The baby coughs. Causes of cough in an infant. Causes of cough

Cough infant- a rather rare phenomenon in comparison with children aged 1 to 7 years. If the baby receives only mother's milk as food, then the risk of suffering from a cold for up to a year is minimized. If you have a runny nose and high temperature ARVI may be suspected. If there is no snot, the thermometer shows 36.6 C, and the child begins to cough, you should be checked for allergies or whooping cough. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, since the respiratory muscles of newborns and infants are not sufficiently developed. The baby will not be able to cough up mucus from the lungs and bronchi, which leads to stagnation of mucus in the respiratory tract and the occurrence of complications.

If a child is fed breast milk, the risk of catching a cold before the age of one year will be minimized

Types of cough

A baby's cough is the same protective reflex inherent in nature as sneezing. Mothers worry when they notice that their child is coughing. Mild manifestation Pediatricians consider the reflex to be normal, even if the baby coughs several times a day. There are two types of cough:

Dry. Characteristic for initial stage ARVI, parawhooping cough and whooping cough, bronchial asthma or an allergic reaction, which makes it difficult to make a correct diagnosis. An examination by a pediatrician is necessary, since mothers without experience often take moist cough for dry (see also: ). A baby under 3 months of age swallows mucus rather than coughing it up, so parents are confused.
Wet. If a baby’s cough begins without fever, this means that the disease is nearing completion. There is no need to worry when the sputum is clear and thin. Yellowish or greenish mucus indicates a serious infection in the respiratory tract.

If an infant's cough is wet, does not go away within a month and is not accompanied by an increase in temperature, this may be a sign of pneumonia, tracheitis or chronic bronchitis. The bronchi of children older than six months are capable of self-cleaning, but in newborns and babies up to 5-6 months, this function has not matured. Cough occurs when phlegm is irritating back wall nasopharynx, flowing down.

Basic therapy

Treatment of cough is always individual and is prescribed only after examination by a doctor. The course depends on the nature of the disease and includes:

Antipyretic drugs. If the temperature rises when coughing, syrups with ibuprofen or paracetamol will help reduce it.

If the cough is accompanied by a high temperature, syrup will help bring it down

Antiviral medications. ARVI can be treated with immunomodulatory drugs. Doctors recommend using Viferon suppositories, since they have no contraindications or age restrictions (we recommend reading:). The drug can be prescribed to children from birth to one year.
Rinse the nasal passages. If the baby is having trouble breathing thick snot, he sneezes and starts breathing through his mouth (we recommend reading:). After a short period of time, the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat will dry out, and the child will cough. Before going to bed, it is important to rinse the baby’s nose with saline or saline solution. During the day, you can instill 3 drops into each nostril 4 to 8 times. After the rinsing procedure, it is useful to drip the nose with an oil solution of “Ectericide” in a dosage of 1 drop. This will create a thin protective layer of medicine on the mucous membranes.
Homeopathy. To cure an infant's cough, pediatricians prescribe drugs based on natural products. Particularly popular is the Stondal syrup, which has proven itself to be an excellent antitussive, bronchodilator and expectorant.

If you have a runny nose, it is forbidden to use it for the treatment of infants. antibacterial drops. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe a vasoconstrictor if a toddler is sneezing, but not for the treatment of ARVI.

If a month-old baby's cough is accompanied by snot, but the temperature remains within normal limits, this may indicate pharyngitis, laryngitis or rhinitis of allergic etiology.

Cough remedies for infants

Infants and one-year-old children can be treated with safe forms of medications - drops and syrups. Cough medications are divided into three groups:

Mucolytic. They are produced on the basis of hydrochloride, acetylcysteine, bromhexine and ambroxol, which thin out thick mucus in the respiratory tract. Among the popular ones are: “Mukodin”, “Flavamed”, “Fluditek”, “Mukosol”, “Bromhexine”, “Ambrobene”, “Lazolvan”. Syrups are given to children under one year of age, but only after consultation with a pediatrician.
Antitussives. Prescribed for dry cough, which has the form of attacks. The drugs reduce the occurrence of the cough reflex, which is most effective in the treatment of whooping cough. Among the contraindications childhood up to 2 years. Panatus and Sinecod syrups are approved for children in the first year of life if therapy is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor.
Expectorants. They are effective if a month-old baby’s cough is wet, but the sputum is difficult to clear (more details in the article:). Syrups based on plantain or ivy extract are prescribed. Additionally, the composition includes plant components: coltsfoot, wild rosemary, thyme, oregano, elecampane, marshmallow, licorice, anise, thyme. Among the well-known drugs recommended: “Prospan”, “Doctor MOM”, “Gedelix”, “Bronchicum” and “Dr” (we recommend reading:). Theiss." "Prospan" and "Bronchicum" are allowed from 4-6 months. A one-month-old baby may be allergic to herbs, so you need to monitor the baby’s well-being. If a skin rash or swelling appears, you should stop taking the medication and visit your pediatrician.

If a newborn sneezes and coughs, the dosage of the drug is calculated by the doctor (we recommend reading:). An overdose of an expectorant medicine is dangerous, since the cough of a one-month-old baby may be prolonged. The volume of mucus secreted will increase, but a baby between the ages of one month and one year physically cannot cough it up.

It is prohibited to combine antitussive and expectorant medications, as the manufacturers warn about in the instructions. When a cough is suppressed and a large volume of mucus is produced at the same time, pneumonia occurs.

Expectorant syrup Gedelix improves sputum discharge

First aid for a baby

Before the doctor arrives, parents can follow simple tips to alleviate the baby’s condition. At home, it is difficult to determine why a baby is coughing and sneezing, but you can help reduce negative symptoms:

Drink plenty of fluids. If a newborn is coughing, then only water is allowed to drink. At natural feeding it is necessary to offer the breast more often. Do not forget that high temperature leads to dehydration. Danger signal Don't miss it if you watch the diaper filling. If you urinate infrequently (once every 4 hours), you need to start drinking water from your little one. Babies from six months of age are offered raisin water, a decoction of rose hips or linden, diluted juice or dried fruit uzvar.
Minimum clothing. The warmer the baby is dressed, the faster he loses moisture. The mucous membranes dry out, so the baby begins to cough.
Walks in the open air. If the child has a cough, but other health indicators are normal, short walks are allowed. The exception is weather conditions when there is severe frost outside. Don’t be alarmed if your baby only coughed during the day, but in the evening after a walk the cough intensified. This leads to better mucus removal.
Comfortable air humidity. To dry painful cough turned into wet, it is not necessary to resort to medications. It is enough to set the air humidity in the house at 50-70%. The temperature in the room where the baby is located should not rise above 22 C. 18 C is considered ideal, otherwise the sputum in the respiratory tract will be more viscous and thick.
Safe inhalations. Steam procedures are prohibited to avoid burns to the skin and mucous membranes. If the baby coughs, it is recommended to install it next to the playpen during the illness. Doctors advise filling a bathtub for a dry cough. hot water by adding soda to it. Then take the baby in your arms and sit in the bathroom, inhaling the moist alkaline fumes.

Walking in the fresh air will help your baby recover faster and speed up recovery.

Additional measures: do's and don'ts

A wet cough in one-year-old children is often accompanied by mucus that is difficult to separate. IN in this case Drainage massage will help. You can invite a specialist to your home who gives professional massage to babies, but the mother can carry out some manipulations on her own:

lay the baby on his back;
place your palms on the chest and stroke it from bottom to top;
turn the baby over on his stomach;
“walk” along the back with gentle circular movements, avoiding the spine area.

The massage should be completed with light pats from bottom to top. It is advisable to position the baby so that the head is below the buttocks.

Fearing negative consequences from taking medications, mothers, on the advice of grandmothers, resort to using traditional medicine. Pediatricians are categorically against such experiments on children's bodies:

Thoughtless manipulations almost always lead to the opposite effect. Compresses with dry mustard, vinegar or vodka cause burns and poisoning. Dangerous spasms of the bronchi and larynx often occur.
Babies in the first year of life are allergic to medicinal herbs, so breast training, infusions and decoctions should be used after consultation with a specialist.

We must not forget that the time of shortages has long passed, and medicine does not stand still. The pharmaceutical industry can offer a lot of effective and safe drugs.

Effective and efficient for adults healing herbs not always suitable for infants

Expert opinion

Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky does not see anything terrible in the cough reflex, since it is inherent in all people. The resulting snot flows down the nasopharynx in children, so the body is forced to get rid of mucus. When diseases of the upper respiratory tract or lungs occur, the volume of sputum increases and is removed through a natural reflex.

If the snot in the nose dries out, it becomes difficult to breathe, leading to further complications. Komarovsky believes that preventing mucus from drying out in the bronchi is also important if the little one coughs. It is necessary to provide the baby with enough fluids and provide access to fresh, cool air. Without consulting a doctor, it is prohibited to use antitussive drugs, which are effective only for whooping cough. It is permissible to use mucolytic and expectorant drugs if it is evening outside and you need to act somehow.

Symptoms of any type of cough allow you to visit a pediatrician and get the necessary recommendations. The following drugs are effective and relatively safe:

lazolvan;
acetylcysteine;
bromhexine;
potassium iodide;
mucaltin;
ammonia-anise drops.

They should be in home medicine cabinet, but the dosage is determined by the doctor. The specialist will also advise on the advisability of using a particular medicine.

Mucaltin is an inexpensive but very effective expectorant drug

The danger of complications after ARVI is the development acute bronchitis or pneumonia, secondary bacterial infections are not uncommon. The baby is prescribed antibiotics in tandem with additional medicines. Similar treatment will negatively affect the formation of the immune system, but there is no other way out. For this reason, Komarovsky recommends not to self-medicate, contact specialists in a timely manner and not expose the baby to danger. If a child experiences pneumonia before the age of 2 months, the alveoli of the lung remain affected and stop developing.

How dangerous is whooping cough?

With whooping cough, the cough reflex has some characteristics, only a pediatrician is able to make a correct diagnosis. Conducted in a timely manner DTP vaccination does not completely protect against infection, but allows the disease to be transferred to more mild form. Mass refusal to vaccinate last years has led to whooping cough becoming more common among children preschool age. Self-medication and mothers’ confidence in their own actions complicate and slow down the diagnosis, since doctors are consulted at 2-3 weeks of illness.

Vaccination will not protect against the disease one hundred percent, but it will help significantly ease its progression.

Whooping cough and its severe forms are deadly for infants due to paroxysmal hacking cough, which provokes severe vomiting, respiratory failure and even stopping breathing. Symptoms of whooping cough include:

dry cough, similar to a common cold;
in subsequent stages, the cough becomes more painful, without turning into a wet form;
the cough reflex occurs on exhalation and is paroxysmal in nature;
after a prolonged cough, the child takes a deep breath, which is accompanied by a whistle;
Sometimes a coughing attack can result in vomiting with the discharge of viscous sputum.

The cough reflex can occur up to 50 times a day, which should alert parents. Whooping cough is bacterial infection Therefore, antibiotics are used in therapy. Antibacterial agents effective at the first symptoms, when the cough center is not yet in the stage of excitement. Additionally, antitussive drugs are prescribed to reduce the frequency and intensity of the cough reflex. The course lasts from several months to six months so that the baby ceases to be contagious and does not pose a danger to others. Walking in the fresh air is not contraindicated during therapy, and it is advisable for parents to be patient.

Usually a cough in a newborn does not mean that he is sick; it is a natural reaction. The baby talks to us with his cough, he says, look, I’m alive and I feel, I don’t have a language yet, but I have a desire to communicate.

Cough – natural and unnatural

The baby reacts with a cough to the slightest changes in the external environment, temperature fluctuations, dust, strong odors, he condemns and welcomes, and all this in a cough. Young mothers are worried: their newborns have a cough, and they don’t know how to help.

The fears are justified, because it’s better to know what you shouldn’t be afraid of if your child coughs:

The little one coughs as soon as he wakes up. This is where the mucus that accumulated during sleep is released.
The child choked on food or saliva.
An insidious allergy can manifest itself as, you should pay attention to possible allergens.
The newborn coughs during feeding without losing his appetite.

Lung formation before and after birth

At 15 weeks of pregnancy, doctors already assess lung development. There are three degrees 0-1-2, that is, if degree 2 is recorded, then the lungs are formed, the child will immediately be able to breathe when born. Before birth, the lungs have the third stage of development. The check is done in order to exclude possible fetal pneumonia.

Before birth, the baby begins the saccular period of lung development. From the terminal sacs, saccules, real alveoli are formed. The number of saccules at birth is about 20 million. In an adult, the number of alveoli is 300 million, which is reached by the age of 8 years.

After birth, true alveoli are formed from saccules and terminal bronchioles. So, in a newborn and infant we are dealing with lungs that are not yet fully adult.

Here are the warning signs:

A frequent and dry cough is a harbinger of a cold.
Hoarse or rough cough as possible tracheitis.
a sign of laryngitis.
Nasal discharge with dry cough, possible sinusitis.
Whooping cough cough.
The newborn coughs after feeding and refuses to eat.

Any cough or runny nose is a reason to see a doctor.

If a newborn has a cough for 1 month, then he has caught an infection and needs to be treated, of course, by finding out the cause of the rise in temperature. A rare cough in a newborn indicates a dry room. It is necessary to humidify the air in the nursery and apply it to the chest frequently.

Causes of cough in an infant

This:

Allergic dry cough

The protective reaction of the baby’s immune system manifests itself primarily in allergic reactions. Parents are concerned about why their newborn is coughing. And in the first place here is an allergic dry cough.

This means that an allergen substance has appeared in the baby’s environment and needs to be gotten rid of. In addition to coughing, allergies are accompanied by a rash, redness of the skin and spots on it. It is important not to confuse an allergic cough with a cold or its other types, but to take adequate measures. You can't cope with this without consulting a pediatrician.

Acute respiratory viral disease (ARVI)

When a newborn coughs and sneezes, this is often the first sign of an acute respiratory viral infection. At first, the baby coughs, then the cough gets worse in the evening and at night. If you look at the neck, it is inflamed. Sputum begins to be released (see).

Inflammation of the upper respiratory tract

A newborn often coughs, what to do when he has a dry and prolonged cough? It is dangerous for complications and torments the child. May appear false croup When a whistling appears in the throat, the child suffocates. Be sure to see a doctor.

Dry indoor air

Dryness, common in apartment buildings, causes a sore throat and cough in the child, which is not dangerous, but it is necessary to humidify the air in the room.

Otitis. Inflammation of the middle ear

When a child's middle ear becomes inflamed, he begins to cough reflexively. You can check if this is true by pressing on the earlobe; the child screams in pain. In this case, you cannot do without calling a doctor.

Polluted air

Tobacco smoke and exhaust gases entering windows from the street will definitely provoke a cough in the baby, which is difficult to stop. Harmful substances get into the lungs, so this situation cannot be allowed.

Foreign body inhalation

Quite unexpectedly in Airways a foreign object of any size can hit the baby. Urgent measures are needed; young mothers are taught what to do in this case.

Stridor. Wheezing noisy breathing appears in many newborns a month or two after birth; this is not a pathology or a disease, but a feature of the development of the cartilage of the larynx, since they are still soft. Stridor may only occur when coughing or screaming.

So:

The heating season is characterized by a decrease in air humidity in residential premises. Due to hot radiators, the air in the apartment is dry, which will affect the child. Solution: buy an air humidifier or place flat containers of water in the room.
Be sure to ventilate the room several times a day, this ensures an influx of oxygen from the street.
Back massage for a child is a very good healing procedure.
It is necessary to accustom the baby to drinking weak tea, juices, water, this helps with fluid loss during periods of high temperature.
Before going to bed, it is recommended to rub the back and breast with badger, pork or goat fat; they can be replaced with camphor oil; pharmacies have Badger balm. The heels are also rubbed. This is very good way to improve the baby's well-being.
Fresh air For a sick child, it is medicine in itself. Outside, the baby's lungs expand, gas exchange increases, and the cough goes away.
Use a nebulizer for inhalation. Breathe simple saline solution the child should do it for 5 minutes, then he will cough less due to the moisturization of the mucous membranes and the ease of mucus rejection. For the nebulizer, you can choose the dosage of the medicine prescribed by your doctor.

If the newborn’s temperature is above 38.5° C and the cough does not stop, then call a doctor, he will determine the severity of the disease and prescribe a course of treatment for what the newborn can do for a cough. Children's medicines have a low price. The instructions explain the mechanism of action.

Table. Cough medicine for a newborn:

Treating cough in newborns

The baby clears his respiratory system from various types of influences by coughing. It does not need to be artificially stopped, since this is a defensive reaction and is also a signal to the mother about trouble.

What can you give a newborn for a cough without fear for him? It is dangerous to suppress the cough center because stagnation of mucus in the bronchi can cause inflammatory process. But newborns who have a cough should be given drinks more often and the air in the room with the child should be humidified.

The baby does not yet know how to expectorate mucus if it has formed, which is why expectorants should not be given to babies. Unlike older children, infants should be allowed to cough dryly and not allow sputum to appear.

Steam inhalations must be carried out not because the sputum is separated, but so that the cough and snot in the newborn stop. A humidifier in “mist mode” is used for the same purpose.

Folk remedies for cough in newborns

So:

Take 100 g of honey and butter. Make a homogeneous mixture, you can add vanillin. Give the baby a teaspoon to suck after feedings.
Over low heat, heat the mixture of onion, honey and sugar, to taste, for a long time, several hours, filter and cool. This mixture is given to the baby by the spoonful if he continues to cough.
Mix chopped onions fried in oil with honey and aloe leaves. Pour in water, heat up, first bringing to a boil, over low heat, stirring continuously for several hours. The resulting drug is given to the baby one teaspoon at a time throughout the day.
Butter is mixed with crushed birch buds, boiled over low heat for an hour, then mixed with honey, this mixture is given to the baby when he coughs, preferably before meals.
If added to a warm bath of water essential oils, sage and thyme, the resulting vapors will help cleanse the child’s respiratory system, while at the same time such a bath is soothing and relaxing.
For night coughs, dissolve eucalyptus oil in water and rub it into the child’s chest. Excellent tool for newborns from cough. He will immediately feel relief and be able to fall asleep.
Onion jam. Grate the onion, mix with honey, let it brew for 2-3 hours and let the child drink a little 3-4 times a day.
The baby has no signs of a cold and a mixture of bay leaves, honey and a pinch of soda, boiled for 5 minutes in 1 liter of water, can help him. Give it to drink on the tip of a spoon.
You can treat a baby’s cough with herbs only from 4 months and give a herbal decoction of coltsfoot and plantain. You can also use licorice root with marshmallow.

Traditional medicine knows well what can be given to a newborn for a cough. As we see, in many folk recipes there is honey. Choosing a type of honey is also an art, and you can’t do it without advice from experts.

How to prevent a newborn from developing a cough

Neonate cough should not be a concern unless medical conditions have been ruled out. Can a newborn cough just like that? We can repeat that a cough is normal; it is bad when the child does not cough at all. And from colds, to strengthen the immune system, they will protect simple and effective measures prevention.
The best prophylactic from diseases - mother's milk. Breastfeeding provides the child with immunoglobulins from the mother, since he does not have his own immunity. Breastfeeding is best for your baby's growing body.
Experience shows that the sooner you begin hardening procedures for a newborn, the more reliably he will develop his own protection from adverse external influences. According to the rules, hardening must be carried out every day without breaks, otherwise its entire effect will be lost.
If one of the adults in the family has an acute respiratory infection, he needs to wear a gauze bandage and not have contact with the child.
When a nursing mother catches a cold, then breast-feeding can't be stopped because breast milk the infection is not transmitted (see).
To avoid forced infection of a child, you need to lubricate his nose with Oxolinic ointment.

Hardening and its methods

There has long been an answer to the question of what to do if a newborn coughs. Hardening helps to create a dynamic stereotype of a healthy and fulfilling life in a child, as it is a practice-tested method of preparing for life’s difficulties.

Methods for hardening a baby:

First of all, these are walks in the fresh air. They start walking with the baby for 15 minutes at first, then gradually increase the walking time. Secondly, air baths are very important, when the child is stripped naked in the room and left for 1 minute at first, gradually increasing the interval to 10 minutes over a week.
They are tempered with water, starting with washing with warm water, gradually reducing its temperature by 1 degree every three days.
The child is rubbed with a soft mitten with a water temperature of 36° C and gradually reduced to 25° C. They wipe the arms, legs, tummy, and watch until slight redness of the skin appears.
Pouring is done when the baby is bathed. Water with a temperature of 26°C is poured onto warm skin and gradually brought to 18°C, decreasing every 5 days. They pour it on while holding the baby upside down, starting from the heels.
Hardening by swimming is practiced by supporting the child's head while he splashes freely in the bath. But you can go to the pool with a baby starting from six months.
Sunbathing is necessary because in the light the body produces vitamin D, which is necessary for growth. bone tissue. You just can't have it straight Sun rays Contact with skin may result in sunburn.
After the child has adapted to the simplest methods of hardening, you can move on to intensive ones, when the child learns to stand on his feet, and finally, a bathhouse and sauna for children over one year old.
Hardening sets a health program for the child on an unconscious level.

Video in this article:

Mom is always worried if a newborn coughs and tries to wrap him up in cool weather. Excessive zeal will lead to the child sweating and catching a cold. You need to learn how to dress your baby according to the weather.

Undoubtedly, every loving parent, at the first signs of illness in their baby, immediately begins to worry and think about how to help their little one.

But there is a category of mothers and fathers who tend to get upset and panic over even the slightest reason. They often turn to the pediatrician with complaints that the newborn is sneezing and coughing a little. However, these symptoms do not always indicate the development of a cold; sometimes they can be caused by completely different reasons. To reassure overly suspicious parents, we’ll tell you why a newborn sneezes and coughs.

Causes of coughing and sneezing in infants

Naturally, having discovered that a newborn is sneezing and coughing, it is important to show him to the attending physician, who can rule out the development of serious diseases or, if necessary, carry out their timely treatment.

The following can cause a baby to cough:

infections in the upper respiratory tract;
an abundance of sputum;
dry air in the room;
allergic reaction.

It is known that infants are extremely susceptible to pathogenic microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria, so when they enter children's body Newborns sneeze frequently. In this regard, pediatricians advise parents in the first 2-3 months of a toddler’s life to avoid contact with strangers who may be carriers of various infections. A cough almost always accompanies infectious diseases, so it is better to entrust his treatment to a specialist. In the case of colds, an infant's sneezing and coughing is often accompanied by fever, weakness, runny nose, or nasal congestion.

Often the baby coughs due to the high production of mucus in his body. At the same time, his nose tries to free himself from it, which becomes the reason for this unconditioned reflex like sneezing and coughing. In addition, mucus can irritate the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, and falling into the upper respiratory tract cause coughing.

Too dry indoor air is also the reason why a newborn sneezes. In addition, various aromatic and pungent odors also cause this reaction in the body.

Parents should remember that infants are very susceptible to developing various allergies, especially to pet hair, dust, tobacco smoke, pollen from certain plants, and also to synthetic materials. Therefore, if adults notice that the newborn is sneezing and coughing slightly, you must first of all protect him from contact with the above irritants, and also do not forget about daily ventilation of the children's room and wet cleaning.

These reasons, which cause frequent sneezing in a newborn baby, do not pose a particular danger to the baby’s health if the parents behave correctly. But, according to doctors, in Lately There are often cases of babies being born with congenital pneumonia, accompanied by a constant wet, sometimes even gurgling cough. That is why it is extremely important to regularly visit your treating pediatrician, who will conduct a thorough examination of your toddler.

In addition, do not forget that cough in infants can also occur due to mechanical damage respiratory tract upon contact with oral cavity crumbs of foreign objects. As a rule, this symptom goes away immediately after removing the object that has entered the child’s body.

Why does a newborn sneeze?

In addition to the main factors that cause coughing and sneezing in a baby, these manifestations in a newborn can be observed during or after feeding. This is due to the fact that in children in the first months of life, the Eustachian tube connecting the ear and nasopharynx has not yet fully formed, so the process of breastfeeding can provoke irritation of the mucous membrane of the toddler’s nose. Pediatric doctors say that if a two-month-old baby coughs and sneezes while feeding, then there is no reason to worry.

Quite often, a newborn sneezes if dry crusts form in his nose, tickling the nasopharyngeal mucosa. In order to eliminate this manifestation, the mother should regularly clean the baby’s nose using cotton swabs. If there are no reasons that could cause the baby to sneeze, but he has a runny nose and cough, then it is necessary to take measures aimed at treating the cold.

Thus, sneezing and coughing in a newborn are not always signs of the disease, but if, in addition to them, there are some additional manifestations, the baby should be shown to the treating pediatrician as quickly as possible.

Infants get sick most often with the onset of cold weather, in the off-season. It is at this time that bacteria and viruses are most active. The immune system, as a result, is subjected to severe stress. And since in children it is still too weak, there is nothing easier for the disease than to take advantage of the opportunity and penetrate the baby’s body. As a result, the infection is rebuffed, which is expressed in the form of a runny nose, fever and cough.

Colds and coughs in infants are very common.

Treatment this symptom for infants, this is a very difficult process, because medications familiar to adults are not suitable for them. Therapy should be as gentle as possible and at the same time effective, so that the sick baby does not develop complications. To get rid of cough, both traditional and home methods are used.

Types of children's cough

How to treat a cough in an infant so as not to harm him? What methods exist for this, and is it worth seeking help from specialists? To answer these questions, you first need to understand what a cough is and why it occurs in young children.

The symptom is caused by contractions of the tracheal muscles with the participation of the abdominal muscles - air is forcefully pushed through the respiratory tract, simultaneously freeing them from excess mucus and various foreign particles.

Often in infants, a cough is simply a protective reaction of the body and is not associated with a cold.

Cough can be of the following types:

dry (without mucus production);
wet (accompanied by copious discharge sputum).

This familiar symptom is defensive reaction body to irritate the tissues of the throat and bronchi. When the epithelium is subjected to sedimentation by bacteria, special receptors are triggered, which is why a cough begins. Young children's throats are much more sensitive because respiratory system has not yet formed. Therefore, they cough much more often.

Causes of cough

Coughing in babies is quite common. Small children can choke while eating or inhale dusty air. The respiratory tract of a newborn contains quite a lot of mucus, which is very difficult to remove. However painful cough It is not difficult to distinguish it from the usual one - it is often accompanied by wheezing, fever, and is systematic.

Dry air and dust in the apartment can cause coughing

The most common causes of cough in infants:

infectious diseases (colds and flu, bronchitis, tonsillitis, etc.);
dry air;
foreign bodies in the throat;
burns and wounds.

Also common cause cough becomes allergy. For a newly born child, all surrounding substances seem foreign, because the immune system not yet in to the fullest developed. As a result - cough, snot and skin rashes in response to quite familiar factors (dust, small hairs, pollen, etc.).

Attention! A persistent painful cough in an infant is very warning sign. At the first suspicion of any illness, it is better to call a therapist. Otherwise, parents expose their child great danger- any illness is extremely difficult for him to bear and must be treated correctly.

If the cough does not go away for a long time, then you should show the child to the doctor.

Treatment of non-infectious cough

Sometimes it happens that the baby coughs, but does not get sick. This can be understood by his general health, the absence of high fever and high activity. In this case, the symptom cannot be ignored, because its presence indicates hidden pathologies.

Most often, such a cough develops from dried air in a house or apartment, especially if the heating season has begun - the radiators evaporate all the moisture during operation. In this case, it is better to purchase a special device - an air humidifier - and place it in the room where it is kept. Small child. Regular spraying with spray bottles also helps. The easiest way is to leave a well-moistened rag on the battery (but you will have to do this quite often).

When a child has an obvious allergy (this can be understood by sudden bouts of coughing that suddenly stop, tearing, rash, swelling of the face and limbs), they will help antihistamines(Suprastin, Tavigil, Fenistil). However, you can completely get rid of a cough only after a visit to a specialist.

Suprastin will help cope with allergic cough

Sometimes foreign objects get into babies' throats - accidentally or due to parental oversight. In this case, a foreign object stuck in the respiratory tract causes persistent cough. You cannot remove it yourself - you need to call a therapist or go to the clinic to see an otolaryngologist, who will safely perform an operation to remove the foreign body.

When your child begins to cough heavily, but the reasons for the development of this symptom have not yet been fully elucidated, parents should adhere to a number of rules to alleviate the baby’s condition and improve coughing. Then the consequences of the disease will be minimal.

When a small child has a cough, you should:

provide drinking plenty of fluids baby (after 3 months);
regularly ventilate the room;
sometimes pick up the child and turn him around.

Let your child drink more

If the weather permits (it’s not cold outside, there’s no wind or precipitation), you can go for a walk with your baby. Fresh air is good for the throat, improves expectoration and helps the immune system.

Cough preparations

How to treat a cough if it is caused by infectious disease? Traditional methods involve the use of drugs. But not tablets, but special solutions or drops - they are harmless to babies.

A baby’s cough can be relieved with the following medications:

mucolytics (Bromhexine, ACC, Ambroxol);
expectorants (Stoptussin, Prospan, Gedelix);
antitussives (Sinekod, Panatus, Linkas).

Children aged 2, 4 months and older can take the above medications. For wet coughs, expectorants are given to help remove mucus from the respiratory tract. For dry skin with severe inflammation, mucolytics are suitable (they make sputum less viscous) in combination with antitussives.

Panatus is an effective antitussive remedy

Important: when wet cough Do not give antitussive drugs - it causes stagnation of mucus. Also, do not give symptom suppressants and expectorants at the same time.

This remedy is perfect for treating a small child. Onion is a very strong antiseptic, and therefore, when it comes into contact with the surface of an inflamed throat, it produces a powerful healing effect. It not only kills the infection, but also slows down its spread. Among other things, the oils contained in onions have an enveloping effect, protecting tissues from irritation.

Preparing this product does not take much time - you just need to finely chop (or grate) 1-2 heads of onions, mix with natural honey and leave for a couple of hours to infuse. If you don't have honey at home, you can use regular sugar. The resulting product is given to the patient 1 tsp. in the morning, at lunch and before bed.

You can prepare a cough remedy for your baby using onion juice.

Rubbing with badger fat

This home treatment method is suitable even for one month old baby. Animal fat helps improve blood flow in the area where inflammation occurs ( rib cage, throat) and relieve excessive swelling - this helps to cough up phlegm.

Rubbing should be done like this: apply a sufficient amount to the skin of the baby’s chest. badger fat and very carefully spread it in a circular motion throughout the lung area to the neck. When the product is absorbed, the patient should be wrapped for a while. The procedure can be carried out daily, but no more than once a day. At a temperature of 38 and above, rubbing should not be done.

By using given methods More than one child was cured. If your child feels unwell and coughs a lot, you can use beneficial herbal remedies- they are natural, do not cause allergies or side effects.

Herbal decoctions are very popular remedy, it can also be given to babies

If your baby is sick, the following decoctions and infusions are suitable for him:

coltsfoot;
licorice;
chamomile;
mint.

The dosage of any of the indicated herbal decoctions for babies is 1 tsp. three times a day. However, preferring home therapy to calling a therapist, it is worth remembering that no one is immune from complications - self-medication rarely leads to positive results. When infant coughs, most the best option will trust the experts.

In this video they will tell you how to properly treat children's cough:

When a baby coughs all the time, it causes concern among parents. They begin to look for the reason, they think that the baby is sick or has caught a cold. If your baby is coughing, an infection is not necessarily to blame. Cough occurs for several reasons; only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.

Why does coughing occur?

When sputum accumulates on the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx, coughing occurs. There is nothing wrong with this, the body is trying to expel phlegm so that it does not enter the esophagus or lungs. In infants in the first month of life, organs and systems are unstable. It is difficult for the child to cough up mucus; he tries to swallow it, which provokes coughing.

The following factors can cause a cough:

Coughing is considered the most dangerous due to mechanical damage to the nasopharyngeal mucosa. It can be caused by small foreign objects, caught in the respiratory tract. If this happens, you should immediately visit a doctor. As soon as the foreign object is removed, frequent sneezing and coughing immediately disappear.

What to do if your baby regularly coughs and sneezes?

When a child coughs more often during sleep, it is worth carefully examining his sleeping place and the area around him. The outflow of excess mucus can be caused by pillow feathers, fluff from a plush or woolen blanket, artificial dyes in toys, bedding, and furnishings.

If the baby constantly coughs, the body temperature is elevated, there is general malaise, or a stuffy nose, call a pediatrician immediately. A cough can be a symptom of a cold or a more serious illness, such as bronchial asthma, whooping cough, congenital pneumonia, pathology of the heart, respiratory tract.

How to treat cough in infants:

If the cough is caused by an infection, the pediatrician prescribes antitussive drugs.
One of the home remedies is inhalation, which relieves swelling of the mucous membranes and improves the outflow of sputum.
It is useful to place decoctions near the baby’s crib medicinal herbs, the vapors of which contribute to the rapid cure of cough. To do this, use chamomile, sage, calendula, oregano, thyme, separately or in mixtures.
If your child has a cough, make sure he drinks plenty of fluids throughout the day. You can give a weak infusion of chamomile or dill water, which is beneficial for the respiratory organs and digestion.
Warm wraps quickly liquefy mucus and ensure its rapid drainage. They take anything vegetable oil, slightly warmed up in a water bath, after which the diaper is generously moistened with it, then the baby is wrapped in it. Wrap plastic wrap on top and put the baby to bed. The procedure promotes good warming, enhances sputum separation, and improves overall well-being.

The last resort treatment measure is taking medications. homeopathic medicines and antibiotics that will speed up the healing process. In any case, before starting treatment, be sure to consult a pediatrician; you should not self-medicate.