Dry cough in an infant - how and what to treat

A cough in a nursing baby is one of the most disturbing and worrying signs for parents. Among the several types of cough, the greatest concern for parents is precisely the dry cough in an infant. A dry cough is characterized by no or little sputum discharge... The most common cause of dry cough is inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, namely the larynx, pharynx or trachea, due to exposure to one or another infectious or non-infectious factor.

Treatment of a disease that is accompanied by a dry cough in a small child should be carried out under the close supervision of a physician. It is important to remember that the treatment process must be complex and aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease, its symptoms, as well as increasing the immunity of the child's body. Next, we will give young mothers a number of tips for dealing with a painful dry cough in an infant.

Sick Kid Mode

First of all, we note that a sparing regimen should be maintained for a sick small child: the baby's motor activity should be calm, but at the same time should not be completely limited. Body movements help cleanse the bronchi from accumulated mucus, thereby accelerating the healing process. Therefore, if a child expresses a desire to play, keep him company by choosing neutral entertainment.

A useful procedure in the complex treatment of dry cough in infants at home is a light massage of the chest and reflex zones, in particular, the feet. This procedure, accompanied by gentle tapping and tapping movements, helps to accelerate the discharge of sputum. The massage will be more effective if you use some kind of herbal balm. More on how to treat a cough in an infant with folk remedies

Special attention should be paid to the baby's nutrition during the treatment period. During illness, a child does not need to be forced to eat a lot, if he does not want to - it is better to offer him not very high-calorie, easily digestible food: fruit puree, jelly, warm milkshake, jelly. At the same time, a child should drink a lot at such a time, since the liquid helps to remove toxins from the body, dilute and remove sputum from the body.

Treatment of dry cough in infants

The most pressing question that worries parents of a coughing baby is: what is the best way to treat a dry cough in an infant. I must say that today there are plenty of medicines and methods aimed at eliminating diseases accompanied by dry cough.

So, there are expectorant and mucolytic drugs. The most effective expectorants are decoctions of wild rosemary, coltsfoot, elecampane, plantain juice, black radish juice with honey, thyme and anise fruit extract, ivy leaf preparations, including Prospan and Gedelix.

Mucolytic drugs are prescribed for children in cases where there is difficulty in coughing up phlegm, the cough after 3-4 days of illness does not get wet, and the problem of dry cough in an infant becomes more and more serious.

Among the best mucolytics belongs ambroxolwhich is found in medicines such as Ambrobene, Lazolvan, Ambrohexal and others. This drug, which can be prescribed from the first months of a baby's life, has an anti-inflammatory effect, dissolves phlegm well, and enhances immunity. Here's another article on cough medicine for babies.

Another proven method of treating dry cough at home by many years of medical practice is 1-2 times a day for 1-3 minutes of inhalation.

Steam inhalations are made either from a solution of baking soda (4 teaspoons per 1 liter), or from alkaline mineral waters (Borjomi), or from a decoction of potatoes. To do this, water is poured into a kettle with a narrow neck, a small funnel is made of cardboard, put on the spout of the kettle, the patient is covered with a blanket and breathes warm steam through the funnel. The water temperature during inhalation for a child under one year old should not exceed 30 ° C, for older children - 30-40 ° C.

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