Otitis

False croup in children: symptoms and treatment. How false croup in children becomes a killer Croup in children symptoms urgent

False croup– pathology of infectious-allergic nature, causing development swelling of the larynx with subsequent stenosis. Narrowing of the lumen respiratory tract, including the larynx, leads to insufficient air supply to the lungs and poses a threat to the patient’s life, therefore assistance in this condition should be provided immediately - in in a matter of minutes after an attack.

Etiology

A pathological condition such as false croup is a consequence of other respiratory viral lesions respiratory system. Mostly young children (younger) are affected preschool age), which is associated with anatomical features the structure of their larynx and trachea. Moreover, boys are several times more likely to suffer from this disease than girls.

Adults can encounter such a pathology only in one single case - if the swelling is of a pronounced allergic nature. That is, when a person is allergic to any irritants, it can manifest itself in him in the form of narrowing of the airway and suffocation.

In general, in medical practice There are two such concepts as true and false croup. True develops against the background of diphtheria damage to the larynx and passes with the formation of films and plaque. This is precisely why true stenosis differs from false stenosis - with false stenosis, only hyperemia and swelling of the soft tissues are observed, causing compression of the respiratory tube.

Often, false croup develops against the background of another disease and the cause of its occurrence is infection:

adenovirus;
virus;
mycoplasmas and chlamydia;
virus.

In some cases, the reasons for the development pathological condition in a child are the entry into the body of either viruses and.

Bacterial infections respiratory tract can also lead to laryngeal edema and the development of stenosis. In particular, false croup can appear when exposed to:

hemophilus and .

At the same time, not every child who has viruses or bacterial agents in their body develops this pathology. The reasons are that they lack predisposing factors such as:

penchant for allergic reactions;
frequent respiratory diseases;
period after vaccinations;
birth injuries;

It is also necessary to understand the question of why young children are faced with such a phenomenon as false croup. The reason is that their trachea and larynx are still too soft, and therefore the surrounding swollen tissue can easily compress them, cutting off the flow of air. In addition, in children the nervous system is not yet sufficiently developed, so neurohumoral regulation is still imperfect, which is characterized by increased excitability laryngeal muscles.

Note that false croup most often develops in children during the off-season, when immunity decreases and the likelihood of contracting a bacterial or viral infection increases. It should be remembered that false croup is an extremely serious condition, so such a child should receive help immediately when the first symptoms appear. Otherwise, a small patient may develop a coma, with all the ensuing consequences and a threat to life.

Symptoms

False croup manifests itself in several stages and its symptoms usually appear at night. Stage one is characterized by the child’s anxiety, the appearance of a rough “barking” cough, shortness of breath and rapid breathing. In this condition, you can help the baby and prevent the progression of the pathology, however ambulance nevertheless, it is advisable to call, since you can never predict how the baby’s body will react to therapeutic measures.

The second stage is characterized by the appearance of noisy breathing, increasing shortness of breath and the participation of additional respiratory muscles in the process of inhalation and exhalation. As the attack progresses, the child becomes pale, covered in cold sweat, and signs of anxiety increase. The lips and area around the mouth become bluish, which is the main symptom for parents, indicating that their child is experiencing a lack of oxygen.

If during this period you do not provide emergency care child, there are more serious symptoms, such as:

anxiety and fear, turning into apathy and lethargy;
the appearance of signs of respiratory failure and tissue hypoxia;
the appearance of hoarseness;
severe shortness of breath;
noisy breathing with gradual cessation of cough (due to stenosis of the lumen of the larynx);
development of cyanosis of the skin and mucous membranes;
a sharp drop in pressure;
fainting.

The last one terminal stage, characterize symptoms such as coma, development convulsive syndrome, slow blood circulation and cardiac arrest.

Emergency care and treatment

As can be seen from the above, false croup is a very dangerous condition that causes the death of a child in a matter of minutes. Therefore, when the first signs appear, parents should take care to slow down the severity of symptoms until emergency doctors arrive.

This can be done by inhaling the child’s airways with saline solution or giving him the opportunity to breathe over a bath of hot steam. In addition, it is necessary to remove clothes that restrict breathing and open all the windows in the home to provide access to fresh air. This is what first aid is, but before the ambulance arrives, a number of other measures should be taken. In particular, it is advisable to frequently give the child liquids and let him drink any antihistamine, available in home medicine cabinet, which will slow down the appearance of edema.

Treatment of false croup is carried out in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor. Young patients are prescribed inhalations with naphthyzine, saline and other decongestants. Also in mandatory They are shown hormone injections to stop the swelling and reverse it.

It is also necessary to take care of the treatment of the concomitant pathology that caused laryngeal stenosis. For this purpose, either antiviral or antibacterial drugs(depending on the pathogen).

To calm a child who is experiencing extreme stress due to breathing problems, a technique is recommended. sedatives. In severe cases, the child undergoes tracheal intubation or tracheostomy with the installation of a breathing tube, which is removed after the decongestant therapy has taken effect and the airway is again patent.

Although when timely treatment The prognosis for this pathology is favorable; parents should remember that false croup is prone to relapse. Therefore, your home first aid kit should always contain first aid in such a situation.

False croup occurs from a variety of pathogens. It is most often experienced by preschool children, but adults can also experience this unsafe symptom.

If you react incorrectly to an attack of stenosis and do not provide assistance to the patient, the consequences can be very sad, even fatal outcome.

What kind of croup is there?

The first thing to note is that this condition is a medical emergency. There are two concepts of croup - true and false. The first appears against the background of this dangerous disease like diphtheria.

In this case, a film envelops the person’s larynx and suffocation occurs. Diphtheria is infectious and can only be avoided by vaccination.

True croup is removed exclusively in a hospital setting and a person cannot cope with it on his own. Diphtheria is a very dangerous disease, which even in a hospital setting proper treatment and administration of serum gives a 30% mortality rate.

False croup occurs against the background of an infectious or allergic pathogen and in this case only the muscles of the larynx swell. This condition is also extremely dangerous and can cause suffocation.

Why does false croup occur in children?

In this population category, the development of laryngeal edema is associated with anatomical structure organs. IN early age the gap in the throat is still quite narrow and against the background of any inflammatory process muscles swell. As a result, the ligaments in the larynx close and the child cannot breathe fully.

Most often, children under 6-7 years of age suffer from this pathology. By this time, the organs grow and take on a shape almost like that of an adult. And even if a spasm of the larynx occurs, parents can cope with it on their own.

Most often, false croup occurs in children due to viral infections. Basically, it can be encountered during laryngitis. And also this symptom can appear due to a banal ARVI, not to mention more difficult infections.

Pediatricians identify several main viral diseases which can cause false croup in children:

flu;
measles;
parainfluenza;
adenovirus.

The causative agents of these infections most often affect the walls of the larynx and cause swelling in them. First aid for false croup should be provided in a hospital setting or by an ambulance if the attack occurs for the first time or is becoming more complicated every minute.

Children with allergies often suffer from this symptom. They may experience suffocation due to reactions to the food they eat, medicine, smell, or insect bite. Therefore, parents of such children should always have with them necessary medications to combat false croup and clearly be able to follow the doctor’s instructions given in advance.

At what time of day does it occur most often?

If a child is prone to swelling of the larynx, then adults with any colds must closely monitor his condition. Most often, symptoms of false croup appear already on the first or second day of the disease.

The child begins to cough frequently and obsessively with a specific sound. It is also called "barking". During this period there is practically no sputum discharge. Hoarseness of voice gradually appears until it is completely lost.

These symptoms should already alert parents and prepare in advance for possible suffocation. Most often, croup begins at night, or more precisely at 2-4 hours, and there is a scientific explanation for this.

In the second half of the night, the body stops producing adrenal hormones, which are responsible for relieving swelling and preventing allergic reactions. Therefore, it is at this time that suffocation can rapidly develop.

If false croup occurs due to an allergic reaction, then the time of day does not affect its appearance. It develops almost immediately or within a short period after the allergen enters the body.

Does it happen to adults?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is an affirmative yes. But the percentage of those susceptible to this phenomenon is not as high as in children. The most common cause of this condition is allergies.

Adults suffering from any manifestations of a dangerous disease should be prepared that suffocation may happen to them. Very often the larynx swells from a bee or wasp sting.

Croup can also occur as a result of eating a product that causes allergic reactions in a particular person. People prone to frequent bronchopulmonary diseases, especially asthma, often suffer from suffocation.

But do not confuse croup and bronchospasm. These are two different dangerous conditions people who are filmed according to different schemes medications. During an asthmatic attack, it is difficult to exhale, and with false croup, the patient cannot fully inhale.

During viral infections in adults, the lumen of the larynx also narrows, but due to the sufficient size of this organ, the likelihood of suffocation is extremely low. Most often, the voice only becomes hoarse or goes completely dry.

The main symptoms of false croup

There are several main signs by which you can understand that suffocation is approaching or has begun:

"barking cough";
hoarseness of voice;
dyspnea;
difficulty breathing;
whistling when breathing;
severe panic;
cyanosis of the face.

It is worth noting that if an adult is hoarse or coughing, this is not a sign of croup. But the occurrence of symptoms in a child should alert parents and severe attack urgently need to call an ambulance.

Adult patients should take measures in case of severe suffocation, when a person practically cannot breathe and even loses consciousness. If your voice is hoarse and a cough has begun against the background of an acute respiratory viral infection, then you need to start standard treatment, which is suitable in a particular situation.

Degrees of stenosis in croup

There are several states, depending on which a certain medical care.

I degree of stenosis is characterized by a slight dry cough. A person may feel relatively normal, but already feels hoarseness.
II - increased breathing, cough becomes more obsessive. It is difficult to breathe, shortness of breath appears.
The third degree refers to: Whistles appear when breathing, inhalation is very difficult, and the voice practically disappears. During this period, cyanosis may appear on the face. The person is seized with panic, and fear is clearly expressed on the face.
IV - serious condition. Necessary urgent treatment false croup in intensive care. The whistle may disappear. The cough stops. Almost complete suffocation occurs, loss of consciousness and tachycardia may occur.

Stages III and IV stenosis with false croup in adults and children are considered life-threatening. Such conditions require immediate assistance to the patient medical workers. Often such patients are taken to the intensive care unit.

In particularly severe cases, patients are given a trachiostomy so that air can be supplied directly from the outside while actions are taken to relieve laryngeal edema. Then the patient will need long-term rehabilitation.

Differential diagnosis of false croup

To find out what type of stenosis has occurred, the patient needs to analyze the symptoms. Differential diagnosis helps to determine whether a patient has true or false croup. To make it easier to understand the symptoms, they can be presented in the form of a table.

Now it becomes clear that false croup develops very quickly and can be recognized by its characteristic “barking” cough and hoarseness. With diphtheria, all symptoms increase gradually and a characteristic plaque appears on the throat.

An adequate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor in a hospital setting and with the help of additional laboratory research. If diphtheria is confirmed, the patient must be urgently administered a special serum.

What to do if a child has false croup?

When faced with the symptoms of this disease for the first time, parents most often become “stunned” and panic. This cannot be done. With their behavior, adults frighten the child even more, and his attack may be complicated by fear.

First of all, you need to open the window and provide your baby with plenty of fresh air. If stenosis occurs in summer time, then the child can be taken out to the balcony or directly to an open window.

In winter, the actions should be the same, only the baby is wrapped in a blanket. At this time, one of the adults should turn on the bathroom hot water and let off some steam. Here you can sit with the child for 10-15 minutes to reduce the spasm. Under no circumstances should you put your baby in the water.

If you have a nebulizer (compressor inhaler) in your home, then it is advisable to do the procedure using Pulmicort. Doses should be checked with your pediatrician in advance if the child is prone to developing croup. In the absence of medications, you can use ordinary sterile saline solution.

Parents who experience an attack of stenosis for the first time should immediately call an ambulance, because they may not be able to cope with croup on their own. You also need to call a team if the baby’s condition does not improve within a few minutes and the symptoms increase, otherwise complications of false croup cannot be avoided.

What to do before the ambulance arrives?

One of the main enemies of false croup is fear. It may be responsible for the deterioration of the patient's condition. If an attack of stenosis occurs in a child, then adults are obliged to calm him down, otherwise suffocation will increase.

Before the team arrives, you need to distract the baby as much as possible with conversations and different stories. If the situation allows, then the child should be given warm water to drink and given any antihistamine (loratadine, l-cet, edem, finistil).

If it occurs against the background of an allergic reaction, then the irritant must be urgently removed away from the patient. In especially extreme cases, before the ambulance arrives, the patient is given hormonal drugs. Most often, their role is prednisolone or dexamethasone.

This manipulation can only be performed by those people who have already encountered such a situation and know the dosage. For the first time, you should not inject yourself with these drugs and it is better to wait for medical workers.

Adults who are prone to immediate development of allergic reactions should always carry the necessary medications with them. Those around them must be able to use them and provide the relative with the necessary help.

Parents should also keep the necessary medications in the house for such cases. There must always be some kind of antihistamine in the first aid kit. Some pediatricians also advise having special hormonal suppositories at home - "Rektodelt". They may be useful in as a last resort if the child becomes significantly worse before the team arrives.

These candles can be used once a day and no more than 3 days in a row. Their composition resembles strong hormonal drugs in ampoules, which are administered intravenously or intramuscularly by an ambulance worker in such cases.

Can stenosis be prevented?

There is no clear answer to this question. Pediatricians believe that people prone to it with a strong virus or allergy will certainly encounter it. But it is possible to make the stenosis not so severe.

If parents notice during the day that their child’s voice is drying up and he begins to cough “strangely” and obsessively, then several recommendations should be followed.

Give the patient something to drink maximum quantity warm liquid. Thus, the sputum will become less viscous and the cough will quickly become productive.
In the room where the patient is located, you need to set the temperature no higher than 18° and raise the humidity to 60-70%. This way the sputum will not be able to thicken too much and will begin to drain away. The patient will breathe easier.
The child must be put to sleep in a semi-sitting position. To do this, he needs to place several pillows under his back and head.
Before evening comes, you can do 2-4 inhalations using a nebulizer with regular saline solution.

What should you not do if you have a cough with false croup?

Do not irrigate the patient's throat with any herbal remedies. This can cause even more spasm of the larynx and lead to suffocation. Also, do not use hot steam inhalations with added essential oils and herbs.

If a child has laryngitis, there is no need to wait for the temperature to rise to 39°. It is advisable to start knocking it down when the thermometer reads 38° and above. This way the body will not become dehydrated and the cough will become productive faster.

If your voice is hoarse, you need to provide the patient with peace and not let him talk a lot. This recommendation is easier to implement for an adult, but you will have to negotiate with the child or arrange for the implementation of this point in a playful way.

If the stenosis is of an allergic nature, you must immediately remove the irritant from the patient or bring him into the room if the cause is pungent odor or pollen. When a bee stings, it is advisable to immediately remove the sting so that as little poison as possible enters the body.

Those around you are obliged to quickly call an ambulance in such a patient’s condition.

Despite the name - false croup in children - this disease is very real. Moreover, sometimes it is very dangerous and serious. It will be useful for parents to know by what symptoms children's croup is recognized and how to deal with it.

In some situations, croup in children can lead to asthma attacks.
Therefore, consulting a doctor when choosing a treatment method is mandatory!

Major disease in young children

Let's start with the fact that a separate diagnosis such as “croup” or “false croup” does not exist at all. Croup syndrome in children in most cases develops against the background. More specifically:

Croup in children is stenosing laryngitis (that is, a form of inflammation of the larynx in which the walls of the larynx sharply narrow, causing difficulty breathing and the threat of suffocation). Children's croup never develops on its own, but only against the background of an infectious disease.

In other words: if laryngitis in children can be caused by other reasons besides an infectious disease (for example, an allergy attack or a burn of the respiratory tract), then croup occurs only against the background of an infection and nothing else.

Moreover, infections can be different: both viral (such as rubella, etc.) and bacterial (diphtheria, and others).

A few decades ago, croup was most often associated with an infection such as diphtheria. And then it was called by doctors the expression “true croup.” But in our time, thanks to mass vaccination of children, outbreaks of diphtheria (and, accordingly, diphtheria croup) have not been heard for a long time. In modern pediatrics, croup in most cases (more than 98% of cases among children) is diagnosed in children with ARVI. And accordingly, viral croup began to bear a second name - “false croup.” So there are still two different cereals:

true (occurring extremely rarely and only during an outbreak of diphtheria);
false croup in children (occurring against the background of ARVI, and most often against the background of parainfluenza).

In most cases, croup syndrome in children is provoked by the activity of the parainfluenza virus, to which adults practically do not react, but small children “catch” it very “willingly”. So most often the first croup in children (and there can be any number of them) occurs between the ages of six months and 2 years. That is, at the very period when the baby begins to actively communicate with other children on the playground, in the pool, in the nursery, etc.

Doctors noticed a pattern: the later in age a child experiences the first parainfluenza and, accordingly, the first croup, the more severe the disease.

The most obvious symptoms of false croup in children are temporary loss of voice,
severe cough and difficulty breathing.

At the same time, with age, the child’s cereals gradually become less frequent and easier to tolerate. And not because the baby adapts to them or begins to develop some new immune protection, but simply because the older the child gets, the more he grows and internal organs. Including the larynx! And the wider the diameter of the larynx, the less likely get laryngitis or croup.

Popular pediatrician, Dr. E. O. Komarovsky: “With the same inflammation of the larynx, with to the same degree edema - where the child begins to choke and turn blue, the adult will simply scream more quietly.”

False croup in children: symptoms

The symptoms of croup, especially in young children, are always obvious - they can be easily recognized by any parent, no matter how far from medicine they may be. The combination of the following 4 symptoms gives a very high probability that you have croup:

1 In a child elevated temperature(and this is sure sign infections);
2 The baby has a barking cough;
3 There is a change in voice (or the voice disappears for a while);
4 The child has difficulty breathing (and it is difficult to inhale, but exhalation is always easy and free).

There is a fundamental difference in the symptoms of classic laryngitis and croup: with general symptoms(barking cough, signs of infection, hoarse voice) with laryngitis there is never difficulty breathing. However, it is too early for parents to “relax” - it also happens that laryngitis is only the beginning of croup. For example, at first the baby showed signs of inflammation of the larynx, but was breathing freely, and a day later he began to choke while inhaling - this means that laryngitis gradually progressed to croup.

Why is it difficult for a child to breathe with false croup:

due to swelling of the laryngeal mucosa;
due to hypersecretion: accumulation in the respiratory tract in the larynx area large number mucus (which during inflammation is “produced” in double volume);
due to muscle spasm of the larynx (especially strong in conditions when the child is scared and in pain);

An important note: if you, as a parent, are encountering croup for the first time and do not yet know how to behave and what to do, then at every acute attack difficulty breathing (which most often occurs at night, during sleep), you should call your child for emergency help.

Features of the treatment of croup in children

1 Treatment of croup in children should begin with creating a comfortable and calm atmosphere for the child. The fact is that when the baby is worried, nervous, panicked or afraid, the risk of severe muscle spasm of the larynx (which can result in suffocation) increases many times over.
2 In addition to stress (which can provoke muscle spasms of the larynx), warm and dry air in the room where the child lives is extremely dangerous for croup. Therefore (especially during an attack of difficulty breathing and waiting for an ambulance to arrive), it is necessary to provide the child with access to fresh, cool and moist air. Even if it’s frosty outside, open the windows and let fresh air into the room, after dressing your child warmly.

With croup, it is many times more beneficial for a sick baby to breathe frosty air while sitting at home in a fur hat than to breathe dry and hot air while walking around the apartment in only a diaper. For a child with croup who really has difficulty breathing, the optimal microclimate in the room is: temperature no higher than 18 ° C, humidity - 55-70%.

3 If you have croup, it is very important to drink plenty of fluids. Because the more a child drinks, the more liquid both blood and mucus become in his body. And if the mucus is liquid, then it will not accumulate into clots and clog the larynx.
4 At temperatures above 38° C, the child should be given antipyretic drugs - Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
5 Since with false croup in children the vocal cords “fail” for some time due to the inflammatory process in the larynx, ideally they should be disturbed and strained as little as possible. To do this, the baby should maintain vocal rest for several days.
6 A tragic mistake made by many parents who barely hear it is an attempt to use expectorants. Any croup expectorant can lead to suffocation of a child. Namely: with croup, the larynx already barely allows a small amount of air to pass through, causing difficulty breathing and a barking cough. However, the very essence of cough expectorants is to further stimulate the production of sputum, that is, mucus. The narrow neck of the inflamed larynx simply cannot cope with such a “burden”, trying to cough up a large amount of sputum, and will be clogged.
7 Another strict taboo for false croup in children is the use steam inhalations. The reason for the prohibition is the same as when using mucolytics (expectorants): hot steam promotes the swelling of dried mucus crusts, increasing their size. And accordingly, causing the risk of blockage of the larynx.

Prevention of croup - better none than the wrong one

Parents of children must understand and believe that frequent cereals (despite the viral nature of their origin) have nothing to do with the weakened immune system and weakened state of health of the child.

False croup, oddly enough, affects physically strong and healthy children more often

This means that the prevention of croup is in no way connected with strengthening the immune system, especially with the help of any immunostimulants or immunomodulators.

Dr. E. O. Komarovsky: “Dear parents, please remember: you cannot prevent the occurrence of croup with any medicine, no pills!”

The only reasonable and effective prevention cereal (like many other respiratory diseases in children) is the creation of comfortable, “healthy” everyday conditions for the child:

normal climate in the house (cool and humid);
an adequate wardrobe for the child (in any season - both winter and summer - it is extremely dangerous to overheat the baby);
frequent walks on fresh air;

A disease of the respiratory tract that results in laryngeal stenosis is called croup in medical science. This disease accompanied by the following signs: noisy difficulty breathing, hoarseness, barking cough, shortness of breath. Croup in a child is not a rare occurrence. As a rule, it occurs against the background of various infectious diseases. In this article we will consider in detail the main issues relating to such a problem as croup in children.

Reasons

Very often, the mentioned disease develops with various infectious diseases, such as measles, influenza, chicken pox, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, syphilis. Even a banal acute respiratory infection can provoke this pathology. Croup often occurs as a complication of diphtheria. In some cases, the disease can be caused by simple herpes. In this case, along with swelling of the laryngeal mucosa and hyperemia, a rash may appear. At first these will be pinpoint papules, and then erosions covered with a yellow-white thin film. You should not discount such factors as unfavorable ecology, weather dependence, as well as weather conditions. Most often, the disease is diagnosed in children living in industrial (polluted) areas, as well as near polluted highways. Big role changes in reactivity play a role in the occurrence of pathology child's body. The reason for this is various kinds of para- and malnutrition, encephalopathy, rickets, thymic-lymphatic status, pneumonia and neurological pathologies. Some children with croup have a history of medication or food allergy, sensitization, bronchial asthma.

Who is at risk?

Viral croup is most often diagnosed in children under three years of age. This is explained by the anatomical and physiological structure of babies. In children mentioned age group the lumen of the larynx is significantly narrower, and cartilage tissue more pliable and tender than that of an adult. Vocal cords are short. The submucosal layer consists of a rather loose connective tissue. That is why, when certain parts of the respiratory tract are inflamed, swelling often occurs, leading to a narrowing of the lumen of the larynx.

Pathogenesis

The larynx in the child’s body performs voice-forming, respiratory and protective functions. Any narrowing of it can cause obstruction of the upper respiratory tract, as well as oxygen starvation vital important organs(heart, brain, kidneys, etc.). Croup in a child is the result of inflammatory phenomena. Ulcers, swelling, necrosis, superficial erosions, damaging the mucous membrane, cause a reflex spasm of the laryngeal muscles. With stenosis, oxygen deficiency quite often develops, the regime is disrupted air ventilation upper respiratory tract. Then there is metabolic and respiratory acidosis, hypoxemia, cerebral edema. This kind of disorders complicate the course of stenosis.

Croup in children: symptoms

The first signs of the disease appear at night. Their appearance is due to anatomical and physiological factors: at this time there is a high tone of the parasympathetic nervous system, in a horizontal position, as a rule, lung drainage worsens. Typically, croup in a child begins with an increase in temperature (up to 39 degrees).

A runny nose also appears. Within twelve to forty-eight hours, a “barking” sound occurs. rough cough, resembling coughing. It is often accompanied by increased breathing, retraction of the intercostal spaces, and stridor. Moreover, while crying, the cough only gets worse. Upon examination, the doctor notes a narrowing of the larynx and trachea. This causes the appearance of so-called noisy breathing, in which it is quite difficult for the baby to take a breath, as well as hoarseness and hoarseness. When exposed to cold and humid air, the symptoms are alleviated.

Signs of diphtheria croup

The main symptom is a gradual increase in stenosis, leading to a steady progression of the severity of the condition. Characteristic features There is also a “toxic” pallor of the skin, a hoarse and then silent cough. From the nose, due to paresis soft palate, liquid may leak. Croup in children, the symptoms of which are very unpleasant, is characterized by the formation of a gray-dirty coating on the tonsils. In this case, as a rule, it comes from the mouth putrid smell. It should be noted that at night a rapid deterioration of the condition is possible, leading to extremely severe, even death. Therefore, upon detection alarming symptoms you should call an ambulance immediately.

Diagnostics

It is possible to identify an illness, the main cause of which is viral diseases, in children endoscopic methods. When examining the larynx, the mucous membrane looks swollen, hyperemic, and easily wounded. At the same time, edematous ridges are noticeable in the subglottic space. The contours of the bronchial and tracheal rings are smoothed. Mucopurulent exudate in some cases is scanty and liquid, but most often it is thick and viscous. Fibrous-necrotic deposits often form. After removal of plaque and casts, the lumen of the trachea becomes wide. However, its walls are a continuous bleeding wound. Inflammatory swelling of the mucous membrane leads to the fact that the mouths of the bronchi become slit-like, and sputum (purulent) appears from the depths.

Analyzes

Today great value acquired the method serological diagnostics cereal. It is based on the use of sets of antibodies to certain viruses and bacteria. Also widely used PCR method(polymerase chain reaction). However this method will be effective only if biomaterial is taken early from the oropharynx (in acute period). A blood test can detect nonspecific inflammatory changes. So, with bacterial croup, leukocytosis is observed, with viral croup - leukopenia. For more accurate diagnosis, and also if complications are suspected, are used X-ray methods(pictures cervical spine, paranasal sinuses, chest etc.). Another method is differential diagnosis. Here main role plays clinical picture illness. The presence of previous diseases that can cause this complication is also taken into account.

Features of therapy

It is recommended to show the child to the doctor as soon as possible. Treatment of croup in children should primarily be aimed at relieving swelling of the airways. Today, hormonal drugs are used for these purposes. It is recommended to feed or water the baby as often as possible to avoid dehydration. You can reduce the temperature and relieve pain with ibuprofen or paracetamol. In this case, you must carefully read the instructions regarding dosage or consult your doctor about this. You can also use antispasmodics, such as “Baralgin”, “Maxigan”, “Snazgan”, etc. In this case, it is recommended to give 1/3 of the tablet to babies under one year old, and 1/2 to older children. Decongestants will not help cure croup in a child, but will significantly alleviate the baby’s condition. These are the first steps that can be taken before the doctor arrives. You should also ensure that cool, fresh air enters the room.

Treatment in hospital

At the resuscitation stage, the main focus is on restoring airway patency and combating toxicosis caused by an infectious disease. For these purposes, the method of nasotracheal intubation is used. Indications for its use are cardiovascular and respiratory failure, caused by laryngeal stenosis of degrees 2, 3 and 4, as well as increasing hypoxia and hypercapnia.

Intubation is carried out under general anesthesia. However this method It also has its downsides. First of all, these are post-intubation chondroperichondritis of the trachea and larynx, leading to cicatricial stenosis. To prevent such complications, it is recommended to use special thermoplastic tubes. In addition, treatment of croup in children is unthinkable without adequate antibacterial therapy, which is prescribed by the doctor, based on individual characteristics baby. For this disease, as a rule, hormonal drugs are prescribed to help quickly relieve stenosis caused by sudden swelling of the laryngeal mucosa. In some cases, patients are given glucocorticoids medicines. If their effectiveness is not detected in the first two hours after taking hormones, further use of these drugs is not advisable. Used in the fight against toxicosis

Treatment of recurrent croup

For this disease, bronchodilators, mucolytics, etiotropic and anti-inflammatory drugs are used. Metered dose inhalers are effective. Particular attention should be paid to eliminating swelling that causes spasms. Mucolytic drugs will help restore normal work respiratory system. Secretolytics (Ambroxol and Bromhexine) help thin mucus and stimulate the formation of surfactant in the lungs. As

anti-inflammatory drugs, as a rule, cromoglycate preparations are used. After cupping acute manifestations croup, in order to prevent hypersensitivity of the bronchi and larynx, it is necessary to carry out long-term (about two months) therapy with H1 receptor blockers (the drug "Cetirizine"). During the period of convalescence, immunostimulating drugs are prescribed. Their choice depends on the age of the child, the presence of an etiotropic pathogen, and the prevalence of the inflammatory process. These drugs include Bronchomunal and interferon preparations. In this case, the duration of treatment after discharge from the hospital should be at least one month.

Prevention of croup

The main attention should be paid to hardening the child. You should take your baby for walks in the fresh air more often. This will help improve the functioning of the upper respiratory tract and strengthen the immune system. You can also try hardening your throat. To do this, rinse it with cool water every day, gradually reducing the temperature of the liquid. However, there is no need to rush in this matter. The habituation process should take at least two months. In the final version, the water temperature is about 14-15 degrees. For older children, ice resorption can be used as hardening. It is best to freeze water in a form with small cells, having first mixed it with lemon juice. You can give your child one cube per day.

Prevention of viral diseases in children consists of following the principles proper nutrition and the use of vitamins. This will help strengthen the body's defenses and contribute to the correct and healthy development of the baby. Very healthy to eat fresh vegetables and fruits to drink herbal teas and decoctions. They will not only strengthen the immune system, but also help in the fight against emerging early infections and viruses. It is recommended to give your child foods rich in vitamins C and A. Very good for health fermented milk products, especially live kefir.

It is important that the air in the apartment is warm and fresh. At the same time, a certain humidity must be maintained. Don't forget about the rules of hygiene. And smoking near a child is strictly prohibited. It is also not recommended to use it indoors where the baby is located. aromatic oils, candles, etc. They can cause serious irritation of the respiratory tract.

The disease of croup in children is acute stenosing laryngotracheitis. The disease is quite serious, as it is accompanied by attacks of suffocation. Therefore it requires special attention and immediate assistance. Let's look at the causes and types of croup, symptoms and treatment methods.

Children are most susceptible this disease due to the existing structural features of the respiratory tract. How smaller child, the more complex the disease progresses.

Croup in children: symptoms and treatment

As a rule, the disease manifests itself at night in the form of a sudden barking cough. Against this background, there is a deterioration of the voice or its complete disappearance, blueness of the circumlabial folds, increased heart rate and breathing. Let's look at what other signs we can use to determine the nature of false croup.

False croup in children, symptoms

The main signs of the disease are:

severe dry cough;
cyanosis of the triangle around the nose, as well as the tips of the fingers;
inhibition of actions;
in the presence of infectious diseases, body temperature may increase;
pale skin;
dark circles under the eyes;
loss of consciousness.

When parents first encounter symptoms of croup, they begin to panic. This prevents you from acting quickly and correctly.
We dealt with the question “false croup, what is it.” Now let's move on to the next and main thing - methods of combating the disease.

False croup in children, treatment

First, let's decide what we will do in the event sudden attack cough. If your baby has false croup, first aid is provided as follows:

be calm and do not frighten the child with your fear;
as soon as an attack of suffocation begins, immediately call an ambulance;
fill the bathtub with hot water and pour it into it baking soda. Place your baby next to the bathtub and let him breathe over it. At the same time, give him warm baths for his hands and feet;
Give your baby warm milk with some baking soda added on the tip of a knife. If you have alkaline at home mineral water- give it warm;
After all the thermal procedures, press the baby with a spoon on the root of the tongue. This will help release any accumulated phlegm. If vomiting occurs from this manipulation, it’s okay.

After getting rid of a coughing attack, consulting a doctor remains necessary. He must examine the child, identify the cause of the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Treatment of false croup in children depends on the severity of the stenosis. It can be carried out both at home and in a clinic. If a specialist insists on hospitalization, do not argue with him.
This disease occurs in waves, and attacks of suffocation can occur suddenly and unexpectedly. There are times when it is necessary to incubate the trachea and it is good if a specialist is nearby at this moment. If it leaks in mild degree false croup, treatment at home is supported by the doctor with antiallergic drugs that help relieve swelling of the larynx (suprastin, diazolin, etc.), drugs for relieving muscle spasms (papaverine, no-shpa), drugs for removing phlegm and sedatives.

Croup is most dangerous for children with allergies. Therefore, before taking any medications, be sure to consult your doctor.

If your baby is susceptible to allergic reactions, do not use mustard plasters and rubs, honey, raspberry jam, citrus fruits, or herbal preparations during treatment.