Hoarse voice in a child: why and what to do?

A hoarse voice in a child is an alarming sign that may indicate either a temporary, transient physiological condition or a serious illness.

In medical terminology, the condition called "hoarse voice" is defined as one of the types of dysphonia. Dysphonia, in turn, is a qualitative change when a child speaks, an infant makes sounds, but the timbre, volume, and sound spectrum of the voice change. Hoarseness is not a disease, but a symptom, so the sooner parents pay attention to it, the faster and easier it will be to eliminate the causes. This is especially important when a child under 2-3 years of age has a hoarse voice.

Epidemiology

The epidemiology of diseases that provoke the symptom "hoarse voice in a child" directly depends on the specific diagnosis. Most often, hoarseness is caused by laryngitis, its various forms. The inflammatory process develops in the child's larynx, the background of the inflammation can be primary infectious, colds. Less often, laryngitis is caused by vocal overload, a physical factor. In general, in pediatric practice, it is believed that almost all inflammations of the vocal cords are laryngitis, as a specific type of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI). The most dangerous form of laryngitis is when the mucous tissue of the larynx swells and narrows, in addition to the fact that parents notice that the child's voice is hoarse, the baby breathes with difficulty, swallows food, and sometimes liquid. Such a stenotic form of inflammation requires immediate medical attention.

Epidemiology of causes associated with dysphonia, hoarseness:

1. The carrier of the infection is usually an already sick person. It is no coincidence that ARVI is so common in children's institutions; one child can infect a dozen others, especially if the infection occurs in a catarrhal form (CRS - catarrhal respiratory syndrome).
2. The causative agent of infectious inflammation is released from 7 to 10 days, relapse and re-infection are possible, in which the release of the infectious agent (virus) is reduced to 3-4 days.
3. If the carrier of the infection suffers from acute respiratory viral infection without catarrhal symptoms, epidemiologically he is relatively safe for others.
4. The virus is transmitted in the standard way - by airborne droplets.
5. Children aged one to five years are the most vulnerable. Infants have specific immune protection provided they are breastfed. Children who are bottle-fed are at risk of infection. Infants under 4-5 months rarely get ARVI.
6. The prevalence of the symptom "hoarse voice in a child" is due to seasonality. Children often get sick in the cold season, however, outbreaks of mass infection can be sporadic (sudden, without obvious reasons).
7. Cases of parainfluenza diagnosis in autumn are associated with viruses of types 1 and 2, “spring” acute respiratory viral infections are characterized by the detection of virus type 3.
8. Dysphonia, hoarseness of voice, not related to viral etiology, are statistically "tied" to preschool and school institutions. Physical overstrain of the vocal cords in "home" children is less common than in preschoolers attending kindergartens.
9. Among the causes that cause symptoms of hoarseness, acute laryngitis is in the lead, followed by laryngotracheitis with signs of stenosis, in third place are functional overloads of the ligaments and voice mutation during puberty (boys), and the list ends with chronic laryngitis and congenital pathologies of the vocal apparatus, including papillomatosis, paresis, and cicatricial stenosis.
10. Almost all vocal disorders and throat diseases are treated by a specialist doctor - an otolaryngologist.

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Causes hoarseness of voice

To find out why a child's voice is hoarse, a doctor's consultation is necessary; as a rule, these issues are initially handled by a pediatrician, who can refer the child to an ENT doctor (otolaryngologist).

In otolaryngology, there is a classification of dysphonia by etiological signs, by type:

• Functional factors. Overstraining of the vocal apparatus when the child talks loudly and for a long time, screams
• Diseases of viral, inflammatory etiology
• Psychogenic causes - stress, fear, severe shock
• Laryngeal injuries
• Age-related, physiological weakness of the vocal cords
• Diseases associated with dysfunction of the endocrine system
• Congenital pathologies

Only a specialist can find out why a child has a hoarse voice; a doctor, like no one else, knows that the causes of dysphonia can be due to age, a situational cause or a disease. Let's look at the causes in more detail, and try to answer the question - why does a child have a hoarse voice?

1. Hoarse voice in very young children, newborns. Congenital, functional and acquired anomalies of the vocal apparatus:
   • Cri-du-chat syndrome is a congenital chromosomal disorder that, fortunately, is quite rare. It is diagnosed only in combination with classic signs of the disease and genetic testing.
   • Syndromes associated with hereditary chromosomal disorders - Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome. A child's hoarse voice is just one of the symptoms; with genetic distortions, there are more characteristic signs of the syndromes mentioned
   • Acquired meningitis or encephalitis, when the baby's hoarseness is caused by both the disease and overstrain of the vocal folds from screaming and crying
   • Functional overstrain of the baby's vocal cords when he cries because he is hungry, uncomfortable, cold, damp
   • Congenital atony or unilateral paralysis of the vocal apparatus, such conditions tend to spontaneous healing, most likely associated with the age-related development of all systems and organs of the baby
   • GERD, physiological gastroesophageal reflux in babies, accompanied by a hoarse voice, can be explained by the abnormal structure and development of the larynx - laryngomalacia
2. In older children, a hoarse voice can be associated with two categories of causes: functional and organic. Of course, functional conditions pass more quickly and practically do not require treatment, while diseases associated with viruses and inflammations require therapy, including medication.
3. Why does the child have a hoarse voice? Perhaps because he is in a smoky atmosphere for a long time and constantly. Acrid smoke has a negative effect on the mucous tissue of the larynx, on the respiratory system. All this leads to swelling, contributes to the appearance of nodes on the vocal cords and provokes hoarseness
4. Psycho-emotional reasons. The child is not just scared, but shocked, he is stressed. If at the same time there is a spasm of the muscular tissue of the larynx, temporary hoarseness of the voice is almost inevitable
5. Excessive vocal strain, which is possible if the child is engaged in vocals, often and for a long time performs singing tasks. This condition is typical for many vocalists
6. Loud screaming, prolonged crying, in which the vocal apparatus is overstrained, the ligaments touch and injure, damage each other
7. Diseases of viral or inflammatory etiology, all types of acute respiratory viral infections. The folds of the vocal apparatus are located between the cartilaginous tissue of the larynx. Any inflammation of the respiratory tract inevitably provokes a pathological process in the vocal cords. This can be tracheitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, as well as tonsillitis, bronchitis, flu and other diseases, which we will consider below.

Risk factors

A child's voice is not just a way of communication, but also a tool for expressing emotions. A child's voice is hoarse - this symptom means that the baby's vocal apparatus is at risk. Risk factors can be different, before listing them, you should understand how the child's ligaments, larynx are structured and how they develop.

The larynx at an early age is quite specific - it is located slightly higher than in adults. This is especially true for infants, who use the larynx to breathe and swallow at the same time. In turn, the child's pharynx initially has the shape of a cone, which gradually acquires a cylindrical shape with age. Just like the larynx, pharynx, and ligaments of the child, they are also specific. In newborns, they are very small - up to 8 millimeters, the ligaments grow with the body and by puberty reach 17-22 millimeters. All these factors affect the phonation characteristics of the child's voice, its timbre, volume and other parameters. Any overexertion, bacterial, viral infection can affect the vocal apparatus and cause a symptom that is defined as "hoarseness of the child's voice."

Risk factors that should alert attentive parents:

• The voice changes its timbre, becomes rough, low
• The cough takes on a "barking" character
• The child's breathing becomes heavy and a whistling sound is heard.
• When breathing, the child's chest clearly rises and falls
• The child has difficulty swallowing and loses his appetite.
• When breathing, the child's salivation increases

All of the above symptoms may be transient, however, one should take into account the narrowness of the baby's larynx, the physiological characteristics of the vocal apparatus and the risk that a swollen larynx can completely block the ability to breathe. Even chronic laryngitis, which is most often the root cause of hoarseness, is also considered a disease that requires a doctor's consultation, examination and adequate treatment.

Particularly dangerous are risk factors for laryngeal stenosis, which can develop with laryngitis accompanied by high temperature. The mucous tissue of the larynx becomes inflamed, swells, breathing becomes heavy and intermittent. A severe form of stenosis is very dangerous, which can lead to respiratory arrest. The risk category primarily includes newborn babies, whose respiratory and vocal apparatus are not yet developed, the tissue of the folds is very loose and very sensitive to any negative process. If a child under one year of age has become hoarse, parents should immediately contact a pediatrician, attending physician.

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Pathogenesis

Pathogenesis rather refers to the description of the root causes of the underlying disease, which provokes the symptom - hoarseness of the child's voice. Most often, hoarseness as a symptom indicates respiratory viral infections or laryngitis. Statistics show that the number of different types of voice disorders in children increases every year. This is especially typical for schoolchildren, which is due to communication processes (the child speaks more and more often with peers, answers in class, emotionally reacts to negative or positive events in school life).

In general, voice disorders, including hoarseness, can be divided into the following groups:

• Changes in timbre, richness and volume of the voice
• Qualitative changes - hoarseness (dysphonia)
• Changes in the resonance of the voice (the child speaks as if “through the nose” - hyper or hyponasality)

The pathogenesis and etiology of hoarseness (dysphonia) is usually associated with the following reasons:

• Psychogenic factors
• Endocrine disorders
• Traumatic factors
• Infections

There have been more and more cases when doctors discover so-called "singer's" nodes in children, polyps in the middle zone of the ligaments, and the symptom of "hoarse voice in a child" can have an underlying cause associated with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux) - the so-called reflux laryngitis. Nodes that cause hoarseness are typical for emotional children who quickly and violently react to events in the format of screaming. Such a child can be labile in the psycho-emotional sphere, sometimes aggressive, excitable. The nodular factor in young children often self-liquidates with the onset of puberty, but this does not mean that dysphonia does not need to be treated. Both drug correction and consultations with a pediatric neurologist and psychologist are required.

One of the rare causes that is still worth mentioning is recurrent laryngeal papillomatosis. If parents notice that a young child has become hoarse and the hoarseness is progressing, they should not hesitate to consult a pediatrician or an ENT specialist. Progressive dynamics of the symptom indicate developing laryngeal stenosis, which is especially dangerous in cases where the child's throat is "warmed up". This increases swelling and accelerates the growth of benign small tumors. Sometimes doctors have to resort to surgery to remove papillomas, as a result of which the symptom "a child has become hoarse" does not disappear, since surgery is scarring, and scarring is local stenosis of the vocal cords.

Also, hoarseness of the voice can be caused by tracheitis, both its acute and chronic forms, this is especially characteristic of laryngotracheitis. Pathogenetically, hoarseness in tracheitis is explained by the expansion of blood vessels and swelling of the mucous tissue, which cannot but affect the vocal function.

The pathogenesis of diseases that provoke the sign of hoarseness is directly related to the underlying cause, which in turn can be both functional and pathological. Viral laryngitis is still the "leader" in this sense, followed by ARVI, ARI, followed by epiglottitis caused by the type B virus (Haemophilus influenza), and psychogenic and physiological factors close the row. Fortunately, other diseases are diagnosed much less frequently.

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Symptoms hoarseness of voice

Any attentive parent will notice signs that the baby is unwell. Symptoms of a hoarse voice in a child are quite typical:

• The child may complain of a feeling of irritation or soreness in the throat.
• The voice first weakens and becomes quieter.
• The child begins to cough.
• There may be difficulty swallowing food.
• The baby complains of a sore throat.
• Often the symptom of “a child’s voice is hoarse” is accompanied by an increase in body temperature.
• The baby may have a headache, become lethargic and apathetic.
• Visually, parents may notice redness in the throat.

The symptom - a hoarse voice in a child, is actually one of the first signs of a disease, which is most often laryngitis. Clinical manifestations of laryngitis are characterized by the fact that the baby becomes lethargic, gets tired quickly, loses activity. Quite often there is a transient increase in body temperature. If the parents consult a doctor and the child is examined according to all the rules, the blood tests clearly show indicators of the inflammatory process: - an increased level of leukocytes and an accelerated ESR.

Symptoms of a hoarse voice in a child depend on the location of the inflammatory process. Most often, the area above the larynx is affected, a little less often - the back of the throat, these inflammations affect the process of swallowing food, provoke pain when eating. In addition to pain and the symptom of "hoarse voice", the child may complain of heaviness in the chest, difficulty breathing, restless sleep. Breathing problems are caused by swelling of the mucous membrane of the throat, narrowing and spasm of the plica vocalis (vocal fold). Acute laryngitis can be accompanied by dry mouth, hoarseness, frequent coughing and even an abscess in the glottis area, this condition requires immediate hospitalization of the child. Chronic laryngitis is characterized by a long period of hoarseness, general fatigue, malaise.

Symptoms of a hoarse voice in a child are directly determined by the clinical picture of the underlying disease; if laryngitis is diagnosed, the symptoms can be conditionally divided into the following categories:

• Chronic laryngitis, catarrhal form - constant irritation, sore throat, dysphonia (changed timbre, hoarse voice). The child may also have signs of a sluggish inflammatory process - subfebrile temperature, drowsiness, headache. The painful condition lasts no more than 7-10 days, then the baby recovers, provided that adequate treatment and compliance with all doctor's advice.
• Acute laryngitis as a consequence of an advanced acute respiratory viral infection: body temperature fluctuations, periodic cough without phlegm, discomfort in the throat, aching sensations, difficulty swallowing food, weakened intermittent breathing. Treatment is longer, often with the use of physiotherapy. This form of the disease lasts from 7 to 15 days or more, including the recovery period.
• Atrophic laryngitis in children is less common, symptoms are constant unproductive cough, persistent hoarseness of the voice. This type of laryngitis is provoked mainly by functional factors - irritation of the vocal cords, their overload (intensive vocal training, vocal strain, screaming). It is treated for a long time, persistently, observing a gentle vocal regimen, which is considered a rather difficult task for children, given their age-related motor and psycho-emotional activity.

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First signs

The first signs of illness are what parents call "a child's hoarse voice." As a rule, children are active and do not immediately begin to complain of feeling unwell, but the symptoms manifest themselves in speech. Before the throat begins to ache, there is a tickling sensation and pain when swallowing food, the child's voice loses its usual timbre and volume - it becomes lower, with hoarseness. In medicine, changes in vocal characteristics are usually called dysphonia. Complete loss of the ability to speak is aphonia. In addition to the fact that the voice is hoarse, the child begins to cough slightly, turning into an exhausting dry cough. Many children complain of headaches, quickly get tired and become lethargic. The first signs are most alarming in very young children. They have active inflammatory processes, often in an acute form, which is fraught with swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and breathing problems. Severe, rapid swelling can provoke a violation of inhalation, the breathing process becomes intermittent, noisy. The baby sleeps restlessly, often screams, which further aggravates the symptoms of the disease. What is called false croup in pediatrics is considered a rather dangerous, crisis condition and requires hospitalization of the little patient.

The first signs of the main diseases that cause hoarseness:

1. Laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx), laryngotracheitis:

• False croup (from croup - croaking) is an acute process that provokes acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections. Signs - a barking, characteristic, hoarse cough, a specific whistling sound when inhaling, fever, hoarseness, general discomfort, malaise. False croup should be differentiated from a more serious, health-threatening disease - diphtheria, true croup. Therefore, the first signs of the disease should prompt parents to show the child to a doctor and take all measures to treat the disease.
• Chronic laryngitis against the background of a long-term acute respiratory viral infection (parainfluenza viruses). Signs: sore throat, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing food, loss of activity, hoarseness of speech, frequent coughing, as if "clearing" the throat. Subsequently, the dry cough becomes productive with the release of sputum.

1. Pharyngitis (an inflammatory process in the mucous tissue of the pharynx). The first signs depend on the types of pharyngitis:

• Acute, chronic form and their types:
  • viral,
  • allergic,
  • fungal,
  • bacterial,
  • pharyngitis associated with pharyngeal trauma,
  • functional,
  • atrophic,
  • catarrhal,
  • granular,
  • mixed type.
• The most common is the mixed form, which is characterized by the following initial clinical signs: pain in the throat, transient hoarseness, irritation, sore throat, frequent cough without phlegm, transient increase in body temperature, and the lymph nodes in the neck may be enlarged.

In addition to the hoarseness of the voice, the child may experience pain in the arms and legs (myalgia), all the symptoms characteristic of acute viral inflammations are present, including rhinitis, an increase in body temperature to 38-39 degrees, vomiting, and rash. Chronic forms of the underlying disease are expressed less clearly, but are also inevitably expressed in hoarseness of the voice and pain in the throat or larynx.

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A one-year-old child has a hoarse voice

Hoarseness of voice, in a one-year-old child this symptom can be considered a clear clinical manifestation of the disease. In children under 2.5-3 years old, the larynx tissue is very vulnerable, it is loose, unformed. In addition, anatomically the larynx is not yet developed and is quite narrow. Any inflammatory process provokes compaction and swelling of the mucous membrane and causes hoarseness, shortness of breath, up to complete blockage of air access. Stenosing laryngitis, false croup for babies is a serious test. If a one-year-old child has a hoarse voice, parents need to urgently call a pediatrician and take all measures to treat the baby. Who is at risk of developing acute obstructive laryngitis?

• Children from 6 months to 2-3 years.
• Children with a history of risk of allergic diseases (parents or one of the parents are sick).
• Children with insufficient or excess body weight.
• Babies with thymomegaly (enlargement of the thymus gland).
• Children suffering from intestinal dysbiosis (dysbacteriosis).

What symptoms, besides the sign "a child's voice is hoarse", can indicate developing laryngitis? The signs can be varied and depend on the type of virus:

• ARI is caused by paraviruses and is accompanied by a transient increase in body temperature.
• The catarrhal form of laryngitis can manifest itself in hoarseness, sore throat, but without an increase in temperature.
• One of the clinical manifestations may be a cough, in the first days it is dry, frequent, then becomes deeper and is accompanied by the release of sputum.
• It is typical for a baby to cough during sleep, more often at night.
• The baby's breathing is always changing, it can have characteristic whistling sounds, the inhalation is longer than the exhalation.
• The one-year-old baby is anxious and losing his appetite.
• Signs of false croup may include noisy wheezing, coughing, a specific rise and fall of the chest when inhaling and exhaling, and a bluish tint to the skin in the nasolabial triangle area.

If a one-year-old child has a hoarse voice, and in addition to hoarseness, the above-mentioned symptoms are observed, the baby should be shown to a doctor and treatment should be started. The acute form of the disease, alarming symptoms of difficulty breathing require immediate hospitalization. With timely assistance, the symptom "a child has a hoarse voice" itself is not threatening, the baby's condition improves quite quickly.

To ease the anxiety of parents, it should be mentioned that hoarseness in a child under one year of age can be caused by a completely "peaceful" reason - frequent screaming, crying. Moreover, the baby screams not because he is sick, but due to a specific psycho-emotional status. "Screamers" are usually very active, react vividly to any event, new people, unfamiliar circumstances. Impressionability, lability of the nervous system and emotionality can play a kind of negative role in the development of the voice of a child who has not yet formed either the larynx or the ligaments. However, there is no need to be afraid of functional hoarseness. Babies grow quite quickly, the vocal apparatus develops, and hoarseness passes without a trace.

The child has a fever and a hoarse voice.

When a child has a fever and a hoarse voice, many parents believe that these are signs of a common cold, but such symptoms are not standard for ARVI or ARI. More often, hoarseness is the first clinical manifestation of laryngitis, which in turn has different etiological bases and is divided into types.

The child's voice is hoarse, the child's body temperature rises, what should I do?

Of course, call a doctor. For an experienced pediatrician, hoarse, labored breathing, hyperthermia, a characteristic voice sound (dysphonia) - this is information about the clinic of the inflammatory process in the larynx. Laryngitis can occur in an acute form, but it can also be chronic, protracted. For a baby, the second option is the most alarming, because the chronic process interferes with normal breathing, exhausts the entire body.

What could be the reason why a child has a fever and a hoarse voice?

• Viral infection (parainfluenza) - seasonal, off-season ARI cause a lot of trouble, both for the baby and parents. ARI most often affects children with insufficiently active immunity, those who are periodically diagnosed with tonsillitis, in a word, children whom pediatricians classify as FSC (frequently ill children).
• Allergy. If the child's medical history indicates the allergic status of the parents, laryngitis may be caused by allergens. These are most often odors from household chemicals, hair, animal fur, feather and down pillows, blankets, toys, dust or some food component. Elevated temperature with allergies is quite rare, however, an acute attack may be accompanied by a jump in temperature.
• Immaturity of the mucous tissue of the larynx, ligaments. Children have anatomical specificity in the structure of the larynx - it is narrow up to a certain age, the mucous is loose, prone to swelling. Such a reason is often the "base" for recurrent tonsillitis, laryngitis. Frequent coughing, constant irritation of the larynx often causes subfebrile temperature.
• Psycho-emotional stress. The baby's nervous system is quite labile, unstable, an event to which an adult reacts calmly, the child responds with breakdowns, screaming. Both overstrain of the vocal cords and nervous spasm of the muscular tissue of the larynx can provoke hoarseness of the voice and even an increase in body temperature.

Signs of developing laryngitis, in which the child has a fever and a hoarse voice:

• The hoarse voice does not go away within 2-3 days.
• The voice may "tremble" and break.
• Body temperature usually does not exceed 37-37.5 degrees, but temperature jumps can be sudden, up to 39 degrees.
• Often on the third day a characteristic cough appears, and then a peculiar barking cough. The cough occurs on inhalation, exhalation is accompanied by a whistling sound.
• The child's breathing is atypical; it is difficult for him to both inhale and exhale, and the chest visually rises and falls during the breathing process.
• The peak of coughing occurs at night, most often at three or four o'clock in the morning.
• If you put your hand or ear to the child's chest, wheezing can be clearly felt and heard.
• The child has a fever, a hoarse voice, and a persistent cough - all of these symptoms can lead to primary respiratory failure. A sign of failure is a bluish tint to the skin around the nose and lips (cyanosis).

Laryngitis can be contagious, provided that it is provoked by a viral infection. As is known, the method of transmission of the virus is airborne, therefore, during the period of illness of the baby, it is necessary to observe the ventilation regime. Treatment of the disease is directly determined by the diagnosis and the form of the process. Therapeutic measures are prescribed by the attending physician, parents need to remember that independent attempts to stop laryngitis are fraught with attacks of suffocation in the baby. In general, an increase in temperature, hoarseness of the voice cannot be considered signs of a health risk, mild forms of laryngitis are treated within 10-14 days and do not require in-patient therapy.

The child has a runny nose and a hoarse voice.

If a child has a runny nose and a hoarse voice, and a dry cough joins these symptoms, it is most likely laryngitis. Rare and transparent discharge from the baby's nose is often accompanied by a sore throat and general malaise. However, these signs are not uniform and may indicate the following underlying causes:

• Inflammatory process in the larynx.
• GERD (gastroesophageal reflux), hoarseness preceded by nausea, in infants - frequent regurgitation.
• ARI without laryngitis, hoarseness and runny nose are transient, temporary symptoms.

According to statistics, the most common symptoms - a hoarse voice in a child, a runny nose and a cough - indicate laryngitis. Inflammation of one or another area of the larynx is a common occurrence associated with seasonal outbreaks of viral diseases. The nasopharynx of young children does not have active local immune protection, therefore, in addition to the standard "set" in the form of coughing, hoarseness, nasal discharge is quite often observed in infants. The clinical picture of the disease depends on the type of inflammation of the larynx, the types of laryngitis are as follows:

• Catarrh. This is the most easily tolerated disease, in which parents notice that the child has a runny nose and a hoarse voice, but the body temperature is not elevated and the general well-being does not change for the worse.
• The hypertrophic (nodular) form of inflammation is characterized by persistent cough, severe discomfort in the throat. The child complains of malaise, loss of appetite. This process is typical for children in adolescence, boys especially often suffer from dysphonia.
• Functional laryngitis is never accompanied by a runny nose, so we mention it in the article only for comparison and differentiation of the root cause. It is rather an overstrain of the ligaments during singing lessons, hoarseness can be provoked by screaming, prolonged crying, but in this case - not a viral or bacterial infection.

Classic signs of laryngitis are primarily nasal congestion and runny nose, followed by coughing and coughing itself, which together leads to a change in voice - hoarseness. Sputum discharge can be not only nasal, but also with coughing, cough productivity begins on the 3-4th day. In general, a simple form of laryngitis lasts no more than 10 days, provided that it is diagnosed in a timely manner and the recommendations of the attending physician are followed.

The child has a hoarse voice and a barking cough.

Signs of illness - a child's hoarse voice and barking cough - should alarm attentive parents. Hoarseness itself may not be associated with illness, but a characteristic cough, persistent cough, whistling sounds when breathing - all this indicates the risk of developing the so-called "false croup".

To distinguish the symptoms of croup from the signs of typical viral infections, let's take a closer look at the causes, development of the disease and characteristic "markers".

My child's voice has become hoarse. Why does this happen?

Babies have specific anatomical differences, the structure of their organs, the structure of tissues is special. Thus, the larynx of infants and children up to 3-4 years old is quite narrow, the mucous membranes of the vocal folds are not sufficiently formed, the lymphoid tissue is loose, vulnerable and prone to rapid swelling. Any virus, bacterial infection or exposure to an allergen provokes a reaction in the form of swelling, spasm, plica vocalis (vocal cords) close and impede the breathing process. In addition, this condition of the larynx leads to a change in the timbre of the voice - hoarseness.

Pediatricians usually talk to parents of infants, explaining that any unusual sound made by a child, a cough similar to "barking" is a reason to immediately call a doctor. In short, you should remember:

• Laryngospasm is dangerous.
• The disease can cause rapid swelling of the mucous tissue.
• The spastic process is a risk of blocking the air supply, a danger of suffocation.
• Signs of false croup are a reason for immediate hospitalization of the baby.

The main signs of laryngospasm:

1. The child has a hoarse voice and a barking cough.
2. The baby is having difficulty breathing.
3. The child's breathing is accompanied by specific sounds similar to whistling.
4. The child's skin color may change, especially in the nasolabial triangle area (cyanosis, blueness).
5. The labored breathing process is clearly visible – the stomach in the epigastric region is drawn in.
6. Attacks of false croup most often occur at night, stop and recur every 25-30 minutes.

The child has a hoarse voice and a barking cough, what should I do?

• Call a doctor, emergency ambulance.
• Ask your doctor for advice on what steps to take before he arrives.
• Before the doctor arrives, periodically give the baby warm drinks, often, in small portions (with a spoon).
• Raise the child's body, giving it a vertical position (take it in your arms).
• Try to ventilate the room and humidify the air.
• Do not give cough syrups or other medications without a doctor's recommendation.

As a rule, everything goes away within 3-4 days, the prognosis is favorable, provided that you contact specialists in a timely manner and follow their recommendations.

The child has a sore throat and a hoarse voice

A sore throat, which is combined with a scratchy feeling and hoarseness, can be a sign of various diseases. Let's list those that most often provoke the symptom "the child has a sore throat and a hoarse voice":

• ARVI.
• Laryngitis developing against the background of acute respiratory viral infection.
• Pharyngitis.
• Laryngotracheitis.
• Epiglottitis.
• Tonsillitis.
• Vocal fold strain (functional condition).

Laryngitis is the leader in this list as the most frequently diagnosed nosology. However, a painful symptom in the throat indicates that the child most likely has pharyngitis. Of course, only a doctor can make a more accurate diagnosis; we will only consider possible options for the development of the process.

How to differentiate between tonsillitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis if a child has a sore throat and a hoarse voice?

First of all, the difference between the above-mentioned diseases is in the anatomical zone of inflammation:

1. Tonsillitis is an inflammatory process of the pharyngeal tonsils.
2. Laryngitis is an inflammation of one or another area of the larynx.
3. Pharyngitis is an inflammatory disease of the pharynx.
4. Epiglottitis is an inflammation of the epiglottic cartilage area (epiglottis).

There are also similarities between these diseases, almost all of them are provoked by the same factors - viral infection (parainfluenza, flu, adenoviruses) or bacterial infection (staphylococci, streptococci). Epiglottitis in children under 7-9 years of age "falls out" of the etiological community, it is provoked by a specific bacillus Haemophilus influenzae type B. In schoolchildren, inflammation of the epiglottis is also provoked by viral or bacterial infections.

The most characteristic signs of pharyngitis are pain when eating and swallowing; the chronic form of pharyngitis is fraught with a specific timbre of the voice - hoarseness.

What are the factors that provoke the symptoms - "the child's voice is hoarse", "the child's throat is sore"?

1. Chronic pharyngitis. Causes:
   • Weak immune defense.
   • Constant exposure to irritating factors – smoke in the air, fungal spores, dust.
   • Chronic sinusitis, rhinitis.
   • Tonsillitis.
   • Frequent acute respiratory viral infections.
   • Allergy.
2. Laryngitis. Provoking causes:

• The acute form can be independent due to severe hypothermia, functional tension of the ligaments (screaming, crying). Also, acute inflammation is provoked by parainfluenza, measles, bacterial infections.
• The chronic course of the inflammatory process develops against the background of rhinitis, sinusitis or sluggish acute respiratory infections.

1. Epiglottitis is caused by viral, bacterial infections, Haemophilus influenzae, and also due to cardiac pathologies.

If a child has a sore throat and a hoarse voice, you need to watch the baby for several hours. Warning signs that require calling a doctor are:

• Increased salivation.
• Swelling of the throat and lymph nodes.
• If the child cannot swallow even liquid food.
• Wheezing, shortness of breath.
• A painful symptom in the throat that does not go away, but increases.
• The body temperature rises steadily and approaches 38 degrees.
• The child develops a characteristic “barking” cough.

An accurate diagnosis and identification of the cause is the area of activity of specialists; usually the disease is determined fairly quickly by clinical signs, and timely treatment ends with the baby’s complete recovery.

The child's voice is hoarse, mucus in the throat

Mucus in the throat and hoarseness are clinical manifestations of either acute catarrh in the larynx (catarrhal laryngitis) or an allergic reaction, but the symptom "a child's voice is hoarse and there is mucus in the throat" can also be a sign of any other disease caused by viruses or a bacterial infection. An accurate diagnosis is made by a doctor, most often the initial examination takes place at a pediatrician's appointment, then an otolaryngologist is involved. Hyperemic mucous tissue, the presence of mucus are visible parameters of the process. A conversation, questions to parents, measuring body temperature, in a word, collecting anamnesis confirm the initial version of the diagnosis. Clarification, if required, is carried out in the format of laboratory tests, less often the child undergoes a laryngoscopy.

Usually, mucous discharge is a manifestation of acute respiratory viral infections, laryngitis, ENT diseases, but LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux), which has recently become quite common in children, cannot be ruled out.

List of etiological factors that can provoke the symptoms of "hoarse voice in a child, mucus in the throat":

1. Pharyngitis.
2. Allergy.
3. Bacterial, viral or fungal infection.
4. Adenoiditis.
5. Sinusitis.
6. Laryngitis.
7. LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux).

Since viscous or thinned sputum against the background of hoarseness are mainly “companions” of laryngitis, let’s look at some of its types.

• Acute inflammation of the larynx occurs as a result of acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, or due to excessive strain on the vocal cords.
• Chronic laryngitis is characterized by the involvement of submucosal tissues in the process, which are not fully formed in the child.

The following types of laryngeal inflammation should be noted:

1. Laryngitis caused by an infectious lesion can be fraught with abscesses. This is especially typical for streptococcal infection.
2. True laryngeal croup (diphtheria). The disease is quite rare, however, the risk of its occurrence remains. Most often, children under 4-5 years of age are susceptible to diphtheria. The bacillus Corynebacterium diphtheriae provokes serious damage to the mucous tissue, the appearance of specific mucus, film. The disease starts with common symptoms similar to ARVI, which significantly complicates timely diagnosis and carries a risk of life-threatening.
3. Laryngitis as a consequence of measles, scarlet fever or whooping cough. In addition to the hoarse voice and mucus in the throat, measles immediately causes noticeable rashes on the child's body. If the baby has pinpoint rashes and a specifically bright "raspberry" tongue, mucous discharge and hoarseness, he may have contracted scarlet fever. Whooping cough is characterized by coughing spasms, which lead to a change in the voice and increased mucus secretion.

The easiest for a child to tolerate is catarrhal laryngitis, in which the symptom is noticeable - hoarseness of the voice and mucus in the throat, however, adequate treatment measures quickly bring the child's condition back to normal.

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Complications and consequences

The consequences of the symptom "a child's voice is hoarse", complications directly depend on the etiological provoking factor. One of the most severe consequences is considered to be laryngospasm, bronchospasm. Most often, suffocation, spastic condition - these are signs of the so-called false croup.

Let's list its "signals":

• Dry, persistent cough, the attacks of which intensify at night.
• Blueness around the lips, in the nasolabial triangle area.
• Shortness of breath, whistling specific sounds when breathing.
• Uncharacteristic movements of the baby's chest when breathing.
• Hoarse voice, hoarseness.
• Periodic increase in body temperature.
• General lethargy, poor health.

The child's voice is hoarse. What are the possible consequences and complications?

• The acute phase of the disease, which causes hoarseness, can develop into a chronic, protracted form with the development of infectious inflammation in nearby sectors (trachea, bronchi).
• Failure to seek medical help in time for false croup can pose a serious threat to the child's life. Choking, which ends fatally, fortunately, is very rare. However, the very fact that the baby is in a state of lack of air has a negative effect on many of his organs and systems.
• It should be noted that a child's hoarse voice can also be a sign of diphtheria. The disease develops very quickly, rapidly, in stopping the spasm every minute is precious in the literal sense of these words. Specific films can completely block the air supply, this is fraught with a mortal risk for the child, especially for infants.
• Laryngeal stenosis that is not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner can transform into a chronic process that requires surgical intervention. All operations are performed using modern methods, almost painlessly, however, even after the most skillful manipulation, scars may remain on the walls of the larynx.

Consequences and complications may not bother either the child or his parents at all. This is possible if any alarm signal of illness is monitored by the attending physician, and the treatment is carried out accurately, carefully, according to all recommendations.

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Diagnostics hoarseness of voice

Diagnosis of any disease is a complex of actions of the doctor. Diagnosis of a hoarse voice of a child is no exception. A hoarse voice in a child is just one of the signs, of which there may be many more upon careful examination.

A correct and timely diagnosis is the key to a successful recovery of the baby. What does the doctor do to identify the cause of the disease?

Diagnosis of a hoarse voice in a child includes the following points:

1. Interviewing parents, collecting information (epidemic history), analyzing the information obtained.
2. Primary examination of the oral cavity, throat, nose.
3. Palpation of the neck, chest, and cervical lymph nodes.
4. Determination of neck muscle tone.
5. Stethoscopy (the doctor will listen to the child's breathing using a stethoscope).
6. Talking to your child to determine if there is a change in the voice characteristics.
7. Measuring body temperature.
8. If necessary, laryngoscopy may be prescribed, less often – laryngostroboscopy (testing of ligament vibration).
9. If hoarseness is associated with psycho-emotional shock, testing by a psychologist and consultation with a neurologist are possible.
10. If necessary, the pediatrician can refer the child to a phoniatrist or speech therapist.

If the doctor was called in time, then the disease is identified quickly, often the first examination is sufficient without additional procedures and tests.

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Tests

As a rule, the symptom "a child's voice is hoarse" does not require tests. Tests may be needed in case of differentiation of the diagnosis, its clarification for choosing the most optimal treatment path.

Diagnostics consists of standard actions:

• Anamnestic information.
• Visual examination of the child's body, examination of the mouth, nose, throat.
• Palpation of the lymph nodes.
• Determining the level of voice changes.
• Listening to breathing sounds, palpating the chest.

All this helps an experienced doctor to make a preliminary conclusion and prescribe or exclude the need for additional examination, including tests.

Usually, tests for hoarseness are needed in the following cases:

• Suspected bacterial infection of the throat, larynx. Bacterial culture is prescribed, a smear is taken from the pharynx. To exclude diphtheria, a culture for BL (diphtheria bacillus) is performed.
• An immunogram may be recommended if the child falls into the FSC category - frequently ill children or allergies have already been identified in his/her status. The result of a comprehensive analysis helps the doctor choose the optimal treatment vector, including for activating immune protection.
• If the inflammation is acute, it is necessary to take a complete blood count (CBC) to determine the presence or absence of leukocytosis. An elevated level of leukocytes is a direct indication of an inflammatory process, ESR also changes, and lymphocytosis appears.
• If epiglottitis is suspected, the doctor prescribes a bacteriological culture (smear) from the pharynx, as well as a culture for specific anaerobic, aerobic rods based on blood material. In addition, during the treatment of epiglottitis, the child's health should be constantly monitored, including with the help of AOS - determination of blood pH, determination of the gas composition of arterial blood (pressure and percentage level of oxygen, carbon dioxide pressure, level of HCO3 - anions).

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Instrumental diagnostics

Instrumental diagnostics in the presence of the symptom "a child's voice is hoarse" is prescribed in the case of combined signs of the disease. For differential diagnostics, the doctor sometimes requires additional examinations, such as endoscopy, laryngoscopy.

What is simple laryngoscopy?

The larynx and throat are examined using a specific probe - an endoscope, the examination helps to determine the level of deformation of the mucous tissue of the larynx, vocal folds. In addition, during laryngoscopy, the doctor has the opportunity to collect tissue material for biopsy, if necessary. The procedure is very effective as a diagnostic part, but is not applicable to children from birth to 7-10 years. Therefore, endoscopic examination is more often used in diagnostic practice. Modern medical equipment allows the procedure to be carried out almost without pain and discomfort even for infants. One of the "leaders" in this endoscopic series is fibroendoscopy. The procedure can help to see the condition of the larynx, pharynx, nose.

What types of instrumental diagnostics are used in ENT practice?

• Mirror laryngoscopy (for children over 10 years old and adults).
• Stroboscopy, videostroboscopy - to assess the flexibility and mobility of the vocal fold (not suitable for small children).
• Fibroendoscopy is a visual examination of all areas of the larynx and nasopharynx.
• Microlaryngoscopy - in exceptional cases. The procedure is performed under anesthesia. This procedure is needed for emergency diagnostics of children who are unable to withstand this "event" due to mobility, emotionality, fear. Microlaryngoscopy is also needed for a thorough examination of the anatomical structure of the larynx (structure and shape of the glottis, condition of the ligaments, closure) or for therapeutic manipulations in this area.
• X-ray of the larynx is prescribed extremely rarely and mainly to adult patients to exclude serious pathological changes in the larynx.

Instrumental diagnostics helps to specify the sector of the inflammatory process, exclude serious pathologies (papillomatosis, congenital anomalies of the larynx structure) and prescribe an effective course of treatment for the symptom of "hoarse voice in a child".

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnostics are necessary in order to take timely measures to treat the baby.

The child's voice is hoarse, there is a cough, the general condition is worsening. How can you independently determine what happened? Of course, only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis based on a set of examinations. However, in order to relieve anxiety, parents should know the differences between pharyngitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis and other diseases occurring in the larynx and throat area. As a rule, many ARVIs affect 2-3 sectors of the respiratory tract at once, that is, against the background of tonsillitis, for example, pharyngitis or tracheitis can develop, the virus provokes laryngitis, and so on. Combined inflammatory processes affect the child's health and are expressed in the following symptoms:

• General weakness and fatigue are evident.
• The child often has a sore throat and a hoarse voice.
• The pain is present both when swallowing food and between meals.
• Due to general intoxication from the infection, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature) may develop.
• The baby begins to cough, the cough is dry, often moving to the lower respiratory tract.
• Breathing becomes uneven and heavy.

Most often, respiratory pathologies affect no more than two sectors, for example, the larynx and trachea. Often there is a combination of laryngitis and tracheitis - laryngotracheitis. If the infection penetrates lower, the doctor makes a diagnosis - tracheobronchitis. The spread of the infectious agent goes from top to bottom - from the nasopharynx to the bronchi. It is important to determine the root cause in time and stop the process.

The child's voice has become hoarse, we differentiate the symptoms and try to figure out what happened.

Sign	Laryngitis	Bronchitis	Tracheitis	Pharyngitis
Is your body temperature elevated?	Subfebrile body temperature is possible	Body temperature rises in the acute form	Temperature rises to 28 degrees are possible, but this happens rarely.	Subfebrile body temperature, acute form - up to 38-39 degrees
My throat hurts	My throat is sore, but there is no pain.	Almost never encountered	A feeling of irritation, worse when coughing	Almost always, especially during the swallowing process
The voice changes characteristics	A child's hoarse voice is a typical symptom of laryngitis	Rarely	Very rarely	Rare. Hoarseness and slight wheezing when coughing are possible.
There is a cough	Dry, specific cough - barking. Coughing fits at night	A dry cough gradually turns into a cough with sputum production	Frequent, unproductive, dry, at night and in the morning	Very dry, rare cough
Breath	Spastic dyspnea	Shortness of breath with bronchospasm	Respiratory spasm when coughing	Breathing changes rarely

Differential diagnostics should also include a number of examinations that exclude or confirm allergies, diphtheria, congenital anomalies of the anatomical structure of the larynx, gastroesophageal reflux, which can also cause hoarseness. Additional laboratory tests and instrumental examination methods help to clarify the diagnosis.

Treatment hoarseness of voice

After examinations and a set of diagnostic measures, the doctor prescribes treatment for a child's hoarse voice. Contrary to the popular belief of many parents, the symptom "a child's voice is hoarse" most often does not require antibiotic treatment. Such therapy is prescribed only after testing for bacterial flora and identifying a specific pathogen. It should be remembered that self-medication, especially when it comes to a baby, is extremely risky and dangerous. The best option is to call a doctor, examine the child and get clear recommendations for treatment from a specialist.

Standard treatment for a hoarse voice in a child may include:

• Symptomatic therapy - neutralization of elevated body temperature (above 38 degrees), vitamin preparations to maintain general condition, in case of combined spasms (bronchospasms) - bronchodilators to reduce active swelling of the larynx.
• Gentle voice mode (silent mode).
• Ventilation and humidification of air in the room.
• Elimination of the risk of allergic reactions.
• A gentle diet with the exclusion of spicy and hot dishes.
• Drinking frequently, in small amounts, and in large quantities.
• Inhalations with the inclusion of mineral waters, herbal infusions, specific drugs that relieve swelling of the laryngeal mucosa.
• Gargling, throat irrigation.
• If a child's voice becomes hoarse as a result of an allergic reaction, antihistamines are prescribed.
• Immunomodulators may be prescribed to activate the body's resistance, immune protection, and improve the general condition.
• Expectorants are needed only if an inflammatory process is detected in the trachea or bronchi.
• Antibiotics only as indicated depending on the identified infectious agent, age and condition of the child.
• Physiotherapy procedures are needed to consolidate the therapeutic effect and reduce the severity of symptoms.

Treatment of a hoarse voice involves specific parameters - the age of the child, the presence or absence of additional diseases in the anamnesis, anatomical features of both the body and the structure of the larynx, allergic status, severity of the inflammatory process and its localization. If necessary, the doctor prescribes treatment of a hoarse voice in combination with therapy for concomitant pathologies, for example, with diagnosed gastroesophageal reflux. Additional sanitation of the nasopharynx gives a good result, since most often hoarseness and cough are a consequence of chronic ARVI. Microsurgical intervention in the detection of nodular pathology of the ligaments, papillomatosis, polyps in the treatment of children is extremely rarely used. Surgery can be effective only in cases where laryngeal stenosis develops quickly and there is a threat to the life of the child. The standard treatment for a hoarse voice in a child is conservative therapy.

What to do if a child's voice is hoarse?

What can parents do if their child's voice becomes hoarse?

The most alarming symptom is hoarseness in children aged from birth to 5-6 years. The larynx is not yet formed, there is a risk of respiratory spasm, so attentive mom and dad should immediately call a doctor when the first signs appear - hoarseness, shortness of breath, cough.

Most often, a child's hoarse voice is a clinical manifestation of one of the types of laryngitis; in addition to the voice, there may be the following symptoms:

• At first there is a general feeling of malaise, usually called a cold.
• Laryngitis rarely develops as an independent disease; it is a consequence of acute respiratory viral infection.
• If you look into the child’s oral cavity, you can clearly see swelling and redness of the mucous membrane of the throat and larynx.
• The baby has difficulty breathing and is short of breath.
• There is pain in the throat when swallowing.
• The child coughs, the cough is dry, unproductive, and frequent.
• The cough is paroxysmal and gets worse at night.

What to do if a child's voice is hoarse?

• First of all, calm the baby down, provide the most gentle voice mode, silence mode.
• Eliminate hot foods and foods that irritate mucous membranes from your diet.
• Provide plenty of fractional drinking (warm purified water, decoctions, drink from a spoon in small portions, often - every 15-20 minutes).
• Ventilate the room, try to ensure a normal level of air humidity.
• Remove anything that can provoke coughing, suffocation, remove allergens (flowers, pets, feather pillows, down blankets, soft toys).
• If there is no high temperature or dangerous symptoms, inhale with mineral water or chamomile infusion.
• Timely initiation of measures, examination by a doctor and following the doctor's recommendations help improve the child's condition literally within 2-3 days. Self-medication, use of unverified recipes, following the advice of "grandmothers" and friends - this is a risk of starting a disease that can become chronic with complications.

Please note the following information:

• If there is severe shortness of breath, whistling sounds when breathing, you need to immediately call a doctor, most often - emergency care. It is better to play it safe and exclude false croup in a baby.
• Before the doctor arrives, you can warm the child's feet; this will ensure the outflow of blood from the upper respiratory tract and alleviate the condition.
• Before the doctor visits you, you need to give the child warm drinks from a spoon in small portions every 15-20 minutes.

Medicines

Medicines in tablet form are most often not used in the treatment of the symptom "hoarse voice in a child". Medicines can be drugs that are used for inhalation or gargling.

1. So, the simplest gargle is a furacilin solution. The antimicrobial drug for local use has long been known and has proven itself well. It is used for gargling, including for children, starting from the moment the child is able to perform the gargling procedure in principle. With regular throat sanitation measures, furacilin can essentially replace an antibiotic, neutralizing many pathogenic microorganisms. Gargles are carried out 4-5 days in a row 2-3 times a day. The recipe is 0.02 furacilin per glass of boiled warm water. The tablet is crushed into powder and thoroughly mixed in water.
2. Chlorophyllipt is used as a gargle. This is a natural remedy that fights bacteria that can cause acute respiratory viral infections and laryngitis. The antiseptic effect of chlorophyllipt is well known to pediatricians, and they often prescribe this drug as a safe and effective gargle for babies.
3. Miramistin is considered an excellent drug. The product has a wide range of effects on viruses, microorganisms and even fungal infections. In addition, Miramistin helps to increase the activity of local immune defense, which is important in case of hoarseness of the voice, deterioration of the general condition of the child. Miramistin is able to neutralize irritation in the throat, with a course of treatment remove the symptom of "hoarse voice in a child", reduce the intensity of cough, sanitize the tonsils and oral cavity
4. No less effective are spray preparations, for example, Bioparox. The active ingredient fusafungine has an antimicrobial effect, is very effective against streptococci, staphylococci, fungal infections.

Here is a list of medications that effectively reduce the intensity of hoarseness, but before using them you should consult a doctor:

Antiseptic agents:

• Rotokan.
• Pharyngosept.
• Lizobact.
• Bioparox.
• Hexaspray.
• Ingalipt.
• Chlorophyllipt.
• Decatylene.

Contraindications to the appointment of irrigation with drugs, to the use of sprays, may be the age of the child or allergic reactions to the components of the drug. The safest are Bioparox, Lisobact, Chlorophyllipt. All antimicrobial, antiviral drugs require the choice and presence of a doctor.

To be more specific, you can add:

• Treatment of hoarseness is conservative.
• Most often, herbal preparations, natural medicines, and homeopathy are used in the treatment of children.
• Antibiotics of the latest generation, broad spectrum of action can be prescribed only by a pediatrician, ENT doctor according to indications. As a rule, preparations in aerosol form with the inclusion of antimicrobial, antibacterial components are sufficient.
• Oral antibiotics are a last resort when all of the above actions do not lead to positive dynamics.
• In case of dry persistent cough, antitussive syrups may be recommended - Broncholitin, Doctor MOM, Lazolvan. Bronchodilators are prescribed carefully, taking into account the anamnesis and clinical picture of the disease, otherwise they can provoke serious complications, up to laryngospasm, bronchospasm.
• If the child's voice is hoarse due to allergies, the course of treatment includes antihistamines - Zyrtec, Claritin. The dosage and regimen is determined by an ENT doctor or allergist.

Vitamins

Vitamins are needed in the treatment of not so much the symptom - hoarseness of the voice, in a child, as a rule, this is a consequence of ARVI and other ENT pathologies. Vitamin therapy helps to activate the body's defenses, improve the general condition of the baby. Laryngitis, as the most common cause of hoarseness of the voice, is well and fairly quickly treated, especially its catarrhal version. Pediatricians can prescribe vitamin complexes, vitamins in the form of tablets, capsules, in liquid form, less often - in the form of injections, everything depends on the clinical picture of the disease and the age of the child. The most effective vitamins are C, A, E, group B, vitamin D and calcium.

Let's look at a list of vitamins that help cope with laryngitis:

1. Retinol or vitamin A. Helps the vital activity of almost all cells of both internal tissues and external skin. Increases immunity resistance during the invasion of pathogenic infections.
2. Thiamine, vitamin B1. Regulates amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate balance, affects the nervous system, stabilizing it.
3. Riboflavin, vitamin B2. Participates in enzymatic processes, helps restore mucous tissues, utilizes used substances, including "waste" amino acids. This vitamin is especially important for normalizing the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, oral cavity, larynx.
4. Pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B6. Normalizes protein balance, improves enzymatic reactions, stabilizes the central nervous system, activates the process of hematopoiesis
5. Cobalamin, vitamin B12. Normalizes enzymatic processes, participates in the process of hematopoiesis, improves the condition of the nervous system, normalizes digestion processes.
6. Ascorbic acid, vitamin C. The leader in the list of vitamins, it is probably known even to those who do not understand medical subtleties. A great immunomodulator, antioxidant. Helps the body resist many infections, helps activate the immune system.

Vitamins in the treatment of hoarseness are auxiliary measures. The attending physician will help you choose the form and type of vitamin preparation. The following vitamins for children are popular:

• Jungle Kids.
• Alphabet "Our baby".
• Pikovit.
• Vitrum.
• Kinder Biovital.
• Oligovite.
• Multi-Tabs.
• Unicap

Physiotherapy treatment

Hoarseness of voice in a child is one of the clinical manifestations of the primary disease, which is most often laryngitis, catarrhal form. Physiotherapeutic treatment for hoarseness is aimed, first of all, at eliminating the risk of laryngospasm, the task of physiotherapy can also be stabilization and consolidation of the therapeutic effects of conservative treatment.

Inhalations and gargles can be done at home, but more serious procedures require outpatient visits to special rooms. Treating laryngitis means eliminating the root cause, and the symptoms are perfectly treated with physiotherapy and home procedures.

Let us list the types of physiotherapy treatment:

• Inhalations - both at home and in the doctor's office.
• Irrigation of the throat with special means.
• UHF - relieves swelling, reduces the intensity of inflammation, promotes faster restoration of the mucous tissue of the larynx.
• Electrophoresis is often prescribed as a pain-relieving measure for discomfort and pain in the throat (electrophoresis with novocaine).
• Microwave therapy improves cellular metabolic processes and activates local immune defense.

The complex use of physiotherapeutic treatment always has a beneficial effect on the healing process. Hardware methods accelerate the regeneration of laryngeal tissues and relieve swelling. This occurs due to the specificity of the body's reflex response to the irritant used in physiotherapy. The transformation of one or another type of thermal effect (electrical impulse, thermal or mechanical irritant) has a positive effect on almost all biological functions of the child's body.

Physiotherapy treatment is prescribed taking into account the following parameters:

• General condition of the child, anamnesis and diagnosis.
• Features of the disease that provokes the symptom - hoarseness of the voice in a child.
• Gender and age of the child.
• Specificity of psycho-emotional status.
• Physiotherapy is contraindicated during periods of exacerbation of the disease, for all pathologies occurring in an acute form.

Folk remedies

Folk, home treatment of symptoms - hoarse voice in a child, cough, is possible provided that proven, safe recipes are used.

We offer you some of them:

1. Rinses - decoction of violet and chamomile (a teaspoon of inflorescences, brew with boiling water - 200 ml of water, leave for 10 minutes, cool until warm). Rinse 3 times a day for a week.
2. Inhalations with sage decoction. (1 tablespoon of the herb is poured with 250 ml of water, boiled for 5 minutes, filtered). Inhalation should be done for children over 2.5-3 years old, as a rule, this is a steam procedure.
3. Warm frequent drinking of herbal decoctions.! A teaspoon of anise seeds is mixed with a teaspoon of chamomile. Pour 500 ml of water, boil for no more than 5 minutes. The decoction should be left to brew for 30 minutes, strained and given to the child with a spoon for 1-2 days every 3 hours (2 teaspoons of decoction).
4. Linden tea. Linden is rightfully considered the "queen" of cough herbal remedies. Children like it because of its pleasant taste and aroma. Dry linden flowers (2 tablespoons) are poured with 400 ml of water, brought to a boil, cooled to a warm state, 4 tablespoons of honey are added (provided that the child is not allergic). You can drink this tea as desired, as much as the baby wants, but not less than 2-3 days.

You should not get carried away with warming up the chest, including folk remedies - mustard plasters, compresses. This can worsen the child's condition. A typical, safe measure is gargling with herbal decoctions, irrigation of the throat or inhalation with herbal infusions.

Please note that the symptom of "a child's voice is hoarse" may be just a temporary sign of vocal cord strain, so it is better to start home treatment with regular gargling. If the symptoms worsen, a pediatrician will help you choose further treatment.

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Homeopathy

Homeopathy is used quite widely in the treatment of the root cause of the symptom - hoarse voice in a child. Especially when it comes to the treatment of children under 3-4 years of age.

Dysphonia (hoarseness of voice) requires complex treatment measures, which include homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies give an excellent effect in the management of functional dysphonia, when there is no obvious pathological cause for hoarseness, but it is caused by overload of the ligaments or nervous stress.

Homeopathy in the treatment of both laryngitis and functional disorders are the means that are called drugs of choice. They can only be prescribed by a doctor with special education and experience in this field.

We will list several drugs from the homeopathic category, however, it is important to remember that their independent use is not recommended.

1. Homeovox. The drug contains aconite, iron phosphate, arizema, belladonna, burnt sponge, poplar, calendula. In fact, there is nothing unnatural in the drug, except that aconite and belladonna are poisonous plants. Therefore, Homeovox should be prescribed by a doctor. Dosage and methods of administration are also his prerogative. All dysphonias associated with vocal fold overload, functional laryngitis respond well to treatment. The duration of the course of treatment lasts at least a month.
2. Calcarea iodate. It helps well with chronic laryngitis, persistent cough. It is used in combination with Hepar sulfur from 7 to 10 days, the dose is prescribed by a homeopath.
3. Gepar sulfur is effective for low fever, hoarseness, and decreased appetite.
4. Silicea - effective in the treatment of all chronic forms of ARVI. Combined with hepar sulfur, treatment lasts from 7 to 10 days, the dosage depends on the age of the child.

Homeopathy can be in the form of both pills and liquid. For young children, the liquid form is preferable, granules and pills can also be dissolved in clean boiled water in proportions recommended by the doctor.

Prevention

Prevention of laryngitis symptoms, a sign of a child's hoarse voice, includes all measures to maintain the baby's healthy immunity, ensuring normal, nutritious nutrition, and physical activity.

Since many causes of hoarseness are associated with viral infections, disease prevention consists of careful and regular ventilation of the rooms where the baby is. Wet cleaning is also important, dry air often aggravates the clinical manifestations of the disease. Vitamins play an equally important role. The child's food should be rich in a complex of natural vitamins, microelements necessary for the growing body.

Even if a child has a hoarse voice, the baby is sick and diagnosed with laryngitis, the disease rarely lasts more than 10 days. After 3-4 days, his condition improves, breathing and voice are restored. Prevention is needed to avoid relapses, repetitions of the disease.

Basic rules of prevention:

• Hardening according to age indicators.
• Regular check-ups with a pediatrician, throat and nasopharynx sanitation if necessary.
• Strengthening the baby's body's defenses.
• Wet cleaning and ventilation of premises.
• Physical mobility, activity. Let the child play, run, do not protect him from normal, age-appropriate habits.
• Normal sleep and food.
• A positive atmosphere in the family, any nervous breakdown, shock can provoke a symptom - a hoarse voice in a child.

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Forecast

If a child has a hoarse voice, the prognosis is usually favorable, the treatment does not last more than a week and the baby recovers quickly. More serious consequences can be caused by false croup, protracted chronic inflammatory processes that provoke hoarseness, and the prognosis is less favorable in case of congenital anatomical defects of the larynx. The prognosis after surgical manipulations is also positive, modern medicine allows performing operations in a gentle manner without obvious and complex damage to the delicate tissue of the larynx.

In general, a child's hoarse voice is just a sign that can be caused by trivial reasons. For example, a baby is anxious, nervous and screams for a long time, older children suffer from a peculiar hoarseness at preschool age or at school. Emotionality, activity, mobility of children are the basis for violent reactions that are often expressed in the voice. If a child screams with joy, laughs until hoarse, perhaps this phenomenon is the most favorable in the list of reasons for hoarseness. We wish your children health and a good, ringing voice that matches their age and temperament.

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