Children can cough for various reasons. If the baby is sick, he has a runny nose, then a dry cough is added, all conditions must be created so that sputum and mucus begin to move away. A cough massage for a child is an excellent alternative that harmlessly helps to get rid of the disease. It is not necessary for a masseur to carry out the procedure - parents will cope with the technique at home.
Cough massage
Causes of cough in infants
A painful cough can overtake both an infant and a baby one year and older. The child's body is just beginning to adapt to the environment, immunity becomes stronger and stronger.
There can be many reasons for the appearance of the disease:
- SARS and colds;
- Inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (tonsillitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, laryngitis and pharyngitis);
Oral cavity with angina
- Lower respiratory tract disorders (bronchitis, pneumonia);
- Otitis media - damage to the middle ear;
- Allergy;
- Foreign body in the respiratory tract;
- Dry and dirty indoor air;
- Profuse regurgitation;
- Pathological processes in the digestive system.
Signs of phlegm
As a rule, at first, a cough is characterized by the presence of wheezing, the baby suffers, feels a sore throat and a sore throat, sputum is not separated. During treatment, mucus gradually begins to appear, leaving during the coughing process from the respiratory tract.
Important! Some pathologies can begin immediately with a wet cough, as occurs with pneumonia.
The baby is coughing
How to understand that sputum is separating:
- The cough has become gurgling, productive;
- A large amount of liquid mucus is released, the child tries to spit it out, regurgitate it.
It is important to analyze the condition of the baby and, if necessary, consult a doctor.
When a doctor is needed:
- Cyanosis of the skin appears, breathing is disturbed when coughing;
- The cough turns into vomiting;
- The expectoration is scarlet, purple, yellow, bloody or pus;
- The kid cannot swallow and refuses to eat;
- Wheezing is very strong;
- Very high body temperature.
Important! For infants, allergic reactions are especially dangerous - asphyxia can occur after a few minutes.
Effect of drainage massage on the airways
In the process of drainage massage for the discharge of sputum to a child, when coughing, the bronchial tree heats up, so the accumulated mucus becomes warmer, more liquid. It clears its throat better, is easily excreted from the small bronchi into the larger ones, then into the trachea. This process helps to get rid of mucus, viruses and germs faster.
Evgeny Komarovsky, a pediatrician, urges to initially apply for this procedure, and not strive to immediately resort to drug treatment. As a bonus, he highlights the fact that manipulation can be carried out starting from three months of a baby's life, it is not necessary to seek help from specialists.
In addition to stimulating the discharge of phlegm, massage is useful because:
- lymph flow and blood flow are stimulated;
- muscle fibers that are involved in breathing are strengthened;
- ribs become more mobile;
- respiratory function is stabilized;
- if the baby is already using medications, then their effect is enhanced.
How to massage a cough at home
So that for infants the drainage cough massage is performed effectively, alleviates the condition and does not lead to an aggravation of the disease, you should not forget about the rules:
- It can be carried out only after the acute phase of the disease, that is, on days 4-5. Usually the temperature has already subsided, the condition improves, the cough becomes wet.
- You should not feed the baby immediately before the procedure, wait half an hour after eating.
- It is important that the baby is comfortable. The temperature in the room should be around 23-25 degrees.
- You should turn on a humidifier or create high humidity in the room - this will help the phlegm to escape better.
The massage is performed 2 times a day, the session lasts 10-15 minutes.
Note! The baby should be comfortable. If he complains that he is uncomfortable lying on his tummy, is capricious and crying, the procedure ends.
Recommendations
The benefits of expectorant massage for infants are undeniable, babies over 3 months old need it.
However, for this manipulation to be useful, you should:
- To consult a doctor is not a subject of contraindications;
- Stroking and kneading movements should be soft and light - the skin of babies is very delicate and sensitive, it is easy to damage it;
- Tapping is done with the pads of the fingers, not the ribs of the palms;
- With crying and screaming, the session ends immediately.
Additional Information. It is allowed to carry out the procedure on a fitball - this will achieve the desired drainage position, and the manipulation itself will turn into a kind of game.
Training
During the massage, it is necessary to take precautions and prepare. It is important to create comfortable conditions:
- Humidity 70%. If there is no humidifier, then you can put wet clothes on the batteries and put containers of water.
- Temperature 22-25 degrees. The baby should not be cold in the room.
- The little patient should also be prepared - the procedure is carried out 20-30 minutes after inhalation with mucus-thinning components.
- Experts recommend to carry out therapy on an empty stomach.
- Be sure to check if the baby has a temperature.
Massage technique
How to massage a baby correctly when coughing? It is advisable to familiarize yourself with the human anatomy so as not to accidentally touch the kidney area. The first procedure is recommended to be carried out with a specialist - a massage therapist, who can always be called at home.
Before starting palpation, the arms are stretched. The baby is placed on a flat hard surface, on the tummy, and a pillow is placed under the pelvis.
The technique is very simple:
- Start with stroking, soft and easy.
- After that, gradually begin to tap the back area from the lower back to the neck, gradually increasing the intensity of the pressure. Tapping should be frequent and intense, but the crumbs should not be in pain. The fingers touch the skin at an angle directed to the head, the position of which changes every 30 seconds during the procedure.
- The shoulder blades should be passed gently.
- Every minute you should ask the crumbs to cough. Often the baby begins to try to cough up the contents of the respiratory tract itself. In total, there should be 4-5 such coughs per session.
- At the end, spread the baby's arms and tap the armpit area.
Performing massage
Additional Information. A drainage massage is also performed in the chest area. To do this, the baby is laid on its back, the head should be below the pelvis. With warming movements, rub the sternum from the center to the collarbones. The pressure should be such that the skin turns red, but no bruises should remain afterwards.
After the procedure, the baby should be put to bed in order to restore his strength and speed up the healing process. If necessary, manipulations can be repeated up to 6 times a day.
Contraindications
Like any procedure, cough massage has its own contraindications:
- high body temperature of the baby;
At elevated temperatures, massage is contraindicated.
- The crumb has just eaten;
- A cold or other illness has just begun, that is, they are in the acute phase of development. The procedure can be carried out for 4-5 days;
- The baby is uncomfortable lying on his tummy, he cries, screams and is capricious;
- The complications of the underlying disease were revealed;
- Diseases of the skin were found on the body;
- The child's body weight is too small.
Expectorant massage is a quick way to relieve discomfort and help the phlegm to escape. At the same time, it is safe for the baby's health and stimulates his speedy recovery, improvement of health and mood. If you complete the procedure and undergo a course of treatment on time, the risk of complications is small.
