Dry cough in a child: causes, treatment with inhalations and antitussive drugs

When a child is exhausted by a strong cough, parents try by all means to help their child, experiencing various treatment methods on him. It is necessary to act in such cases as quickly as possible, since any delay can lead to the most serious complications. Especially if the child has a dry cough that exhausts the child’s body and gives the baby constant discomfort.

Causes of a dry cough in a child

If expectoration of sputum brings at least temporary relief, then uncontrolled attacks of dry cough only irritate the mucous membrane of the larynx, without having any positive effect.

Note! The cough coming from the chest is not dry even if there is no sputum discharge process. An unproductive cough with difficult expectoration requires a completely different approach to treatment.

The most common cause of this ailment is acute viral illness, such as flu or SARS. Dry cough is observed in the first few days after infection, and may also disturb the patient for some time after recovery. Such residual symptoms are much less common and do not cause the child any pain.

As a rule, a dry cough indicates the presence of ailments such as laryngitis, tracheitis or bronchitis. Exhausting seizures can also be a consequence of existing anthroponous bacterial infections, among which are most common whooping cough and measles.

There are cases when a strong dry cough develops against the background of an allergic reaction of the body. Toxic substances or fumes of combustion products provoke irritation of the throat mucosa, thereby causing acute attacks of barking cough.

What diseases indicates

Coughing is not a disease in itself. It is only a symptom, which can be a sign of a wide variety of diseases.

Among them are the following:

• Cold. At the initial stage, the child has a dry cough, but after 3 to 4 days it turns into a wet one. Then sputum is excreted from the lungs and at least temporary relief comes.
• Laryngitis. Causes severe swelling of the throat, resulting in partial or complete loss of voice. Most often accompanied by a debilitating cough without fever and mucus secretion.
• Tracheitis. Pathogenic bacteria from the larynx enter the respiratory tract, causing severe inflammation of the tracheal mucosa.
• Pleurisy. An expectorant mucus in this case does not form, however, a barking cough may occur due to the developing inflammatory process in the bronchi.
• Pneumonia. Regular attacks are observed without sputum discharge, but in case of worsening, purulent discharge may appear.
• Whooping cough. This disease is characterized by severe bouts of dry cough, which lead to the appearance of a vomiting reflex.
• False Croup. The child has breathing problems due to a severe narrowing of the larynx. As a rule, children of preschool age face such an ailment.
• Tuberculosis. The defeat of the lungs or bronchial glands with Koch chopsticks is the most dangerous cause of dry cough. The disease develops gradually, and in the smallest patients, the disease can lead to the breakdown of respiratory tissues.

In addition, unpleasant symptoms may appear in a child due to the development of cancer. Tumors irritate cough receptors, thereby causing the patient an unpleasant sore throat.

Diagnosis, which doctor to contact

If the above signs are found, you should seek help from a pediatric therapist or pulmonologist as soon as possible. The doctor will examine the baby, conduct a phonetoscopy and prescribe a number of necessary tests.

Using X-rays, it is possible to identify pathologies such as tuberculosis, pleurisy, and also diagnose various neoplasms in the respiratory system. Based on the results of a blood test, the doctor evaluates the general condition of the child. An increased concentration of eosinophils indicates an allergic reaction.

Also, if necessary, sputum analysis is performed to establish the main causative agent of the infectious disease. An endoscopic method for examining the airways is performed to visually assess the condition of the lungs.

Treatment with inhalation and antitussive drugs

Of course, drug therapy works quickly and effectively, but this method of treatment cannot be called safe. Cough inhalation for children is the most preferred treatment. With his help, it is best to treat a dry cough in a child.

If timely treatment, then at the initial stage of the disease can prevent the deterioration of the patient, as well as facilitate the subsequent process of elimination of sputum. The home procedure involves the use of a special nebulizer. The principle of operation of such a drug is based on dispersed spraying of a drug into the airways through an integrated mask or tube.

Important! Doctors strongly do not recommend filling the device with pharmacy saline or mineral water. As drugs, it is allowed to use special products intended for nebulizer therapy.

The healing procedure is performed 1 hour before a meal, and the duration of inhalation should not exceed 3 minutes.

Several types of antitussive drugs are also used to treat dry cough:

• medicines that suppress the cough reflex;
• funds that eliminate sore throat;
• drugs that provide the quickest possible conversion of dry cough to a wet form;
• combined medicines.

Among the most popular and safe means for children, syrups such as Herbion, Sinecode, Stoptussin and Linkas are distinguished.

Possible complications

A prolonged cough reflex debilitates both the baby and his parents, who are not able to help their child.

If proper measures are not taken in time, the course of the disease is aggravated by the following complications:

• Hamman Rich Syndrome;
• viral pneumonia;
• pneumothorax;
• sleep disturbances;
• neurological diseases developing against the background of emotional overstrain.

You should immediately seek help from a specialist if, in addition to a dry cough, the child has an increased body temperature, loose stools and wheezing in the chest.

Prevention

Any diseases of the respiratory system are easier to prevent than to treat later.

Regular observance of the following rules will help to avoid negative consequences in the form of a cold or infections:

1. Humidify indoor air. This is especially true in the winter season, when heating appliances are actively used. Dry air irritates the sensitive mucous membrane of the throat, thereby causing an uncontrolled cough reflex.
2. Ventilate the room daily. Coughing alone is not a serious violation. This is just a response of the body to external stimuli. In a poorly ventilated area, a large number of pathogenic microorganisms accumulate, which can cause severe irritation of the larynx.
3. Pay particular attention to cleanliness. Dust, dirt or animal hair are also responsible for severe coughing attacks. Try to do wet cleaning as often as possible and avoid excessive dust accumulation. Also, keep your toys and bedding clean. There are often cases when a child coughs at night due to a large accumulation of dust in a pillow or blanket.
4. Fill a home medicine cabinet. In the event of the first signs of a cold, you should have at hand all the necessary preparations for timely therapy at home.

Finally, I would like to recall that self-medication in acute attacks of cough reflex is extremely undesirable. In this case, you should trust a competent doctor who will select an individual treatment regimen for your child based on the results of the tests.