Tracheitis in children

Tracheitis is one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the upper tract. In children, this disease is almost never isolated and most often occurs as tracheobronchitis, or laryngotracheitis. The incidence is seasonal and usually manifests itself during the ARVI season. At the same time, even newborns can get sick with tracheitis.

What is tracheitis

This is an inflammation of the trachea – a large-caliber respiratory tube, which is located between the larynx and the bronchi and consists of their cartilaginous half-rings. The inner walls of the tube are covered with mucous, which is completely permeated with nerve endings. When exposed to an irritating factor, the mucous membrane is affected and the main symptom of tracheitis occurs – cough.

Increased softness of cartilage in children due to their anatomical features can lead to collapse of the trachea with the larynx and noisy, wheezing breathing. In addition, the airways of babies are still narrow, which makes them vulnerable to edema.

Symptoms of tracheitis in children

Clinically, tracheitis is manifested by a rough, dry, unproductive and often painful dry cough, which occurs in the morning or at night. This condition is dangerous for newborns, since they do not have the opportunity to cough up, sputum stagnation forms in babies.

The acute period with tracheitis lasts 3-4 days, then everything goes down, coughing occurs less frequently and becomes more productive. In cases of prolonged persistence of symptoms, it is recommended to undergo an examination and additional diagnostics.

About tracheitis can say:

• rapid and intermittent breathing;
• difficulty in sputum production – a sign of catarrhal tracheitis;
• sore throat, hoarseness of voice – garter tracheitis;
• general malaise, voice disturbances, prolonged increase in body temperature ranging from 37,1 to 38,0 ° C – in the chronic form.

Tracheitis can also have a mixed, viral-bacterial etiology. And the infectious process proceed with the phenomena of laryngitis or bronchitis.

Causes of tracheitis in children

In most cases, tracheitis has an exclusively infectious origin. The most common cause is SARS and its pathogens: influenza viruses, rhinoviruses and adenoviruses.

As a complication after previous viral infections or due to trauma to the tracheal area, a bacterial form of tracheitis may develop, the causative agents of which are streptococci, staphylococci and pneumococci. In rare cases, the respiratory system can be affected by chlamydia, or yeast-like fungi.

Other causes of tracheitis:

• hypothermia – low temperature causes spasm of the vessels of the respiratory tract mucosa, violating its protective mechanisms and activating internal opportunistic microorganisms;
• weakening of immunity;
• allergies;
• foreign objects.

Treatment of tracheitis in children

“Treatment comes down to fighting the underlying disease that caused tracheitis,” says Pediatrician at the Children’s Infectious Diseases Hospital Daria Doronina. – If it is SARS, then we treat it, if it is an allergy, then we deal with it. In this case, you can help the child by establishing the cause of the cough provocateur. Often it is provoked by pungent odors, for example, chemistry or perfumes, the cause can also be changes in air temperature – frost on the street and strong heat at home or sharp breaths, as with increased sensitivity of the bronchi. Therefore, it is important to identify and eliminate all possible provocations. A warm drink helps to reduce the reflex urge to cough, milk is also acceptable if the child drinks it, calm games and activities with children. I also always recommend, along with the treatment of the underlying disease, to ventilate the premises and humidify the air. By the way, the mucous membranes suffer the most due to dryness during the heating season.

A plentiful warm drink will never be superfluous. If tracheitis occurs against the background of SARS, then as the disease develops, mucolytics and antihistamines can be used to remove sputum, but, of course, under the strict supervision of the attending physician.

Additional treatments:

• antipyretic;
• antiviral – are prescribed exclusively for tracheitis, against the background of previous respiratory diseases;
• antibacterial – only with the bacterial form of tracheitis.

Diagnostics

With inflammatory reactions in the trachea, it is important to exclude diseases with similar symptoms:

• with laryngitis in children, there is hard breathing with an extended exhalation and dry wheezing, while listening to wheezing does not show a clinical picture;
• with pharyngitis, children experience pain in the throat, but there is no sputum and wet cough;
• with bronchitis, the symptoms of intoxication of the body are pronounced, and with coughing fits, sputum is abundantly secreted – the process can be complicated by bronchospasms, which do not happen with tracheitis;
• the symptoms of the mycoplasmal form of pneumonia are similar to the symptoms of tracheitis – an accurate diagnosis can be established with a deep study;
• it is possible to distinguish tracheitis from whooping cough by paroxysmal, prolonged cough with high fever and intoxication of the body;
• with tuberculosis in children, a dry cough is observed, the skin turns pale, appetite and weight are lost;
• blue lips speak of a foreign object in the trachea. In severe cases, asphyxia may occur.

Modern treatments

To make a diagnosis of tracheitis, as a rule, a visual examination by a pediatrician, listening to breathing, identifying symptoms and laboratory test results is sufficient. In difficult cases, small patients are recommended to visit an otolaryngologist, pulmonologist and allergist.

To diagnose the condition of the trachea and identify the pathogen, you will need:

• endoscopy – to assess the condition of the tracheal mucosa;
• bacteriological culture for microflora;
• tracheal aspiration;
• PCR diagnostics;
• X-ray
• rhinoscopy – to assess the condition of the nasal mucosa;
• pharyngoscopic examination;
• allergy tests for suspected allergic form of tracheitis.

Prevention of tracheitis in children at home

It includes:

• hardening;
• avoidance of hypothermia;
• timely healed infectious and viral diseases of the nasopharynx;
• wearing a mask during the SARS season in public places;
• daily ventilation and wet cleaning, the temperature in the room should not exceed 22-23 ° C, and the humidity should be at least 50%, so it is ideal to purchase a humidifier.

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