The child has a cough, what should I give? Cough guide: how to treat, how and why it’s high time to throw all syrups and mixtures in the trash

Choosing a medicine for coughs and colds is a responsible matter. You should not select the drug yourself, especially when it comes to treating a child. Medicines for dry and wet coughs act differently, and the wrong choice of medicine can cause great harm.

Causes of wet cough

First of all, it is necessary to find out what exactly caused the cough. If infrequent coughing without sputum discharge is normal, then a wet cough may indicate the development of a dangerous disease.

Among the reasons that can provoke a cough with sputum are the following:

pneumonia;
bronchitis;
bronchial asthma;
tuberculosis;
accumulation of pus in the lungs;
allergies;
whooping cough.

How to cure a wet cough

Compliance with certain conditions will promote a speedy recovery. To improve the process of mucus removal, the air in the room where the child is located must be humid. Be sure to regularly do wet cleaning and dusting. You need to ventilate the room in any weather - both winter and summer. If there are very hot radiators in the room or the heater is running, you should place a bowl of water next to it to prevent the air in the room from drying out. Too dry air will irritate the mucous membranes. It is recommended to remove animals during treatment so that hair does not act as an additional irritant.

Another condition, the observance of which will allow you to remove phlegm faster, is drinking plenty of fluids. You should drink frequently and only warm liquids. This could be tea, compote, alkaline mineral water.

The child should not be limited in physical activity and forced to lie in bed all the time if he does not have a fever. The child should move, this will promote the removal of sputum, while during bed rest it will stagnate. Outdoor walks are recommended. At the same time, the child should not be allowed to be excessively active - do not allow him to run and jump.

Symptoms

A combination of cough attacks with the following symptoms should alert you:

sudden onset of coughing attacks that last for a long time;
temperature rise above 38 degrees and prolonged high temperature (more than 3 days);
detection of bloody streaks in sputum;
the occurrence of shortness of breath;
sputum with a green tint;
wheezing when breathing;
ARI/ARVI preceded by a wet cough;
complaints of chest pain.

The main goal of treating a wet cough is to remove mucus from the respiratory system. If adults do not have problems with coughing, then respiratory diseases are dangerous for children because children cannot cough properly. The sputum in young children is very viscous, and to facilitate the process of its removal it is necessary to take special medications that have a mucolytic effect.

Sputum, which is produced in the lungs for a long time, becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. As a result, complications may arise.

Medications for wet cough include:

mucolytic;
expectorants.

Mucolytics are needed to stimulate mucus production. They are used when mucus is produced, but its volume is not enough for easy removal.

Expectorants are designed to thin mucus. They are synthetic and plant-based. You should talk to a specialist about which of these medications is best for treating your child. Parents usually prefer to use herbal remedies, but this is not always the best choice. Drugs in this group can cause severe allergies. The more plant components in the syrup, the higher the risk of developing an allergic reaction. Synthetic drugs are more effective in treating wet cough.

Synthetic drugs that are often used include:

ACC, Mukobene (based on acetylcysteine);
Muxol, Mucodin (based on carbocisteine);
Bromhexine;
Ambroxol.

Among herbal preparations, doctors often prescribe:

Doctor Mom syrup;
breast collection;
Pectusin.

If you have a wet cough, you should not give your child antitussives. These are drugs that, by acting on the cough reflex in the brain, suppress coughing. When taking these medications, even in the presence of sputum, the child does not cough, therefore, sputum remains in the lungs, more and more accumulates, and the inflammatory process increases. All this leads to the development of pneumonia.

Physiotherapeutic methods

One of the effective methods used to improve sputum discharge during a wet cough is inhalation. At the same time, in the treatment of children, steam inhalations (over potatoes, for example) are strictly prohibited, since the child can get a burn to the mucous membrane. Inhalations are recommended, which are carried out using a nebulizer. Special solutions (Lazolvan for inhalation) or alkaline mineral water are poured into the device. The solution used during the procedure must be warm. You can also use herbal decoctions (in the absence of allergies) or acetylsalicylic acid as a solution.

Applications to the chest area stimulate blood circulation and reduce inflammation. For these purposes, paraffin or ozokerite applications are used. Applications with mashed hot potatoes are also effective. The procedure is allowed only if the child does not have a fever. To prepare a compress from potatoes, unpeeled boiled root vegetables (2-3 pieces) should be mashed, combined with turpentine, medical alcohol, vegetable oil (1 tablespoon each). From the resulting mass, flat large cakes are prepared, which are wrapped in gauze and placed on the child’s chest and back. The baby must be carefully wrapped. The duration of the procedure is 1-2 hours. After this time, the compress is removed, the skin is wiped dry, and the child is changed into dry and clean underwear.

The simplest compress option is an oil compress. Ordinary vegetable oil is heated in a water bath, a thick cloth is moistened in it and applied to the chest. It is important to exclude the area of the heart when applying a compress. You cannot wrap fabric in polyethylene. It is recommended to use parchment paper and a terry towel on top. The compress is left on the body overnight.

Animal fat is used for rubbing. Badger, bear, and goat fat are suitable. It should be melted in a water bath, and then thoroughly rubbed over the child’s chest. This method gives a quick effect - noticeable improvements are observed already 3 days after the first session.

Warming baths will help you cope with a cough faster. Add a small amount of mustard powder to warm water and steam your feet. After the procedure, you need to rub the baby’s feet with warming ointment and put on warm socks.

Massage can achieve a good effect. Even simple tapping and rubbing speeds up the process of mucus discharge. During the massage, it is important to position the child correctly - it is necessary that the head and chest are lower than the pelvis. Usually the child is placed across the legs, on the lap of an adult. Tapping is performed with the edge of the palm or the pads of the fingers towards the head. It is enough to perform them for 1-2 minutes. After this, you should ask the child to clear his throat. Repeat the procedure 4-5 times. Do not massage if the child has a fever.

Folk recipes

Traditional medicine offers many recipes that can be used to combat wet cough. Despite their apparent safety, they should not be used without consulting a doctor. An examination by a specialist is important, if only because without determining the cause of the cough, there is no point in carrying out any treatment.

The most common folk recipes widely used in treatment are:

Warm milk, in which a teaspoon of honey, butter and a little soda are dissolved. The child should drink a glass of the drink twice a day.
Juice and pulp of black radish. Black radish is one of the most effective folk remedies for coughs. It is characterized by a pronounced bactericidal effect and actively counteracts inflammatory processes occurring in the body. Also, its use stimulates the discharge and removal of sputum.
The radish is washed, the tail is cut off and the “lid” is removed. A hole is made inside, where 2 teaspoons of honey are placed and the vegetable is left in a dark place for 4 hours. During this time, juice is released, which has medicinal properties. Take it one teaspoon three times a day.
Onion puree with honey. The onions are peeled and crushed in a blender. The resulting pulp is mixed with honey in a 1:1 ratio. Take the resulting medicine 1 tablespoon three times a day after meals. The recipe can be used when treating children over 1 year of age.
Plantain decoction also promotes the removal of sputum. Plantain is an ingredient in many industrial cough syrups. To prepare the medicine at home, you need to mix 1 teaspoon of leaves with a glass of boiling water and leave for 4 hours. After filtering, the drink is given to children - a tablespoon three times a day, 30 minutes before meals.

In treating children, difficulties are associated with the age of the patient. Sometimes it is impossible to explain the need to take a tasteless medicine or lie quietly during the procedure. However, parents should take all possible measures to strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations. A cough can be very dangerous, and if left untreated, it can lead to complications.

Video: treatment of cough in a child

Most parents have a reverent attitude towards the topic of children's health. As soon as the baby coughs at least once, the parents begin to stress themselves out and imagine serious illnesses.

Less often, but it happens the other way around, when a child’s cough goes unattended by adults and leads to the development of severe chronic diseases.

Any healthy person or child can cough several times during the day and this is part of the norm. Cough is not an independent disease, but just one of the symptoms that can accompany various diseases and pathological processes in the body.

What kind of cough can a child have:

Physiological.

In this case, coughing is simply a defensive reaction to short-term exposure to an irritant. Such a cough can occur when foreign objects enter the respiratory tract or when the climatic conditions are disrupted (for example, dry air in an apartment).

In infants, coughing or choking may occur after feeding when a small amount of breast milk enters the trachea during belching. Sometimes with a cough in the morning, mucus or phlegm that has accumulated during the night comes out. In children after six months, which is accompanied by increased salivation and, as a result, a cough reflex.

Pathological.

In various diseases, coughing turns from a protective reflex into a pathology that poisons the life of a small patient and his parents.

What processes can cause a child to cough:

bacterial infection. Pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and other pathologies of the respiratory tract almost always occur with this symptom;
viral diseases (colds, ARVI, flu, etc.);
air, less often food allergies;
diseases of other organs and systems (GERD, heart defects, etc.).

In childhood, pathological cough is more often associated with colds; it is often caused by a violation of the microclimate in the room or allergies. In any case, a child’s cough is almost never the only symptom of the disease.

When a cold occurs, it is accompanied by fever, runny nose and other manifestations of general intoxication of the body. the connection with the causative allergen is clearly visible, and additionally watery eyes, a rash or watery discharge from the nose appear.

General principles of treatment

Cough is a serious symptom, especially for young children. The cough reflex involves not only nerves, but also the respiratory muscles, which are still poorly developed in babies.

When a child has a hard time coughing up mucus and phlegm, it begins to accumulate in the lungs and cause serious complications. In addition, infants are more often in a supine position, which also contributes to stagnation of sputum and the course of the disease is more severe than in adults.

Treatment of cough in children is carried out using the following methods:

Non-drug methods and traditional medicine.
Drug therapy.
Physiotherapy.

The combination of these three therapy methods can cope with cough in a child of any age. Let's look at each of them in more detail and focus on the most effective ones.

Non-drug therapy

There are a number of specific requirements and rules regarding the regime of a sick child and maintaining appropriate conditions in his room:

Humidification of the atmosphere.

To do this, the room is regularly ventilated 4-5 times a day and always before bedtime. As a humidifier, you can use special devices (humidifiers, air ionizers), a nebulizer with saline solution. In the absence of such devices, during the heating season, place plates with mineral or salt water under the radiator or start an aquarium.

More liquid.

The production of mucus and phlegm occurs in special goblet cells. In order to enhance mucus production and make it more liquid, the child is asked to drink the maximum amount of liquid (water, juices, fruit drinks). In addition, drinking plenty of fluids helps to quickly remove bacterial breakdown products and toxins from the baby’s body, which significantly speeds up the treatment of cough.

Good nutrition and food regimen.

A balanced diet during illness will allow the baby to receive all the necessary vitamins and microelements without accompanying dietary supplements and synthetic vitamins.

Walks in the open air.

A child with a cough, runny nose and a low temperature of up to 37.5 degrees can and should go outside. A walk helps calm the baby, and fresh air has a beneficial effect on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and strengthens the natural immune defense.

It is important to understand these recommendations correctly. A sick child needs treatment, attention and rest. You shouldn’t take a baby with a high fever out for a walk, and you shouldn’t lock a coughing child at home within four walls for a week.

Traditional medicine

It is very rare to cure a child’s cough using only traditional medicine. But old, proven methods work well in the initial stages of the disease or in combination with drug therapy.

What can be used:

Inhalations.

The only way to perform inhalation in a child of any age is a special nebulizer device. These devices come in two types (ultrasonic and compression). A special feature is that the medicinal substance is not dissolved in hot water, as with the steam method, but is sprayed into small particles.

Inhalation - what you need to know, how to do it correctly? Advice for parents - Union of Pediatricians of Russia.

Thanks to the nebulizer, the active properties of medicinal substances are preserved without the risk of burning the child’s delicate mucous membrane with hot steam. The “breathe over hot potatoes or chamomile” methods are suitable for adults and should not be used in children, especially younger ones. Read more about choosing an effective inhaler, and what medications to use for inhalation are described.

Mustard plasters.

Mustard plasters should not be applied to skin lesions, pustules or rashes on the body. This procedure can be performed on children after the first year of life. Their effect is a local irritating and warming effect, due to which blood flow increases, sputum discharge is facilitated and the immune response is enhanced.

Mustard plaster is not placed on the heart area or on the spine. For children with thin, sensitive skin, it is better to place a thin cloth or gauze between the skin and the mustard plaster. When coughing, the mustard plaster is placed on the chest area and held, starting from 1 minute, gradually increasing the interval to 5 minutes.

Warm baths (water temperature 38-40 degrees) effectively treat children's cough in the first stages of the disease and are good for its prevention. During the acute period, at high temperatures, foot baths are contraindicated. Contraindications are also the presence of pustules, abrasions, eczema on the legs

Compresses.

There are several types of compresses: dry, wet, alcohol, etc. When coughing, dry warming compresses are usually used, where alcohol or dimexide acts as a warming component.

How to make a compress: gauze is soaked in the active substance and placed on the throat, covered with a layer of polyethylene (for example, cling film), and a warm scarf on top. Keep for 15 minutes to half an hour.

Decoctions and tinctures.

Medicinal expectorant herbs (marshmallow, licorice, thyme, ivy, etc.) are used with great caution in children. Due to the high reactivity of the children's immune system, there is always a risk of complications in the form of an allergic reaction.

Drug therapy

If preventive measures and alternative medicine methods are ineffective, then you need to select medications under the supervision of a doctor. Let's take a closer look at how to cure a child's cough with medications.

Antitussives

Drugs in this group are designed to suppress the cough reflex. They are prescribed for coughs that are associated with irritation of the central nervous system, when the cough is caused not by phlegm, but by irritation of nerve receptors. In children they are often prescribed for measles, whooping cough and some other infectious diseases.

Antitussives are used to suppress a dry cough without phlegm. Prescribed only with the consent of a specialist, after preliminary diagnosis.

What are they?

Central action(narcotic and non-narcotic). Narcotics are rarely used, only in cases of severe pathologies and for strict indications in a hospital setting. Non-narcotic drugs of central action (Sinekod, Stoptussin, Broncholitin) for young children are produced in the form of drops and syrups, there are also tablet forms.
Peripheral(Libexin). It comes in both syrup and tablet form. For the treatment of dry children's cough, it is permissible to use only as prescribed by a doctor.

A peculiarity of drugs in this group is that they are not prescribed together with expectorants and mucolytics. This happens because with the simultaneous liquefaction of sputum and the use of an antitussive, mucus and sputum will stagnate and complications will develop (for example, congestive pneumonia).

Mucolytics and expectorants

For wet coughs and coughs with thick, difficult to separate sputum, this group of drugs is chosen.

What these medications do is they break down the disulfide bonds in the sputum, causing it to become thinner.

In addition, they increase the activity of the respiratory muscles, due to which the mucus quickly unsticks from the walls and leaves the bronchi and lungs. Some mucolytics have a mild anti-inflammatory effect.

Let's remember the most famous drugs in this group and dwell on their features:

Lazolvan. Active substance ambroxol. Available in syrup form. It is recommended to use for the treatment of cough with difficult to separate sputum in children over 2 years of age.
ACC (acetylcysteine). Prescribed for acute and chronic lung diseases, which are accompanied by the formation of viscous mucus. Prescribed to children after 2 years. When using, it is recommended to drink more fluid.
Gedelix. Plant syrup based on ivy leaf extract. Approved for use in children from the first days of life after consultation with a doctor.
Fluimucil. Contains acetylcysteine. Has the ability to thin viscous mucus. It can be prescribed to children from the first days of life after consulting a doctor.
Bromhexine. It has an expectorant and weak antitussive effect. Stimulates the discharge of sputum and reduces its viscosity. Recommended for use in children after three years of age. Prescribe with caution to patients with a history of liver and kidney failure.

Today it can be purchased at every pharmacy. A huge selection of pharmaceuticals allows parents to select substances based on cost and composition.

Almost all respiratory diseases are characterized by a cough, which is considered a protective reaction of the body to a maturing infection. With its help, harmful secretions and microorganisms are removed from the body, thereby facilitating the respiratory process. What works well for a child’s cough (dry or wet), we will tell you below.

Syrup for babies

Gedelix is recommended for children under one year of age. It thins mucus and has an antispasmodic effect. The active ingredient of this drug is ivy extract. It shows significant effectiveness; a couple of days after taking it, the most viscous discharge begins to recede without difficulty. This is an excellent cough remedy.

“Prospan” is considered to be a fairly effective medical drug; it copes well with both dry and wet coughs. Baby syrup can be given to babies from the first days of life. It contains ivy concentrate and has a fruity flavor. Children accept it with pleasure.

"Lazolvan" is an excellent syrup that quickly removes mucus from the respiratory tract. It is recommended to take no earlier than six months of age.

All these medications should be used only in syrup form.

For children over two years old

At this age, the list of approved pharmaceuticals is expanding. What will help a 2 year old child with a cough?

"Herbion". It contains a concentrate of mallow and plantain flowers.
"Ambrobene". Mucolytic and expectorant medication. It exhibits secretomotor, secretolytic and expectorant effects.
"Travisil." Another medicine that helps a child’s cough. Syrup of plant origin. Shows anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects. Recommended for pharyngitis, tonsillitis or bronchitis.
"Doctor Theiss." Has excellent flavor and great effectiveness. Includes mint and plantain extracts. Shows a mild effect on irritated mucous membranes. The discharge begins to be freely expectorated a short time after administration.

Types of tablets

Tablets that help a child cough can be divided into 4 main groups:

Antitussives. They affect the brain, in particular the cough center, suppressing its dynamism. Such tablets can have a narcotic effect (these substances are used extremely rarely in children and are not sold without a prescription) and non-narcotic (such drugs are taken after consulting a doctor, they are not addictive).
Expectorants. Medicines in this category increase cough, helping to quickly rid the child’s body of unnecessary phlegm, microorganisms and viruses. These can be tablets with thermopsis, marshmallow and other herbal ingredients that have an expectorant effect.
Mucolytics. Such substances have a great influence on the sputum itself, as a result of which it becomes dissolved and is better coughed up by a sick child.
Antihistamines. Pills of this type are prescribed in situations where the cause of cough is related to allergies. It is better to entrust the choice of a suitable drug to a doctor.

How to choose tablets?

Since various categories of medications in the form of tablets are used in cough therapy, it is important to consult a doctor before taking them. will examine the child, determine the root cause of the cough and its type, after which he will prescribe treatment taking into account age, since a 7-year-old child can be prescribed only certain substances; for a younger child the list of medications is reduced, and for older children it is expanded. Let's analyze the most effective tablets that help a child with a cough.

Dry cough

Dry cough tablets can only be used as directed by a doctor. They are appropriate to use only for obsessive, prolonged coughing, which causes a vomiting reaction and causes inconvenience in sleep. Effective drugs can be purchased in the range of 90-250 rubles. How can I help with a debilitating dry cough in a child?

"Codelac". An antitussive medication that minimizes the excitability of the cough center and simplifies coughing up sputum. It contains thermopsis, licorice, sodium bicarbonate and codeine. It is prescribed no earlier than from the age of two.
"Libexin". An anti-cough medication with peripheral action, which reduces the sensitivity of receptors in the respiratory tract and dilates the bronchi. In childhood, it is prescribed with caution and taking into account the body weight of children.
"Terpincode". A product that combines terpene hydrate, codeine and sodium bicarbonate. This medication has an antitussive effect and cough-up effect. Prescribed for children over twelve years of age.
"Stoptussin." An antitussive drug that reduces the excitability of bronchial receptors and activates mucus production. Prescribed for children over twelve years of age.
"Omnitus". A medication that effectively helps a child with a cough with a central effect, as well as a slight anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effect. Tablets with 20 mg of active substance can be prescribed to children over six years of age.
"Tusuprex". The drug affects the cough organ without a narcotic effect. It is prescribed in rare cases to children from the age of two.

Wet cough

If the child’s cough begins to cough up, the doctor will advise you to start taking mucolytics and expectorants. How to help with a wet cough in a child? Here is a list of effective means:

"Mukaltin". The main active ingredient in these tablets is marshmallow extract, which is supplemented with sodium bicarbonate. The substance has an expectorant, enveloping and anti-inflammatory effect. It is allowed to be used by children over three years of age, while for young children the tablet is crushed into powder and then mixed with water.

"Thermopsol". A medicine that includes thermopsis herb and sodium bicarbonate. Reflexively affects the bronchi, stimulating sputum production and coughing. The dose for the child is determined by the doctor.
"Ambroxol". This substance has a mucolytic effect. The tablet form can be taken by children over 12 years of age.
"Bromhexine." This drug exhibits both expectorant and mucolytic effects. Can be taken by children over 3 years of age.

"Lazolvan", "Ambrobene" and "Flavamed". These substances contain ambroxol, for this reason the products are classified as mucolytics. This drug is only allowed to be used by children over 12 years of age.
"Ascoril". A combined medication with bronchodilator, mucolytic and expectorant effects. Prescribed for ages 6 years and older.
"Pectusin". This substance is based on eucalyptus oil and menthol, for this reason the drug has a distracting, antitussive and anti-inflammatory effect. Prescribed for children over 7 years of age.

Inhalations

A symptom of many diseases that are common in children is coughing. There are many effective methods to cure a cough. One of them is inhalation. This is a method that helps a child with a cough, dry or wet, and will also help reduce inflammation of the throat and lungs, thin the sputum, and also improve coughing. All this is the key to a speedy recovery.

It is worth noting that this treatment method is not suitable for everyone. There are a number of contraindications:

age up to one year;
with acute inflammation of the components of the lymphatic pharyngeal ring;
when blood or pus is released during coughing;
at elevated temperatures.

inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx and vocal cords; bronchitis;
asthma;
tuberculosis;
cough caused by ARVI.

Carrying out inhalation:

It is advisable to do this procedure shortly before meals;
when treating a throat, you should inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nose;
when treating the nasal cavity, it is necessary to do the opposite;
It is recommended to carry out no more than 10 procedures;
The duration of the procedure should be no more than 10 minutes.

You can make a solution at home to improve the condition of the mucous membrane of the respiratory system. These include solutions of salt and water, soda and water. Ordinary mineral water is also very useful; medications with an antitussive effect (Lidocaine) are also used.

Anti-inflammatory drugs against swelling and various inflammations. These include "Rotokan" and "Pulmicort". For coughs caused by allergies, these medications can speed up recovery. Also, these are effective ways for those who do not know how to help with a child’s cough from snot. Since inhalations (steam) help cure not only a cough, but also a runny nose.

To eliminate problems with the respiratory tract, it is recommended to use Ventolin, Berotek, Berodual.

Herbs used:

chamomile;
St. John's wort;
sage;
mint.

Essential oils are used to soften mucous membranes. Natural eucalyptus or sea buckthorn oils are also recommended.

There are several types of inhalations. When performing steam inhalations, steam inhalers are used. As an alternative, you can take a large container into which you need to pour boiling liquid. Various substances such as herbs and essential oils are often added to it.

When treated with a nebulizer, the medicine is sprayed into the respiratory tract. The drug particles reach the respiratory system faster and their effect is more effective. Thanks to the rapid distribution of the medicine, the patient begins to feel better after just a few procedures. The necessary solutions are poured into a special nebulizer container, most often these are special saline solutions.

Despite the speed and effectiveness of the nebulizer, the steam inhalation treatment method is better suited for the child’s body, since only pure organic substances are used.

Folk remedies

Not all medications are approved for use in the treatment of children, so folk remedies and methods very often become a panacea for mild forms of diseases in children. This fully applies to the treatment of problems such as cough in children.

The most well-known and used folk remedies that have proven their effectiveness are described below.

How to help a child with a dry night cough?

A very common and recommended recipe for a folk remedy for dry coughs in children, which consists of seemingly simple available products, but is very effective for bronchitis, tracheitis, and laryngitis. You can make this folk remedy as follows:

boil 1 liter of milk, add one spoonful of honey and butter (butter);
honey must be added after slightly cooling the milk so that it does not lose its medicinal properties;
Add baking soda to the yolk (at the tip of a teaspoon), beat and add to the resulting mixture. Here it should be noted that a sick child accepts this composition quite easily due to its neutral, familiar taste.

Treatment of a child aged 3 years and older

Children over three years old are advised to give a mixture based on lemon and honey when coughing. It is prepared as follows:

squeeze the juice from a lemon boiled for 5 minutes;
add 2 tablespoons of pharmaceutical glycerin to the resulting juice;
add honey in such an amount that the volume of the resulting composition is about a glass;
leave this composition for a day in a dark place.

In addition to expectorant and antitussive effects, this recipe has a general strengthening and antibacterial effect.

A fairly traditional folk recipe using black radish and honey:

a depression (hole) is made in the washed radish root;
one teaspoon of honey is poured into the cavity;
You need to consume the juice, which forms quickly enough in this depression.

This folk remedy is perceived by many children as a delicious dessert, which greatly facilitates the process of taking the medicine.

Remedies for wet cough

What helps a child with a wet cough? In order to cope with a wet cough in a child, ease the inflammatory process and relieve irritation, such a tasty medicine as raspberry jam (raspberry tea) is suitable. Fresh raspberries, ground with sugar, are a storehouse of vitamins and microelements.

To speed up the process of sputum discharge during a wet cough, a mixture of honey, lingonberry juice and gruel from ground aloe leaves in equal quantities is suitable.

In addition, our grandmothers advise using this method: before going to bed, the child needs to put chopped fresh garlic or baked onions in his socks.

When treating coughs with folk remedies in children of different ages, medicinal herbs and infusions are widely used, among which the following should be noted:

a decoction of pine buds has an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, healing effect, strengthens children's immunity;
an infusion of the medicinal plant thyme, which helps relieve inflammation, has an expectorant effect, and very rarely provokes allergies.

This infusion is prepared as follows:

a tablespoon of crushed plant is poured into a glass of boiling water and infused for half an hour;
a decoction of linden blossom also has an expectorant effect;
tea with the addition of ginger root is suitable for children over 2 years of age; it is an excellent anti-cold and anti-inflammatory remedy;
For children over 3 years old, medicinal expectorant infusions of violet petals and medicinal anise are suitable.

In any case, before using folk remedies for cough in children, it is recommended to consult your doctor.

Before using any drugs, you need to consult a specialist and read reviews. What is the best way to help a child with a cough? All of the above remedies are very effective and have received a large number of positive reviews from parents whose children suffered from cough. The main thing is to never self-medicate, so as not to harm your own child.

It is not always possible to avoid viral infection during the off-season. A cold, cough, fever are signs of an impending illness that you have to fight if you don’t take care of yourself in a timely manner. Moreover, the greatest discomfort during the disease is caused by coughing. It can be different - dry, wet. Cough affects both children and adults. You can help yourself cope with the symptoms of a severe cough in various ways - from antibiotics to folk remedies. It is important to use a set of measures to combat the disease. Therapy drugs are divided into children's and adults', but only a doctor can prescribe them. Also, you should not self-medicate with folk decoctions in order to avoid allergic reactions or due to intolerance to individual components. Many people wonder how to quickly cure cough at home in adults and children. But first things first.

How to quickly cure a child’s cough at home?

Young children are very susceptible to infectious diseases. Their respiratory muscles are not as developed as in adults. Therefore, cough as a consequence of the development of a viral infection begins in them almost immediately during illness. To combat the disease in children, the most proven means are used. It is necessary to remove mucus from the bronchi in order to avoid complications, but this is not easy to do, since the child has poorly developed mucociliary clearance. Step-by-step actions will help you cope with the situation.

How to quickly cure a child’s cough at home:

Syrups and tablets will help remove mucus from the bronchi in a child;
You can clear your airways using non-drug remedies that will help you cope with the disease from the inside;
physiotherapy is an excellent way to alleviate the baby’s condition (various warming sessions, warming massages, inhalations).

How to cure an adult's cough at home quickly

Coughing also causes a lot of inconvenience for adults. Moreover, it should be distinguished by the nature of the disease.

strong and debilitating
bronchial and long-lasting,
intrusive (wheezing and whistling).

But from a medical point of view, cough is divided into only two types:

dry cough (ineffective),
wet cough (productive).

In the first case, a dry, strong cough is accompanied by a sore throat. Coughing attacks take you by surprise. And the doctor in such cases diagnoses acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections, pharyngitis or influenza. In addition, a dry cough may be associated with allergic reactions. The second type of cough, wet, is caused by adenoviral diseases or various lung diseases (from inflammatory processes to pneumonia and bronchitis).

The cough may be persistent. How to cure an adult's cough at home? Here are mucolytic agents, which can be bought at the pharmacy, to liquefy accumulated mucus and remove it from the body. These agents usually have antimicrobial effects. Dry cough is treated with syrups and special teas. All methods are good if they have an enveloping effect, relieve inflammation and have antiseptic properties.

How to treat dry cough at home in adults and children

Those who have personally experienced the effects of dry cough know how debilitating attacks can be, especially at night, making it difficult to get a good night's sleep. However, you should know that a dry cough usually occurs at the beginning of the disease. It is accompanied by the release of bronchial secretions, but not to a sufficient extent. Therefore, at this stage, complete cleansing of the lungs, bronchi and larynx does not occur. It is necessary to treat a dry cough almost immediately with the onset of the disease. Cough suppressants block the sensitivity of nerve endings and help get rid of reflex cough.

How to treat dry cough in adults

Depending on the nature of the disease and the complexity of the disease, a set of cough treatments is selected. The reasons for its occurrence are also taken into account. Therefore, in this case, you should use one of the following methods:

Libexin is used to treat bronchitis;
to get rid of a protracted dry cough, you can use special mint candies or wafers, medicinal sage-based syrups, the drug Bronholitin and its analogues;
dry cough due to allergies can be cured with antihistamines - Tavegil, Cetrin, Chloropyramine, Zodak and the like.

It is important to remember that treatment of dry cough with these drugs is possible if you follow medical recommendations. Stronger drugs will have to be used for complications. Only a doctor can prescribe them if:

the symptoms of the disease do not subside even after 3-4 days;
if breathing becomes difficult for unknown reasons;
if you have a severe runny nose;
with a sharp increase in temperature;
for severe pain in the body (for example, in the abdominal area).

Treating dry cough in children

Breathing problems in children under two years of age can only be resolved together with a pediatrician. Parents can treat the child themselves if the cold is superficial. You should not give your child mucoregulatory drugs that are prescribed to adults. You can help your child by doing the following:

it is necessary to try to bring down the high temperature;
you need to use distraction therapy (from massage of arms and legs to steam inhalations).

Treatment of older children is associated with complex therapy:

you need to put mustard plasters on your back, perform inhalation (the water in the nebulizer is no higher than 40 degrees);
you can give your child a warming and soothing chest massage (rubbing with an asterisk, honey and special ointments is also used);
To get rid of a dry cough, you should use daily warm foot baths with the addition of chamomile, sage, thyme or mustard.

How to quickly cure cough at home in adults and children using folk remedies

From time immemorial, people have been treated for colds with improvised remedies and herbs. In this regard, traditional medicine has accumulated a lot of experience. It is worth taking note of the most proven ways to combat the disease. So, let's look at how to treat dry cough at home.

Warm drinks, such as milk with honey or raspberry tea, are very helpful in combating dry coughs. There is a method that uses honey with dark beer. Although this method is not for everyone.
Mint, decoctions based on it or mint candies are an excellent remedy for getting rid of dry cough for children and adults. The latter can be made at home. To do this, you need to dissolve powdered sugar in a container with milk and add mint extract, bring to a boil and cool.
Many people use alcohol tinctures from ginger or thyme, from coltsfoot or pine cones. A simple propolis tincture or turmeric with milk is also used.

Treatment of wet cough in adults and children

With a wet cough, specific discharge appears - sputum. This is the main difference from a dry cough. In this case, the infection is safely eliminated by mucus. Doctors consider this type of cough to be a more acceptable option for the course of the disease. In this case, it is easier and faster to recover from a cold. But you need to help yourself with this. How to treat cough with sputum? There may be several treatment options here.

How to cure wet cough in adults

Coughing with sputum causes a lot of problems. However, this is a good way to get rid of accumulated mucus. The body copes well on its own. But you need to know that if you have a wet cough, you should stop taking medications that suppress reflex cough. Otherwise, the resulting sputum will settle in the respiratory tract. And this is a direct path for the development of harmful viruses. Medicines used to treat this type of cough have an expectorant effect, thinning the mucus. How to quickly cure cough at home in adults and children? The following can help in this case:

various syrups (such as Prospan or Gerbion, as well as Bromhexine);
mucolytic tablets (for example, ACC, Doctor MOM or Mukosol);
Stopsussin, Mucaltin or Travisil, known to many, have an expectorant effect.

You should take medications strictly according to the instructions, after prior consultation with your doctor. It is important to remember that some medications are incompatible with other antibiotics. For example, this applies to drugs with codeine. You can take the tablets only with water (boiled or other), you can drink mineral water afterwards. Do not take tablets with other liquids - hot tea, coffee, alcohol.

How to cure wet cough in children

To treat wet cough in children, you can use alcohol compresses. It is useful to rub the baby's chest with ointments or decoctions. This stimulates blood circulation, helping the body quickly get rid of phlegm and lingering infection. You can use several means for this. The recipes here are simple.

You need to take 2 tbsp. l. olive oil, adding 2-3 drops of mint or eucalyptus oil to the consistency. This oil mixture is suitable for application to the chest. In this case, the product should be applied with gentle massaging movements. After which the baby is wrapped warmly and allowed to sleep.
You can heat 1 glass of vodka in the microwave, add 1 tsp. honey The rub will be ready when the mixture does not stick to your hands. After the procedure, the baby should also be wrapped up at night.

Remedies for the treatment of wet cough

To treat such a cough and remove sputum, you must use only proven products. These can be homemade preparations in the form of herbal decoctions and ointments. In addition, during illness the patient should receive more fluids, which improves the removal of mucus from the bronchi. It is important to do steam inhalations with the addition of lysine salt (2 g of salt per 1 liter of water). If the temperature is not very high, then you can organize a steam room for the patient or take a bath with eucalyptus extract.

Treatment of wet cough with folk remedies

The experience of previous generations will help you cope with a wet cough in a short time. Suitable products for this include: licorice or marshmallow root, thyme, oregano, plantain, thermopsis. During a viral illness, onions and garlic help well. The natural properties of these plants help in the treatment of various viral diseases. Based on them, you can prepare useful products with antimicrobial and antiseptic effects. For greater effect, the onion is passed through a meat grinder, and the garlic through a press. The resulting gruel is mixed with honey and consumed 1 tbsp. l. (usually after eating).

Effective preparations for wet cough

Today in pharmacies you can see many different remedies and drugs for the treatment of colds. They have an equally effective effect on the body, eliminating viral infections. It is not recommended to use such drugs for self-medication.

So, which of these drugs can a doctor prescribe?

How to cure a severe wet cough

The cough can be severe and affect the chest or throat. In this case, a combination of drugs with an expectorant effect is used to treat cough. For a dry, severe cough, medications that suppress the cough center are prescribed. But these may not always be special candies and syrups. But folk remedies are used with great success.

What folk recipes can help?

For example, this recipe. Lungwort, dry nettle, mullein flowers and marshmallow rhizome are taken in equal parts. An infusion is brewed from the collection (4 tablespoons per 1 liter of boiling water). The product is infused for an hour, then expressed through gauze. You can take the infusion a quarter cup three times a day. You can add a little honey to the decoction or infusion.

What else can you do to help with a wet cough?

With such a cough, a milk decoction to which oat grains are added helps well. Let's look at how to prepare it. You need to boil 1 glass of oats in 2 glasses of milk. It is important that the grains are boiled, after which the broth is set aside and filtered. You can add a little honey to the finished mixture to taste. The product can be taken warm 6 times a day.

Treating bronchial cough

For ordinary acute respiratory infections, the doctor prescribes a course of treatment with antitussives, without the use of antibiotics. If the doctor identifies bronchitis or incipient pneumonia, treatment will be carried out using first antibiotics and then expectorants. Treating bronchial cough with folk remedies is not always effective. Such effective cough medications as Libexin, Stoptussin, Glaucine, Sinekod, Halixol or Bromhexine will help here.

How to treat a severe dry cough

Allergies may be the cause of a severe dry cough. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is important to identify the source of the disease. Allergies usually have external causes. In this case, it is necessary to eliminate the allergen, and then relieve the symptoms of the disease with antihistamines. Tablets and physiotherapy, as well as other treatment methods, will help you recover from colds and dry cough.

What remedies can help in this case?

Using ultraviolet irradiation you can get rid of puffiness. In addition, it will help speed up the passage of mucus.
You can fight otitis using electromagnetic therapy.
The doctor may prescribe CUV therapy, which can kill infection bacteria in the bronchi.

Treatment of persistent cough

A long-term illness with a lingering cough can unsettle even a seasoned person for a long time. Therefore, you should not delay the treatment of such a cough, but it is better to use the following tips and methods.

It is important to monitor indoor air quality. To do this, today you can purchase a special air steam cleaner. It will help in the fight against dust and microparticles, as well as fungi and viruses.
When treating a room with a steam cleaner, you should go through all corners and niches, as well as pipe joints. This will help get rid of fungal growths. This procedure is usually performed several times a year, for example, every season.
Be sure to wet clean the room weekly (and every day during illness) and ventilate the room. The patient should not be indoors at this time.
To relieve cough symptoms, moisturizing your throat with water or mineral water at night, or tea during the day (with the addition of raspberries or currants) will help.
Preventive measures will always help strengthen the immune system and the general condition of the body, then cough treatment will proceed quickly and without complications.

With the modern pace of life, it is not always possible to recognize an impending cold in time. Then treatment is postponed indefinitely until the body reminds itself of itself with brittleness and fever, as well as a suffocating cough. The disease takes its toll very quickly. Therefore, the main efforts need to be devoted to the fight against fever and cough. The main thing is to remember how to quickly cure a cough at home in adults and children. And use proven means.

How to quickly cure a cough at home: video

Did you find the article “how to quickly cure a cough at home in adults and children” useful? Share with friends using social media buttons. Add this article to your bookmarks so you don’t lose it.

Thank you

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

Cough often accompanies diseases affecting the respiratory system. The appearance of this sign indicates inflammatory processes in the trachea, larynx and bronchi. These organs contain many nerve endings that play an important role in the process of cough formation. As such, this symptom is an attempt by the body to remove pathogenic microbes from the respiratory system. In addition, in this way the body cleanses the bronchi and lungs of large quantities of mucus that accumulate here during illness. In this regard, it is necessary to perceive this symptom as a forced necessity.

Is it necessary to suppress the cough and prevent the cleansing of the respiratory system?

The very thought of treating this symptom is akin to the thought of reducing elevated body temperature. An increase in temperature is also a form of self-healing of the body. In this regard, you should not reduce the temperature slightly elevated and can even cause damage to your health. Similar statements apply to coughs. Therapy ( suppression) is needed only when this symptom really worsens the patient’s condition and turns from a useful phenomenon into a dangerous one. Similar trends occur in pediatrics in isolated cases. In this regard, this article will talk in detail about how to use this symptom as much as possible to benefit the child and to get rid of the disease as quickly as possible.

Drugs used in the treatment of cough in children

What drugs should I use?
Today there are many different medications to treat this symptom. They are available in different dosage forms: syrups, pills. The following table will list the drugs that are used in pediatrics to treat this disease.

Name of the drug	Mechanism of influence of the drug	In what cases is this drug used?
Group of antitussive drugs
Narcotic drugs: Codeine Ethylmorphine Dimemorphan	These drugs inhibit the activity of the cough center in the brain	These medications are practically not used in the treatment of children. Such products are used exclusively as prescribed by a doctor and are used under his supervision. The main criterion for the use of drugs in this group is a non-productive, debilitating and very disturbing cough for the patient, incurable by other means. In pediatrics, similar drugs are used for pleurisy or whooping cough. Categorically should not be used together with expectorants.
Non-narcotic drugs: Glaucine Oxeladin Butamirat	This group of drugs also affects the formation of the cough reflex, but does not suppress brain activity and does not provoke addiction	Since these medications are safer than the previous group, they are used more often to treat children. The prescription for the use of drugs in this group is a debilitating non-productive cough that does not go away with the use of other drugs ( for whooping cough, influenza, mediastinal tumors, pleurisy). It is strictly forbidden to use it simultaneously with expectorants.
Drugs that do not affect the brain, but only the periphery: Prenoxydiazine	This group of drugs blocks nerve receptors that trigger coughing. The effect of these drugs is less pronounced than the drugs of the two previous varieties	These drugs are prescribed for dry cough without sputum production. In the therapy of children they are used infrequently and only as prescribed by the doctor. It is strictly forbidden to use it simultaneously with expectorant medications.
Mucolytic drugs
Mucolytics are drugs that affect the viscosity of mucus: ACC Ambroxol Mesna Bromhexine	These drugs do not affect the cough reflex, but help clear the bronchi, making the mucus less thick.	These drugs are used to treat cough in children with inflammation of the lungs, bronchi, bronchiectasis
Expectorants: Mukaltin Marshmallow root Liquorice root Plantain leaf Coltsfoot leaf Thyme Potassium iodide Solutan Bronholitin Tussin Pertussin Sodium bicarbonate	Under the influence of these drugs, sputum is produced less thick, so it is easier to remove from the respiratory system	The overwhelming majority of these drugs are produced on the basis of medicinal plants. These drugs are used to treat coughs in pneumonia, bronchitis, and acute respiratory viral diseases. It is prohibited to combine with antitussive medications. This causes stagnation of mucus in the bronchi and inflammation of the lungs
Combined drugs: Codelac phyto Doctor Mom	The drugs include a number of components that simultaneously have mucolytic properties, suppress cough, relieve inflammation and are bronchodilators	Used to treat cough in children suffering from acute respiratory disease
Aids
Immunomodulatory agent Derinat	The drug increases the body's production of its own alpha and beta interferons. Increases the activity of any antiviral agents and antibiotics.	In pediatrics, the drug is used to strengthen the immune system, prevent and treat colds of a viral and bacterial nature, starting from the first day of a child’s life. In the treatment of cough, it is prescribed as a supportive and auxiliary agent, facilitating the course of the disease as a whole and accelerating the recovery process.

What is the treatment for cough in children?

It has already been said that cough in children is usually a manifestation of respiratory diseases. The most common causes of this symptom are acute respiratory diseases, as well as acute bronchitis. But sometimes a cough is provoked by other factors. In this regard, before prescribing therapy, it is necessary to discover the cause.

The main thing in cough therapy is comfort and peace
Before taking medications for bronchial inflammation or a cold, you should create comfortable conditions for the baby. Often the trigger for a coughing attack in a baby can be bright lighting, noise or other unfavorable factors. In this regard, the child should be in good and comfortable conditions.

In second place - a rational menu and a sufficient amount of fluid in the body.
A child suffering from a cough should receive enough vegetables and fruits. But the nutritional value of the diet should also be quite high ( the body expends a lot of energy to heal itself). In addition, it is necessary to provide the baby with plenty of fluids. A sufficient amount of drinks will prevent dehydration of tissues during the period of increased temperature, and will also help to more easily clear the bronchi of mucus. The most recommended are alkaline mineral waters ( large selection in stores and pharmacies), such as Borjomi. They regulate the ratio of salt and liquid in the tissues, and the presence of alkali makes the mucus less thick and facilitates its evacuation.

Cough therapy in children with acute respiratory diseases (colds)

In acute respiratory diseases, a cough often develops. In this case, the disease occurs with the presence of rhinitis, increased body temperature, and lethargy. When a cough develops suddenly, it may be caused by a small object entering the respiratory system.

This article will provide detailed information about treating a cough in a child with a cold. Initially, the child is tormented by a dry and frequent cough. This phenomenon prevents the baby from sleeping or even provokes vomiting if the patient is still too small. Then the mucus begins to gradually come out. In cases where the attacks are severe, they can provoke shortness of breath or vomiting; consultation with a pediatrician is necessary. Carrying out therapy for such cases on your own can be not only useless, but also dangerous for the child’s life.

If the cough is not very severe and the primary disease is not severe, you can independently treat the baby:

First of all, it is necessary to ensure the conditions that have already been mentioned earlier. Appropriate conditions for the patient often eliminate the need to use medications.

If the cough is unproductive and strong enough, then at the very beginning of the disease it is allowed to use the drug Codelac phyto. This is a Russian-made medicine with combined action. The medicine helps to liquefy mucus, remove it from the respiratory system, somewhat suppresses cough, relieves inflammation and acts as a bronchodilator. Under the influence of this drug, coughing attacks become more rare, but more sputum is produced.

Next, if sputum appears during a cough, you should give your baby a drug from the group of expectorants or mucolytics. If the cold is not severe, it is better to use herbal remedies in the treatment of children.

Trade-marked medications are very effective in cough therapy "Doctor Mom". These drugs are produced in a variety of dosage forms ( lozenges, ointment, syrup), so parents of kids of any age can choose a convenient form.

Cough therapy in children with bronchitis

Inflammation of the bronchi during a cold develops quite often. In this regard, cough therapy in case of bronchitis can be carried out in almost the same way as in case of ordinary acute respiratory disease, as stated earlier. The difference between coughing and bronchitis is that from the very beginning of the disease, sputum is produced. With this disease, the cough is not as debilitating as with parainfluenza or influenza, it brings relief. During bronchitis, expectorants or mucolytic drugs should be used for treatment. You can, just like in case of acute respiratory disease, use drugs from the series "Doctor Mom". Among the medicines there are a lot of names that can be used in such a case. But it is still preferable to use medicines made from medicinal herbs. This applies in particular to the therapy of young children. In addition, there are a large number of folk remedies for treating cough and bronchitis.
The text of the article listed a small number of medications used in the treatment of children. In this case, the drugs listed in the table can also be used according to the instructions and recommendations indicated there. Even with a very careful study of the instructions for the medicine, it is still advisable to consult with