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What to do if a child has a barking cough
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To begin with, coughing is the body’s response to irritants in the airways.
This reaction is triggered by special receptors, which are called cough, located in the larynx, trachea and bronchi. Receptors, as part of the nervous system, in response to irritation, send an impulse to the antitussive center of the brain, from where the contraction of the pectoral muscles and the diaphragm is communicated. The result is a cough.
Causes of barking cough in children
Before the era of universal vaccination, barking cough in a child, especially in infants and infants, was the main symptom of dangerous diseases such as measles, diphtheria and whooping cough. Now the cause of a barking cough in a child is most often laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx).
Laryngitis – a common disease characterized by a dry barking cough in a child. Laryngitis may have a small amount of sputum, but the key sign of laryngitis is hoarseness and sometimes complete loss of voice. This is due to edema of the larynx mucosa and the vocal cords located there. Most often, laryngitis develops in acute respiratory infections (ARI), the cause of which in the vast majority of cases is viral infections.
To improve the effectiveness of ARI therapy and reduce from 3 to 1 week1 the timing of cough treatment from the first days of its appearance, use a complex drug … The effectiveness of Stodal syrup in the treatment of cough has been confirmed by the results of clinical studies. Its antitussive and anti-inflammatory action2, 3 relieve cough and speed up recovery.
Laryngotracheitis also characterized by a barking cough in a child, resulting from swelling of the larynx and the development of inflammation in the trachea.
Pertussis – children of the first five years of life are more susceptible to this disease, which makes it dangerous and difficult in terms of timely diagnosis and treatment. The insidiousness of the disease is that its onset is similar in symptoms to a cold: the child has a runny nose and redness of the throat, accompanied by a weak cough.
Among the reasons for the appearance of a barking cough in a child, laryngitis is now more common than whooping cough.
Among the reasons that cause a barking cough in a child, one cannot fail to mention allergic reactions. Their peculiarity is that the child has a barking cough without fever, which distinguishes it from the manifestations of ARI, ARVI and even laryngitis. It is characteristic that seizures are provoked by external factors: impurities in the air, contact with pets, food.
Signs and diagnosis of barking cough in children
The main symptom of a barking cough in a child is its spasmodic nature, manifested in a convulsive inhalation and a sharp, abrupt exhalation with a characteristic sound.
However, in some cases, an urgent visit to a doctor is necessary:
persistent dry cough in a child, with nocturnal attacks;
a rapid increase in body temperature up to 38 ° C and above;
shortness of breath, pallor of the skin.
A competent consultation of a pediatrician can diagnose the cause of a barking cough in a child.
Treatment of a barking cough in a child
A barking cough in a child as a symptom signals many diseases, and not only the respiratory tract.
Only a doctor can establish the cause of a barking cough in a child with and without fever based on the results of examination and data from laboratory and instrumental research methods.
Possible treatments for a barking cough in a child:
a large amount of warm drinks;
comfortable temperature in a well-ventilated room with an air humidity of at least 70%;
antihistamines to relieve swelling of the larynx and vocal cords;
antibacterial agents for the bacterial etiology of a barking cough in a child;
antitussives for dry, debilitating cough in a child;
mucolytic drugs to thin phlegm and relieve expectoration.
It is possible to alleviate the child’s condition when coughing by starting to use the drug. from the first days of the onset of cough. The complex composition of the drug “Stodal” provides antitussive, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action2 and goes well with other medications3.
Recommendations for the treatment of cough
Antitussives are never used as the only treatment option – only in combination with therapy for the cause of a dry cough in a child. Treatment should take place in full accordance with the doctor’s prescriptions and under his regular supervision.
The parents of the child need to take care of all the accompanying treatment and factors contributing to recovery:
strictly adhere to the schedule of taking and dosage of medications;
provide the child with an abundant warm drink – milk with honey, compotes, juices and berry fruit drinks;
carry out regular inhalations with decoctions of medicinal herbs;
regularly ventilate the room;
control air humidity at a level of at least 70%;
exclude contact and active games;
take daily walks.
When treating a dry barking cough and its causes in a child, all medicinal, physiotherapeutic and even psychological means should be used. When a child feels the care of his parents, the subconscious mind activates the body’s hidden resources in the fight against the disease, and then recovery comes faster.
1. Zakharova I.N., Zaplatnikov A.L., Sugyan N.G., Lazareva S.I., Svyatkina E.I. The effectiveness of the drug Stodal for coughing in children against the background of ARI. Pediatrics. Consilium Medicum. 2019, no. 1, 37–43 / Pediatrics. Consilium Medicum. 2019, no. 1, 37–43.
2. Lokshina E., Zaitseva O. et al. Experience of using the naturopathic drug Stodal in children with acute respiratory infections. Pediatrics. 2016, 95 (3).
3. Stodal. Instructions for medical use.
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