Parents often have the question of how to treat cough in children 8 months old. If the baby began to cough, he should be shown to the pediatrician as soon as possible to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment in order to avoid complications in the future.
Causes of cough in babies
Before treating a cough in children 8 months old, you should understand the causes of its occurrence. Reasons may be:
- Acute viral, bacterial and fungal infections of the nasopharynx, bronchi and lung tissue.
- Chronic processes in the region of the palatine tonsils, posterior pharyngeal wall, adenoids, larynx, trachea, bronchial tree and lungs.
- Foreign objects in the baby's airways (buttons, balls, small toys and their fragments, feathers, specks).
- Poisonous toxic effects of tobacco smoke, paintwork materials, exhaust gases.
- Dry air in the room where the baby is.
- Heart disease (malformations, cardiacinsufficiency).
- Reflexogenic teething cough.
- Allergic cough in the presence of an allergen in the air (dust, feather, animal hair and dander).
- Worm infestations when parasites migrate through the body and enter the lungs cause coughing and can be very dangerous.
Cough in a child under 1 year old
Cough is a reflex when the receptors of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract are irritated. The presence of receptor accumulations in the area of the epiglottis, vocal cords, tracheal bifurcation, bronchial branches cause its strengthening when these parts of the respiratory tract are involved. At the initial stage of the infectious process, the cough is dry, there is no sputum separation, which causes severe discomfort to the baby. Coughing attacks are accompanied by soreness of the walls of the respiratory tract. The child is restless, sleeps poorly, eats less, cries.
Dry barking cough in a child of 8 months may indicate damage to the larynx, this often happens with a viral infection (parainfluenza). This disease is often complicated by swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and vocal cords, which, if not provided in a timely manner, can be fatal.
Wet cough occurs when there is a large amount of sputum and its discharge. Children's airways are very small and narrow, and the muscles are weak, therefore, babies cannot cough up sputum even with a wet cough. Therefore, when sputum appears, a cough remedy for children of 8 months should helpremove it from the lungs of the child. In addition, the treatment should be directed to the main cause of the disease, that is, to kill the pathogen when the infection is present.
How to treat cough in children 8 months old
Antitussives for infants should be safe and in an age-appropriate formulation (drops).
Medicines that help cough up and expel phlegm, which protect the respiratory mucosa from damage and have an anti-inflammatory effect:
- "Panatus" in drops is applicable in pediatrics from the age of two months. The drug contains butamirate citrate as an active ingredient, which has a blocking effect on certain parts of the brain. This helps to alleviate the condition of the baby with a dry hacking cough. In addition, the drug expands the bronchi, which improves respiratory function, and also reduces the intensity of inflammation.
- "Sinekod" are drops with an identical active ingredient. Children under one year old are prescribed for dry cough up to 10 drops four times a day.
- Drops "Stoptussin" are combined, have in their composition butamirate dihydrocitrate, the action of which is described above, as well as guaifenesin. The latter tends to enhance the secretion of mucus to protect the walls of the respiratory organs from cough damage, reduce the viscosity of sputum and increase its excretion by activating the ciliated cells of the epithelium of the bronchial tree. It is allowed to use it from the age of six months, according to weight (the maximum amount is 100 drops per day,the amount should be divided into 4 doses).
- "Lazolvan" (syrup for children) according to the instructions for use is allowed up to 12 years. For infants, the drug is prescribed only under the strict supervision of a pediatrician, taking into account all contraindications and adverse events.
- "Ambrobene" - a syrup for children up to a year - contains the same active ingredient - ambroxol hydrochloride, which tends to thin and remove sputum. The drug increases the secretion of a surfactant substance by the cells of the lungs, which protects the bronchial mucosa.
Contraindications for antitussives
Parents need to know what to give their 8 month old baby for a cough, considering not only his age, but also contraindications to antitussives.
"Panatus" is contraindicated in case of individual sensitivity to butamirate, as well as babies under the age of two months.
"Sinekod" is not prescribed for hypersensitivity to the active substance and minor components (sorbitol).
"Stoptussin" is prohibited for myasthenia gravis and children under six months of age, as well as for allergies to all components of the drops.
"Lazolvan" ("Ambrobene") should not be taken with fructose intolerance, lack of enzymes that process sucrose, glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome, individual intolerance to ambroxol.
Side effects of antitussives
"Panatus", according to the instructions, may cause dizziness, drowsiness,nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes and other allergic reactions.
"Sinekod" in rare cases has unpleasant consequences in the form of drowsiness, nausea, loose stools, allergic rashes and itching.
"Stoptussin" in one percent of cases can cause headache, drowsiness, dizziness, loss of appetite, nausea, regurgitation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, allergic rashes. To get rid of unwanted manifestations, the number of drops is reduced.
Instructions for the use of syrup for children "Lazolvan" indicates that the drug may cause allergic reactions. Rarely able to worsen the digestive system (nausea, vomiting, loose stools, pain, constipation). Headache, hyperthermia, dryness of the oral mucosa, urination disorders (in very rare cases) may appear.
Forms and prices of cough medicines
"Panatus" for babies is available in the form of drops 4mg / 5 ml. The cost of the drug is 220 rubles.
"Sinekod" for babies from two months is released in drops of 20 ml. The price in the pharmacy chain is from 336 to 434 rubles.
"Stoptussin" in drops is applicable from six months. It costs in pharmacies from 75 to 399 rubles, depending on the size of the bottle.
Reception of "Lazolvan" ("Ambrobene") in children under one year is consistent with the pediatrician. Syrup 15mg / 5ml and solution 7.5mg / ml are sold from 98 to 390 rubles, it all depends on the manufacturer.
Reviews of pediatricians and parents
If we systematize the reviews of doctors and parents about the medicines they use to facilitate sputum discharge, then the cough medicine for children 8 months old, which occupies a leading position among the above remedies, is Stoptussin drops, which received positive feedback almost in 90% of the time.
"Sinekod" takes an honorable second place, given the effectiveness and safety of the application.
Panatus was in third place, while Lazolvan and Ambrobene were fourth.
Non-drug interventions
How to treat cough in children of 8 months other than drugs?
Traditional medicine comes to the rescue, but it should not be abused due to the large number of allergic reactions.
Babies with inflammatory processes in the pharynx are well helped by a decoction of chamomile, you need to cook it according to the instructions on the package. And you can use the decoction up to three teaspoons six times a day.
The amount of fluid in inflammatory diseases should be increased in order to quickly remove toxins from the body.
Alcohol, vinegar compresses and mustard plasters are contraindicated, as the child's skin is very delicate, it can easily get burns from such products.
Useful for diseases of the respiratory system, a light massage of the chest and back, including circular stroking movements, tapping the edges of the palms and kneading the skin.
If the cause of the cough is not an infection, then the first step is to eliminate the source of the cough from the room where the baby is. It is forbidden to smoke in a house where there is a baby, to use paintwork materials. It is necessary to exclude all allergens, take tests for the presence of parasites.
When teething, it is necessary to alleviate the fate of the baby with the help of special tools.
Prevention of cough in babies
Preventive measures include:
- Hardening the baby from the first days. The room should not be hot, clothes are too warm. When bathing, you should pour cool water over the child's legs, gradually moving to other parts of the body. But provided that the child is he althy.
- Daily outdoor walks.
- Ventilate the baby's room at least three times a day.
- Regular cleaning with mopping and dusting.
- Humidify the air, especially during the heating season.
- Massage of the chest, back and feet, as there are a large number of points on the feet that increase the body's immune defenses.
- Breastfeeding and competent introduction of complementary foods containing vitamins and minerals.
Such simple actions will help prevent illness and improve the he alth of the baby.
