It can not be taken lightly, even in seemingly harmless cough. Cough in infants may be a sign of serious illness of the respiratory system, or other pathology. In some cases, the cough is considered to be an analogue of asthma attack that occurs in asthma Bronchial asthma . This clinical situation requires examination of the child and the purpose of treatment.

What causes a cough in a child

In the first place among the possible causes of cough are respiratory diseases, most commonly a viral infection. Infectious process may affect not only the upper respiratory system, and lower divisions. The defeat of the lungs, trachea and bronchi clinically proceed with the development of a child's cough, which has the characteristic features. Cough is the leading symptom not the disease, but a comprehensive assessment of the clinical picture helps with the diagnosis.

Not in all cases cough is an infectious disease symptom. These may be diseases that are not related to the respiratory system. Heart defects, disease of the digestive tract accompanied by coughing. In the case of heart disease cough indicates a stagnation, often a sign of decompensated state.

In infancy, the child is at risk of ingestion of various foreign bodies, objects. These small items a child can breathe. The emergence of a cough is a reflex reaction to the irritation of the respiratory tract. For a baby this situation is threatening for the state of health, so you may need urgent medical attention.

The mechanism of cough

Development cough aimed at cleansing the respiratory tract from foreign agents (of phlegm, mucus, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens). This is a natural response of the respiratory system in contact with mucous any damaging factor. Coughing is formed due to the occurrence of acute inflammation in the mucosa. When inflammation of the secretory activity of the cells increases significantly formed mucus, phlegm.

If you have an infectious cause of cough, the infection leads to changes in the viscosity of mucus. The mucus becomes viscous and badly derived from the respiratory tract. With cough child tries to clear the airway. In milder cough occurs when phlegm and mucus from the child's well-separated. Rough, bark, dry cough accompanied by inflammatory processes in the throat. When the inflammatory process of developing mucosal edema, which can cause narrowing of the lumen. The child becomes hard to breathe, it lacks air attack of false croup develops.

As a result of inflammatory changes in the mucous deteriorating respiratory function, bronchial tubes and lungs can not provide the intake of oxygen in full. Anoxaemia Fasting - this is natural   It reflects on the state of metabolic processes, celebrated their violation. Local immune defenses of the respiratory system also suffers, so emerged the disease becomes long-term tendency to flow, becomes chronic.

Effective treatments

Selecting the scope of therapeutic interventions in the treatment of cough Cough treatment - always an individual approach   children in infancy is determined by the primary cause of the disease. Relief comes the state, if you can achieve better sputum discharge. For this purpose it is possible to use drugs that affect the viscosity of sputum (mucolytics), and expectorants. Infants recommended to give the natural or herbal remedies. Expectorant properties have the following plants:

• mother-and-stepmother, nard, Labrador tea (decoction prepared in a water bath)
• Plantain juice
• anise fruit extract
• Various essential oils

As part of these plants are substances that contribute to liquefaction of sputum. Bronchial mucus becomes liquid, decreases its viscosity. By enhancing the reduction of the bronchi there is an effective cleaning of the bronchial tree of mucus. The presence of such features should be taken into account when the plants are assigned to children. If the mucus is separated in large quantities, the baby will not be in a position to cough up, which can cause complications, bronchial drainage function is disrupted.

The positive effect has conducting steam inhalation. This procedure is performed by parents at home, which for most people is a great advantage. If the child's condition allows it, doctors may recommend a course of treatment at home. Inhalation usually prescribed in addition to other treatments (syrups, tablets, etc.). The main indication for local procedures are diseases of the respiratory system with localization in the upper sections. Cough is terminated due to a change in viscosity of sputum, and removal of bronchospasm. Fast therapeutic effect is achieved due to the direct effects of drugs on the mucous membrane.

In the process of sputum discharge affects massaging the chest. Infant chest compressions do lightly as tapping or slapping. Given that the area of ​​the feet has a large number of nerve endings, the recommended foot massage. Feet of the child are an important reflexogenic zone, so they should be warm and dry. When exposed to the reflex zones there is an additional stimulation of the immune forces of the body that will promote healing. During the massage the chest, you can effectively use a variety of herbal salves. If combine several treatments, it allows to achieve positive results in a short period of time.

Marina Solovyov

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