Coughing in an infant

Any symptoms and signs of illness in infants should alert the mother. Serious reasons to see a doctor include coughing in an infant, which can indicate the development of many unpleasant diseases.

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Causes of cough in infants

A cough in a baby can be caused by a number of reasons that can be identified if you carefully observe the baby. Of course, it will be better if a pediatrician helps you with this.

1. A cold is the most common cause of cough in a baby. At first, the baby coughs only occasionally, but soon the cough becomes more intense, especially in the second half of the day. Upon examination, a reddened throat may be detected. Due to their still immature immune defense and imperfect thermoregulation system, babies are prone to colds. Therefore, it is easy to “catch” a draft or infection at this age. The mother’s task in this case is to detect the problem in time and consult a doctor, otherwise the disease may drag on.
2. Inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract - this can be a runny nose, pharyngitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, provoked by a bacterial infection. During a runny nose, mucous secretions can get into the trachea, which can cause a cough in a baby. In other cases, a cough can be caused by a narrowing of the airways (as a result of inflammation), which initially manifests itself as a dry, persistent cough, which can later develop into wheezing, whistling and breathing problems. Of course, you should never wait for the condition to worsen: you should immediately consult a doctor.
3. Low humidity in the room is a very common cause of coughing in children. Excessively dry air causes the mucous membrane of the baby's throat to dry out, which first causes a sore throat ("scratching"), and then, as a consequence, a cough.
4. Otitis is an inflammatory process in the middle ear, the presence of which causes a reflex cough. How to determine this condition? Press a little on the baby's ear: if this causes a sharp cry or cry, then this means that the child has an earache. Call a doctor.
5. Getting a foreign object into the respiratory tract is, unfortunately, also a fairly common situation that requires immediate medical attention, otherwise the baby may simply suffocate. If the child begins to cough sharply and violently, with a tear, "incessantly" - it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance. Trying to independently remove a foreign body from the trachea is a very dangerous activity and often only worsens the situation.
6. Intolerance to odors, poor ventilation of the room - these are reasons that can not only cause a cough in a baby, but also serve as an impetus for the development of bronchial asthma. This condition can develop in a baby if he is often in a smoky room, or if there are other sharp and unpleasant odors in the air for the baby. In such situations, an improvement in the baby's condition is noted after airing the room.

All these are the most common causes of cough in infants. Less often, cough can be associated with diseases of the digestive organs and heart, but such pathologies can only be determined by a doctor after a thorough examination of the baby.

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Severe cough in a baby

The appearance of a strong cough can be provoked by the influence of some damaging factor on the mucous membrane of the respiratory organs. This can be the effect of an infection or other reasons. As a rule, a strong cough in a baby indicates that something is “interfering” with the baby’s respiratory tract – this can be excessively dry mucous membrane, foreign objects (crumbs, animal hair, toy parts, etc.), phlegm and mucus accumulating in the trachea. As a result, a strong cough occurs, the main purpose of which is to eliminate the obstacle to normal breathing and clear the respiratory tract.

A strong cough is dangerous for a baby. If it occurs, medical help is required. Urgent medical help is required in the following situations:

• if a severe cough appears suddenly and does not stop;
• if a strong cough is accompanied by wheezing;
• if a severe cough occurs at night in the form of an attack;
• if, against the background of a strong cough, pink or green sputum is released.

Also, a strong cough that does not go away for a long time, or occurs against the background of an increase in body temperature or difficulty breathing, should cause concern.

Wet cough in a baby

In a healthy state, a wet cough in a baby may appear immediately after the baby wakes up. If the baby slept on his back, then mucous discharge from the nose could get into his throat. In such a situation, the baby may cough slightly, but such a cough subsides if you turn him on his side. The same condition develops when a large amount of saliva or breast milk gets into the throat: the baby simply does not yet know how to swallow correctly and on time.

If we consider a wet cough as a manifestation of a disease, then the most common pathologies in this case may be:

• upper respiratory tract infections (which are accompanied by the formation of sputum);
• inflammatory process in the bronchi with obstruction of the airways (obstructive bronchitis);
• pneumonia;
• diseases of allergic origin (bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis);
• lung abscess;
• tuberculosis disease.

If a wet cough indicates that the baby has developed an illness, medical attention will be required.

Dry cough in a baby

It should be noted that a dry cough in a baby is most painful for the little patient, since a dry cough causes trauma to the mucous membrane, which causes pain and extremely unpleasant sensations for the baby.

How to determine if the cough is dry? As a rule, such a cough is ringing, sharp, without the characteristic "gurgling" sounds. A "whistling" and barking sound when coughing is possible. The child often cries, and the baby's voice may change due to damage to the larynx and vocal cords. As the inflammatory process progresses, the cords may swell and stop passing air properly, which will lead to the child suffocating.

As a rule, a sick child with a dry cough becomes capricious, lethargic, and loses appetite. In such a situation, it is important not only to call a doctor: you should do it as soon as possible. Moreover, a dry cough can be a formidable symptom of incipient bronchitis or pneumonia, as a complication of ARVI or ARI. If the doctor suspects such diseases, the baby will most likely be sent to the hospital along with his mother.

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Infant: cough and runny nose

The main cause of cough and runny nose in infants is a cold, or ARI - mostly a viral disease that primarily affects the respiratory tract. The disease can also affect the middle ear, lungs, and in severe cases - the meninges and skeletal system.

A baby can “catch” a cold from a family member who is sick with an acute respiratory infection or is a carrier of the disease, as well as through dirty hands and means of caring for the child. The baby’s immunity also plays an important role: insufficient nutrition, hypothermia, drafts – all this can adversely affect the baby’s health.

What cold symptoms can a baby show: cough and runny nose, high temperature, lack of appetite, lethargy, possible loose stools, constant crying and regurgitation of food.

In case of uncomplicated cold, the disease may regress already on the 4-5th day: in this case, body temperature indicators normalize, and signs of the inflammatory process weaken. If the condition does not improve, then one can suspect the addition of a microbial infection. In such a situation, the doctor's intervention is simply necessary. Sometimes it is necessary to connect antibiotic therapy.

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Breast collection for children against cough

The question of using breast infusions in small children is quite controversial. Most doctors do not recommend giving such decoctions to children, at least to children under 1 year old, since the plant components can cause an allergic reaction or even poisoning in a small child.

If you nevertheless decide to use any of the 4 existing breast collections, adhere to the following rules:

• Do not start treatment without consulting your doctor;
• start treatment using a highly diluted decoction at first to check the baby's reaction to the medicine. If the child does not have a negative reaction, you can move on to a more concentrated decoction;
• the total daily volume of decoction from breast collection for a breastfed baby is no more than 30-50 ml.

Remember: breast collection can be the cause of some side effects, such as skin rashes, itching, allergic rhinitis, symptoms of poisoning.

A cough in a baby should in any case be a signal to contact a doctor: a newborn baby is still too weak to cope with the disease on its own. And timely medical help will never be superfluous: it often helps to prevent dangerous complications and consequences.

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Treatment of cough in infants

If we are dealing with a slight cough due to irritated mucous membranes of the throat, then drug treatment of cough in infants can be omitted. Such irritation is eliminated by increasing the humidity in the room, warm drinks (including breast milk).

If there is an inflammatory process in the trachea or bronchi, then heated non-carbonated mineral water can be added as a warm drink (from 30 to 50 ml/day).

To facilitate the secretion of sputum, you should periodically turn the baby over, do not limit him in active movements, do a light massage of the chest. To perform the massage, lay the baby on his stomach and gently tap on the back with the pads of the fingers in an ascending line.

With the doctor's consent, you can use expectorants such as Lazolvan or Gedelix, the dosage of which is determined by the doctor depending on the weight and age of the baby.

Among anti-inflammatory drugs, Erespal has a good reputation.

Thermal procedures should never be performed on infants. Such procedures include hot baths, mustard plasters, cupping, warming plasters, etc. Rubbing and warm compresses are also not welcome, although their use is possible if the attending pediatrician does not mind. The fact is that rubbing and compresses can in some cases worsen the child's condition by increasing blood circulation and thereby aggravating swelling and inflammation in the respiratory organs. Moreover, the use of preparations with eucalyptus, menthol or pine oils can provoke bronchospasm in an infant, or cause an allergic reaction.

How to treat a cough in a baby?

The doctor will prescribe medications for treating a cough for a baby: we will talk about them below. And what can parents do to ease the baby's condition when he has a cough?

• Call a doctor, regardless of whether the child has a fever.
• Maintain an optimal level of humidity in the apartment, especially in winter, when the air in the room is obviously dry. The best level of humidity for a child to feel good is 50-60%. The ideal device for achieving an optimal level of humidity is a humidifier. However, if you do not have one, you can make do with improvised means. For example, you can place containers with water on the radiators, or put towels soaked in water on the radiators. You can use a spray bottle and treat the room with clean water several times a day.
• Provide access to fresh air in the apartment: ventilate the room at least in the morning after waking up, during the day before feeding and at night.
• Ensure the child is active and mobile, do light gymnastics and massage.
• Offer your baby something to drink frequently, especially if he or she has a fever.
• Despite the cold, it is necessary to go for walks (dressing the baby according to the weather so that he does not get too cold or too hot). In winter, walks should be short.

Your pediatrician will advise you on medication treatment for your baby.

Cough medicine for a baby

• Prospan is an expectorant based on ivy leaf extract. It helps soften bronchial secretions and relieve bronchial spasms. Prospan can be used from birth to older children, starting from 2.5 ml three times a day.
• Ascoril is an expectorant in the form of syrup, it promotes the discharge of bronchial secretions. Use 2-3 ml of syrup three times a day.
• Lazolvan syrup - stimulates the secretion of mucus from the respiratory tract, reduces the manifestations of cough. Children under 2 years old are given 7.5 mg of syrup (2.5 ml) twice a day.
• Ambroxol (syrup and injection solution) is a drug that stabilizes the secretory activity of the bronchi and prevents airway obstruction. Prescribe 2.5 ml of syrup twice a day, or as intramuscular injections of ½ ampoule twice a day.
• Ambrobene is a mucolytic drug used in the form of syrup (2.5 ml twice a day) or injections (half an ampoule twice a day).
• Stodal is a homeopathic herbal preparation, an expectorant and bronchodilator, which has no age contraindications. Use up to 5 ml of syrup every 8 hours.

You should not use medications for children on your own, first consult with your doctor

It is not always possible to use a medicine labeled “for children” to treat infants.

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