Throughout life, a child faces many diseases. A special place among them is occupied by diseases of an infectious nature, since they are most common. They can provoke laryngeal edema in children, which is not an independent disease, but a consequence of the presence of another disease. What are the symptoms and first aid for this condition? You will learn about it by reading the article.
Definition
Edema of the larynx in children is a condition in which there is an increase in the size of the soft tissues of the throat. This condition is of two varieties:
- Limited edema - a slight increase in the size of the soft tissues.
- Diffuse, or diffuse, in which there is a significant narrowing of the throat, which leads to difficulty breathing.
The second type of edema is the most dangerous, as this can lead to oxygen starvation.
Inflammatory causes
Swelling of the larynx inchildren can have many causes, but the most common throat infections are:
- measles;
- scarlet fever;
- diphtheria;
- flu and its complications;
- throat throat;
- laryngitis;
- tonsillitis;
- tracheitis;
- phlegmon.
Edema that occurs with these conditions must be treated comprehensively, as local exposure may not bring the desired results.
Non-inflammatory causes
In addition to infectious diseases, swelling of the throat can occur for the following reasons:
- development of benign and malignant neoplasms;
- mechanical injury or damage;
- diabetes mellitus;
- allergic reactions;
- some kidney disease.
It is also noted that one of the predisposing factors may be the presence of human immunodeficiency syndrome.
Development stages
Signs of laryngeal edema in children may differ depending on the stage of development of the pathological condition. They also differ in the degree of danger. There are 4 stages of development:
- At first, the body is most often able to fight on its own. There is a slight swelling of the mucosa during visual examination, in addition to this, the child does not experience any specific symptoms.
- The second stage is characterized by insufficient supply of oxygen. The child experiences difficulty in breathingwheezing, shortness of breath are noted.
- The third stage is characterized by the development of oxygen deficiency. The child reacts poorly to external stimuli, is drowsy, his pupils are dilated, and his heartbeat is rapid.
- The fourth stage of development is considered the most difficult. It manifests itself in asphyxia - suffocation due to the inability to breathe.
The third and fourth stages of the development of a pathological condition require emergency medical care.
How to recognize?
It can be very difficult to detect a pathological condition in a child, especially if he is younger and cannot communicate his feelings. In such cases, it is necessary to pay attention to indirect signs. They can be as follows:
- Whistling when breathing, which is accompanied by sharp sighs. The chest and abdomen are also often uplifted. Such symptoms of laryngeal edema in children occur when air is difficult to enter the lungs.
- The voice may become hoarse, as it is difficult for the baby not only to inhale, but also to exhale.
- May have a barking cough.
- There is also a bluing of the skin as a result of insufficient air intake.
Also, the child becomes lethargic, does not respond to external stimuli, may try to take a sitting position to facilitate the flow of air into the lungs, while the head often throws back.
At the fourth stage, which can develop as a consequence of the third or abruptly, if it enters the respiratorypath of a foreign object, there may be a sharp deterioration in the general condition, as well as convulsions. Such symptoms are a reason to immediately call an ambulance.
Symptoms of allergic edema develop rapidly as a reaction to an allergen entering the child's body. There is a loss of voice. The mucous membranes become pale. This condition is also quite life-threatening for the child.
First Aid
If a child has swelling of the larynx, what should I do? The first thought of adequate parents is to call an ambulance. This decision is correct, especially if suffocation develops. Before the arrival of the medical team, it is recommended to perform the following simple steps:
- Open a window or a window in order to provide fresh air to the room where the child is. The air must be humid, for this point it is recommended to use household humidifiers. If there are none, then you can replace them by putting a wet rag on the battery or simply by placing a bowl of water next to it. This method is suitable for winter time. In the summer, you can take your child to the bathroom and fill it with warm water so that it starts to evaporate.
- It is important to calm the baby so that he does not cry. Crying takes a lot of strength and energy, as well as air, so the child may begin to choke.
- It is also recommended to remove clothing from the baby, which can hinder the movement of the chest during sighs.
- To calm down, you can offer the child an infusion of valerian. The dosage must be in accordance withage.
- Before the arrival of the doctors, it is important that the child does not fall asleep.
- For symptoms of allergic laryngeal edema in children, it is recommended to remove the alleged irritant, and periodically give the child a warm, slightly alkaline drink, it can be mineral water or milk with a little soda.
It is important not to panic, as children acutely feel the state of their parents and begin to get nervous themselves. In this case, it may adversely affect the breathing ability of the baby.
Foreign body removal
How to remove swelling of the larynx in a child, which arose as a result of a foreign object entering the respiratory tract? To do this, you need to try to get it. The procedure can be performed in several ways:
- Tilt the child down a little and tap between the shoulder blades with patting movements. At this time, the baby should try to clear his throat.
- Leaning the child back to you, you need to sharply press on the stomach. Such movements can provoke the exit of a foreign object from the respiratory tract.
Swelling and spasm of the larynx when a foreign object gets into it occurs very quickly, so you need to try to remove it yourself. If the attempts were not successful, then you need to call an ambulance very quickly.
Allergic laryngospasm
Swelling of the larynx in a child with allergies can even lead to Quincke's edema. Most often, this problem occurs due to atypical foods or contact with animals. The condition can be dangerous, as allergicreactions develop fairly quickly.
The first aid in this case is the introduction of antihistamines to the child. These can be injections of drugs such as Suprastin, Pipolfen, Tavegil. Also, in some cases, additional administration of corticosteroid drugs intramuscularly is required.
Even with self-stopping of allergic laryngospasm, it is recommended to see an allergist in order to establish the cause of the pathological condition. To do this, you need to pass tests to identify the allergen. If the swelling of the larynx was provoked by a drug, then its administration is canceled.
Treatment for infectious diseases
As first aid measures for swelling of the larynx in a child, Komarovsky advises taking a set of measures before the ambulance arrives. For this, it is recommended to give the baby antihistamine drugs. Well relieves swelling of the larynx in a child "Berodual". The drug is available in the form of inhalation, which is convenient to use for children.
In diseases such as influenza, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, it is recommended to use a nebulizer for inhalation. The drug "Pulmicort" with laryngeal edema in a child shows quite good results. It has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.
Diagnosis
Even after you managed to stop the attack on your own and return him to the opportunity to breathe freely, you need to visitpediatrician. This is necessary in order to monitor the course of the disease that caused the edema, as well as take measures to treat it.
An experienced pediatrician will immediately determine the diagnosis of the child. This is because laryngeal edema has very specific symptoms. In addition, it can be identified by the appearance of the throat. In this case, it will be reddened, the tongue and mucous membrane will be swollen.
Sometimes you need to consult an otorhinolaryngologist. He will conduct a survey to clarify the symptoms, a visual examination, palpation of the cervical lymph nodes, and laryngoscopy. This is necessary in order to understand the cause of the origin of the swelling of the throat.
Treatment with folk remedies
Medicated inhalations for laryngeal edema in a child, as well as other forms of taking medications, can only be prescribed by a doctor, based on the symptoms of the disease. Antibiotics are often prescribed, which can actively fight infectious diseases.
Recipes of traditional medicine are also used as aids. Particularly popular among them are such gargles as propolis, chamomile infusion, chlorophyllipt, calendula and sage. They have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, thereby helping to relieve swelling and restore breathing.
During the treatment period, it is important to ensure that the baby consumes enough fluids. Mineral water, such as Borjomi, is suitable for drinking, but the child may not like its taste. ATIn this case, you can offer him herbal teas, rice or fruit liquid jelly, warm milk with honey. Such drinks not only prevent the development of dehydration, but also soften the reddened throat.
What is the danger?
With the rapid development of a pathological condition or the lack of adequate medical care, laryngeal edema can develop into stenosis. This is the name of the condition in which the lumen of the throat is significantly narrowed. At the same time, breathing becomes difficult to the limit, it is accompanied by noise during inspiration, shortness of breath, redness, and then blueness of the skin. With a severe course of the pathological condition and the lack of timely assistance, suffocation occurs, and then death.
Diet
With laryngitis, how to relieve swelling of the larynx in a child? Using drugs, this is quite simple to do. However, after stopping the attack, unpleasant symptoms, such as pain and sore throat, will not go away immediately. In order to alleviate the condition of the baby, you must adhere to a special diet. It should consist of boiled and steamed vegetables, poultry and fish, as well as liquid cereals in milk. Foods with a high fat content, spices, and spicy, s alty, sour, bitter foods should be avoided. It is also not recommended to give the child potential allergens - honey, chocolate, citrus fruits, especially if the swelling of the larynx has occurred on the background of an allergic reaction.
Conclusion
Swelling of the throat in children is prettya serious condition that requires urgent medical attention. It is also important to know what exactly led to such a pathological condition. This is necessary in order to deal not only with the consequences, but also directly with the disease that led to the edema.
