Barking cough in a child without fever

Quite often in young children there is a so-called barking cough, so called because of its resemblance to barking a dog. Such a cough can be accompanied by whistling and wheezing, and also being rude. Attacks occur quite often and very exhaust the child's body. The respiratory process becomes difficult, because the swelling of the respiratory system begins.

Very often there is a barking cough in a child without a temperature, which is often a sign of a serious illness. Seizures usually occur at night, arising unexpectedly. If this situation has arisen, parents need to first reassure the child that a fit of coughing has passed. In any case, this symptom can not be left unnoticed - it is better to call a doctor for examination.

[1], [2]

Causes of the barking cough in a child without fever

Among the reasons for the appearance of this type of cough without a concomitant rise in temperature:

• Laryngitis or pharyngitis;
• Diphtheria or whooping cough;
• Development of bronchial asthma;
• Nervous disorders;
• Increased dryness of air in the room;
• If a foreign object enters the larynx, or if a cyst appears in it;
• Allergy;
• Various infections.

In addition, barking cough can be caused by helminthiasis.

Risk factors

Among the possible factors provoking the development of this symptom - dry air, a possible allergy to houseplants, the wool of animals living in the house, household chemicals.

[3], [4], [5]

Symptoms of the barking cough in a child without fever

Barking cough usually occurs at night. It causes suffocation, because of which the child immediately wakes up. At the same time, there is no temperature, and among other symptoms there are such:

• when breathing, a whistle is heard;
• dyspnea;
• the voice becomes hoarse, until it disappears completely;
• the skin acquires a pale or cyanotic color, the jugular cavity and the supraclavicular fossa are retracted when inhaled.

An alarm for parents is such symptoms accompanying cough - shortness of breath, harshness and duration of attacks, vomiting, and general condition of malaise.

Night barking cough in a child without fever

If in the middle of the night the child starts an attack of a sudden barking dry cough, at which he also begins to suffocate, you should call a doctor, because this may be a sign of a severe form of pharyngitis or false croup.

It can also be a manifestation of allergies, inflammation of the lungs or other diseases of the respiratory organs.

Complications and consequences

This type of cough is the most dangerous for the baby's life, since the edema in the larynx is able to completely cover the air with access to the respiratory tract, which causes asthma. Among other complications of the disease:

• Chronic asthma;
• Respiratory failure;
• Development of occlusion (blockage of the respiratory system).

[6], [7]

Diagnostics of the barking cough in a child without fever

To diagnose the cause of cough, a complete examination is performed, the neck and lymph nodes are palpated, and the temperature of the baby is measured. First, parents need to contact the otorhinolaryngologist, and he, in turn, can direct the child for examination to a nutritionist, allergist, phthisiatrician, as well as pulmonologist or infectious disease specialist.

[8], [9],

Analyzes

To make a diagnosis, the patient is taken to the test for blood tests, and in addition to this, feces and urine.

[10], [11]

Instrumental diagnostics

It is possible to perform instrumental examinations: sternum x-ray, respiratory function, tuberculin diagnostics, as well as scintigraphy and CT.

Treatment of the barking cough in a child without fever

To eliminate swelling from the respiratory system and bronchospasm, you should perform inhalation with steam and soda. To do this, take a little cut dried herbs (sage or chamomile), add sunflower oil, pour boiling water, and then give the baby a little breathe this broth. Or you can, instead, dilute the soda in boiling water. Inhalation with the use of mineral water also works effectively.

Keep an eye on keeping the optimum humidity level in your home premises, especially during the heating season. You can use a special humidifier that turns water into steam and spray it over the room. Alternatively, you can use this method - keep wet towels on the battery.

It is necessary for the child to drink a lot of liquid - it is best that it is juice or warm tea.

Also it is necessary to keep the feet of the baby warm - for example, apply a special warming cream on them or make a hot bath. It is recommended to use also mustard plasters. Another way to ease the patient's condition is to unbutton the clothes, since it can constrain the sternum.

Medications

When barking cough in a child, it is necessary to treat exactly the cause of the appearance of this symptom - depending on it and the therapeutic regimen is selected.

With pharyngitis for treatment, antibacterial drugs are used - Vokara, Dekatilen, as well as Ingalipt, and in addition to them, antitussives - Mukaltin, Fito, as well as Sinekod, Kodelak, etc.

In the case of tracheitis or bronchitis at an early stage, mucolytics should be taken: ATSTS, Ambroxol and Ambrobene, as well as Bromhexin, Lazolvan and Bronholitin.

If the cause is an allergy, you need antihistamines - Zirtek, Cetrin, Claritin or Clemastin, as well as Ebastin, Suprastin, etc.

In pertussis, special antitoxins and, if necessary, antibiotics and antibacterial drugs are used.

Vitamins

For the dilution of sputum and its excretion should use vitamin C.

Physiotherapeutic treatment

When barking cough, physiotherapy is a very effective method. By combining it with medicines, it is possible to activate the activity of the immune system and thereby accelerate the process of recovery. Thanks to such procedures, pain and inflammation decrease, and blood circulation also improves.

Nebulizers are very popular now, with the help of which inhalations are carried out. The device can be compressor or ultrasonic - it sprays the medicine with small particles, which allows them to penetrate all parts of the bronchopulmonary system, thereby speeding up the recovery. In addition, this device allows you to remove spasm of the bronchi with obstructive form of bronchitis or false croup in babies.

Alternative treatment

If the child does not have lactose intolerance, you need to add soda to the hot milk, so that he drank this drink in small sips.

You can also make an effective therapeutic drink yourself. It is necessary to take natural juice of black radish and mix with sugar. The resulting syrup give the baby a small portion throughout the day.

With a barking cough without temperature, decoctions of dog rose or cowberry, and also cranberry mors are effectively cope. They soften attacks, thereby facilitating the patient's condition.

If the child's age allows, give him plant antitussive candies containing sage or mint extract. They have emollient properties, which allows you to remove coughing attacks.

To wrap in a towel a warm heating pad, then put the baby on the chest - this "compress" will help him to fall asleep more quickly.

In some cases, aromatherapy will be effective. It is necessary to put a container with hot water next to the baby's bed and to pour in a little oil (anise, lavender or mint).

Herbal Treatment

There are medicinal tinctures on herbs that promote softening of the mucous membrane - this allows you to turn a dry cough into productive (with sputum discharge).

Grass of marsh ledum - 30 g finely chopped stems and leaves of this plant should be filled with steep boiling water (1 stack.). Then insist about 1 hour, and then take the tincture 3 r. / Day. 2 tablespoons each.

The roots of elecampane (2 tsp) should be brewed in a small thermos bottle. Tincture should drink 3 r. / Day. On 1/3 a stack. This drink is a potent expectorant, which is why it is often used as an auxiliary drug in the treatment of bronchitis.

Fruits and flowers of the viburnum should be filled with hot water, after which it should be boiled for 10 minutes. The resulting broth to drink 3-4 r. / Day. On 0,5 stack.

Prevention

Prevention of barking cough is considered to include measures such as the organization of a nutritious diet and daily schedule, strengthening the immune system, regular moisturizing of the air and airing the room, the passage of vaccination procedures in accordance with the schedule.

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Forecast

Barking cough in a child without a temperature is mostly quickly cured. The prognosis will be favorable for both viral and allergic cough. Problems are possible only if the cause of the cough is whooping cough or diphtheria. In such a situation, you can not try to treat yourself - you should immediately contact the doctor.

[13], [14], [15], [16]