How to stop a coughing fit in a child

Cough is a protective reaction of an organism to the ingestion of foreign objects into the respiratory tract. With the help of a cough, the body tries to get rid of the allergen. But most often, coughing occurs when sputum goes away - this reflex jerk helps to remove mucus. Often, cough is worse at night. This is due to the fact that the mucus flowing from the nose irritates the diaphragm, causing a cough reflex. Sometimes a cough can be so exhausting that it does not allow you to sleep normally, and when you fall asleep, it immediately makes you wake up. At these moments, I really want to help my child and relieve a coughing fit. But to begin with, we will understand the reasons for its appearance.

Why is the child coughing

A severe coughing fit can be caused by several factors.

1. Foreign object. If a fish bone, a piece of packet or a plant stem has got into the throat, a foreign object may become stuck on the trachea wall, constantly irritating it and causing a cough. In this case, you need to give the child to eat a pile of bread so that a solid object pushes through the stuck body. If it doesn’t work, go to the doctor immediately.
2. Allergy. If completely healthy people react only to strong dust and the pungent smell of pepper, then allergies can begin to cough after sleeping on a feather pillow, after contact with an animal or eating citrus fruits. Very often, children begin to cough after sweets - such products increase the production of mucus, which is why they are strictly prohibited for diseases of the throat. Sometimes a lingering cough after an illness can go into an allergic form.
3. ARVI. Almost all respiratory diseases are accompanied by cough and runny nose. In this case, a cough is needed to remove mucus from the lungs.
4. Adenoiditis If the baby’s nose is constantly blocked, mucus flows from the nose, which irritates the diaphragm receptors. A characteristic feature of cough with adenoiditis is that it appears only in a dream when the child is in a horizontal position. During the day, there is practically no cough.
5. Respiratory diseases. Bronchitis, tracheitis, asthma, tuberculosis, tonsillitis, sinusitis are often accompanied by a cough - dry or wet. Laryngitis is characterized by a "barking" cough.
6. Gastroesophageal reflux. This condition of the esophagus occurs due to a weakening of the food sphincter. The muscular valve opens in the supine position of the child and the contents of the stomach again enter the esophagus. This irritates the trachea and causes a cough.
7. Whooping cough. This is a bacterial infectious disease that is characterized by a debilitating cough. In this case, the child turns red, tears appear, coughing can provoke vomiting.
8. Stress. Sometimes a cough can be the result of serious experiences, fear, stress. Nerve endings are located on the trachea, upon irritation of which a cough appears. Such a cough usually occurs only during the day. You can check the psychogenicity of a cough by talking with the baby on an unpleasant topic. If the child began to cough during experiences, this is exactly your case.

Whatever the cause of the cough, you need to treat not the symptom, but the disease itself. However, the treatment process is long, and I want to ease the condition of the child and relieve him of a coughing fit right now.

Warm drink

It is very good to drink a decoction of herbs - a succession, sage, coltsfoot. Linden tea is known for its excellent cold-fighting properties. It will not only relieve cough, but also relieve nasal congestion. You can soothe the throat and get rid of cough with a decoction of chamomile - it has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Alkaline mineral water will help to soften the throat mucosa. It will calm the excited mucosa, relieve swelling and inflammation. It can be replaced with plain water with the addition of a pinch of baking soda.

A plentiful warm drink not only relieves coughing attacks, but also accelerates recovery. After all, as you know, the best remedy for a viral disease is a large amount of fluid. A heavy drink flushes the virus out of the body, and the baby will feel much better. Drinking plenty of water means at least one liter of liquid for a two-year-old baby per day. Older children, respectively, more. Let the baby drink what he likes - compote, fruit drinks, tea with lemon, the main thing is that there is a lot of liquid.

How to stop a coughing fit

If the baby coughs non-stop and does not help even a warm drink, use the following methods to stop the attack.

1. Massage. You can soothe the bronchi and lungs with a regular massage. Put the child on his back, do stroking circular movements. Then, with both hands, draw along the lungs - up and down. Such smooth movements will improve blood circulation in the lungs and help stop the attack. The rest of the time you need to do the baby percussion massage. It consists in patting, rubbing and pinching the chest and back in the lungs. Competent and professional percussion massage promotes the rapid discharge of sputum.
2. Air temperature. Very often, a runny nose and cough are worse in a hot room. The high temperature in the room contributes to the drying of the mucosa, which is another powerful provocateur for the resumption of coughing. The optimum temperature in the room should not exceed 25 degrees. The lower limit is 18 degrees. If the child is cold, dress him warmer, but do not turn on the heater. In addition to temperature, a humidity indicator is very important. It should not be less than 60%.
3. Inhalation. If the cough does not go away, you need to give the child inhalation. The ideal option is a nebulizer. You can fill in it with plain sea water, a decoction of chamomile or a solution of furatsilin. If there is no nebulizer, inhalation can be done as usual. To do this, prepare boiling water or a decoction of any medicinal herbs. Water should be moderately hot. Add a slice of Zvezdochka balm to the water. Essential oils not only stop a coughing fit, but also relieve nasal congestion. Cover the baby’s head with a towel and ask him to take a few deep breaths. Hot vapors will disinfect the airways, breathing will be much easier, and coughing will stop. If the baby coughs very much and there is no time for all the manipulations, just close in the bathroom and let the hot water flow - the effect will be about the same. Have your child breathe hot steam.
4. Vertical position. If the child cannot clear his throat in any way, lift him and hold him upright for some time. The cough should stop.
5. Antihistamines. If the cough is allergic, it is enough to give the baby an antihistamine - Zirtek, Zodak, Desal, Suprastin, Ketatifen, etc. The dosage is determined depending on age. With asthma, the baby should have special drops or sprays at hand that stop the attack. If necessary, call an ambulance to consult about a dosage of this or that medicine.
6. Antitussive drugs. Despite the fact that they are taken according to the scheme, regardless of seizures, these syrups contain essential oils that can instantly stop coughing. Among cough syrups can be noted Dr. Mom, Lazolvan, Prospan, ACC.
7. Grinding. Sometimes in order to stop a cough, you need to warm the chest and back of the baby. To do this, apply warming rubbing. You can rub the baby’s breast with lamb, badger or goose fat - animal fats warm well and keep warm for a long time. The chest and back of a child can be smeared with iodine - to make an iodine grid. Heats honey and camphor oil very well. Combine the two ingredients and gently massage the chest and back, avoiding the spine and the area around the heart. Then wrap the baby in a scarf and put on a tight blouse. The cough will stop quickly and the child will be able to fall asleep until the morning.
8. Folk remedies. A honey cake will help stop a coughing fit. It is made from honey, mustard, flour and vegetable oil. The skin of the child is pre-lubricated with oil and a cake is applied. It warms the bronchi well, not only relieves the attack, but also cures the cough itself. Onion with sugar helps a lot. You need to prepare onion tincture in advance - cut the vegetable into small pieces and fill it with sugar. Keep the composition at the ready - during the attack, give the baby a teaspoon of sweet onion juice. This medicine is not only useful for coughing, it fights flu and the common cold very well. One of the best home remedies for coughing is black radish. Cut the fruit, make a recess in it, pour a little honey. When the radish begins to secrete juice, it can be given to the child one teaspoon three times a day and with the onset of the attack.

Try all of these remedies one by one until you can stop the onset of an obsessive cough.

Croup

Coughing is the strength and weakness of the body at the same time. On the one hand, a cough torments and exhausts, does not allow to fall asleep, tears throat. And on the other hand, with the help of a cough, the body can free itself from excess sputum and other irritating factors. If the cough does not go away in a week, and home treatment does not work, contact your pediatrician. A pulmonologist is involved in the treatment of prolonged and severe cough. Be careful, do not neglect this symptom, take care of the health of your baby!

Video: how to remove a dry cough attack in a child