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The faster you can cure a child's cough. Tips for parents: what to do if your child coughs a lot

If a child develops a cough, parents should understand that this is a sign of respiratory tract disease. There are different types of cough. The treatment approach is also different.

Cough is the body's response to irritating factors. There is no need to consider it as a separate disease; all efforts will have to be directed to treating the disease. Cough can occur for various reasons. The main ones include:

Respiratory tract diseases. Appear due to infections, viruses, pathogenic fungi. If an inflammatory process begins to develop in the respiratory tract, this will be accompanied by a dry cough, lack of appetite, elevated body temperature, and weakness. If the infection reaches the bronchi, the cough will turn from dry to wet.
Bronchial asthma. With this disease, a cough torments the child at night, after physical exertion. Breathing will be accompanied by shortness of breath.
Allergy. When a child’s body is attacked by an allergen, the protective reaction manifests itself in the form of cough, runny nose, and red eyes.
Diseases of the ENT organs. Common symptoms include rhinitis, laryngitis, and polyps. The liquid begins to flow down the back wall, which provokes irritation and coughing.
External stimuli. Coughs in children often appear due to mechanical irritations (smoke, industrial gases, combustion products).

Types of cough

By duration:

Protracted cough. Its duration is more than 2 weeks. Often appears against the background of a complication that arose due to respiratory tract disease. May signal adenoiditis, adenoid hypertrophy. If the cough does not disappear within several weeks and makes itself felt more than once a year, this may indicate diseases of the respiratory system that are chronic.
Acute cough. Its duration is no more than 14 days. Occurs against the background of diseases of the upper respiratory tract. At first the child is bothered by a dry cough, but soon it becomes wet.

By timbre:

Barking cough. It makes itself felt during inflammatory processes of the larynx and trachea. Appears due to swelling of the throat.
Hoarse cough. Its cause lies in inflammation of the vocal cords; this type of cough is characterized by the appearance of wheezing.

The nature:

Dry. This cough is also called non-productive cough. As a rule, the child experiences redness and pain in the throat. Gives an uncomfortable feeling. Attacks may worsen at night. In addition, the child may complain of abdominal pain, and the urge to vomit is possible.
Wet cough (productive). This type of cough produces phlegm. In childhood, a wet cough is more difficult than in adults. If the cough was dry at first, but gradually turned into a wet one, this indicates that the treatment was chosen correctly and the child is on the mend.

Bronchitis: doctorKomarovsky

If a child has bronchitis, the well-known pediatrician Komarovsky recommends finding out the cause of its occurrence. It can develop in a child against the background of a viral infection and be a complication.

The doctor's main advice:

Monitor the air temperature and humidity in the room where the child sleeps.
Give your child as much fluid as possible.
Maintain bed rest.
Do not give your child antibiotics or expectorants without your doctor's approval.
Rinse your nose with saline solutions.

Evgeniy Komarovsky assures that drinking plenty of fluids and staying in a cool room with a normal humidity level will relieve a cough without the use of expectorants. Under such conditions, the sputum will liquefy and separate on its own.

What helps with cough at home

How to quickly cure a child's cough at home. Of course, a cough should be treated by a doctor. You simply cannot determine what medications should be given to your child on your own, without medical education. But to relieve the symptoms of cough, help the child cope with this illness faster, perhaps by knowing some recommendations.

The first condition for a quick recovery: it is important that the approach be comprehensive. In addition to taking medications, it is necessary to include in therapy the use of traditional medicine and carry out physiotherapeutic procedures.

Drug therapy

If the cause of the cough is ARVI, then treatment should include expectorant herbal preparations. For this purpose, you can use herbal medicines, black radish with honey, and anise. Such products can be given to children who are at least 3 years old. You can give medications only if the child is not allergic to them. Medicines such as Gedelix and Prospan are excellent for coughs.

Their active substances are saponins and plant alkaloids. These substances thin the mucus in the bronchi, activate its secretion, and increase coughing. Despite the fact that they belong to the group of herbal drugs, they must be used strictly in accordance with the instructions, since exceeding the dosage is fraught with increased toxic effects and the appearance of adverse reactions in the form of nausea and vomiting.

Such medications are not prescribed to young children, not only because of an allergic reaction, but also because it will be difficult for them to cough up copious amounts of mucus.

Medicines for dry cough are aimed at thinning mucus. They are characterized by anti-inflammatory effects. Herbal preparations have a pronounced expectorant effect and increase the secretion of sputum from the bronchi. Presented in the form of syrups, which children happily take. As soon as the cough changes from dry to wet, treatment with such drugs should be stopped.

As for antibiotics and bronchodilators, the pediatrician can prescribe them only if bronchitis or pneumonia has been diagnosed, which were caused by a microbial infection. For viral infections that manifest themselves in the form of a cough, their use is unacceptable, as they can worsen the patient’s condition.

It is for this reason that if there is a cough of any kind, it is necessary to show the child to a pediatrician, who will conduct an examination, prescribe a series of tests and be able to accurately determine the cause of its occurrence. Based on the diagnosis, a treatment plan will be drawn up.

Bronchodilators are drugs that help relax the muscles of the bronchi and expand their lumen. Such drugs are appropriate for obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma.

Inhalations

Inhalation therapy for cough is considered one of the most effective. With its help, it is possible to deliver active substances to a problem area. Inhalation is an excellent way to relieve coughing, remove phlegm and moisturize the mucous membrane.

There are two types of inhalations:

Using steam. A decoction of herbs, saline solution, and essential oils can be used as a liquid. To carry out the procedure, a special device in the form of an inhaler is suitable, or you can simply breathe steam over a pan.
Using a nebulizer. If such a device is used, then medications in the form of bronchodilators, mucolytics, and alkaline solutions are placed in it. The doctor must decide which specific drug to choose.

Home physiotherapy

Most physiotherapy procedures can be performed at home. A set of measures is aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process and improving the drainage function of the bronchi. The most effective and simple procedure is massage. To carry it out, warm oil or warming ointment should be used. For a speedy recovery, you need to perform at least 5 procedures.

Traditional methods of treatment

How to quickly cure a child's cough at home. Folk remedies play an important role in the treatment of cough. Most of them work no worse than pharmaceutical drugs.

Phytotherapy

Herbal medicine is a proven and effective way to treat cough. Medicinal plants can be used at different stages of diseases.

With a wet cough

To prepare the product you need to pour 4 tbsp. oregano 1 cup boiling water, boil over low heat, cool and strain through a sieve. Give children 50 ml three times a day 20 minutes before meals. Pharmacies have excellent preparations that increase the effectiveness of treating wet cough.

For dry cough

If the cough is unproductive, a decoction based on fennel (1 part), peppermint, chamomile, and sage (3 parts each) will help increase sputum production. The raw material needs to be poured with 500 ml of boiling water, let it brew for about 30 minutes, and then used to gargle. This option is suitable for those children who already know how to carry out this procedure.

If sputum is difficult to clear and shortness of breath is observed, a decoction of pine buds, licorice root and sage will help. Plants are taken in equal proportions. It is necessary to pour 1 tbsp. collect 400 ml of boiling water, let it brew for about 2-3 hours, strain and give the child 2 tbsp. every 3 hours.

With a dry cough, a collection of licorice, violet and coltsfoot roots will help. The herbs should be taken in equal proportions, pour boiling water over them, leave for at least half an hour, then strain and give the child to drink in small portions throughout the day.

Milk-based products

How to quickly cure a child's cough at home. Milk is a drink that has proven itself to be effective against coughs. To enhance its effectiveness, it can be combined with various supplements.

Milk with sage for cough

You need to add 150 ml of milk and 15 g of sage to the pan. After the liquid is brought to a boil, turn off the heat and place 1 1 tsp in it. butter. The cough remedy is infused for about 15 minutes, after which it is filtered and combined with honey (1 tsp). This drink should be given to the child before bedtime.

Radish with honey for cough

Black radish is one of the best natural cough remedies. To prepare medicine from a root vegetable, you need to cut off the top, cut out the pulp, and fill the resulting cavity with honey. After a few hours, juice will begin to release. It is this that is the healing liquid for coughs. It should be given to children 1 tsp. at least 4 times a day.

Warming compresses

How to quickly cure a child's cough at home. Applying compresses is an effective procedure that can provide relief from severe coughing. It's quite easy to prepare. It is necessary to fold the gauze in several layers, moisten it in the healing liquid and apply it to the chest. But it is worth noting that this procedure can only be carried out if the child does not have an elevated temperature.

Applying a special cake to the chest is no less effective. To prepare it, you need to combine honey, vegetable oil and flour in equal proportions. Form a cake from the finished dough, place it on gauze and apply it to the chest area. It is advisable to cover it with cling film and a terry towel. The compress should be done in the evening, before bedtime.

Important! A warming compress should never be applied to the heart area.

The use of visceral fat in the treatment of cough

How to quickly cure a child's cough at home. If a child is bothered by a cough, such a remedy, nutria fat, can have a good therapeutic effect. This product contains a huge amount of useful substances. It is also a source of energy and has low thermal conductivity, due to which it copes with the heating of tissues.

Gastrointestinal fat can be used in its pure form. It is enough to take a small piece of lard, heat it in your palms and rub the child’s back and chest. This procedure must be carried out before bedtime. You can also melt the product in a water bath.

Content

At home, treatment of cough in children should involve the use of quick recipes, folk remedies and special medications. To recover, the child will need to be given rest, plenty of fluids to drink, and the air in the room to be humidified. Such complex therapy will help to quickly relieve children from possible complications caused by the disease.

What is a cough

In medical terminology, a cough is understood as a sharp exhalation, which serves as a protective reflex of the body to cleanse the bronchi of foreign particles, microorganisms and sputum. This is a reflex reaction of the body that occurs when there is a disease of the respiratory tract. It is accompanied by vomiting, hoarseness, anxiety, sleep disturbances and deterioration in the condition of children. Most cases of prolonged cough are accompanied by acute infections (ARVI, influenza), inflammation of the ENT organs, and the presence of adenoids.

How to treat a child’s cough depends on the type of pathological disease and the correct diagnosis. The classification distinguishes subspecies:

By duration– acute illness (up to 3 weeks) and chronic (with a runny nose).
The nature– productive (wet, with sputum) and non-productive cough (dry, without mucus discharge).
By origin– infectious barking (short, with inflammation of the larynx), convulsive (whooping cough), whistling (bronchial asthma).
By type of bronchial mucus– light (chronic bronchitis), mixed with blood (pulmonary tuberculosis).

How to cure a child's cough

To relieve children from coughing, you need to start by drinking plenty of fluids, using inhalations, and using non-drug medications and herbal infusions. Medicines are prescribed only with a doctor's prescription - it is forbidden to independently select children's medications, or simultaneously take antitussive and mucolytic drugs, antibiotics, or bronchodilators. For treatment, pediatricians prescribe:

mucolytics– for diluting and removing sputum (Ambrobene, Halixol, Lazolvan);
antitussives– to suppress coughing in children (Bronchicum, Sedotussin);
expectorants– help with sputum production (Gedelix, Pertussin, licorice root).

Treatment options

Depending on the dry or wet type, the treatment of a child’s cough differs. If a dry condition occurs, it must be converted to a wet, productive condition in order to speed up the healing process.

For treatment, it is allowed to use plenty of warm alkaline drinks, warm compresses, and bronchodilators. The wet subtype is easier to cure - mucolytics and expectorants are taken. Additional methods of treating bronchial inflammation include physiotherapy, electrophoresis, inhalation, cupping, rubbing, mustard plasters and massage.

The following varieties are considered popular medications for the treatment of children's cough:

antitussives– Bronholitin, Gerbion;
expectorants– , Gedelix;
mucolytics– ACC, acetylcysteine, carbocysteine;
lollipops– Septolete, Doctor Theiss;
– relieve laryngeal edema: Diazolin, Cetirizine;
bronchodilators– Salbutamol;
nasal drops– Naphazoline, Xylometazoline;
to prevent relapses– Broncho-munal, Broncho-Vaxom;
rubbing– Pulmex, turpentine ointment;
anti-inflammatory drugs- Erespal.

Anti-inflammatory drugs

If inflammation of the airways develops, anti-inflammatory drugs will help. They facilitate the healing process, relieve pain and discomfort when swallowing. The doctor will tell you how to quickly cure a child’s cough, and he will also prescribe anti-inflammatory medications:

, Serrata;
Herbion, Omnitus;
, Fluditec, Bronchipret.

Expectorants

Cough expectorants in children are intended to speed up the removal of mucus from the lungs and treatment. The active ingredients in them are plant saponins and alkaloids, which make mucus liquid, increase its quantity, and promote expectoration. They should not be used by children due to the high risk of allergies and deterioration of the drainage function of the bronchi. Expectorant medications relieve cough:

marshmallow and licorice root syrup;
collections of thyme, coltsfoot, plantain;
Gerbion syrup with plantain – herbal preparation;
Bronholitin, Solutan - remove mucus from the bronchi;
Tussin, Pertussin;
baking soda (sodium bicarbonate);
potassium iodide;
can be treated with Prospan, Linkas, Doctor Mom, Gedelix, Ascoril syrup.

Mucoregulators

Mucoregulators have the ability to reduce the volume of mucus produced, preventing its accumulation in the lower respiratory tract. This includes Fluifort in syrup and granules. Fluifort helps transform a dry cough into a wet one, as well as remove phlegm. The active ingredient of Fluifort is carbocysteine lysine salt monohydrate. Carbocisteine has a complex effect among mucoregulators. It activates the enzyme responsible for the correct composition of mucus. Also, under the influence of carbocisteine, the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract is restored, and the number of cells producing mucus is normalized. As a result, less mucus itself is formed.

Antitussives

Antitussive therapy can help cope with a painful cough, but it can only be used as prescribed by a senior doctor. The reason is the risk of stagnation of sputum and mucous secretions in the respiratory tract. Indications for the use of antitussive medications include whooping cough and sleep problems due to frequent attacks. Doctors recommend that children use such products extremely rarely - viscous secretions impair the drainage function of the bronchi, increasing the risk of secondary infection and respiratory failure.

Antitussive drugs are divided into central action (narcotic Codeine and non-narcotic Sinecode), peripheral action (Libexin). Non-narcotic drugs are prescribed for painful dry cough, vomiting, chest pain, and sleep disturbances. It is not recommended to use them on your own. The doctor may prescribe combination drugs - Hexapneumin, Lorraine (contraindicated for preschoolers) and products with ephedrine (Bronholitin, Solutan) in case of profuse liquid sputum.

Bronchodilators

Drugs that relax the smooth muscles of the bronchi and expand their lumen are called bronchodilators. They are prescribed by a therapist in case of obstructive bronchitis or asthma. Popular medications for treating signs of chronic inflammation include:

Salbutamol, Ventolin– used as bronchodilator therapy;
Atrovent– anticholinergic drug;
– combined remedy;
Eufillin– short-acting theophylline.

Homeopathy

Cough recipes for children contain instructions on the use of homeopathy. The choice of medication depends on the type of cough, the cause of its appearance, and the first symptoms of infection. It is recommended to use the following useful tools:

Hepar sulphuris– from a dry, hoarse cough;
Arsenicum album– from dry, exhausting, irritation in the larynx;
Antimonium tartaricum– from dry debilitating, with interruptions, vomiting, nausea;
Ipecacuanha– from prolonged night pain, pain in the head, stomach;
Spongia tosta– from hoarse barking, burning, tickling in the larynx;
Rumex– from dry, strong, painful sternum when taking a deep breath;
Sambucus nigra– from croup, interfering with sleep, indomitable.

How can you rub your baby?

If the patient does not have a high temperature, rubbing and massage can be used; procedures are carried out with caution in case of dry cough subtype. We treat a child’s cough at home - the following ointments are applicable for dry cough with allergies, whooping cough or false croup:

Doctor Mom– with camphor, menthol, eucalyptus, nutmeg, turpentine oils, thymol;
Badger, Pulmex, Eucabal– warming, not suitable for two-year-old children prone to allergic reactions;
badger, bear, gut, goose fats– they are used to rub the chest of a child over 3 years of age, the massage is carried out carefully.

Inhalations

Inhalations are used to relieve dry cough. You can do them with nebulizers, inhalers, or simply breathe steam over a pan of hot water. The latter inhalations are contraindicated for children under 3 years of age. At home, the following solutions and medications will help with the symptoms of the disease:

, Ambrobene, ACC, Fluimucil, Rotokan, Tonzilgon;
calendula extract;
medicinal herbs - decoctions of sage, St. John's wort, raspberry, mint, eucalyptus, juniper;
Evkar or Ingafitol fees;
solution of soda, alkaline mineral water (Borjomi).

Compresses

To treat cough in children, compresses are effective. The following mixtures are soaked in gauze cloth, applied to the throat, sternum or back, and wrapped in cellophane and warm cloth. When treating colds, compresses can be applied before bed or left overnight. Popular recipes:

add honey, butter, flour, vodka to dry mustard - on the throat for several days in a row;
mix a spoonful of honey, vodka, sunflower oil, heat in a water bath, close your neck, interscapular area, do it every other day;
crush boiled potatoes in their jackets, add butter, tie on your chest;
Dimexide diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3 or 1:4, heated - for 40 minutes before bedtime on the heart area, in the absence of high temperature, only for children over 12 years old;
Moisten a napkin with vodka, saline or mustard solution, apply to skin lubricated with baby cream for half an hour.

Mustard plasters

For dry type with difficulty in sputum discharge, cough in children is treated with the use of mustard plasters. Contraindications – elevated temperature (above 37.5 °C), skin irritation, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, tumors or asthma, up to one year of age. Avoid applying mustard plasters to the area of the heart and spine; for small children it is better to place them in these places through gauze.

Depending on the age, the exposure time of the quick procedure differs: up to 3 years - 2 minutes, up to 7 - 3, up to 12 - 5. After treatment, wipe the skin with a softening cream, if there is severe redness, immediately remove the product and remove the remaining powder with a damp, warm towel. Mustard plasters are applied in the evening, after which you need to change the baby into pajamas and cover with a blanket.

An effective cough suppressant for children

Not only expensive drugs can be effective in treating cough syndrome. The following medications will help with dry type:

mucolytics– Falimint lozenges, Halixol, Lazolvan syrups;
bronchodilators– Libexin tablets and syrup;
antitussives– elixir Codelac, syrups Gerbion, Stoptussin;
anti-inflammatory– syrups Omnitus, Ambrohexal;
antipyretic– Lorraine powder.

The following effective remedies for treating children of different ages will help fight wet cough:

expectorants– tablets ACC, Bromhexine, syrups Ambroxol, Mucaltin, Herbion with primrose, Pertussin;
warming up– Doctor Mom ointment;
antitussives– Bronholitin;
mucus thinners– Ambrobene capsules, suspension;
antispasmodic- Gedelix syrup.

Strong remedy

The following powerful remedies and treatment methods for children will help you quickly get rid of cough syndrome:

expectorant mixtures– licorice root extract, marshmallow, thermopsis infusion, Pertussin;
to thin mucus– solution of potassium iodide, Mucaltin, Bromhexine, Lazolvan, Fluimucil;
inhalation– a spoonful of soda per glass of water, ACC, Lazolvan;
vibration chest massage– place the child on his stomach, lightly tap the sternum with short movements with the edge of your palm.

Folk remedies

Some folk remedies for coughs for children are considered effective. Recipes to help get rid of obsessive attacks:

radish, onion or carrot juice with honey – a tablespoon up to 5 times a day;
you can give your child warm milk and vitamin drinks;
baked radish with sugar - strain the juice, give two teaspoons before meals 3-4 times a day;
squeeze lemon juice, mix with two tablespoons of glycerin and add honey to the contents of the glass - take a teaspoon up to six times a day;
mix hot milk with Borjomi in equal proportions and drink with honey or figs;
mix honey with anise or butter, take three teaspoons;
Heat the salt in a frying pan, wrap it in a cotton sock, and quickly warm up the baby’s chest and back.

How to cure a baby's cough

Before the baby is one year old, the problem may be due to a cold or teething. The following drugs, methods and rules are used to eliminate physiological cough:

regularly ventilate the room, install a humidifier;
drink plenty of fluids, light back massage;
rubbing with animal fat, walking in the fresh air;
inhalations are carried out with saline solution through a nebulizer;
mucolytics – Gedelix, Prospan;
homeopathy – Stodal syrup and Oscillococcinum granules;
chest patches Sopelka;
Tantum Verde spray - only in case of severe inflammation, because there is a risk of suffocation.

The answer to the question of how to cure a child’s cough at home depends on the cause of its occurrence. Each disease that causes this symptom requires a special approach. For this reason, you should not self-medicate; it is recommended to consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

In most cases, diseases that are accompanied by coughing attacks can be treated at home under the supervision of the attending physician; only in rare cases does the patient require hospitalization in a hospital. In children, such cases include pneumonia, stenosing laryngotracheitis, and severe forms of bronchitis.

What helps a child’s cough at home?

Parents often ask how to quickly treat a child’s cough at home. To do this, first of all, it is necessary to provide the child with conditions that would contribute to the speedy resolution of the pathology. The following measures serve this purpose:

It is necessary to humidify the air in the room where the child is. In a humid climate, this can be done by frequent ventilation; in a dry climate, using a special device (automatic air humidifier). During the heating season, it is recommended to hang wet towels on the radiators and place several containers of water in the room.
The room should be regularly ventilated and wet cleaned daily.
If the baby’s condition allows (if the temperature is not elevated), you should walk with him in the fresh air.
During illness, exclude from the diet foods that can irritate the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Provide the child with plenty of fluids, this promotes better sputum discharge.

Drug therapy

For cough medications, depending on the existing clinical signs, expectorants, mucolytics, bronchodilators, antitussives, antipyretics, anti-infectives, and antihistamines can be prescribed.

Preferred drugs are in the form of syrup and inhalation. A young child is not usually given lozenges or lozenges because he or she may swallow or inhale the medicine.

Any medications should be prescribed by a doctor, since their use without taking into account indications can lead to the opposite effect, and a combination of some of them (for example, central antitussives and expectorants) can also have a negative effect.

Inhalations

Inhalations have high antitussive effectiveness, since they allow the active substance to be delivered directly to the area of inflammation. For children, inhalation using a nebulizer is preferable. They are carried out using alkaline mineral water, saline or medicinal solutions. The drug, its dose and frequency of the procedure are prescribed by the doctor.

Steam inhalations in children are undesirable, and they are also ineffective.

Home physiotherapy

In children with some diseases of the respiratory tract, percussion massage is used, which allows for better removal of sputum, and breathing exercises, which promote rapid tissue regeneration.

Traditional methods of treatment

Treatment of cough in a child at home is often carried out using traditional medicine. Traditional therapy cannot replace primary treatment, but can be an effective addition to it. Parents should know that, contrary to existing opinion, such treatment is not absolutely safe, therefore, just like any other, it requires mandatory consultation with a doctor.

Phytotherapy

Of the medicinal plants that have an antitussive effect:

peppermint;
plantain;
chamomile;
linden flowers;
clover;
sage;
eucalyptus;
pine buds.

Decoctions and infusions can be made from plant materials and used for inhalation.

For example, a popular cough remedy for children over 7 years of age is an infusion of marshmallow, coltsfoot and oregano (in a ratio of 2:2:1). Pour 2 tablespoons of the dry mixture into a thermos, pour 500 ml of boiling water and leave for 4 hours. Take ¼ cup 2 times a day.

Milk-based products

The most popular home remedies include milk-based remedies, which reduce irritation of the mucous membranes of the larynx and help thin and remove mucus. To make medicinal mixtures, you can use cow, goat or other milk with a fat content of at least 2.6%.

Hot milk with honey. Add 1-2 teaspoons of honey to a glass of milk heated to a temperature of 40 °C; you can also dissolve the same amount of butter in the drink. It is recommended to drink warm milk throughout the day and drink it before bed, which will help get rid of coughing attacks at night.
Milk with mineral water. Helps with coughs and sore throats, promotes the removal of bronchial mucus. To prepare the drink, mix warm milk and alkaline mineral water like Borjomi in equal parts. Mineral water must first be degassed.
Milk with figs. It has a diaphoretic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory effect. To prepare the medicine, dark purple or black figs are used. 2-4 pieces of fresh figs are poured with a glass of milk, brought to a boil, kept on the fire for several minutes and cooled. Before use, dried figs can be poured with cold milk and left for 30 minutes, then brought to a boil and left for another 20 minutes. Consume 100 ml warm 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Milk with butter. Helps relieve a cough attack. To prepare it, dissolve a teaspoon of high quality butter in a glass of warm milk. It is recommended to drink the product before going to bed.
Milk with cocoa butter. The product helps against dry cough. To prepare the medicine, you need to dissolve 0.5 teaspoon of cocoa butter in a glass of hot milk, cool the product a little and give it to the patient.
Milk with onions. Boil 2 small onions in a glass of milk until softened. After this, the liquid is infused for 4 hours, filtered and given to the patient a tablespoon every 3 hours.
Milk with ginger. To prepare this drink, grated ginger root (3-4 cm long) and 2 tablespoons of green tea are poured into 1.5 liters of milk, brought to a boil, removed from heat and left for about 30 minutes. The product is taken in small sips several times a day.

Homemade Black Radish Remedies

Products containing black radish juice have an expectorant effect and are often used for diseases of the respiratory system in children. There are several recipes.

Add a small amount of sugar to black radish juice obtained by any available method. Take 1 teaspoon 4-6 times a day.
Wash the radish thoroughly, cut off the top and cut out some of the pulp. Honey is placed in the resulting depression, leaving room for the juice to be released. The top is put in place, the radish is left for several hours. The finished product is taken a teaspoon 3-4 times a day.
Grind the black radish using a grater, squeeze out the juice and mix it with liquid honey in a 1:1 ratio.
Cut the radish into slices, place in layers in a suitable container, sprinkling each layer with sugar and leave for several hours to release the juice, which is then poured into a storage container. The product is consumed 1 teaspoon several times a day.

Warming compresses

For some diseases that are accompanied by a cough (not all!), you can use warm compresses. Rules for their use:

When treating children, the compress is placed either on the chest or on the back in one procedure. The placement location can be alternated every other day.
The compress should not be applied to the area of the heart and kidneys.
If the child experiences discomfort during the procedure, the procedure is stopped immediately.
If, after removing the compress, severe redness of the skin, allergies or other complications are observed, you should stop using this method and seek medical help.

Contraindications to the use of compresses are allergies, skin diseases, and fever. The method is not used to treat children in the first year of life.

Potato compress. Boil the potatoes without peeling, mash, add two teaspoons of any vegetable oil to the mixture, form into a flat cake and place on the chest or back, then wrap the baby in a blanket. Keep the compress until the potatoes cool.
Mustard and radish compress for older children(after 10 years). Mix 50 g of dry mustard, 50 ml of radish juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, 2.5 glasses of water, soak a towel in the mixture, apply to the body, cover with cellophane and a woolen scarf. The procedure takes no more than 10 minutes. After removing the compress, the skin should be wiped dry, and the patient should be wrapped in a blanket.
Honey compress. Apply honey to the chest of a sick child, cover with parchment and wrap the patient. The procedure is recommended to be carried out within 30 minutes. After this, the honey should be wiped off with a damp cloth; the affected area can be lubricated with a small amount of vegetable oil.
Compress with salt solution. 90 g of table salt are dissolved in 1 liter of heated water. Cotton fabric is folded in several layers, moistened in a solution, wrung out and applied to the body. Action time: until cooled (10-20 minutes).
Compress with mustard. Mix 1 tablespoon of mustard powder, flour, vegetable oil and honey, form a cake, place it on the body and keep for several hours. If the patient complains of a strong burning sensation, the procedure should be stopped.

Using visceral fat to treat coughs

Traditionally, products are used based on visceral fat, which is credited with a particularly powerful antitussive effect. Modern doctors do not share this opinion. A few recipes below are provided for informational purposes.

Badger fat used for rubbing, and children from 12 years of age are allowed to take 1 teaspoon per day orally (sometimes fat is added to tea or milk). For rubbing, you can use any other internal fat; badger fat has no advantage.
Goat fat used for rubbing. Take a mixture of equal parts of fat and honey. They also use a product for the preparation of which add 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon each of goat fat and honey, and a pinch of sugar to 1 glass of warm milk. The mixture is consumed up to 3 times a day.
Goose fat. Boil one lemon in a small amount of water for 10 minutes, allow to cool, peel and squeeze the juice into the decoction. Add 2 tablespoons of goose fat to the liquid. The medicine is given to the patient 1 tablespoon before meals.
Pork fat. 200 g of melted pork fat is mixed with the same amount of liquid honey, 100 g of butter, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. The product is given to the patient 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day, adding the mixture to a glass of warm milk.

Rubbing is not used at elevated body temperatures.

Types of cough

Cough is one of the most common reasons for seeking medical help. If the cough is not treated properly, it can bother the patient for a long time, and the pathological process will progress. The table shows the main types of cough depending on duration.

In addition, depending on the presence or absence of sputum, the cough can be dry or moist (wet).

Causes and risk factors

The most common causes of cough include respiratory infections, as well as inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system (laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, tracheitis, etc.). Cough attacks can be observed in patients with bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, cancer of the respiratory tract, and whooping cough.

Cough may be accompanied by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, pathologies of the thyroid gland, cardiovascular system, and helminthic infestations. Teenagers may experience a psychosomatic cough caused by stress or severe anxiety.

This symptom can also be observed with:

presence of an allergic reaction;
hypothermia of the body;
inhalation of cigarette smoke, dusty or too dry air, chemicals;
foreign bodies entering the respiratory tract.

Young babies may cough when teething or when swallowing large amounts of breast milk during feeding.

Video

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Doctors identify various types of cough, which is becoming a frequent companion to childhood illnesses. We treat a child’s cough at home, depending on the disease and the type of cough, so as not to cause harm and to bring recovery as close as possible.

Why does cough occur?

Coughing is one of the body’s ways to protect itself from foreign bodies, pathogenic microorganisms, and excess sputum produced in the body for some reason.

A series of sharp, involuntary exhalations occurs as a result of irritation of cough receptors located in the pharynx, larynx, bronchi, and lungs.

Types of cough and treatment depending on symptoms

Experienced mothers know that a child’s cough varies, and treatment must be chosen depending on the type of cough, duration, strength, productivity, type of sputum and accompanying symptoms.

Depending on the duration of symptoms, it can be:

acute, up to 2 weeks;
prolonged, up to 3 months;
chronic, from 3 months

Based on strength, they distinguish:

coughing
expressed
strong hysterical, to the point of vomiting spasms

If you evaluate the sputum produced, the cough may be:

dry, characterized by sore throat and sore throat, sore, intrusive. Usually it greatly disturbs the child and interferes with sleep. Sputum either does not separate at all, or its discharge is difficult due to high viscosity;
wet - accompanied by the release of a large amount of sputum. Phlegm is a secretion produced in the bronchi and lungs, so when there is an excess of phlegm when coughing, squelching, gurgling sounds are heard.

Productive wet cough is also different:

ARVI, bronchitis in the acute stage, bronchial asthma is accompanied by the separation of colorless viscous mucus from the respiratory tract;
Chronic bronchitis and pneumonia are determined by viscous sputum with mucus and pus of a yellowish or greenish color; in addition, in childhood it may indicate pathologies of the ENT organs;
In case of a severe viral infection, aggravated by a bacterial component, streaks of blood may be present in the clear mucus. They appear as a result of microtraumas of the mucous membrane and capillaries of the respiratory tract;
Serous foamy sputum indicates developing pulmonary edema. Immediate medical attention is required;
Blood clots and a rusty appearance may be a sign of pulmonary hemorrhage; the child must be carefully examined as a matter of urgency.

Bronchial asthma is accompanied by spasmodic coughing attacks. Due to the sharp narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi, it is difficult for air to enter the lungs, exhalation becomes long, whistling, with wheezing. In a child under 2 years of age, such symptoms indicate obstructive bronchitis.

But if there are no catarrhal manifestations, and the spastic attack began suddenly, then a foreign body is most likely to enter the respiratory tract.

How and with what to treat cough in children?

Having gained experience while communicating with pediatricians and therapists, parents roughly know how to cure a child’s cough at home with the help of medications and folk remedies. However, this symptom occurs in many diseases. Therefore, you should distinguish between the types of cough and know how to successfully treat it at home.

Pharmaceutical cough suppressants are divided into three main groups:

Mucolytic drugs, the purpose of which is to make sputum less viscous and facilitate its passage;
Expectorants to remove mucus from the respiratory tract. Such substances worsen cough;
Drugs that affect the cough center of the brain and reduce its activity.

The main task in treatment is to make a dry cough wet, i.e. – productive, and then rid the body of excess phlegm.

ARVI

The onset of a dry cough when the upper respiratory tract is affected is painful and intrusive. The child has a sore throat, he sneezes, sleep and appetite are disturbed.

If the disease occurs without fever, then it should be treated with plenty of warm drinks and inhalations, including hot ones, with herbs and soda-saline solution. The child should inhale only under the supervision of an adult; at least 30 minutes should pass after eating.

Parents must be sure that the little patient is not allergic to natural medicines. For treatment, infusion or tea with chamomile, sage, calendula, and linden blossom are most often used.

A child who has been coughing for a long time must be examined by specialists. It is necessary to exclude helminthic infestations and allergies.

After a complicated infection, residual cough may continue for several weeks. Treatment, with productive discharge of sputum, consists of plenty of warm drinks and massage at home.

Tracheitis, bronchitis

The cough that accompanies these diseases is dry and unproductive. The main goal in its treatment is to achieve sputum discharge.

At the initial stage, it is necessary to take drugs that have a mucolytic effect:

Lazolvan
Bromhexine
Ambrobene

As soon as sputum begins to be produced, expectorants are indicated for 4-5 days, and then the child is given warm fruit drinks, dried fruit compote, diluted juices and chest massage.

If a child has a fever, then hot foot baths and warming are contraindicated.

Obstructive bronchitis

Accompanied by shortness of breath and cough with prolonged exhalation. The sputum that forms in the bronchi is too viscous and therefore cannot be expectorated. It is very important to achieve its liquefaction and then release.

It is important to give your child plenty of water. If the condition worsens, shortness of breath increases and spasms become more frequent, emergency medical attention is needed.

Whooping cough

Treatment of cough with folk remedies

Traditional medicine is replete with recipes to help get rid of cough. With a dry cough, it is necessary to thin the mucus, making it easier to cough up. With a wet cough, effective removal of sputum is required so that it does not “flood” the child’s lungs.

If you are inclined towards any of them, you should make sure that the child is not allergic to the components of the medicine. What can be recommended for a 5-year-old child is not always suitable for a one-year-old child.

So, what can you give your child when he has a cough?

Gogol-mogol

A safe and very useful remedy - eggnog for cough for treatment at home - is prepared from sugar or honey with the yolk of a chicken egg (or quail).

You need to wash the shell before breaking it, make sure that the product is fresh, the white and yolk are free of foreign inclusions, and do not spread.

Beat the yolk with sugar to obtain a homogeneous mass. Give the product to the child 3-4 times a day, one teaspoon.

Rubbing with oils and compresses

Cacao butter for coughs for children, it is used as a massage - rubbed into the chest and upper back. For rubbing children over two years old, add 4-10 drops camphor oil melted unsalted lard or goat fat; you can add the same amount of honey.

Plant elecampane Suitable for the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory processes, infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract. A decoction is prepared from dried roots, which has an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and expectorant effect.

Herbal cough remedies remove mucus and relieve swelling of the mucous membrane. Tea with sage, anise and thyme, inhalations with these herbs help thin mucus and expectoration.

Anise drops Prepared at home or bought at the pharmacy. The drug has an expectorant and anti-inflammatory effect and is well tolerated by children.

Anise-ammonia drops in pharmacies are made from anise oil, ammonia and ethyl alcohol. At home, dilute the product with boiled water, 3-5 drops per 50 ml of water for a child 3-5 years old.

It is important for parents to understand that herbs and medicines made from them are not harmless. They can provoke a deterioration of the condition, so you need to approach the choice carefully.

Homemade recipes for cough relief in children are complemented by other measures that do not require much effort. Sometimes it is enough to raise the child's head higher during sleep to help drain mucus and clear the airways. Place an extra pillow under your head and shoulders or a terry towel between the mattress and pillow.

Cough in children can be different, so treatment should be targeted, removing the cause, and not just affecting the symptoms. In each case, parents should consult a pediatrician. However, self-education allows you to evaluate the prescribed treatment and will not be superfluous.

Hello dear readers. A child is God's gift. That same gift that, along with a feeling of great happiness, also gives rise to a consciousness of immense responsibility. The little man is defenseless in front of the world opening up to him, and is unable to independently resist the threats emanating from him. While learning about life, a child encounters hundreds of dangers every day, and his immune system is exposed to even more viruses. A disease in the form of a cold accompanied by a cough, which is quite harmless for an adult for the most part, can cause significant harm to the health of a child and cause irreversible consequences in his body, which cannot be eliminated throughout his life.

To underestimate the danger of a cough as a harbinger of a future illness means exposing the little man to unjustified risk.

Folk remedies can not only cure a cough, but can also prevent the development of related diseases.

Children's cough: main causes and types

Any cough is a natural attempt by the wise body to get rid of foreign contents that interfere with it.

What could cause such a misfortune to occur?

There are several reasons for this:

1. Viruses.

2. Bacteria.

3. Allergic reactions.

4. Foreign bodies.

5. Environment.

It goes without saying that if there is an allergy and foreign objects get into the child’s throat, the use of traditional medicine methods is useless. Here you must strictly follow all the doctor’s recommendations.

In an unfavorable environment, everything is also more or less clear - it is necessary to improve the environmental conditions (get rid of carpets, ventilate rooms more often, use humidifiers, change your place of residence if necessary).

But in the first two cases, folk remedies couldn’t come at a better time. Moreover, they can be used both as an independent type of cough treatment, and in combination with medications.

The types of cough can be classified according to many criteria, but in relation to a child, only two of them are of undoubted interest and the greatest relevance.

These include:

✔ Dry cough.

✔ Moist cough.

Dry cough is often a harbinger of illness, but can also occur during the course of colds or viral diseases.

It is the most tiring and dangerous for the child.

It is characterized by the following features:

Frequency of urges, when you constantly want to clear your throat.
Paroxysmal cough, when the cough cannot be relieved for a long time.

The danger of a dry cough in a child is that it not only causes severe pain in the throat and bronchi, but can damage the child’s vocal cords, causing him to become hoarse or completely lose his voice. The most important task is to get rid of dry cough as quickly as possible and move it to the next stage.

Moist cough - This is, in fact, a transitional stage from illness to recovery.

In this case, sputum secreted in the bronchi acts as soap when washing hands. It accumulates pathogenic microbes and, holding them, leaves the body when coughing.

The main goal during the transition of a cough from the dry to the wet stage is to dilute the sputum so that it can easily leave the child’s body, which has suffered during the illness, without causing him additional suffering.

Folk and medicines: what is the difference?

Medicines is a chemical combination of various medicinal and auxiliary components.

Folk remedies – these are natural products given by nature itself for the benefit of man. This is the fundamental difference.

Any medicine, while healing one part of the body, always harms another. In medicine, these are called side effects. There is not a single medication that is completely harmless to a living organism.

Folk remedies, on the contrary, are created by nature for humans and, when used correctly, are incapable of causing harm.

For thousands of years, people have used natural products for nutrition and healing. At the same time, there have never been any recorded cases of harm caused by their reasonable use.

This is especially true for children, whose not yet fully formed bodies are especially sensitive to any chemicals.

Treatment of dry cough in children with folk remedies - effective recipes

The goal of treating this type of cough is to relieve attacks, form phlegm, and soothe an irritated throat.

Accordingly, in this case, folk remedies are used that serve to achieve precisely these objectives.

These include:

milk
animal fats
herbal products

Treatment of cough in children with folk remedies can be carried out at home. A cough can be cured quite quickly if you follow the list of recommendations.

These few simple recipes will help treat dry cough:

Milk with honey and butter

This is probably the simplest and most accessible folk treatment. Mix half a glass of warm boiled milk with one teaspoon of honey and butter.

Warm milk will relieve the attack.

Honey, as a natural antiseptic, will kill pathogenic bacteria in the throat.

The oil will soften irritation, reduce soreness and pain.

Give children half a glass four times a day after meals.

Milk with mineral water

Add mineral water with previously removed gases to warm boiled milk.

The optimal volume of the drink is 100 ml, the ratio of milk and mineral water is from 1:1 to 1:3. Take up to four times a day.

Herbal decoctions

Use the same decoctions as for dry cough. The main thing in this case is to make the sputum more liquid.

Inhalations

Potato decoction, mineral water without gases, or water with soda dissolved in it are suitable for inhalation. It can also be used for coughs in both children and adults.

The selected product is placed in a wide-necked container (saucepan, ladle) and heated to a temperature of 70–80˚C.

The child is positioned above the container at such a distance to feel the warmth. It is necessary to cover it with a towel or light cloth. Let it breathe over the steam for 5-10 minutes.

Children are clearly not happy with this method of treatment. They are stuffy, hot and bored sitting in an uncomfortable position for the necessary time.

Therefore, it is better to use a nebulizer for these purposes. In this case, for inhalation it is enough to use saline solution, which, while diluting sputum, is not a drug, and therefore has no side effects.

If a child has a temperature above 37˚C, any inhalations are contraindicated.

Special warning:

Children are the greatest value for their parents; their illness is a serious test for the people who gave them life.

However, when you hear your child cough, you should never lose your head. The following rules are an immutable truth and must be followed under any circumstances:

1. If your child develops a cough, you should consult a doctor.

2. When prescribing treatment by a doctor, it is necessary to consult regarding the use of known folk remedies for cough.

3. When treating a child, use folk remedies only prescribed by a doctor.

There are no cases in medical practice when doctors categorically prohibit treatment with folk remedies.

This absolutely harmless method of healing has been tested by time and countless generations of people. It is suitable for both adults and children. But for the latter it is especially relevant for its gentle effect. When using it, children's health will be effectively restored without any side effects.