Often after a severe cold, a residual cough is observed in children. It lasts from 2 to 4 weeks after the weakening of the main symptoms of the disease. Treatment of residual cough in children is a complex and lengthy process.
Bronchitis development
Hazardous substances in the air are a major factor in the development of bronchitis. Substances irritate the mucous membranes of the bronchi and cause an inflammatory process, making breathing difficult. An important role is played by climatic conditions. Exacerbation of bronchitis occurs in the autumn and spring.
Bronchitis is characterized by damage to the respiratory tract, impaired normal lung function. Annoying factors are various infections that enter the body through the nose and mouth.
The accumulation of mucus in the bronchi leads to the appearance of a dry cough, in which sputum can be released. Cough - a protective reaction of the body to various pathogenic microorganisms.
When coughing, microbes, dead cells and toxins come out of the human body.
Cough Features
Often, after viral and colds, there is a residual cough in the child. How to treat it, few know. It seems that the crumbs do not have a temperature, a runny nose and sputum, but the cough reflex does not disappear. This is the residual cough in children. Depending on the immunity of the child, it can last from 1 to 4 weeks.
Dry residual cough in a child is observed with frequently recurring SARS. All due to the fact that the inflammatory process directly affects the respiratory tract, that is, the bronchi and trachea. After treatment, the mucous membranes need to recover, and this requires 14 to 20 days.
This consequence of bronchitis does not occur in everyone. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body, or rather:
- from immunity and its strength;
- environment and surroundings;
- from hardening.
Therefore, each person and each child needs a certain amount of time to completely cure diseases. This nuance should be considered by a specialist before prescribing medical procedures.
Causes of Post-Infection Cough
The cough reflex is present in almost all infectious diseases. Coughing is a response to exposure to harmful microorganisms. So the body reflexively tries to clear itself of bacteria.
A coughing attack occurs from the irritating effects of air, the environment, and pungent odors. This happens due to the weakened work of the bronchi as a result of the disease. In this case, parents are faced with indignation of people about the "under-treatment" of the child.
If after a full recovery the child continues to cough for several weeks, then it must be shown to the doctor in order to exclude the development of complications. Perhaps the whole thing is in any concomitant disease.
Bronchitis often occurs without fever. In addition, this disease, like pneumonia, can be allergic or bacterial in nature. This happens due to improper or weakened immune system of the baby. A long residual cough can lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases, disruption of the thyroid gland, tuberculosis and oncology. Therefore, it is so important to monitor the health of the child not only when he is sick.
How to distinguish residual cough from normal?
Human immunity quickly responds to inflammatory processes. An infection that gets to the bronchi leads to a cough, in which toxins are eliminated from the body through sputum. Residual cough in children occurs after illness, when the body is weakened and reacts sharply to any stimuli.
The absence of temperature and the presence of cough after treatment may indicate the effects of microorganisms and allergies. In this case, the body does not recover, but weakens. In addition, with bronchitis, the child coughs constantly, and after it the cough reflex is less common.
How and how to treat residual cough?
How to treat residual cough in a child? Komarovsky E.O., the famous Russian pediatrician, claims that only a complex effect helps to get rid of the disease in the shortest possible time.
It is enough to carry out the following procedures:
- inhalation exposure using treatment steam;
- the use of warming compresses ;
- massage;
- alternative treatment;
- strengthening immunity;
- daily wet cleaning indoors.
Cough inhalation
Reflex airway spasms can be treated with inhalation. In this case, there is an inhaled therapeutic effect on the bronchi and trachea. For inhalation, special devices are used - nebulizers. The principle of operation of this device is to process a specific mixture into steam. If there is no nebulizer in the family, then just breathe over the saucepan under the towel. Perhaps this method is familiar to everyone since childhood.
Inhalations help eliminate residual cough in a child after acute respiratory viral infections and bronchitis. In addition, steam exposure helps moisturize the bronchi and restore their normal functioning. It is important to consider that the result appears only with the daily use of the inhalation method of treatment. The steam daily entering the body activates the work of the cilia and normalizes the work of the entire respiratory system, which is important.
For inhalation, a child can use the following tools:
- Medications that moisturize the bronchi. In this case, you can ask your pharmacist for recommendations. The most commonly used are Lazolvan, Ambrobene, and Berodual.
- Mineral water, only slightly alkaline.
- Boiled potatoes.
- Chamomile, menthol or eucalyptus essential oil.
- Herbal decoctions with extracts of thyme, mint and St. John's wort.
Warming up and compresses for cough
The residual effect of the disease can be controlled with the help of compresses and warmings. There are several ways to externally warm the airways:
- The use of warming compresses that must be applied to the chest. In this case, alcohol, mustard or bee honey can serve as a warming agent.
- Use animal fat, vodka, or warming ointments to directly rub the chest and abdomen.
- Applying mustard plasters to the chest and back.
- Tracing iodine grid.
Getting rid of cough with massage
You can cure residual cough after bronchitis in a child with the help of massage. It is better to carry out drainage or vibration manipulations. In this case, the correct position for the massage will be the following: the head is below the level of the chest.
Perform massage manipulations as follows:
- From the lower back to the shoulders, perform pinching movements. It is necessary to carry out 20 strips on each side. And such movements are performed all over the back in different directions. At the end, tingling on the sides is carried out, not reaching the axillary zone.
- We lay the baby on the stomach, put a pillow under the chest so that the head hangs at the level of the chest. Diagonally from the lower back from the left side to the upper right side we make striking movements from the bottom up, and vice versa.
- After the massage, the child must coughed well so that the remnants of sputum come out of the bronchi.
Massage procedures must be carried out every day. Massage helps to remove all accumulated mucus from the bronchi and lungs, as well as restore the mobility of the chest.
Folk remedies
The most effective treatment for residual cough in children after suffering bronchitis or pneumonia is inhalation. It is best to do inhalation with essential oils that contain extracts of rosemary, lavender, sage or cedar. Allowed similar procedures for both adults and children. But in the case of children, it is necessary to dilute the essential oil for inhalation with saline to reduce the concentration of substances.
Herbal medicine is a popular method of treating cough in children. Such treatment involves the use of various medicinal herbs, such as licorice, sage, chamomile and ledum. For example, with a residual cough, it is useful to solder the child with a decoction consisting of licorice grass and ledum.
In addition, you can make a good medicine from available foods and vegetables. For example, a mixture of radish juice and honey effectively copes with coughing. One tablespoon of honey is mixed with 100 ml of juice.
Mustard must be replaced by grinding with products of plant and animal origin. For example, badger, goat and bear fat help cough well . It is necessary to rub the chest and back of the baby carefully and wrap it in a warm blanket.
Bronchitis prophylaxis
Every parent should know that after any infectious disease, the child’s body weakens, the airways recover slowly and, in addition, immunity is weakened. In order not to encounter a problem such as residual cough in children, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:
- several times a day it is necessary to ventilate the room in which the child is;
- for humidification it is better to use ultrasonic humidifiers and air purifiers;
- the child must follow a full-fledged vitamin diet, because a lack of vitamins has a bad effect on a growing body;
- daily walks in the fresh air are a guarantee of good health;
- special breathing exercises for developing the lungs and bronchi are recommended.
To cure a viral or infectious disease is the initial stage of the whole journey. It is important for parents to know how to cure residual cough in a child quickly and effectively.