How to quickly cure a wet cough in a child

Choosing a cough and cold medicine is a matter of responsibility. Independently pick up the drug should not, especially when it comes to treating the child. Preparations for dry and wet cough act differently, and the wrong choice of means can do a lot of harm.

Causes of wet cough

First of all it is necessary to find out what exactly caused the development of cough. If infrequent coughing without sputum discharge is normal, a wet cough may indicate the development of a dangerous disease.

Among the reasons that can provoke cough with sputum, are the following:

• pneumonia;
• bronchitis;
• bronchial asthma;
• tuberculosis;
• accumulation of pus in the lungs;
• allergies;
• whooping cough.

How to cure wet cough

Another condition that will allow you to get sputum out faster is to drink plenty of water. Drink often and only warm liquids. This may be tea, compote, alkaline mineral water.

You should not restrict the child in physical activity and force him to constantly lie in bed if he does not have an elevated temperature. The child should move, this will contribute to the release of sputum, while in bed rest it will be stagnant.Recommended walks in the fresh air. In this case, the excessive activity of the child can not be allowed - do not allow him to run and jump.

Symptoms

The combination of cough attacks with the following symptoms should be alerted:

• a sharp occurrence of coughing attacks, lasting a long time;
• the temperature rises above 38 degrees and the long-lasting high temperature (more than 3 days);
• detection of bloody veins in sputum;
• the occurrence of shortness of breath;
• sputum with a green tint;
• wheezing when breathing;
• ARI / ARVI preceding a wet cough;
• complaints of chest pain.

Treatment of wet cough in children

The main goal of treating wet cough is to remove sputum from the respiratory system. If adult problems with coughing do not occur, then respiratory diseases are dangerous for children because children cannot cough up properly. Sputum in young children is very viscous, and to facilitate the process of its discharge, it is necessary to take special preparations that have a mucolytic effect.

Sputum, which is produced for a long time in the lungs, becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.As a result, complications may occur.

From medication when wet cough prescribe:

• mucolytic;
• expectorants.

Mucolytics are needed to stimulate the formation of mucus. They are used when mucus is produced, but its volume is not enough for easy separation.

Expectorant drugs designed to thin the sputum. They are synthetic and vegetable. About which of these drugs is more suitable for treating your child, you need to talk with a specialist. Parents usually prefer to use herbal remedies, but this is not always the best choice. Drugs in this group can cause severe allergies. The more plant ingredients in the syrup, the higher the risk of an allergic reaction. Synthetic drugs are more effective in treating wet cough.

Synthetic drugs that are often used include:

• ACC, Mucobene (based on acetylcysteine);
• Muxol, Mukodin (based on carbocysteine);
• Bromhexine;
• Ambroxol.

Of herbal medicines, doctors often prescribe:

• syrup Dr. Mom;
• chest collection;
• Pectusin.

With a wet cough, you can not give the child antitussive drugs. These are drugs that, by acting on the cough reflex in the brain, suppress cough. When taking these drugs even in the presence of sputum the child does not cough, therefore, the sputum remains in the lungs, it accumulates more and more, the inflammatory process increases. All this leads to the development of pneumonia.

Physiotherapeutic methods

One of the effective methods used to improve the discharge of sputum in a wet cough is inhalation. At the same time in the treatment of children steam inhalation (over potatoes, for example) is strictly prohibited to use, since the child can get burned mucous. Recommended inhalations, which are carried out using a nebulizer. Special solutions (Lasolvan for inhalation) or alkaline mineral water are poured into the apparatus. The solution used in the procedure should be warm. It is also possible to use herbal decoctions (in the absence of allergy) or acetylsalicylic acid as a solution.

Applications on the chest area stimulate blood circulation, reduce inflammation.For these purposes, paraffin or ozokerite applications are used. Appliques with mashed hot potatoes are also effective. It is allowed to carry out the procedure only in cases where there is no fever in the child. To prepare a compress from potatoes, unpeeled boiled root vegetable (2-3 pieces) should be kneaded, combined with turpentine, medical alcohol, vegetable oil (1 tablespoon each). Flat mass flat cakes are prepared from the resulting mass, which are wrapped in gauze and placed on the child’s chest and back. Baby must be carefully wrapped. The duration of the procedure is 1-2 hours. After this time, the compress is removed, the skin is wiped dry, and the child is dressed in dry and clean clothes.

The easiest option to compress is oil. Regular vegetable oil is heated in a water bath, moistened with a thick cloth and placed on the chest. It is important when applying a compress to exclude the heart area. Polyethylene wrap cloth can not be. It is recommended to use parchment paper and a terry towel on top. The compress is left on the body overnight.

Animal fat is used for rubbing. Badger, bearish, goat fat will do. It should be melted in a water bath, and then carefully rub the baby’s chest. This method gives a quick effect - noticeable improvements are observed already 3 days after the first session.

Warming up trays will help to cope with coughing faster. A small amount of mustard powder is added to warm water and the feet hover. After the procedure, it is necessary to rub the feet of the baby with a warming ointment and wear warm socks.

A good effect can achieve a massage. Even simple tapping and rubbing speed up the process of sputum discharge. In the course of the massage, it is important to correctly position the child - it is necessary that the head and chest should be below the pelvis. Usually the child is placed across the legs, on the knees of an adult. Tapping is performed by the edge of the palm or the pillows of the fingers towards the head. Enough to perform them within 1-2 minutes. After that, you should ask the child to clear his throat. Repeat the procedure 4-5 times. It is forbidden to massage if the child has a fever.

Folk recipes

Traditional medicine offers many recipes that can be used in the fight against wet cough. Despite the seeming safety, they should not be used without consulting a doctor. Inspection of a specialist is important if only because without determining the cause of coughing it makes no sense to carry out any treatment.

The most common folk recipes commonly used in treatment are:

1. Warm milk, which dissolve a teaspoon of honey, butter and a little soda. The child should drink a glass of drink twice a day.
2. Juice and pulp of black radish. Black radish is one of the most effective cough remedies. It is characterized by a pronounced bactericidal action and actively counteracts inflammatory processes occurring in the body. Also, its use stimulates the discharge and excretion of sputum.
3. The radish is washed out, the tail is cut off and the “cap” is removed. Inside they make a hole where they put 2 teaspoons of honey and leave the vegetable in a dark place for 4 hours. During this time, juice is released, which has healing properties. Take it a teaspoon three times a day.
4. Onion puree with honey.The bulbs are peeled and ground in a blender. The resulting slurry is mixed with honey in a 1: 1 ratio. Take the resulting drug 1 tablespoon three times a day after meals. Apply a prescription for the treatment of children older than 1 year.
5. Plantain decoction also contributes to sputum secretion. Plantain is part of many industrial cough syrups. To prepare the medicine at home, mix 1 teaspoon of leaves with a glass of boiling water and leave for 4 hours. After straining the drink is given to children - a tablespoon three times a day 30 minutes before meals.

In treating children, the complexity is related to the age of the patient. Sometimes it is impossible to explain the need to take a tasteless medication or lie quietly during the procedure. However, parents should take all possible measures to exactly follow all the recommendations of the doctor. Coughing can be very dangerous, and if not treated, it can lead to the development of complications.

Video: cough treatment in a child