can do light warming massages and apply compresses to your back and chest.

Now you know why a dry cough may appear, how to treat it correctly, and what advice the famous doctor Komarovsky gives. By following the tips given here, you can quickly cure your child.

Cough in children occurs when it appears something, what causes it. This may not be the wisest thought, but it is completely obvious and which many people completely forget about when a child begins to scare his parents with heart-rending barking and emotions crowd out everything wise, important and obvious from the head. Another simple and obvious truth that people tend to forget about when they hear sounds from the nursery is “a cough is not a disease, but only a symptom of some kind of disease.”

And you need to fight not with a cough, but with a disease, the consequence of which is cough in children. If you eliminate the cause of irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and stimulation of cough receptors,... There are even special people who look for this cause and ways to eliminate it, they are called doctors. The simple responsibility of parents is only to necessarily present a coughing child to the doctor.

Origin of cough in children

So, a chain of first actions is built when a child has a cough: knowing that a cough is a symptom of a disease, we make a diagnosis with the help of a doctor, we treat the disease together, the doctor commands everything.

The body, from accumulated mucus. Mucus cleanses the bronchi and neutralizes viruses and bacteria. The body removes accumulated used mucus on its own, using a mechanism such as coughing. To prevent drying of sputum, which is desperately needed in the process of self-healing of the body, cool fresh air and drink are used. The same thing, by the way, applies to cough’s cousin, a runny nose. But giving cough suppressants (glaucine, libexin) without a doctor’s instructions is absolutely unacceptable.

Cough in children? This is what Dr. Komarovsky teaches

These medications are permissible only for a popular childhood infection - whooping cough, all under the same vigilant medical supervision. Without whooping cough, but when the cough has already brought everyone to complete despondency, medications are used that affect the sputum, making it less thick, and increase the contraction of the bronchi. Cough in children, says Komarovsky, - not an electric shock, or a fracture of the base of the skull, aggravated by a third-degree burn and potassium cyanide poisoning, it still allows you to wait for the local pediatrician and take his recommendations.

There are quite harmless and effective remedies - mucaltin, ammonia-anise drops, potassium iodide, bromhexine, acetylcysteine, lazolvan. They should always be present in a home medicine cabinet, however, the need for their use and, most importantly, the dose is determined not by compassionate random interlocutors, but only by a doctor, in accordance with a specific case.

Fighting a symptom, in this case cough, is not only pointless and futile, but also a dangerous hobby. Juggling with medications and changing medications that did not help immediately, given the huge variety of causes of cough, is a completely unreasonable action. Maybe you just need to close the radiators, or move the flowers out of the bedroom, and determine if the child is allergic to a wool blanket. Maybe you should just let your child get some fresh air. When a cough is a consequence of the body’s attempts to get rid of dry mucus residues in the nasopharynx, find out the cause. Treatment for a pure cough is a cosmetic repair, a “painting over” that will fall off tomorrow anyway.

A child’s cough worries not only the baby, but also his parents, who strive to help their son or daughter in every possible way. Some begin to use folk recipes on the advice of relatives, others go to the pharmacy for syrup, and some do inhalations. Let's figure out whose actions are correct in the opinion of a specialist, and how the popular pediatrician Komarovsky advises treating a cough.

Before giving your child any medications, be sure to consult your pediatrician. Symptomatic treatment

First of all, when a child of any age coughs, Komarovsky focuses the attention of parents on the fact that this is just a symptom of some disease affecting the respiratory tract. In addition, this symptom is protective, so in most cases it is not worth suppressing.

A popular doctor calls ARVI the main cause of cough in childhood. And therefore, in the overwhelming majority of cases of cough in a child, eliminating its cause, according to Komarovsky, is impossible. But there is no need to leave the child without help, so a well-known pediatrician advises symptomatic treatment.

Wherein He calls the main principle of such cough treatment not eliminating the symptom itself, but increasing the effectiveness of the cough. This can be achieved by influencing the quantity and quality of sputum using:

1. Humid and cool air.
2. Drink plenty of fluids.

For more information about this, see Dr. Komarovsky’s program.

Humidify and purify the air

Komarovsky calls providing the child with moist and cool air one of the most important tasks of parents. This will reduce the load on the baby’s respiratory tract and also prevent drying out of the mucous membranes.

If you optimize the conditions in which the child is located, his body will not waste effort on processing the air (heating, cleaning and humidifying it), but will focus on developing antiviral immunity.

In addition to temperature and humidity, the popular doctor draws attention to the need for clean air in the room where the coughing child is. Komarovsky notes that Children's need for clean air when coughing increases several times. This is primarily due to nasal congestion during acute respiratory infections and reduced activity of the epithelium in the respiratory tract. When dust enters the respiratory tract, it leads to poor ventilation and additional mucus production.

Komarovsky advises:

• Reduce the number of possible dust accumulations in the room, for example, hide books behind glass, put toys in boxes, take out carpets.
• Avoid child contact with foreign odors and substances, for example, do not use deodorants and perfumes indoors, do not wash the floor with chlorine, and do not spray insect repellent spray.
• Avoid exposing your child to tobacco smoke.
• Carry out frequent wet cleaning. A well-known pediatrician does not recommend vacuuming a room with a sick child, and if a vacuum cleaner is used for cleaning, the child should be sent to another room while the room is being cleaned.
• Maintain the room temperature at +18 degrees.
• Maintain indoor humidity at 60-70%. The best choice would be to use a humidifier, but if the family does not have such a device, Komarovsky recommends using containers of water and wet sheets.

It is especially important to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels at night. This will prevent night coughs caused by dry mucous membranes and staying in a lying position, as well as coughs after sleep.

Air humidifiers will help maintain an optimal level of humidity in the children's room Let the child drink more

According to Komarovsky, drinking plenty of fluids is irreplaceable for a child with a cough. It will maintain and restore the properties of sputum by influencing blood rheology, that is, first drinking will make the blood more liquid, which will increase blood circulation in the mucous membranes of the respiratory system and improve their ability to form normal mucus. In addition, the child's body spends a lot of fluid with increased temperature and rapid breathing, which also necessitates frequent drinking.

To ensure that the liquid you drink is absorbed faster, Komarovsky advises giving any drink heated to approximately body temperature. In this case, the liquid will be immediately absorbed in the stomach and enter the blood.

As for the drinks themselves, you can give your child:

• Rehydration solutions.
• Not a strong tea, maybe with sugar and safe fruit.
• Dried fruits compote.
• Raisin infusion (infuse a tablespoon of raisins with 200 ml of water for 30-40 minutes).
• Compote of berries and fruits that the child tried before illness.
• Fruit drink or juice.
• Non-carbonated mineral water with a neutral taste.
• Watermelon.

Komarovsky calls rehydration solutions the best choice of drink, however, with a body temperature of up to +38°C, sufficient air humidification and no breathing problems, you can be guided by the child’s wishes.

A popular doctor advises that infants with a cough should be given something to drink in addition to breastfeeding, since human milk does not cover pathological fluid losses. At an early age, the baby can be given a rehydration solution, baby tea, still mineral water and raisin decoction.

You need to give your baby more water if:

• The air in the room is dry and warm.
• The child's body temperature is high.
• Urination is rare, and the urine itself is darker than usual.
• There is severe shortness of breath and a dry cough.
• The skin and mucous membranes are dry.

With a slight deterioration in the condition, low temperature, as well as access to cool and moist air, Komarovsky calls the child’s thirst the main criterion for the frequency of drinking. At the same time, you need to offer a drink very often and whenever possible. Supporting the drinking regime is also important in cases where the child has a prolonged and residual cough.

Drug treatment

Komarovsky calls the prescribing of any medications for children with cough the prerogative of the doctor. This is especially true for coughs in infants.

Antitussives

Since coughing is a necessary protective reflex, in most cases such medications are not needed. Komarovsky calls their use justified for whooping cough, when the child is tormented by coughing until he vomits. Also, medications that inhibit the cough reflex are needed for pleurisy, cancer in the respiratory tract, and for irritating coughs caused by factors affecting nerve endings.

Komarovsky is categorically against parents independently prescribing antitussive medications to their children. He reminds that Some drugs in this group are narcotic and can cause addiction. In addition, many antitussives can also depress the respiratory center, which is especially dangerous in children under 2 years of age. So these drugs can be used in children over 2 years of age only when indicated and after being prescribed by a pediatrician.

Expectorants

The main purpose of using such medications is called by a popular pediatrician to cleanse the respiratory tract of phlegm. It is very dangerous, according to Komarovsky, to combine such medications with antitussives, because in such cases the sputum accumulated in the lungs will not be coughed up.

A well-known doctor divides all expectorants according to their mode of action into resorptive (they are absorbed in the stomach and released in the bronchi, affecting mucus) and reflex (they activate nerve endings in the stomach and affect the muscles of the bronchi and mucus production).

Most modern drugs are drugs with a reflex effect. Komarovsky emphasizes that they are safe for children, but their effectiveness has not been proven, and the nature of the cough is more influenced by the conditions in which the child is located than by any expectorant medications.

Mucolytics

Such drugs affect the sputum itself, changing its rheology. Komarovsky names ambroxol, bromhexine, carbocysteine, acetylcysteine ​​and guaifenesin among the drugs in this group. A well-known doctor notes that it is advisable to use such drugs in the presence of viscous, thick sputum. If a child has a mild version of ARVI and has a wet cough, according to Komarovsky, mucolytics are not needed and may even worsen the cough. In addition, the effect of such drugs will be ineffective if the rheology of the blood is not additionally influenced by drinking plenty of fluids.

The child coughed - it couldn’t be worse! A continuous cough torments our beloved child - the whole family has no peace! You think to yourself: “It would be better if I got sick a hundred times...” Is this a familiar picture? There is a way out of this situation. Dr. Komarovsky, famous on the Internet, gives advice on treating dry cough in a child. His recommendations are given in this article.

Cough - what is it?

What is a cough? This is an important mechanism of the body that contributes to the normal functioning of the respiratory system. The mucous membrane of our bronchi constantly produces a certain substance. It includes the necessary components, which in turn help maintain the elasticity of tissues.

Children's cough

Dust entering the respiratory system is absorbed by sputum. Komarovsky notes that it is this sputum that is the body’s main fighter against infections that enter the child’s body along with inhaled dust. It also contains antimicrobial substances:

• lysozyme
• immunoglobulin

Komarovsky also draws attention to the following nuance. Sputum has certain physical and chemical properties: viscosity and density. In medical language, this is the rheology of sputum. It is logical to assume: if the mucus has abnormal rheology, then it will not be able to fully perform its functions.

Now regarding dry cough. A dry cough occurs at the beginning of inflammation of the mucous membranes, when there is still no mucus in the bronchi. This is the stage in the development of the disease when the infection causes irritation in the respiratory tract.

If there is a cough, the body cannot cope with it on its own. He needs help!

Causes of cough according to Komarovsky

A dry cough, according to Dr. Komarovsky, is most often not accompanied by a runny nose or fever. Attacks of dry cough last a long time and exhaust the child’s body.

Important! Attacks of dry cough worsen at night due to the peculiarities of the autonomic nervous system. In this case, you need to act directly on the cough center.

It should be remembered that cough is only a symptom of the disease. To overcome a cough, you must first determine the cause of its occurrence. If you self-medicate and suppress only the symptoms, the disease will soon return. Komarovsky claims that by promptly influencing the very cause of the cough, you can get rid of not only the irritating symptom, but also all sorts of complications of the disease.

Allergic cough

A dry cough can be not only a symptom of respiratory tract diseases, but also a harbinger of diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

The most common causes of dry nonproductive cough:

• viral infections
• bacterial infections
• mixed type infections (viral-bacterial etiology)
• allergens
• localized tumors in the respiratory tract
• damage to the bronchi by chemicals (gasoline, glue, paints)

There are many causes of dry cough. The most important thing is to choose effective treatment.

Treatment methods

What treatment method does Dr. Komarovsky recommend? The simplest treatment for dry cough is a targeted effect on the cough center. Medicines whose active ingredient is codeine will come to the rescue. These drugs should not be used without a doctor's prescription.

Mucolytics

Komarovsky claims that not only codeine will help save a child from the disease. It is quite possible to get by with more gentle means that alleviate attacks of unproductive cough.

Today, pharmacies offer a wide variety of antitussives:

• expectorants (mucolytic), which act to increase the volume of sputum
• drugs that have an antitussive effect and stop coughing attacks

Important to remember! Frequent use other than as directed by a specialist can lead to complications of the disease. Mucolytic agents should not be used in children under 2 years of age. This is dangerous for their health.

For children, it is better to use safer drugs. Komarovsky lists these as:

• Mukaltin
• Ammonia-anise drops
• Bromhexine
• Ambroxol

The treatment algorithm is selected only by the doctor. If the cause of a dry cough is diagnosed correctly, then getting rid of it will be much faster.

According to Komarovsky, the presence of moist air in the room is a necessary condition for the successful and rapid recovery of a child. The composition of the air directly affects the quantity and quality of sputum produced. Conversely, dry air, according to Dr. Komarovsky, contains a lot of dust and harmful elements that contribute to the increase in coughing attacks.

Regular ventilation

Hence the conclusion. Ventilate, ventilate and ventilate again! In the room where a sick child is located, the air should always be cool and humid. Temperature no more than 18°C, humidity – 50%. You can achieve the desired humidity using a humidifier. If it is not there, then you can place containers with ordinary water, which will evaporate and humidify the surrounding air.

Komarovsky's next advice is to get rid of household dust. The more dust in the room, the higher the likelihood of mucus drying out in the bronchi. Regular wet cleaning of the room will help. Cleaning should be done only with clean water, without the use of chemicals.

Do not neglect the following important recommendation: drink as much fluid as possible. It is desirable that the temperature of the liquid consumed is equal to body temperature. This promotes faster absorption into the blood. And, consequently, more successful dilution and separation of mucus in the respiratory tract. How much liquid should I drink? This depends on the age of the child, the condition of the air in the room, and the presence of elevated temperature.

You can find out whether your child drinks enough by the following sign. If the baby urinates at least once every 3 hours, then there is enough fluid in the body.

It must be remembered that if you have a runny nose, sore throat and fever, treatment with mucolytic and antitussive drugs will be pointless.

Komarovsky also recommends keeping the child’s feet warm when coughing. If there is no temperature, carry out warming procedures: foot baths with mustard, wear warm socks. You can put a tablespoon of dry mustard in your socks. The use of mustard plasters will not be superfluous. They should be applied to the back and chest for 3-5 minutes. After using them, you should wear a warm blouse to prolong the warming effect.

How to relieve the condition

Dr. Komarovsky believes that to relieve attacks of unproductive cough, walking in the fresh air will be useful. But only if the child does not have a high temperature.

You can also use folk remedies to reduce dry cough:

• a glass of warm milk with honey
• half a glass of milk with soda
• tea with raspberry jam

You can also prepare remedies to relieve coughing attacks with your child. Let him put three figs in a glass of milk. Bring the prepared mixture to a boil, cool slightly. The medicine prepared by the baby himself will be drunk with great pleasure!

Banana puree

Banana puree will help relieve cough. Add warm water to the prepared puree and serve to the child. The use of viburnum will also be effective. Tea is prepared from the berries, and a decoction is made from the flowers. Viburnum contains a large amount of vitamin C.

To alleviate the condition, you can do a light chest massage. Movements should be in the form of patting and tapping to promote better mucus discharge. Rub with warming ointments, apply compresses to the chest and back. For older children, inhalations can be done with saline solution or mineral water. All kinds of cough drops will also help relieve the condition.

All of the above methods of relieving attacks of unproductive cough are a good help. But they do not replace drug treatment.

Prevention

A little about prevention. Komarovsky never tires of repeating that the most important thing for preventive purposes is to prevent a decrease in the child’s immunity. It's no secret that weak immunity is more susceptible to infections and viruses.

Daily ventilation of a living space reduces the risk of infection by 2-3 times, because pathogens die in cold air.

Preventive vaccinations are a huge help in the fight against viral diseases (including influenza). They need to be done every year when the cold season sets in. The positive effect of vaccination occurs after two weeks. It is advisable that during this period the child does not come into contact with infectious patients.

Important! Only a doctor can refer you for vaccination! The child must be absolutely healthy. Vaccination can be done from 6 months.

During the cold season, for preventive purposes, Dr. Komarovsky recommends drinking rosehip decoction. This will strengthen the child’s immunity, since rosehip contains a large amount of vitamin C.

If a child suffers from colds more than 8 times a year, then doctors classify them as frequently and long-term ill people (CHS). In this case, consultation with an immunologist is necessary. For frequently ill children, the pediatrician may prescribe sanatorium-resort treatment. And absolutely free! At the expense of the Ministry of Health.

Another effective preventive measure is hardening. But only in moderation. You should start by gradually reducing the water temperature. Reduce by one degree every day. Hardening should begin from the feet. For example, in the first days they soaked their legs in cool water, on the fifth day they soaked them up to their thighs, and so on. Only a healthy child should be hardened. Even if there is only a slight runny nose, hardening should be stopped.

Any cough requires consultation with a qualified specialist. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances! Not only will you not be cured, but you will also develop complications. The health of the child is only in your hands!

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Feb 18, 2017Violetta Lekar

How to treat children's cough at home, Dr. Komarovsky

Cough causes a lot of inconvenience to a child. Sometimes the coughing attack is so prolonged that it ends in vomiting. This is due to excessive tension in the abdominal muscles. Paroxysmal dry cough, most often occurring at night. The child sleeps, relaxes, mucus accumulates in the respiratory system and prevents the child from sleeping. The result is a debilitating cough that does not stop for several minutes. When asked how to treat children’s cough at home, Dr. Komarovsky gives a complete, detailed answer. According to the famous pediatrician, first you need to find out in which part of the nasopharynx the changes occurred. Interview your child about which part of the larynx he experiences discomfort and pain.

After the survey, assess the child’s body temperature. If the thermometer has risen above normal, according to the doctor, this is an acute respiratory disease or acute respiratory infection.
Observe the nature of the sputum. Even a dry cough produces a small amount of mucus.

The child has a dry cough without fever

1. If a mother observes a dry cough in her baby, and the temperature does not go beyond the normal range, this is not an infectious disease. According to the doctor, the cause may be an allergic reaction to dust and interior items. It is necessary to remove the irritant from the child as quickly as possible.
2. Another important cause of cough without fever is reflux pathology of the esophagus. With this disease, gastric juice enters the respiratory system and causes irritation. As a result, spasm of the bronchi occurs, irritation of the trachea and a dry, paroxysmal cough occurs.
3. There is no need to sound the alarm if a child’s cough occurs after waking up. In the case when the baby coughed several times after sleep and there was no cough during the day. With such actions, the child’s respiratory organs are cleared of mucus accumulated during sleep.

How to treat a child's cough. Types of cough

• As already mentioned, you need to listen to all the changes occurring in the child’s body. If the baby not only has a cough, but also signs of intoxication: headache, nausea, vomiting, weakness and malaise - this indicates the onset of the flu.
• A strong, barking cough is a symptom of whooping cough. Children attending kindergarten and educational institutions are susceptible to this serious disease. With whooping cough, the child’s body temperature rises sharply to high levels, which is difficult to bring down with antipyretic drugs. You can't do without a doctor. The child requires immediate assistance from specialists. The disease is dangerous due to the development of spasm and stenosis of the larynx. The use of traditional methods of treatment is unacceptable.
• Dr. Komarovsky strongly recommends taking a closer look at the baby’s chest during a coughing attack. If it bends strongly during coughing, you should seek help from a doctor to exclude the diagnosis of pneumonia.

Cough medicine for children

To relieve a child of a cough, today there is a huge selection of drugs. Typically, mucolytics made from plant components such as plantain or ivy are used. A decoction of chamomile flowers will help stop the inflammatory process.
For children over one year of age, the doctor recommends taking the drugs Lazolvan, Ambroxol, Ambrobene.

In addition to medications, offer your child decoctions of lingonberries, raspberries, honey and blueberries. A storehouse of vitamins is contained in cranberries. Prepare fruit juice for your baby.

• It should be remembered that self-medication is extremely dangerous. The drugs are prescribed strictly by a pediatrician. Otherwise, you can cause irreparable harm to the child’s health. For example, mucolytics have an expectorant effect. A child with a dry, irritating cough does not need to dilute the mucus, but stop attacks by acting on the cough center. You cannot treat yourself for pneumonia and whooping cough. In this case, complex rather than symptomatic treatment is required.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, parents can help their child alleviate the condition by following some recommendations:

• The air in the room must be humidified. If you don’t have a humidifier, you can simply turn on hot water in the bathroom, close the door and breathe in the moist air with your baby. Damp air promotes better mucus discharge and relieves spasms;
• If the child’s body temperature is within normal limits, go for a walk. It is especially useful to walk in the winter season and after rain;
• To stop an attack of dry cough, encourage your baby to drink more liquid. Tea with raspberries or lemon will be especially useful;
• The liquid should not be hot, but warm. By doing this you will avoid additional irritation of the larynx;
• If your baby has not only a cough, but also a fever, prepare him a drink with added sugar and a few drops of lemon.

Like any doctor, Komarovsky is a proponent of self-medication. Do not forget that by giving the baby a self-prescribed pill, the mother risks the health of her dearest and most beloved person. We looked at how to treat children's cough at home. Don’t look for similar symptoms of the disease on forums; go to the hospital. And remember that timely assistance will help avoid the development of complications after illness.

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The autumn period rarely goes without colds. ARVI and acute respiratory infections.

A constant companion to most of these diseases is a cough.

This is one of the most common symptoms diseases in a child.

How to properly treat a cough? First, we suggest getting to know the enemy by sight.

Cough- This is a complex reflex act, during which the respiratory muscles sharply contract and a jerky release of air from the lungs occurs.

The cough reflex is caused by irritation of receptors located in the larynx, trachea, bronchi or pleura.

When coughing, a person expels not only air, but also phlegm and foreign bodies that have entered the body through the ENT organs.

That is, cough during many diseases clears the airways. Which means he turns from an enemy into an ally and assistant .

This fact must be taken into account when prescribing treatment. In cases where a cough helps to get rid of phlegm, it should never be blocked with antitussives. On the contrary, expectorant medications should be used to help clear the airways.

Famous pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky Absolutely correctly notes: Cough is not a disease, but only a symptom of some disease. And, therefore, it is necessary to fight not with cough, but to treat the disease that provokes it.

Cough may be symptom of a wide variety of diseases :

• viral and bacterial respiratory tract infections (acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.);
• allergic and infectious-allergic diseases (for example, bronchial asthma);
• chemical irritation of the bronchi, for example, inhalation of paint or gasoline;
• the famous childhood infectious disease whooping cough, which is primarily manifested by paroxysmal cough, etc.

Coughing helps eliminate foreign substances or mucus that accumulates in the body. And to prevent drying sputum, which is simply necessary for the body to heal itself, the child needs fresh air and warm drink .

In addition, in such a situation, Dr. Komarovsky advises expectorants and mucolytics. mucaltin, ammonia-anise drops, potassium iodide, bromhexine, acetylcysteine, lazolvan. These agents thin the mucus and promote coughing. The dosage must be prescribed by a doctor.

Doctor Evgeny Komarovsky: Never, under any circumstances, use or give cough suppressants to children. Their use has strict indications, and without a doctor’s examination, without carefully listening to the lungs, without clarifying the diagnosis, you can cause very serious harm!

The famous doctor once again reminds that juggling medications and treating a cough is a pointless exercise. Need to find root cause .

Sometimes it is enough to protect the child from exposure to the allergen or put a humidifier in the room - and the cough will disappear. In any case, do not remain indifferent to the signals that the child’s body gives. Necessary call a doctor. correctly diagnose and treat the disease causing the cough.

Be healthy and don't cough!

Komarovsky School. Cough and cough medicines

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A dry cough is a typical phenomenon in the initial stages of a number of respiratory diseases. Usually it lasts only a few days, after which it transforms into wet (productive). But there are cases when the cough does not go away for a long time, and remains unproductive. This condition is especially painful for children under one year old.

As Dr. Komarovsky explains, coughing at any age is a natural reaction aimed at clearing the airways.

Respiratory diseases should be accompanied by a cough, and there is no need to rush to suppress it. But if it becomes protracted and does not bring relief, you need to understand the reasons and take action.

Possible duration and causes of dry cough

• acute - lasts several days, then gives way to wet;
• protracted - does not go away longer than 3 weeks, but it bothers you for no more than 3 months;
• chronic, lasting more than 3 months, recurring throughout the year.

The latter type is more typical for adults, and in young children (up to a year and older) an acute and lingering cough is more often observed.

A cough in a child or adult is not a disease that needs to be treated, but a symptom designed to draw attention to the problem. This is constantly emphasized by E.O. Komarovsky. This symptom is characteristic of about fifty different diseases and conditions. Its nature is not always infectious; often a dry cough turns out to be a manifestation of an allergic reaction. It can torment a person for a long time if contact with the allergen is not eliminated.

The causes of a lingering dry cough in an adult, a schoolchild, and a baby in the first year of life vary. In adulthood, it is more often caused by the costs of the profession (harmful working conditions), taking certain medications, heart failure, and oncological problems. In children, the cause is most often diseases of the ENT organs and respiratory system of a viral nature, but bacterial infection cannot be excluded, and at school age - an atypical infection.

No matter how painful coughing attacks may be, they do not pose a threat to life (unless accompanied by suffocation). Therefore, pediatrician Komarovsky urges not to treat the child yourself “for a cough,” but to make an appointment at the clinic for a consultation or wait for the local pediatrician to arrive.

In order to get advice from a qualified pediatrician, use the convenient service to find a doctor in your city. We do not advertise medical services, we offer a convenient tool. He will help you choose a doctor who will correctly diagnose the causes of your child’s cough and prescribe effective treatment. Choose a doctor in your city based on reviews and cost of services and make an appointment at a time convenient for you.
The specialist must determine the reason why the baby is coughing for a long time. It could be:

• ARVI, influenza, occurring against a background of weakened immunity and provoking external factors (passive smoking, dry indoor air);
• the addition of a secondary infection and the development of respiratory tract diseases of bacterial etiology - pharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis;
• pneumonia, pleurisy;

• atypical forms of pneumonia and bronchitis caused by chlamydia or mycoplasma and occurring with relapses;
• whooping cough, measles, false croup (from the 4th year of life, children rarely get sick with it, it is more often observed up to 3 years);
• tuberculosis of the respiratory system, which in recent years has increasingly affected children.

Causes of cough not related to the respiratory system

In one of his programs, Dr. Komarovsky described a case: a child’s cough did not go away for six months; they preferred to treat him with expectorant syrups, but the cause of the problem was never found out. This is fundamentally wrong, symptomatic treatment is ineffective, and etiotropic treatment is different for each disease. The cause of a lingering cough is not always due to respiratory diseases. It can be caused by the following diseases and factors:

• bronchial asthma is a serious disease of the body as a whole, and not just the bronchi. It can develop in a child as early as 2 years old, especially if he previously suffered from recurrent bronchitis;

• allergic reaction, hay fever;
• reaction to household toxic substances;
• migration of worm larvae during ascariasis;
• some diseases and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

Protracted cough in children is quite rarely associated with tumors, heart failure, and pathology of the auditory nerve, but this possibility cannot be excluded.

Another probable cause of a cough that does not go away for a long time: a small foreign object has penetrated the bronchi and is constantly irritating. In such cases, the cough is dry, debilitating, and there are no symptoms of the inflammatory process.

What to do if you have a prolonged dry cough

First of all, as already mentioned, see a doctor, undergo an examination, diagnose the disease and treat it.

And to relieve cough, use the remedies recommended by a specialist in accordance with the age of the child and the nature of the underlying disease. Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky names 2 universal measures that are indicated for a cough of any nature, especially if it is dry:

• humidifying the air, preventing the mucous membrane from drying out;
• Drinking plenty of fluids to thin the mucus.

Dr. Komarovsky also recommends regularly monitoring the body position of a child who is prescribed bed rest. He should sit up in bed more often, rather than lie in the same position for a long time. For coughing attacks that develop mainly at night, it is necessary to place the pillow at a different angle (higher than usual).

If there is no indication for bed rest, physical activity should be moderate. By sweating, the child loses fluid, and this leads to thickening of sputum and the development of an unproductive cough. Screaming, laughing, crying put additional stress on the mucous membrane and can also provoke another attack.

The following factors also play an important role:

• minimal use of substances with a pungent odor;
• installation of climate control equipment, control of temperature and humidity in the children's room, regular ventilation and wet cleaning, elimination of “dust collectors”;
• use of hypoallergenic laundry detergents, underwear and bed linen should be made of natural fabric without dyes;
• daily active walks, if there is no acute inflammatory process;
• a gentle diet during the period of illness. There is no need to force even a healthy child to eat, especially a sick one. This will be confirmed by any specialist, in particular, Dr. Komarovsky. Food must be hypoallergenic; the use of hot seasonings and exotic products is unacceptable.

Cough medicines

Dry and wet cough require different treatment; the second one should never be suppressed. But with a non-productive cough, especially when it does not go away and interferes with proper sleep and eating, the use of antitussive drugs may be indicated. Pediatrician Komarovsky claims that the only disease for which one should take medications that depress the cough center (Libexin, Sinekod) is whooping cough. In this case, the nature of the cough is such that expectorants and mucolytics cannot alleviate it.

Children under one year of age can be treated with antitussive drugs only on the recommendation of a pediatrician, and the dosage must be agreed with him.

It is also justified to take these medications at night so that the child can get a good night's sleep. In other cases, treatment with expectorants and mucolytics will be safer and more effective. They help not only with a wet cough, but also increase the likelihood of a speedy transition from unproductive to productive. However, Dr. Komarovsky claims that expectorant syrups are intended mainly to reassure parents. In foreign pediatrics, such medications are not used, and a similar effect is achieved by drinking plenty of fluids.

You can also resort to proven folk methods: warm water or milk with honey (in the absence of allergies), milk with added butter, soda mixed with slightly alkaline mineral water, chicken broth. Such drugs can be taken over a long period without fear of side effects. Therefore, for a cough that does not go away for weeks or months, this is a good auxiliary therapy. But it is auxiliary, we must not forget about the treatment of the underlying disease.

Treatment of the cause of cough

In diseases caused by bacteria, the cough is often productive; it can be dry in the first days after the addition of a secondary infection. Regardless of the nature of the cough, antibacterial therapy is indicated. E.O Komarovsky emphasizes that it is impossible to treat bronchitis, pneumonia and other diseases of a bacterial nature with folk remedies, without antibiotics. It is also necessary to take them for whooping cough. Atypical forms require specific treatment with antibacterial drugs, to which mycoplasmas and chlamydia are sensitive.

When tuberculosis is detected in a child, it is necessary to carefully calculate the dosage of anti-tuberculosis medication, taking into account the patient’s weight. Ascariasis requires taking antihelminthic drugs, hay fever and other allergic reactions require antihistamines. Bronchial asthma cannot be treated without bronchodilators. Particular attention must also be paid to eliminating provoking factors and preventing exacerbations.

It should be noted that quite often the protracted nature of dry cough is explained by its relapses. And they are connected with the fact that the therapy of the underlying disease was not completed. After the baby’s condition improves and the main symptoms disappear, parents stop giving the drug prescribed by the doctor, and complete recovery is not achieved.

It is especially important to complete the full course of treatment in case of antibiotic therapy.

If a child’s persistent cough does not go away for more than 3 weeks, especially when such situations are repeated many times throughout the year, a thorough comprehensive examination is required.

It is necessary to take an x-ray and undergo a series of laboratory tests. Based on their results, a decision is made on the advisability of contacting other specialists. In particular, a small patient can be examined by an otolaryngologist, pulmonologist, phthisiatrician, or allergist. Only when the root cause is identified will the treatment of persistent and chronic cough be effective.

Worms in a child treatment at home - traditional methods of treatment