Cough is caused by an attempt by the bodyclean the respiratory tract from excess sputum. As such, cough is not a disease, but rather acts as a means to combat its consequences. Therefore, the methods of treating this symptom are determined by the doctor's diagnosis. And this diagnosis most often sounds "acute respiratory viral infection." The adult person, having felt certain symptoms of ARVI, rarely calls for medical help and successfully recovers. But if it is a question of a coughing child, it requires consultation of the pediatrician, since only a qualified specialist can correctly assess the causes of cough and prescribe adequate treatment. Therefore, any cough treatment in a child should be started only after consulting a specialist.
If you are wondering:"Does the child cough, what to treat?", You should know that two types of cough are distinguished: dry and wet. Dry or unproductive cough is a real torture for the child, as it causes painful irritation of the throat and does not bring any relief. In especially severe cases, there may be a vomiting. If such a cough is accompanied by a barking sound, then it can talk about the development of the inflammatory process in the larynx - laryngitis. Also, an unproductive lingering cough is one of the symptoms of whooping cough, the disease is quite hard to tolerate by young children, but it is completely curable, especially with antibiotic therapy in the early stages of hospitalization. Treatment of a child's cough in this case is combined with the elimination of symptoms of throat irritation.
A productive moist cough usually appearsa few days after the onset of an acute respiratory disease, its peculiarity lies in the fact that after it a child feels relieved, as the mucus from the bronchi begins to cough. The appearance of a wet cough suggests that the disease recedes. If suddenly the situation does not change and after the treatment the child's condition becomes worse, then it is necessary to notify the doctor about it. Treatment of cough in a child is better controlled by your pediatrician.
If, after a visit to a doctor,it is clear that the disease, accompanied by a cough, proceeds without complications and does not require treatment in the hospital, it is quite capable of helping the sick child to cope with this unpleasant symptom. Their task is to provide the baby with normal conditions for restoring his body, namely, moist air, comfortable room temperature and, what is very important, air purity, which is achieved by frequent airing. Also mandatory for coughing is a plentiful drink, it can be a compote of fresh or dried fruits, mineral water of alkaline type, fruit and berry teas with an increased content of vitamin C. The temperature of drinks should roughly equal the body temperature of the child. This all will make up for the fluid reserves in the body and promotes the dilution of phlegm in the respiratory tract.
These actions can be addedinhalations, which will lead to intensive moistening of mucus and will have a beneficial effect on the body due to essential oils and phytoncides of plant origin. But since we are talking about a hot couple, parents should be extremely careful to protect the child from a burn, and with children of younger age, this procedure is generally better not to conduct. For young children, trituration with coniferous or eucalyptus oil is more suitable, but again it should be remembered that a child under six months of age can not be triturated. "Children's cough ... What to treat it," - often ask young moms who do not know what to do, except rubbing. Try joint inhalation with the help of special devices.
If all these measures do not helpthe child is exhausted by a dry cough, the doctor will prescribe mucolytic drugs that will help make the phlegm more fluid and ensure her departure. These drugs, which are used in pediatrics, usually have a natural herbal origin and are available in the form of syrups with a pleasant taste and odor. Treatment of cough in a child should be correct, and parents should monitor the regularity of taking medications.
Thus, there are many ways to effectively help a child with a cough, but parents should not use them themselves without knowing the doctor's opinion.
