How to quickly help a child with a dry cough. How can you treat dry cough in children? Possible complications of barking cough in children

Anna Sheveleva, a pediatrician and mother of two children, explains what a dry cough is, why a dry cough appears, and how to treat it.

Cough is one of the most common symptoms various diseases that occur in children. Often, when describing a child's cough, it is called dry or wet. What is meant by this description? A dry cough is a cough without producing sputum. A wet cough produces and produces sputum.

The most common causes of dry cough in a child are as follows:

Colds. Dry cough due to respiratory infections usually occurs in the first days of illness.

Cough due to diseases of the ENT organs. At the same time, mucus flows down back wall pharynx, irritating cough receptors.

The cough in acute tracheitis is paroxysmal, dry, painful, with a “metallic” tint, followed by a wet cough with scanty sputum.

Also common cause Parents' concern is a dry cough (or coughing) after an infection, which can persist for up to 2-3 weeks after an acute respiratory infection or bronchitis. For example, the baby ran, breathed in cold air, and coughed. The reason for this cough is that the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract has not yet fully recovered from the disease and remains overly sensitive to the smallest irritants.

A few more diseases that can cause a dry cough in a child:

Pneumonia. Dry, painful cough in the child in the first days of illness it then changes to wet. Pneumonia is accompanied by shortness of breath, fever, and general malaise.
Foreign body in respiratory tract
Smoking in the presence of a child
Psychogenic cough(cough due to stress)
Heart diseases
Diseases digestive system(reflux disease)
Pleurisy
Pulmonary tuberculosis
Tumor in the area chest
And others

Dry cough in a child. What to treat.

The following medications are available to treat dry cough in children:

1) Antitussives - medications that inhibit the cough center of the brain or reduce the sensitivity of respiratory tract receptors. Drugs in this group are used only as prescribed by a doctor for diseases such as whooping cough and pleurisy.

2) Expectorants (expectorates) and mucolytics - drugs that intensify cough, promote liquefaction and secretion of sputum. They are not prescribed for dry cough.

3) Bronchodilators - used for coughs accompanied by bronchospasm, such as bronchial asthma, obstructive bronchitis.

Medicines for the treatment of cough are prescribed in combination with other drugs that act on the cause of the disease. It is important to note that this or that drug should be prescribed by a doctor after examining the baby. To alleviate the child’s condition before the doctor arrives, give him “throat softeners” - warm drinks; Older children can also be given lozenges to dissolve in the mouth.

As soon as the baby shows any sign of illness, young mothers immediately begin to panic. So, quite often children experience a dry cough. And therefore, every parent should clearly know the answers to questions such as what are the causes of such a cough or how to properly treat it effectively.

A dry cough indicates that the mucous membrane of the patient’s respiratory tract ceases to produce secretions at an increased rate (this is the case if a foreign body or dust gets into the throat), or that the secretion has increased viscosity and therefore is difficult to produce (this occurs with pneumonia) . Swelling may occur at this time vocal cords(this is observed with laryngitis), or spasm of the small bronchi and, as a result, narrowing of their lumens (this symptom is characteristic of an allergic cough).

What are the causes of dry cough in children?

There are several main causes of dry cough in children.

1 Any case of ARVI. This is a viral infection, the viruses of which penetrate the epithelial cells of the human respiratory tract, after which they (the cells) become inflamed and then die. As a result of this action, sensitive cough receptors are stimulated. The most obsessive cough especially affects people suffering from respiratory syncytial infections, parainfluenza, and influenza. In this case, the respiratory tract can be affected at various levels. So, for example, with pharyngitis the pharynx is affected, with tracheitis - the trachea, with bronchitis and bronchiolitis - large and small bronchi, and with pneumonia - the alveoli.

2 Presence of inflammation of the vocal cords. During illness, a person experiences a decrease in the lumen of the glottis. And, depending on the size of this gap, the child may experience a dry “barking cough” or, on the contrary, a very quiet, almost inaudible cough (such a cough is said to be aphonia). Usually laryngitis is the result of overstrain of the vocal cords, which occurs due to microbial and viral infection, with a loud scream, an allergic reaction, or when inhaling vapors of any irritating substances.

3 Specific bacterial infections may occur, which include: tuberculosis, which results in the formation of a very long-term inflammatory process that occurs in the lungs and in the peritracheal lymph nodes, which leads to a reflex cough; diphtheria, as a result of which swelling of the tissues of the larynx, neck and throat is observed, while the trachea is compressed; whooping cough. As a result of this disease, pathogenic bacteria contaminate human body toxins. And those, in turn, cause a sharp increase in the activity of the human cough center. As a result, the patient experiences very severe seizures. prolonged cough, which prevent you from breathing and can even lead to suffocation. In addition, very thick sputum, whose consistency resembles liquid glass, accumulates in the bronchi. This is why it is very difficult for her to clear her throat.

4 Manifestation of allergies in the form of respiratory diseases. If a child has a cough, but there is no temperature, and, as a rule, if it appears in the autumn-spring period, then we can say that the patient is allergic to animal fur, for example, or to flowering plants. This cough is often accompanied by a runny nose and watery eyes. The most severe form of this disease is bronchial asthma.

5 Pleurisy or inflammation of the pleura is also accompanied by a reflex painful cough.

6 Gastro-esophageal reflux. As a rule, with this disease, coughing attacks occur after eating. Most often - in a lying position in a dream. The reason for this is the flow of the acidic contents of the human stomach into the oral cavity and after this is random inhalation of this acid.

7 Very rarely, but still there are situations when a child has a dry cough due to a tumor of the lungs, bronchial lymph nodes, aortic aneurysm, inflammation of the respiratory tract, decompensated heart defects.

How to treat a dry cough in a child?

How to treat children if they have a dry cough? Moreover, it is known that children under two years old should not use drug treatment. This is due to the fact that there is always a risk of drug overdose. Older children can be given medications for dry cough, which can block the cough reflex that occurs. But for children it is necessary to use other procedures that reduce irritation in the throat. But, when choosing one or another drug treatment for a child, it is necessary first of all to pay attention to the side effects that are characteristic of this medicine. Such effects usually include drowsiness and dizziness. So, if the medicine is selected, then just in case it is best given before bedtime.

Today, if you talk to mothers, you can conclude that the most popular medicine for treating dry cough is the drug “Robitussin”, which blocks cough reflexes, as well as “Delsim” - a special suspension that has a long-term effect. Experts say that this drug can relieve a child of a dry cough for about 12 hours. If selected home treatment, then the most optimal is the use of steam inhalation. It must be emphasized that such inhalations should be used with an automatic humidifier. Thanks to the action of the cool steam that appears from this humidification, it opens the nasal passages and significantly relieves irritation in the throat. If parents want to use homeopathic remedies, then it is best to use the following recipe. Take one spoon of honey and mix it with a spoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. And do not forget that during illness the child must be given as much fluid as possible to remove toxins from the body. At this time the child can eat chicken soup, hot tea(as often as possible). Be sure to gargle with warm salted water. If the child is over four years old, then he can already be given cough drops.

Rules for caring for a sick child

1 The air in the room must be humidified. The fact is that dry air leads to attacks of dry cough. To do this, you need to do wet cleaning more often, you can hang a wet towel on the radiator, or place dishes with hot water everywhere in the room.

2 It is important that the room is 20-22 0 C.

3 It is necessary to exclude all irritating odors, such as the smell of any smoke (including tobacco), any detergents and all other chemical odors.

4 A sick child must be provided with a special drinking regime. This means that he should drink warm alkaline liquid, which includes milk, tea, and still water, as often as possible.

5 At this time, you should not force the child to eat a lot; he should have a gentle diet. There should be only light, low-calorie dishes on the table, such as jelly, jelly, and fruit puree. Very well accepted by a sick child mashed potatoes, made with milk with the addition of ghee.

6 You can apply warm compresses. They should be located on the chest area. But after the compress is removed, the child must be dressed warmly.

7 You can teach your child to inhale warm, moist air. To do this, you need to go into the bathroom, close the door tightly behind you, turn on the shower and inhale the moist warm air that will come from it.

Folk remedies for treating dry cough in children

Today there are many different folk recipes, making it possible to treat dry cough in children. Below are the most delicious, healthy and safe ones.

1 Take a spoonful of sugar and boil the syrup in it until it turns dark yellow. After that, dilute this caramel in water and use it to treat the baby’s cough. If the child is big, then you can simply let him dissolve the resulting frozen syrup, as if it were a candy.

2 You can take black radish juice and mix it with honey, then drink it using dessert spoons. This recipe can only be used if the child is not allergic to these components.

3 Pour a glass of milk into a container and put a small onion in it and boil it over low heat. After this, strain the milk and drink it warm, but only in small sips.

4 Can be given to a child medicinal tea, which will consist of a decoction of marshmallow herbs, wild rosemary, peppermint, thyme flowers, licorice root, thermopsis, coltsfoot. Moreover, you can brew herbs separately or make a collection from them.

Whatever disease worries the baby, at this time he should have semi-bed rest. And it is necessary to remove exotic seasonings and various hot spices from food. And yet, even if a mother considers herself a serious specialist in the treatment of her child, she must be shown to a doctor in order not to miss any serious illness and to prevent the development of any dangerous complications.

What to do if a child has a dry cough without fever?

There are situations when a child has a severe dry cough and no other symptoms of the disease - fever, runny nose, weakness - are observed. In such a situation, the easiest way is to assume that the baby simply got something in his throat. It can be anything - from dust to a small part of a toy. As a rule, such a cough develops very sharply, without any symptoms, and may even be accompanied by suffocation. In this case, parents must act very quickly, but carefully so as not to scare the baby. To do this, the baby should be placed face down on your lap. You can clear the throat with several sliding blows, which parents apply from top to bottom between the baby’s shoulder blades. In the event that a stuck object pops out of the throat, it is best to still show the baby to the doctor so that he can check the airways and make sure that they are not damaged.

In some situations, children's dry cough in the absence of fever occurs in infants. As a rule, it starts in the morning. This happens in order to clear the child’s airways from sputum accumulated overnight. Therefore, if the baby coughs, but there is no temperature, then this is all within normal limits.

When should you take serious action when a child has a dry cough?

If, after following all the recommendations prescribed by your doctor, the child’s dry cough does not go away, then you need to contact a more specialized specialist - an otolaryngologist. If this cough is prolonged, then serious laboratory examinations are necessary. In addition, consultations with a phthisiatrician and pulmonologist must be scheduled. The cause of such a long-term dry cough can be anything - tuberculosis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma. If a child has a prolonged cough in the autumn and spring, it may be a helminthic infestation, or chronic allergic inflammation. In any case, treatment should be prescribed by specialists.

A dry cough is a very unpleasant and painful symptom that is characteristic of many respiratory diseases.

A dry cough causes a lot of pain to a child, disrupts his sleep, and negatively affects his mood and overall well-being. To get rid of this type of cough, it is necessary to correctly determine the cause.

In some cases, the nature of the cough has nothing to do with respiratory system. For example, a paroxysmal cough without sputum discharge can be observed in children suffering from esophagitis or gastritis, so independent attempts to make a diagnosis can result in incorrect treatment and a deterioration in the child’s well-being.

A cough is a reflex contraction of the chest muscles, as a result of which the pulmonary system is cleared of harmful bacteria, mucus, and sputum. If a foreign body enters the respiratory tract, the first symptom of the pathology will also be a cough.

The cough may be wet, accompanied by the release of mucus and sputum containing toxins and waste products of pathogenic microorganisms. If little mucus is formed during the coughing process (or it is not formed at all), such a cough is called dry.

A dry cough is unproductive, as it does not lead to the discharge of sputum. Most often it appears during inflammatory processes in the organs of the oropharynx, but sometimes frequent, painless attacks of dry cough may indicate that the air in the room is dry and needs to be humidified.

This type of cough can get worse at night, reducing the quality of sleep or even depriving it completely.

Symptoms

A dry cough can be constant or paroxysmal. Constant cough a child without fever or sputum production is a signal to parents about the need for more thorough wet cleaning of the room.

If the right level of humidity is maintained in the children's room, but the cough does not go away, the child may have an allergy. The following signs may indicate this:

lacrimation;
nasal congestion;
discharge of mucus from the nasal passages;
redness of the eye sclera;
the appearance of skin rash and itching.

With allergies, the cough is usually of moderate intensity. It is not too painful, but in some cases it can cause attacks of asphyxia (suffocation), so at the first symptoms of a possible allergic reaction, parents should show the baby to a specialist.

A paroxysmal, wheezing cough that sounds like a dog barking may indicate viral or bacterial laryngitis. Cough with laryngitis intensifies at night, interferes with sleep, causes severe painful sensations, injures the respiratory tract.

With bronchitis and pneumonia, a dry cough is one of the first symptoms of the disease. It is usually accompanied by fever, deterioration of health, chills, and pain in the chest area.

Important! If a child has a sudden attack of dry cough, with difficulty breathing, and uncharacteristic pallor, it is necessary to urgently call a team emergency care, since the cause may be a foreign body entering the trachea.

From the video you can learn from a young mother how to stop an attack of dry cough in a child.

Possible causes of pathology

The causes of dry cough in children and adults are most often respiratory diseases, which can be infectious or non-infectious in nature.

In children, doctors consider the following pathologies to be the most common causes of unproductive cough:

laryngitis - inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx and epiglottis;
pharyngitis is an inflammatory process localized in the pharynx, which affects the mucous membranes and lymphoid tissue;
bronchitis - inflammation of the membranes covering the bronchi, or specific areas of the bronchial tree;
whooping cough is an infection of the respiratory tract ( characteristic feature- constantly increasing dry cough, which is paroxysmal in nature);
diphtheria is a severe infectious disease of the oropharynx with a high mortality rate, often complicated by inflammatory processes in the lungs;
tuberculosis is a disease caused by pathogenic microorganisms from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex group.

A dry cough is not always a symptom of colds. Often this sign appears with severe helminthic infestation with a high degree of intoxication of the body.

In this case, the child will also experience pale skin, circles under the eyes, and decreased or lack of appetite. Bronchial asthma- another possible reason for the appearance of a painful, paroxysmal cough without sputum discharge.

Important! In approximately 7-10% of cases, chronic dry cough moderate intensity indicates diseases digestive tract, so parents should not engage in self-diagnosis. The best solution there will be timely contact with a specialist.

Diagnostic measures

After examining the child, the doctor will definitely give directions for additional examinations which usually include:

chest x-ray (if tuberculosis or pneumonia is suspected);
urine and blood tests;
stool analysis (to exclude helminthiasis);
ECG (if necessary);
bacterial culture of sputum (to determine the type of pathogen and its sensitivity to various drugs from the group of antibiotics).

Depending on the received clinical picture the child may be prescribed consultations with highly specialized specialists: a neurologist, an allergist, an immunologist, a gastroenterologist and an otolaryngologist.

Treatment of dry cough in children with syrups and medications

In order to correctly prescribe treatment for dry cough in children, it is necessary to determine the cause of its occurrence. The basis of therapy for infectious diseases are antiviral and antibacterial drugs, which destroy pathogenic flora.

From antiviral agents Children are most often prescribed the drugs "Viferon" and "Genferon Light" in the form rectal suppositories. They are usually used according to one of the following schemes:

1 candle before bedtime for 10 days;
1 candle 2 times a day (morning and evening) for 5 days.

Arbidol has a good antiviral and immunomodulatory effect. For children younger age the drug is available in the form of a suspension.

Antibiotics should only be prescribed by a specialist after performing a bacterial culture of the sputum. Depending on the type of pathogen, the child may be prescribed the following medications:

facilities penicillin series based on semi-synthetic penicillin - amoxicillin (suspension "Augmentin", "Amoxiclav", tablets for preparing the suspension "Flemoxin Solutab");
macrolides (suspension “Zinnat”, “Hemomycin”);
cephalosporins ("Ciprofloxacin").

Important! To prevent intestinal dysbiosis, the use of antibiotics must be combined with the use of prebiotics. Most effective drugs In this group, experts consider “Normobakt”, “Bifidumbacterin”, “Bifiform” and “Linex”.

For symptomatic treatment For cough, medications from three main pharmaceutical groups are used.

Antitussive medications.

Their mechanism of action is to act on the cough center and block cough receptors. One of the most effective reflex drugs with an immediate antitussive effect is Sinekod. It comes in the form of a vanilla-flavored syrup, so young children usually drink this drug well.

The effect occurs almost instantly - usually 5-15 minutes after administration. You can take Sinekod only as prescribed by a specialist, as it has certain contraindications.

Mucolytics.

Drugs in this group thin out thick and viscous mucus and facilitate its removal from the respiratory tract. In pediatric practice they are usually used the following means this group:

"Fluimucil";
"Rinofluimucil";
"ACC 100";
"Bromhexine for children";
"Lazolvan";
"Ambrobene";
"Ambrohexal".

Important! Drugs with mucolytic action should not be taken simultaneously with reflex-acting antitussive drugs.

Expectorants.

Stimulate an increase in mucus and facilitate its removal. Preparations in this group are most often represented by herbal medicines. These include:

"Alteyka";
"Mukaltin";
"Liquorice root";
"Pertussin";
"Gedelix";
"Doctor MOM";
"Dry cough medicine."

In some cases, the doctor may prescribe a combination of mucolytics and expectorants, but self-prescription of combined treatment regimens is strictly unacceptable.

How to treat with inhalations?

Inhalations with saline or medications have an excellent therapeutic effect. the main task therapy - increase the effectiveness of use medicinal methods treatment and ensure maximum penetration active ingredients into the respiratory tract. Drugs and dosages for inhalation should be prescribed by a doctor.

Standard treatment regimens usually include the use of Erispal, Berodual and other drugs that help relieve inflammation and facilitate sputum discharge.

Inhalation treatment should be done 2-4 times a day for 10-30 minutes (depending on the age of the child and the severity of the pathological process).

If a child is afraid of an inhaler, you can use a children's device that is shaped like a train or a car.

Treatment of dry cough with folk remedies

If the child is not prone to allergic reactions, you can use non-traditional, traditional methods treatment. Almost all of them are safe for child's body and are not inferior in effectiveness to traditional medicines.

Lemon-honey mixture

Grind 3 lemons using a blender or meat grinder and add 100 ml natural honey. For weakened children, you can add grated dried apricots, figs and prunes to the recipe. You need to take this mixture 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day until the symptoms disappear completely.

Carrots with honey

To prepare the medicine, you must use freshly squeezed carrot juice(a commercially produced product will not work). For 300 ml of juice you should use 100 ml of honey. At severe cough It is better to use buckwheat or linden honey. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and put in the refrigerator. Take 10-15 ml 4 times a day after meals.

Note! The prepared mixture can be stored for no more than 48 hours at a temperature from +2° to +6°.

Badger or goose fat

It is used to rub the chest 2 times a day (morning and evening). Rubbing should be done 1.5-2 hours after eating and only if the child does not have a fever. If the body temperature is more than 37.2°, the use of any warming agents, which include badger and goose fat, is contraindicated.

Fig milk decoction

Place 5-6 figs in a saucepan with milk, bring to a boil and cook over very low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly so that the milk does not burn. After the broth has cooled, it needs to be strained.

If the child refuses to drink the product, you can add a little sugar to it. You need to take the medicine 150 ml per evening time. Before giving the decoction to a child, it must be warmed up.

Prevention measures

Prevention of dry cough involves strengthening the body's defenses and maintaining hygiene standards. From the early age The child must be taught to wash his hands with soap before eating, after going outside and going to the toilet. Compliance with the drinking regime is of great importance.

The child should always have clean drinking water. A special 2-liter children's cooler is perfect for this purpose. Children usually like to imitate adults and are willing to use the device.

Active walks should be daily and long, and the child should be dressed appropriately for weather conditions. Wet cleaning and ventilation of the room in which most time the child is there should also be regular.

By observing these simple rules, you can strengthen your baby’s immunity and protect him from infectious diseases. Of course, it will not be possible to completely protect a child from viruses and bacteria, but a strong body can easily cope with most pathogenic microorganisms on its own, so hardening, good nutrition, frequent walks and age-appropriate gymnastics are the best preventive measures at any age.

Child's cough - alarming symptom for parents. If it occurs due to damage to the respiratory tract by a viral or bacterial infection, That untimely treatment is fraught with its spread to nearby tissues, the transition of inflammation in the respiratory organs to chronic form and the development of other complications. Treatment for dry cough is prescribed after determining its cause. In most cases, it appears at the beginning of an acute respiratory infection, gradually turning into a wet one. Allergies, whooping cough, gastroesophageal reflux, asthma, and disorders in the central nervous system can also cause such a symptom in a child.

Content:

Principles of treatment

Coughing is one of the unconditioned protective reflexes of a person, the function of which is to clear the respiratory tract of various kinds of irritants ( foreign bodies, viruses, bacteria, allergens, mucus, sputum). A dry or nonproductive cough is a cough that does not produce sputum due to its absence or too thick consistency. Unlike wet, it is quite painful, debilitating, does not allow the child to sleep normally, disrupts his psycho-emotional state and does not bring relief. In children, due to an annoying dry cough, irritation of the delicate mucous membrane of the respiratory tract is possible with the appearance of bleeding wounds or cracks.

The main cause of dry cough is colds, acute respiratory viral infections, or more precisely, inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract that arise against their background (pharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis). With pharyngitis, the child experiences irritation of the mucous membrane of the throat, a feeling of dryness, raw pain and soreness; with tracheitis, pain behind the sternum and in the throat, increased coughing attacks with deep breaths, crying, laughing, and changes in air temperature. With bronchitis, a dry cough is loud, chesty, in initial stage accompanied by the release of a scant amount of sputum, pain in the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall and behind the sternum.

If a child has a dry cough, parents should contact their pediatrician to find out the cause and choose treatment. This is especially true if there is no certainty that a dry cough is associated with an acute respiratory infection, that is, when, in addition to a cough, the child has neither a runny nose, nor a sore throat, nor other characteristic symptoms. clinical signs this group of diseases.

The principle of combating a dry cough that occurs against the background of acute respiratory infections is to mitigate and relieve inflammation in the throat cavity and create conditions to prevent further spread inflammatory process down the respiratory tract. If the infection has entered the bronchi and bronchitis has developed, drugs are used that promote the transition of a dry cough into a wet one, which will effectively clear the airways of accumulated mucus and sputum.

In some children, a dry cough may occur only in the morning and not be a sign of any pathology. Its cause in most cases is the incorrect temperature and humidity level in the room where the child sleeps.

For dry cough, as well as for its prevention great importance has an organization proper care for the child. It includes:

plenty of warm drinks (alkaline non-carbonated mineral waters, warm compotes, fruit drinks, herbal teas);
walks on fresh air;
frequent ventilation and wet cleaning of the house;
maintaining humidity in the apartment at a level of at least 50%;
temperature control (no more than 20°C) in the room where the child is and sleeps.

It is with the organization of proper care that cough treatment in children, especially young children, for whom the use of many medicines may pose a potential threat to the child's health due to the development of severe side effects. According to foreign doctors, drinking plenty of fluids is no less effective means to liquefy and facilitate the evacuation of sputum than taking mucolytic agents, which pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky draws the attention of parents to.

Medicines for children

A doctor should prescribe medications for a child’s dry cough based on an examination of the throat, auscultation of the chest and the results of general clinical tests. Depending on the cause of the disease that provokes a dry cough, the following are prescribed:

local medications for the treatment of sore throat;
antitussives;
mucolytics;
expectorants.

In addition, the complex treatment of dry cough in children includes antispasmodics, antihistamines, sedatives, antibiotics.

It is particularly difficult to prescribe medications for dry cough for children under two years of age. This is due to the fact that due to the weakness of the respiratory muscles, their cough reflex is still poorly developed, so the child is not able to cough effectively.

Excessive mucus in the respiratory tract, which is formed when taking mucolytics and expectorants, is in this case dangerous for the baby. The resulting cough can provoke bouts of vomiting in the child and lead to the baby choking on the resulting mucus. Moreover, the list is relative safe drugs approved for use in children of the first years of life is quite limited.

Local preparations for the treatment of throat

If the cause of a dry cough is irritation of the throat mucosa, then it is recommended to use local therapy, which has a softening, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and healing effect. Depending on the age of the child, he may be prescribed rinses with water-salt solutions, herbal decoctions, inhalations, irrigation of the throat with sprays, lozenges, lozenges or lozenges with extracts medicinal herbs.

Medicines approved for children for sore throat and their dosage depending on age

Drug name	Age	Dosage
Lizobact (tablets)	from 3 to 7 years	1 table each 3 times a day
	from 7 to 12 years	1 table each 4 times a day
		2 tables each 3-4 times a day
Inhalipt (spray)		2-3 injections 3-4 times a day
Tantum verde (tablets)		1 table each every 3 hours
Strepsils (lozenges)		1 lozenge every 3 hours
Septefril (tablets)		1 table each 3-4 times a day
Septolete (lozenges)		1 lozenge up to 4 times a day
Septolete (lozenges)		1 lozenge – up to 8 times a day
Hexoral (spray)		1 injection twice a day
Faringosept (lozenges)		1 table each three times a day

Antitussives

This group of drugs is given to children only as prescribed by a doctor for the treatment of a painful cough accompanied by pain, sleep disturbances and other unpleasant consequences. The mechanism of their action is to suppress the child’s cough due to the inhibitory effect on the cough center, reducing irritation of inflamed mucous membranes, and reducing the susceptibility of peripheral cough receptors to irritating factors. They also have moderate anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator, bronchodilator and expectorant effects. With a dry cough while taking them, the child may experience stagnation of mucus in the respiratory tract, so medical supervision is necessary.

Preparations for the treatment of dry cough

Drug name	Age	Dosage
Sinekod (drops, syrup, dragees)	syrup from 3 years	three times a day, 5 ml
	syrup from 6 years	10 ml three times a day
	syrup from 12 years	three times a day, 15 ml
	drops from 2 months to 3 years	according to instructions
Libexin (tablets)		¼ table each 3–4 times a day
		½ table each 3–4 times a day
		1 table each 3–4 times a day
Bronholitin (syrup, combination drug)		5 ml three times a day
Bronholitin (syrup, combination drug)		10 ml three times a day
Glauvent (tablets)		10 mg 2–3 times a day

Mucolytics

Mucolytics are drugs that change physical properties And chemical composition sputum, which leads to a decrease in viscosity and dilution of bronchial secretions, or promoting the production of a more liquid part of it.

Mucolytics for dry cough in children

Drug name	Age	Dosage
Ambroxol and its analogs ambrobene, lazolvan, ambrohexal (available in the form of syrups, tablets, solutions for inhalation and internal use)	syrup up to 2 years	2.5 ml twice daily
	syrup from 2 to 5 years	2.5 ml three times a day
	syrup over 5 years old	5 ml 2–3 times a day
ACC and its analogues mucobene, fluimucil ( dosage forms– syrup, effervescent tablets, granules for the preparation of solution for oral administration)	syrup from 2 to 5 years	5 ml 2–3 times a day
	syrup 6–14 years	5 ml 2–3 times a day
	syrup over 14 years old	10 ml 2–3 times a day
Bromhexine (tablets and syrup)		daily dosage – 12 mg
	from 6 to 14 years	daily dosage - 24 mg
	over 14 years old	daily dosage - 24–48 mg

Long-term use of mucolytics by a child is fraught with hyperproduction of sputum; they are usually used until the dry cough becomes wet, and then discontinued.

Expectorants

For dry coughs, syrups based on medicinal herbs are often prescribed, which dilute accumulated mucus and accelerate its elimination by irritating the cough center and increasing the production of liquid bronchial secretions. They contain plant extracts that have not only an expectorant, but also an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, and healing effect. These products are relatively safe for health, but in children prone to allergies they can cause urticaria, dermatitis or other allergic reactions during treatment.

Some of the syrups used for dry cough and their dosages

Drug name	Age	Dosage
Dr. MOM		three times a day, ½ tsp.
		three times a day, ½–1 tsp.
		three times a day, 1–2 tsp.
Herbion with plantain	from 2 to 7 years	1 measuring spoon three times a day
	from 7 to 14 years old	1–2 scoops three times a day
	after 14 years	2 scoops 3–5 times a day
Bronchicum S	from 6 to 12 months	2.5 ml twice a day
	from 1 year to 2 years	2.5 ml three times a day
	from 2 to 6 years	5 ml twice a day
	from 6 to 12 years	5 ml three times a day
Gedelix	from 2 to 4 years	2.5 ml three times a day
	from 4 to 10 years	2.5 ml 4 times a day
	over 10 years old	5 ml three times a day

Inhalations

IN complex treatment For dry cough, inhalation provides a good therapeutic effect. They are performed by inhaling vapors or using a nebulizer. When using a nebulizer, the child is inhaled with solutions of medications (lazolvan, ambrobene, ACC, fluimucil, sinupret, dekasan and others), saline solution, soda buffer. The advantage of this method of cough treatment is that it gets medicines directly into the respiratory tract.

For steam inhalations for dry coughs, use decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs (sage, St. John's wort, chamomile, eucalyptus, coltsfoot), ready-made herbal teas cough medicine (ingafitol, evcarom), solutions baking soda, mineral water. The temperature of the solution when a child performs inhalations should not be higher than 40°C to avoid burns to the nasal mucosa, oral cavity and respiratory tract.

Folk remedies for cough

When treating dry cough in children, one should not forget about simple folk remedies, the effectiveness of which has been tested for decades. They include massages, compresses, herbal infusions and teas. Herbs that help in the fight against dry cough include licorice, marshmallow, coltsfoot, elecampane, wild rosemary.

For a dry cough, it is effective to give your child warm compresses at night. Good results gives the use of the following compositions:

sunflower oil, honey and vodka, mixed in equal proportions;
Apple vinegar(1 part), water (3 parts) and 1 tsp. honey;
honey, mustard powder, flour, vegetable oil, vodka, mixed in equal proportions.

Tea with currants, raspberries or honey can help a child with a dry cough due to ARVI. Famous folk remedy to treat sore throat and cough is warm milk with honey or soda and butter. This drink has a softening and warming effect, and the antiseptic properties of honey help the child’s body fight pathogenic microflora. It should be borne in mind that honey is a highly allergenic product, so it should be used with caution, especially in babies and children prone to allergies.

A dry cough can occur due to various reasons. Its duration can vary from three days to several weeks, but even in a short period of time it can incredibly exhaust a person.

The attacks are very painful because they do not help get rid of phlegm, as is the case with a wet cough. Experts say that the appearance of a dry cough is a signal that the lungs and bronchi cannot independently clear themselves of phlegm that irritates their mucous membranes.

When a dry cough appears, you should try your best to keep it moist. It will be much easier to get rid of it.

Possible diseases

Young mothers should pay Special attention this type of cough, since it may not always signal the presence of only ARVI. Sometimes it can become a symptom of some other, more dangerous diseases. Their list can include the following:

Pneumonia. In this case the cough persists long term and is accompanied by a fairly high temperature.
Pharyngitis. Along with the cough, there is also pain or sore throat.
Inflammation of the larynx is most often accompanied by a barking, dry cough. It is very dangerous and if it is detected, you must immediately contact the clinic.
Lung cancer, tuberculosis. With the development of these diseases, the cough is not only dry, but also dull and unproductive, in which expectoration of sputum does not occur.
Bronchial asthma, whooping cough. These diseases are characterized by an exhausting, obsessive cough that provokes gag reflexes.

A persistent dry cough can actually be a signal of the development of more serious illnesses than a cold.

Therefore, if it is detected in a child, you should immediately consult a doctor. Detecting and treating it early stages will help get rid of many complications and protect the child’s health from more serious illnesses.

Differences

Wet and dry coughs are not the same thing, which is why they manifest themselves slightly differently.

The main differences are as follows:

If you have a dry cough, your throat may periodically experience soreness due to irritation of the mucous membranes. In case of wet cough mucus will be coughed up.
The drugs used to treat this or that type of cough are different. For dry cough, use special drugs, diluting sputum, and when wet - means that allow it to be removed.
Typically, at the initial stage colds A dry cough appears, which can later turn into a wet cough.
A wet cough is characterized by a feeling of heaviness in the chest, but its attacks are not so painful. When dry, they are more exhausting.

You don't know which one to choose? We have prepared an overview of the most popular and effective potions, which will most likely help you make your choice and buy what is right for your baby.

Does your baby cough without fever? Do not panic ahead of time, we are considering possible reasons and methods to combat such symptoms.

My child has a dry cough, what is the reason?

There are many reasons for this type of cough. In the first place, of course, are various viral diseases respiratory tract. But a cough is just a symptom of a more serious disease, so comprehensive treatment should be chosen.

It can develop in children and as a result of more serious diseases, such as various diseases of cardio-vascular system, the development of tuberculosis and even cancer.

If a child has a cough, there is no need to delay treatment. It is necessary to immediately visit a pediatrician, who will prescribe appropriate treatment after examining the baby.

Treatment of dry cough in children

Drug treatment

Treatment for dry cough in children will differ from wet cough. As already mentioned above, it must be converted into wet form, and for this you need to use products that help thin the mucus.

In addition, your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics to treat the infection or disease.

If more serious diseases are detected, the course of treatment will be radically different and will be selected individually. Baby syrup for dry cough can significantly speed up recovery. Or an alternative solution is dry cough syrup, which you can dilute yourself.

Folk remedies for dry cough for children

Any doctor will tell you that daily inhalations are the way to quickly get rid of a viral dry cough and, as a result, to a full recovery.

That is why every mother needs to pay due attention to this procedure. Interestingly, it can be performed even on children as young as four years old. The main thing is to know whether the child is allergic to a particular inhalation solution, because various herbs and essential oils will be used in its creation.

The solution for this procedure is easy to make yourself. To do this, you need to purchase a collection of medicinal herbs at the pharmacy. It is best if it is chamomile, thyme, St. John's wort, sage and coltsfoot. Pour boiling water over the herbs and add two or three drops of eucalyptus or lemon oil to the solution.

In addition to inhalations, you can make a decoction of herbs, which can be rubbed on the child’s body in the lung area, or given to the baby to drink half a glass a day.

Features of dry cough in children

A lingering and obsessive dry cough can occur in children of any age. It’s especially bad if they suffer from infant, since not every medicine is applicable in this case.

The best way to get rid of a cough can only be recommended by a doctor after a face-to-face consultation and examination of the baby. You should not listen to the advice of other mothers, even if they are more experienced, because the baby may have some special needs or be allergic to a particular drug.

A dry cough at night in a child is a difficult experience. Often such attacks of obsessive, irritating cough torment the child not only at night, but also make his life unbearable during the day. Due to too frequent attacks, he may begin to have headaches and chest pain in the bronchi area, so from the very first days of detection this symptom, we need to start treating him.

Barking

A dry paroxysmal cough in a child (barking dry cough) most often occurs in children two or more years old. At this age, they have more contact with their peers, from whom they can become infected.

But if a child under one year of age has a very weakened immune system, then this type of cough can also develop in him. It is more dangerous than a regular dry cough, because if it is not treated in time, it can even be fatal.

You can recognize it by the following signs:

Swelling and redness of the larynx;
The appearance of a cough that sounds like a dog barking;
The child complains of shortness of breath;
Difficulty breathing;
Possible increase in temperature.

Allergic

Frequent dry cough can also occur due to allergies. It will differ from other types of cough in that it can occur in children of all ages.

When a cough is caused by an allergy, the temperature rises only in severe cases, redness of the skin of the face and places in contact with the allergen occurs. Often the eyes may become watery and a sneezing reflex may appear.

Let's sum it up

If you notice a dry cough, you should immediately consult a doctor;
Treatment should be selected in accordance with the type of cough and the recommendations of a specialist;
Three to four inhalations should be performed daily;
Dry night cough(barking) requires especially careful attention;
If the child's condition worsens, you should seek medical help.

Remember that even a rare dry cough can be one of the symptoms of the development of serious diseases that pose a serious danger to your child’s health!

Html and don't get sick!

Video on the topic

Elena Malysheva and her fellow assistants talk about cough and its effective treatment: