Allergic bronchitis in children: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and diet

Weakened immunity, poor ecology, bad habits of parents - all these and many other factors cause various diseases in newborns and older babies. Recently, doctors are increasingly faced with viral and bacterial infections, as well as allergic diseases, one of which is allergic bronchitis in children.

The mechanism of development of allergies in children

An allergy is an abnormal, excessive reaction of the person’s immune system to a substance called an allergen. Children are especially prone to this condition for two reasons:

1. Hereditary predisposition. It is not entirely correct to assume that allergies are inherited. Rather, the likelihood of the disease in the child depends on the presence of the disease in the next of kin (parents). So, if one of the parents suffers from an allergy, the risk of the baby getting sick is up to 40%. If both parents are allergic, the baby will fall ill with a probability of up to 75%.
2. Incomplete immune system. In addition to the appearance of allergic reactions to age-related food products, drugs or aggressive detergents, in children allergies can manifest themselves to completely harmless things. These include household dust, dairy products, plant pollen, etc.

As a rule, an allergy begins with minor manifestations: a slight runny nose, skin redness, and lacrimation. If a cough is also connected to these symptoms, we can talk about allergic bronchitis in a child, reviews of which indicate the severity of the disease.

Types of Allergic Bronchitis

Allergic bronchitis is a reaction of the body to the presence of allergens, which is accompanied by a strong nagging cough without sputum discharge.

There are several types of allergic bronchitis in children.

• Atopic - this species is characterized by a sudden onset, a rapid deterioration in the condition and pronounced symptoms that make it possible to quickly diagnose.
• Infectious-allergic - the nature of the disease lies not only in the presence of an allergen, but also infection of the body.
• Tracheobronchitis - affects the bronchi and trachea of ​​the child.
• Allergic obstructive bronchitis - is characterized not only by the inflammatory process in the bronchi, but also by a violation of their patency, which causes difficulties with breathing and without treatment can lead to serious negative consequences.

If a child develops a strong cough, he should not self-medicate. Only a doctor can confirm or deny the diagnosis and determine the form of the disease.

The causes of the disease

Factors of allergic bronchitis, like any other disease of an allergic nature, is the effect on the body of an aggressive substance - an allergen.

Provoke an ailment in children can:

• household chemicals (air freshener, washing powder, detergent for dishes, etc.);
• vital products of domestic animals (saliva, wool);
• cigarette smoke;
• foods considered especially allergenic (chocolate, peanuts, citrus fruits, strawberries, chicken eggs);
• hygiene products (cream, shampoo);
• household dust;
• mold;
• plant pollen;
• vaccines (most often there is a reaction to DTP vaccination).

Provoke the onset of allergic bronchitis can not be cured to the end of a respiratory tract infection (ARVI and others).

Symptoms of the disease

The very first symptoms of childhood allergic bronchitis should alert parents and become an occasion for a visit to the pediatrician.

Symptoms of the disease:

1. The child complains that frequent sneezing has occurred and the nose is itching.
2. The appearance of shortness of breath, most often at night. This symptom is explained by edema and spasm of the bronchial tree. In the absence of an allergen in the immediate vicinity, the symptom becomes weaker.
3. Tearing, redness of the eyes.
4. Nasal discharge.
5. Coughing without sputum production; sometimes a coughing up of a viscous yellow secretion may be observed.
6. Wheezing and wheezing while breathing. Also, the baby may complain of difficulty breathing, especially exhaling with difficulty.
7. Complaints about difficulty swallowing may appear. This is due to swelling of the throat mucosa.
8. A painful sensation and a feeling of constriction in the chest area are characteristic.
9. With obstructive allergic bronchitis, the gap between the ribs is stuck with each breath.

Distinctive features of bronchitis of an allergic nature are the absence of hyperthermia and seasonality. Unlike bronchitis caused by a viral infection, allergic bronchitis can cause subfebrile temperature (not higher than 37.3 ° C), and the disease manifests itself depending on the time of year when the allergen is present.

Diagnostic Methods

After contacting a doctor with suspected allergic bronchitis in children, the diagnosis of the disease plays an important role in prescribing the correct treatment.

Diagnosis methods for allergic bronchitis:

• bronchoscopy, or tracheobronchoscopy, - the study of the respiratory tract using a tube (bronchoscope) in order to detect diseases of the bronchi, trachea and larynx;
• peak flowmetry - measuring the speed of the air flow during expiration;
• Allergy tests, or allergic diagnostic tests, is a diagnostic technique in which the body's sensitivity to different allergens is determined;
• bronchography - assessment of respiratory sounds;
• pulse oximetry - determination of the degree of blood oxygen saturation without invasive intervention;
• blood test for gas composition;
• pulsed oscillometry - assessment of patency of bronchial branches;
• FVD analysis (function of external respiration) - measurement of the amount of air entering the respiratory tract when inhaling and exiting when exhaling.

Allergy tests and the FVD method are not performed for children under the age of five.

Allergic bronchitis regimen

Recovery and prevention of relapse of the disease in the first place does not depend on the medications or procedures performed, but on the patient’s desire and discipline. In the case of treatment of allergic bronchitis in children, parents need to monitor their lifestyle.

Mandatory measures for allergic bronchitis:

• regular wet cleaning;
• maintaining in the room where the allergic child is located, optimal temperature and humidity;
• Avoidance of allergens - unfortunately, if necessary, you will have to give up keeping pets and walking in spring gardens during the flowering period;
• the use of vitamin complexes and the use of hardening to strengthen the immunity of crumbs;
• the warm atmosphere in the family where the baby is brought up is very important.

Another important place in the daily routine of an allergic child is diet for allergic bronchitis in children. It consists in eating hypoallergenic products, as well as observing the drinking regime.

Drug treatment

Unfortunately, the treatment of bronchitis with an allergic nature of origin is impossible without the use of medications.

Drugs prescribed for AB:

1. Antihistamines (Suprastin, Fenistil, Diazolin).
2. Preparations that dilute and excrete sputum (Ambroxol, ACC).
3. Adsorbents, the action of which is aimed at eliminating the allergen.
4. Antilecotriene preparations that reduce the strength of the inflammatory process.
5. Bronchodilators that expand the bronchi and thereby facilitate the release of sputum (Berodual, Volmax).
6. Alkaline inhalations, including with mineral water.

One of the most popular anti-allergy drugs is Suprastin, the instructions for use in children are as follows:

• at the age of 1-6 years, take 1/4 tablet 3 times a day or 1/2 2 times a day;
• from 6 to 14 years are prescribed half a tablet of the drug 2-3 times a day.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

In addition to the use of drugs to achieve the desired therapeutic effect in allergic bronchitis, physiotherapeutic procedures are widely used:

• massage, including acupressure;
• exposure to sinusoidal modulated currents (SMT) - normalizes external respiration in a child;
• pulsed low-frequency magnetic field - improves the baby's immunity, normalizes bronchial patency;
• dynamic electroneurostimulation - a method of influencing biologically active points in order to relieve the inflammatory process.

A combination of medication and physiotherapeutic procedures usually shows good results, returning the child to normal life.

Folk remedies for bronchitis caused by an allergen

To enhance the effect of the prescribed treatment, it is permissible to use alternative methods of treating childhood allergic bronchitis.

For this purpose, the following tools are used:

• vegetable juices (carrot, from black radish with garlic) - effectively relieve severe bouts of debilitating cough;
• herbal decoctions (coltsfoot, linden flowers, calendula, yarrow, marshmallow root) - help get rid of the inflammatory process and remove thick sputum from the bronchi;
• agave juice - buried in the nose to relieve swelling;
• Onion honey is recognized as a good remedy for bronchitis, including allergic one: for 1 liter of water, you need to take 2 onions and 1 tablespoon of honey, cook it all over low heat for 2-3 hours, and then give the child 2-3 tablespoons after eating.

Even folk, at first glance absolutely harmless means, can be used to treat children only after consulting a pediatrician.

Behavior in an acute attack of the disease

A characteristic feature of all allergic diseases, including bronchitis, is their sudden exacerbation when an allergen appears, to which the patient is sensitive. With a sudden attack of coughing or suffocation in a child, it is important for adults to react in a timely manner in order to alleviate his condition, and possibly save his life.

Actions for exacerbation of allergic bronchitis:

• give the child an antihistamine previously prescribed by a pediatrician or allergist;
• if possible eliminate the allergen;
• to make inhalation with the preparations “Berodual” and “Pulmicort” - the effect of these drugs is aimed at removing obstruction.

Even if a decision has been made to stop the attack with the most harmless drugs, for example, Suprastin, the instructions for use in children should be studied before use.

Preventive actions

Any disease, including its exacerbations and relapses, is easier to prevent than to treat. Allergic bronchitis in children is no exception to this rule.

Preventive measures:

• exclusion from the baby’s diet of highly allergenic products;
• preventing contact with the allergen, whether it is cigarette smoke or pet hair;
• keeping the house clean and with optimal humidity and temperature;
• thorough treatment of any infectious diseases, even frivolous, at first glance, SARS;
• temper the child to strengthen the immune system;
• heal children on the sea, in the mountains, arrange trips to nature, preferably in the coniferous forest.

If you follow these simple rules, the child will be able to live a full life without unpleasant manifestations of allergies.

Possible complications

The lack of adequate treatment for obstructive allergic bronchitis can lead to a number of negative consequences.

Possible complications of the disease:

• overgrowing in bronchial asthma;
• systematically increased blood pressure;
• problems in the work of the cardiovascular system;
• pneumonia;
• emphysema.

Timely diagnosis and treatment of childhood bronchitis, caused by allergens, will help prevent its serious complications.