What should you do if your child's cough doesn't go away?

Unfortunately, most children get sick and cough from time to time, and they can cough for quite a long time, so many parents face this problem. And it is necessary to know what to do if a child's cough does not go away.

There is no single universal method for solving this problem, since coughing occurs for various reasons. So, first of all, you should understand the reasons causing coughing in order to have only medically sound and effective means in your arsenal of treatment methods.

Why doesn't my child's cough go away?

To answer this question, you need a doctor: only a professional can accurately determine the etiology of a cough that does not go away for a long time, that is, diagnose the disease of which it is a symptom. The treatment will depend on this, which can be symptomatic (relief and weakening of the cough) or etiological (elimination of the cause of the cough).

From a physiological and medical point of view, cough (in Latin - tussis) is a reflex reaction of the cough center of the brain in response to signals from irritated receptors of the respiratory tract. And such sensitive nerve endings are found not only in the nasopharynx or bronchi, but also in the diaphragm area, in the outer shell of the heart (pericardium), in the esophagus and even in the mucous membrane of the stomach.

Pediatricians include the following as causes of prolonged cough in children: protracted respiratory infections, chronic forms of tonsillitis and sinusitis, pharyngitis (including atrophic), tracheitis, laryngotracheitis, adenoiditis, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, respiratory mycoplasmosis or chlamydia, the presence of cytomegalovirus, respiratory allergies (allergic pharyngitis and tracheitis, eosinophilic bronchitis and bronchial asthma).

In infants, constant coughing during feeding can be caused by oropharyngeal or esophageal dysphagia - a disorder of the swallowing reflex and the passage of food into the esophagus.

A cough that does not go away for a long time may indicate bronchiectasis, thyroid problems (hypothyroidism), left ventricular failure, gastroesophageal reflux, tuberculosis, intestinal dysbacteriosis, or the presence of worms in the child. Finally, it is possible that a long-term dry cough in a child is one of the clinical symptoms of papillomatosis or laryngeal cysts, as well as the initial stage of inherited cystic fibrosis.

Now you obviously have a clear idea of what to do if your child's cough won't go away? That's right, go to a good doctor and have your child examined. Moreover, you need to be prepared for the fact that an otolaryngologist, allergist, pulmonologist or gastroenterologist may be involved in the examination.

It should be noted that, according to pediatricians, only one case of persistent cough in children out of ten is not associated with infectious inflammation of the respiratory tract such as acute respiratory viral infections, tonsillitis or bronchitis.

If your child's cough won't go away: possible treatment options

As can be seen from all of the above, all coughs are different - and not only in terms of their cause. The "quantity and quality" of a cough can vary in a wide range of features of the manifestation of this symptom: dry and with phlegm, with wheezing and whistling, leading almost to vomiting and having the appearance of a slight cough...

What to do if a child has a persistent cough due to infectious inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract? In such cases, it is necessary to use drugs with mucolytic and enveloping effects so that a dry cough (as doctors say, unproductive) becomes wet (productive). For very young children (up to 2-2.5 years old), this is enough: the child will cough up phlegm and thus the factor irritating the cough receptors will disappear. That is, the cough will go away. Older children, taking into account the frequent occurrence of bronchial spasm, are prescribed mucokinetic (expectorant) and bronchodilators. But with a very strong (to the point of vomiting) debilitating cough, drugs that block the receptors of the tussus zones of the respiratory tract or the cough center may be needed.

In case of a prolonged dry cough in children, it is recommended to take Ambroxol (other trade names - Ambrobene, Ambrohexal, Lazolvan, Ambrolytic, etc.) or Acetylcysteine (ACC, Acisteine, Acestad).

The dosage of Ambroxol syrup for children under 2 years old is 2.5 ml 2 times a day; 2-5 years old - 2.5 ml three times a day; after 5 years - 2-3 times a day, 5 ml. Acetylcysteine, prescribed for laryngitis, tracheitis and pneumonia, is also suitable for the treatment of cough in cystic fibrosis. The instructions for this drug indicate that it can be used from the age of two, but pediatricians recommend this drug only after 12 years (100-200 mg three times a day). And if the doctor has simultaneously prescribed a course of antibiotics, then Acetylcysteine should be taken two hours after them.

To relieve coughing fits with viscous, difficult to cough up sputum, doctors may recommend the combination drugs Guaifenesin (Tussin) or Ascoril. Guaifenesin can be used no earlier than two years of age. A single dose is 2.5-5 ml (every 4 hours), the maximum daily dose is 20 ml; for children aged 6-12, the dosage is doubled. When taking this medicine, the child should be given more to drink. Ascoril is prescribed for children under 6 years old, 5 ml three times a day, for children aged 6-12 - 5-10 ml. When using It should be taken into account that both of these drugs increase sputum secretion, so they cannot be used for productive cough.

What to do if a child has a persistent cough with phlegm?

To facilitate the removal of phlegm with a wet cough, herbal remedies containing marshmallow root (Althea syrup), licorice root, coltsfoot leaves and plantain, sweet clover, oregano, angelica, and thyme are needed. Decoctions are prepared from these medicinal plants at the rate of one tablespoon of dry raw materials per 250 ml of water (boil for 10 minutes and leave to infuse for 20 minutes under a lid). They should be taken after meals - 50-100 liters twice during the day.

The well-known Pertussin (taken one teaspoon or dessert spoon three times a day) contains thyme extract, which has antimicrobial properties and is good for dry coughs – as an expectorant and emollient. The herbal medicine Bronchipret also contains thyme (essential oil) and also thyme extract, which helps remove secretions accumulating in the bronchi. Bronchipret drops can be taken from three months (10-15 drops three times a day, after meals). After one year, the dosage is 10 drops plus one drop for each year of life.

Ammonia-anise drops have not lost their effectiveness in facilitating expectoration of phlegm; they should be taken by children over 12 years old - 10-12 drops (previously diluted in a tablespoon of water) 3-4 times during the day.

Don't forget about inhalations with steam from alkaline mineral water or regular baking soda (a tablespoon per 500 ml of boiling water), as well as inhalations with an infusion of eucalyptus leaves and pine buds (a tablespoon per glass of boiling water).

What to do if your child has a persistent cough that makes him vomit and prevents him from sleeping normally? It is for such situations that medicines with a mucoregulatory principle of action that affect the cough center are intended. For example, the cough syrup Sinekod (Butamirat) is recommended for children: 3-6 years old - 5 ml of the drug three times a day, 6-12 years old - 10 ml, over 12 years old - 15 ml three times a day. The syrup is contraindicated for children under 3 years old. A single dose of Sinekod in drops (4 doses per day): children from 2 months to 1 year - 10 drops, 1-3 years - 15, and over 3 years - 25 drops. This drug is contraindicated for newborns under 2 months. Taking Sinekod can cause side effects (headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin and urticaria).

What to do if a child has a persistent allergic cough?

The pediatric allergist who identified a specific allergen causing respiratory allergy in the child obviously recommended removing this allergen (a cat, parrots, fish, a new woolen rug, etc.) from the apartment. And, of course, prescribed an antihistamine. It is best if it is a latest-generation drug that does not cause excessive drowsiness and does not dry out the mucous membranes (for example, Erius or Citerisin). Drugs in this group are prescribed individually - depending on the intensity of the respiratory allergic symptoms.

Coughs of allergic origin are relieved with the help of inhaled corticosteroid drugs (Beclomethasone, Beclazone, Budesonide, etc.), the prescription of which is entirely within the competence of the attending physician.

We tried to present at least part of what to do if a child's cough does not go away. Given the number of possible causes of a lingering cough, parents should not risk their children's health - seek medical help in a timely manner.