Cough itself is not a disease. However, although it is an unpleasant, but informative symptom of the disease, it is useful. Nature did not just create a cough reflex, but to protect our entire respiratory system. There are several types of cough: barking, wet, dry, spasmodic. One of the most dangerous is barking cough in children. When it occurs, sometimes you can not do without hospitalization or calling a doctor. Let's see how dangerous it is.
Reasons
It can be caused by completely different reasons: infectious and
colds, allergic reactions and viruses. There are several diseases in which a barking cough is present in a child. The reasons may be as follows:
- Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx and pharynx - laryngitis, pharyngitis.
- When swelling of the larynx and voiceligaments - stenosing laryngotracheitis (false croup).
- Adenoviruses, parainfluenza, various infections in children prone to allergies.
- True croup.
- Whooping cough.
However, thanks to vaccinations, barking cough in children with diphtheria and whooping cough is very rare.
Why there is a barking cough
It also occurs in very young children, whose age is a little more than 4 months, and in older ones (up to five years). Usually stenosing laryngotracheitis occurs due to adenoviruses, parainfluenza, and other viruses. After a few days have passed since the onset of these diseases, viral cells cause not only an inflammatory process, but also swelling in the trachea and vocal cords. The fact is that in children under five years of age, the larynx is narrower than in older ones, this leads to the fact that viruses cause significant swelling of the mucosa. As a result, the lumen of the larynx is blocked, the air stops getting into the lungs of the baby, and he begins to suffocate. Therefore, if a child has symptoms such as a barking cough, increased body temperature, loss of voice occurs periodically, breathing becomes wheezing on inhalation, shortness of breath and a pale complexion are found, a night cough begins to be accompanied by suffocation, you should immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance. help. Most often, false croup goes away on its own, but about 10 percent of babies need urgent hospitalization.
Treatment measures
What should parents doif a barking cough appeared in a child? Treatment must be prescribed by a doctor. However, before his arrival, you can help the baby. To do this, you need to calm down yourself and the child. When excited, he may begin to cough even harder, because the muscles of the larynx are compressed more and it becomes harder for him to breathe. Therefore, it would be optimal to distract him: sing a song or read a book.
Steam inhalation
They help to remove the swelling of the larynx and cause the barking cough in children to gradually begin to recede. To do this, you need to take a pot of boiling water, add chamomile or sage to it, as well as soda and sunflower oil. As soon as it boils, it is worth removing from the heat and seating the baby next to the pan. If the baby is small, then you can carry out this procedure in a different way: go into the bathroom, close the door tightly and take a bath of boiling water. Add soda there and sit, breathing moist air, next to the baby for 10-15 minutes.
Saline inhalations
If there is a nebulizer at home, then the barking cough in children can be defeated with it. Before the procedure, the solution should be warmed up. If the child is not prone to allergic reactions, then you can add eucalyptus.
Antihistamines
Help to cope with edema and allergy medications, now they are sold in large quantities. You can see the dosage by age in the instructions. If the baby is not yet three years old, then it is better to use syrups or crush the tablet in a tablespoon with water. And, of course, it is necessary to organize access for the child to fresh air.
