Parents should start treatment of laryngitis in children in a timely manner. The symptoms of this disease are quite pronounced, but can manifest themselves in different ways, depending on the form of the course. The child begins to develop an inflammatory process of the larynx, which often affects the initial sections of the trachea.
Causes of occurrence
In most cases, it is necessary to treat viral laryngitis in children. Symptoms in this case are not as obvious as in a disease caused by a bacterial infection. The larynx is usually affected by influenza viruses, herpes simplex, measles and some others. The most common bacterial pathogens are staphylococci, pneumococci, and streptococci. Since vaccination against diphtheria is mandatory, this type of infection is very rare.
It is in the cold season that symptoms of laryngitis and tracheitis begin to appear in children. Treatment of diseases is not difficult, but requires the right approach. Inflammation of the larynx is promoted by suchfactors:
- hypothermia;
- lack of normal nasal breathing;
- weakened immune system;
- lack of vitamins;
- breathing harmful substances in large quantities;
- vocal cord strain.
In some situations even strong emotional upheavals can cause a disease in children. However, in medical practice this is quite rare.
Features of leakage in infants
Symptoms of laryngitis in infants should be treated promptly as their airways are narrow. That is why with edema in many cases there is a sharp lack of air. The narrowing of the larynx usually occurs at night, which is associated with changes in the circulatory system.
In the presence of a disease in infants in a complicated form, even resuscitation may be required. This is due to the fact that the child's nose does not yet perform a protective function in the required volume. You can suspect a disease in infants by a bluish triangle around the lips or a characteristic whistle in a dream.
It is precisely because of the narrow airway clearance that adults should immediately start treating laryngitis in children under one year old. Symptoms are usually most pronounced at night or early in the morning. A barking cough may appear.
Basic shapes
Laryngitis can occur in quite a variety of ways, so itclassified as follows.
| Shape | Specifics |
| Catarrhal | Is the least dangerous for the child's body. It often occurs without any complications. Accompanied by symptoms characteristic of colds. |
| Hypertrophic | The vocal folds thicken in this case. There is discomfort in the larynx. The main danger is the possible occurrence of edema. |
| Hemorrhagic | Sputum streaked with blood is in this case the main symptom of laryngitis in children. Treatment of this form of the disease has its own difficulties. However, such an ailment does not occur so often. |
| Phlegmonous | It is a complex form of the disease. Children sometimes develop due to complications from measles or scarlet fever. With this option, the muscle layers of the larynx and perichondrium are affected. |
| Atrophic | With this form of the disease, the larynx becomes thinner. It almost never occurs in young children. |
Most often, children show signs and symptoms of acute laryngitis, when the inflammatory process manifests itself once, but in a pronounced form. However, sometimes the disease becomes chronic. In this case, relapses appear at certain intervals.
Standardsymptomatic manifestations
At the first stage, the child may experience the main signs of a cold. One of the first symptoms is a runny nose. It may not be very pronounced. Simultaneously with it, a sore throat begins. After a while, the voice becomes hoarse or disappears altogether.
Dry barking cough is the main symptom of laryngitis in children. With treatment, after about 3-4 days, sputum is formed, and after a week it completely disappears. With inflammation of the larynx, the temperature rises as the body tries to fight the infection.
The emergence of false croup
Difficulty breathing can also be a symptom of laryngitis in children 3 years of age. Treatment in this case does not require delay, as this is due to stenosis of the larynx (false croup). The narrowing of the airways is observed mainly in young children, since loose fiber contributes to the development of large edema. The tapered shape of the larynx favors obstruction.
Most often, false croup begins to develop 2-3 days after the first signs of respiratory disease appear. It is characterized by noisy breathing, which is associated with a narrowing of the lumen of the larynx. When it occurs, shortness of breath is observed. When inhaling, wheezing may appear.
The clinical picture depends on the degree of airway constriction. There are four in total.
- I degree of stenosis leads to shortness of breath only during physical exertion and emotional experiences. Atlistening in the lungs, whistling rales are found, which are usually heard precisely on inspiration.
- II degree of stenosis is characterized by the appearance of shortness of breath at rest. On inspiration, the intercostal spaces and the jugular fossa are retracted. When listening, dry rales are detected. The skin around the lips and next to the nose becomes bluish. This speaks of oxygen starvation.
- III degree of stenosis is accompanied by a distinctly perceptible inspiratory dyspnea. The patient has an obvious barking cough. Paradoxical breathing occurs and a strong change in voice occurs. The presence of mixed shortness of breath indicates an unfavorable symptom in terms of the prognosis of the disease. The child becomes drowsy and may be confused.
- IV degree of stenosis is characterized by the absence of a specific cough and pronounced breathing. There is bradycardia and arterial hypotension. Seizures may be present. False croup of this degree due to the development of asphyxia sometimes leads to death.
Violation of natural breathing in stenosis often leads to the addition of bacterial infections and the appearance of films with purulent contents on the walls of the larynx. Therefore, along the way, many other diseases begin to develop: bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis and sinusitis.
Chronic features
A more careful approach is required in the treatment of chronic laryngitis in children, the symptoms of which are similar to the disease in an acute form. However, their severity depends on the prescription of the inflammatory process. The disease can progress with a certainregularity, exerting its negative impact on the child's body as a whole.
During periods of remission, the symptoms become more pronounced. Body temperature rises, dry cough increases, severe sore throat appears, general weakness occurs, signs of suffocation may be present. Sometimes headaches start to bother me. Coughing fits occur most often at night.
Used drugs
In any case, drug treatment for symptoms of laryngitis in children should be prescribed strictly by a doctor, but parents should know what drugs are used to get rid of the disease. With proper therapy, recovery usually occurs within a week.
Drugs of the following categories may be prescribed for the treatment of the disease.
- Antihistamines are meant to relieve swelling. They are recommended to be taken at night to avoid an attack of false croup. Drugs and doses are selected taking into account the age of the child.
- Antipyretics should only be taken when the temperature is high. Paracetamol-based preparations are mainly used. For infants, it is better to use medicines in the form of rectal suppositories.
- Nose remedies for inflammation of the larynx are very important. With their help, it is possible to ensure free breathing. Before using them, it is necessary to clear the nose of accumulated mucus.
- Antibiotics are used for complications if the bacterial infection has spread. They are prescribed only by the attending physician, whoexamined the child.
- Probiotics are the means to normalize the intestinal microflora. They are usually used after a course of antibiotics. Drugs help to avoid digestive disorders.
- Cough medicines can relieve nighttime attacks. When the risk of stenosis of the larynx is behind, expectorants are prescribed.
Numerous reviews in the treatment of symptoms of laryngitis in children show that new drugs should be used with extreme caution, as they can cause allergies. This can lead to an increase in laryngeal edema. The condition of the child after taking them will worsen significantly.
Using folk remedies
You can not treat acute laryngitis in children with symptoms with a pronounced severity, relying only on folk remedies. They may be used as adjunctive therapy. Be sure to consult your doctor before using them.
- Horseradish root helps a lot. It should be grated and poured with boiling water in an amount of 200 ml. The resulting mixture is infused for about 15 minutes, after which it can be taken orally several times a day. You can add sugar if needed.
- Oak bark also helps to get rid of the disease. It must be taken in the amount of 3 tablespoons and mixed in a ratio of 1 to 1 with pharmacy chamomile. The agent is infused for 15 minutes. It is used to rinse the throat. Oak bark can be combined with oregano andAlteem.
- Ordinary cabbage is often used to fight the disease. Several leaves are required. They should become soft. On the day the child should eat 5-6 leaves and drink warm broth.
- Raisins help ease inflammation. It is necessary to take 2 initial spoons of raw materials and pour a glass of boiling water, soak for 5 minutes on low heat.
- The most affordable remedy is milk with grated garlic. It boils over low heat for a few minutes. It is defended for half an hour, after which it is filtered. It is recommended to consume the resulting milk drink 3-5 times a day.
- Healing effect is provided by boiled dried apples. They can be taken with honey if there is no allergy to this ingredient. It is enough to drink half a glass of the prepared remedy twice a day.
- Beets have a healing effect. It is passed through a grater, and juice is squeezed out of the resulting pulp. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to it. Gargle the resulting mixture three times a day.
- Ginger root also helps with symptoms of pharyngitis and laryngitis in children. Treatment involves the use of raw materials together with honey in a ratio of 1 to 4. The mixture should simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. It is necessary to use the remedy with tea. It is enough to add one teaspoon of the finished mixture.
Creating special conditions
For a speedy recovery and alleviation of the course of the disease, it is necessary to create certain conditions.
- The room temperature should not exceed 22 degrees. If it is higher, then you should take the child out of the room for a while and ventilate it.
- Humidity in the range of 60-70 percent is considered optimal. Dry air adversely affects the patient's condition. Special devices allow to provide this level of humidity.
- The child should consume as much liquid as possible in the form of water, compotes or fruit drinks. With the right drinking regime, metabolic processes are accelerated, allowing you to get rid of the waste products of viruses or bacteria much faster.
- Foods that can cause an allergic reaction and irritate the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract are necessarily excluded from the daily diet. It is not recommended to consume citrus fruits, spices, chocolate, red fish.
- The vocal cords should rest as much as possible. When you are sick, you should try to talk less.
Ambulance for choking
It is necessary to be able to provide first aid if the symptoms of suffocation become pronounced during the treatment of laryngitis in children. Be sure to provide access to cool and humid air. A window opens if necessary. You can just take the dressed child to the balcony.
If the weather is hot outside, then the bathroom will help alleviate the condition. It requires you to open a faucet with cold water. Since the room is usually small, the humidity will rise quickly and the air temperature will drop slightly. This will help the child survive a choking attack beforeambulance arrival. At high temperatures, an antipyretic drug is necessarily given. A vasoconstrictor should be instilled into the nose.
Final part
In any case, all drugs and procedures used must be discussed with the doctor. Treatment for the symptoms of laryngitis in children cannot be carried out independently. Only a doctor, after carrying out diagnostic measures and examination, is able to prescribe those medications that will be effective in a particular situation. Without consultation with doctors, you can not only delay the development of the inflammatory process, but also harm the he alth of the child.
