Laryngitis treatment in a 1 year old child Komarovsky

Causes of the disease

In newborn babies, the body is just forming, the lumen of their larynx is small - approximately 1 cm, and the structure is looser than that of an adult, and therefore susceptible to edema.
These factors, plus a weak, still developing immune system, explain why the most common laryngitis occurs in children under 3 years of age. Laryngitis occurs for the following reasons:

• infection with viruses or bacteria, which explains the increase in incidence in autumn and winter, during the flu and cold season;
• as an allergic reaction to a variety of allergens: flower dust, house dust, animal hair;
• inflammation of the vocal cords due to their overstrain during loud screaming or crying;
• as an acute psychological reaction to stress - for example, a quarrel with friends.

In rare cases, a congenital predisposition to laryngitis is detected if the mother suffered infectious diseases during the baby’s intrauterine development. Sprays for the treatment of the throat, which can irritate the mucous membrane, or foreign bodies entering the larynx (for example, a child accidentally inhaled food crumbs) are also one of the reasons that provoke the disease.

Advice from Dr. Komarovsky for the effective treatment of laryngitis in children

To treat laryngitis, Komarovsky, a famous TV presenter and doctor with extensive experience, recommends using common sense.
All parents should be aware of the symptoms of laryngitis, what to do with this disease, and what complications this condition can cause. Treatment of laryngitis should not be aimed at combating the cause of the disease, but at creating the most comfortable conditions for the baby’s recovery. Almost every child at least once in his life has encountered such an unpleasant disease as laryngitis. The reason is that in 99% of cases it is caused by a viral infection. Complications of laryngitis can be deadly. But if parents are aware of how to help their child, then the likelihood of severe violations is extremely low. It is worth noting that laryngitis is a disease that can be treated at home if there are no complications.

What is laryngitis?

Before understanding what Komarovsky proposes to treat laryngitis in a child, it is necessary to understand the essence of the disease and the causes of its occurrence. If in adults pathology is often caused by the specifics of the profession and bad habits (alcohol and cigarettes), then in young patients problems arise due to:

• frequent screams;
• hypothermia;
• infectious diseases - with influenza, whooping cough and scarlet fever, pathogenic microorganisms penetrate the body, which provoke an inflammatory process in the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx;

Even a common cold can trigger the development of the disease, so you should never ignore the symptoms of ARVI and hope that they will go away on their own.

• insufficient natural defense of the body - if the immune system is weakened, then, as Komarovsky states, frequent laryngitis in a child will become habitual, since the body simply will not be able to resist viruses and infections;
• unfavorable living conditions - we are talking not only about air pollution from industrial waste, but also about dirt, dust and the presence of smokers in the house.

The greatest danger is posed by the chronic form of laryngitis, which Komarovsky specifically mentions in his recommendations. In his opinion, persistent inflammation largely develops due to the fault of parents who do not consult doctors in a timely manner, do not maintain cleanliness in the house, or smoke in front of the child.

Diagnostic rules

The popular doctor additionally highlights the differences between laryngitis and croup. The latter term denotes the obligatory presence of an infectious factor in the child. Before the vaccination era, diphtheria was a common cause of croup.

At the moment, the corresponding bacterial disease rarely occurs, and laryngeal stenosis often progresses against the background of acute respiratory infections.

Dr. Komarovsky identifies the following characteristic symptoms of laryngitis in a child:

• Breathing problems with croup. There is difficulty in inhaling. Komarovsky focuses on the fact that for pneumonia and bronchitis, exhalation disturbance remains characteristic. The corresponding feature should be used for differential diagnosis.
• Voice change. The little patient begins to nasal. Sometimes it becomes difficult for a child to speak.
• Characteristic barking cough. The symptom occurs due to swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx. Air passing through a narrow gap causes the appearance of a corresponding sound.

Komarovsky focuses the attention of parents on the fact that with croup, the cause of the problem is an infectious factor. Additionally, there are signs of intoxication - general weakness, increased body temperature, sleep disturbance, sore throat.

With laryngitis, breathing is usually not impaired. However, the problem may be the onset of croup, so if you experience any changes in your voice, you should consult a doctor.

Laryngitis in newborns is additionally accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Loss of appetite. The baby may cough while eating.
• Constant anxiety.
• Unreasonable crying.

To determine the cause of the problem, Komarovsky recommends consulting a doctor. If you have difficulty breathing, you should definitely call an ambulance. Diagnosis of the disease by doctors is based on collecting anamnesis, analysis of patient complaints and examination of the pharynx.

Types of acute and chronic laryngitis

Acute laryngitis is a disease that is pronounced in children, manifests itself in a matter of hours, progresses quickly and lasts about 2 weeks. If this disease often recurs and is not fully cured, it transforms into a chronic form, which is characterized by frequent relapses of the disease.

Depending on the symptoms that appear, the following forms of laryngitis are distinguished:

• Catarrhal is a mild acute form, manifested by a sore throat, mild cough, and no choking is observed.
• Hypertrophic - chronic cough intensifies, becomes more sonorous, because the vocal cords have thickened, characteristic tubercles have appeared on them and on the back wall of the larynx.
• Atrophic - if a child has chronic laryngitis for a long time, frequent coughing leads to thinning of the walls of the larynx, as a result of which the child loses his voice.

If timely, adequate measures are not taken to cure the child, damage to the mucous membrane of the laryngeal walls becomes more complicated and causes even more complex illnesses:

• Stenosing laryngotracheitis, or false croup - due to the development of inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa, its swollen walls narrow the lumen for the passage of air. The child has difficulty breathing and attacks of suffocation develop.
• Laryngopharyngitis - when pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) is also connected to laryngitis.

Symptoms

The symptoms and treatment of laryngitis are related, so it is necessary to be able to recognize the disease as early as possible. Acute laryngitis can begin:

• how suddenly with a rise in temperature and a sharp increase in painful manifestations,
• and gradually - with a slow deterioration in the general condition and then the manifestation of the main symptoms. The mildest and most frequently occurring form is catarrhal laryngitis . Here are its most typical symptoms: Pain when swallowing
• Soreness, burning sensation, feeling of dryness in the throat
• Dry frequent cough
• Headache, weakness
• Moderate increase in temperature (37.0-37.7 degrees); the temperature may not rise immediately, but 1-2 days after the appearance of cough, sore throat, and dry throat.

Since laryngitis can be caused by different pathogens and manifest itself in different forms, the following specific symptoms may also appear . Among the varieties are:

• Hemorrhagic laryngitis : the presence of small hemorrhages in the mucous membrane (blood seeps from dilated vessels due to the inflammatory reaction).
• Stenosing laryngitis : there is a significant narrowing of the lumen (larynx stenosis) and difficulty breathing.
• Diphtheria laryngitis : a bacterial infection spreads from the tonsils, as a result of which a plaque in the form of a white film forms in the larynx; when detached, it can cause blockage of the respiratory tract.
• Phlegmonous laryngitis : is a consequence of the catarrhal form of laryngitis; characterized by the appearance of diffuse inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa (phlegmon) and increased symptoms of the disease.

Important! When visiting a doctor to determine the form of laryngitis, a blood test may be required to determine the causative agent of laryngitis (virus or bacteria). This is necessary for the correct choice of treatment tactics.

First signs and symptoms

Depending on the duration, localization of the inflammatory process and the form of the disease, the clinical picture may have certain differences. Symptoms and treatment of laryngitis in children according to Komarovsky involves a differentiated approach to assessing the patient’s condition and determining the optimal ways to restore health.

1. Dry barking cough, which exhausts the baby’s body and in some cases causes pain.

2. Rapid, intermittent and loud breathing, and it is most difficult for the child to inhale. Additionally, pronounced noises may be heard.

3. Change in voice timbre - as a result of damage to the neuromuscular system of the larynx, the glottis narrows, causing the voice to become hoarse and rough.

NOTE: The baby’s condition is critical when the ligaments are completely closed, when air stops flowing into the lungs; this phenomenon is called croup. True croup develops only with diphtheria, and in all other cases we are talking about false croup.

However, it is clear to say for sure that only a certified otolaryngologist can have laryngitis in school-age children or infants, according to Dr. Komarovsky. As for temperature indicators, they are usually increased, but only slightly – within 38 degrees.

First of all, the first symptom of laryngitis is a strong increase in body temperature, the baby feels very weak, appetite and even the desire to play disappear. Dr. Komarovsky, as well as other famous doctors, noted that when laryngitis appears, the number of leukocytes, which can only be determined by a general blood test, increases sharply.

In addition to tests, there are other signs of the disease that clearly indicate the development of the disease and to identify which you do not need to take the child to the nearest clinic, but begin treatment at home.

First of all, with laryngitis, swallowing becomes very difficult and a sharp pain in the throat appears, and it is not aching, but sharp. Against this background, the child’s voice begins to change; it becomes either rough, hoarse, or may disappear completely.

But all these signs can also appear with ordinary sore throat, but the distinguishing sign is still a barking cough and difficulty breathing. This factor indicates that laryngitis has progressed to croup; such a complicated phenomenon is often found among infants and children under three years of age.

It should be remembered that in no case should you delay treatment, since a child, especially an infant, can very quickly suffocate due to swelling of the larynx; you need to start treating the baby without wasting a second.

As for the treatment of laryngitis in a child, there is a whole list of different measures. Many parents are accustomed to starting to give him antibiotics at the first symptoms of the disease. Dr. Komarovsky categorically does not recommend their use for signs of laryngitis.

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Along with them, treatment with expectorant syrups and inhalations with hot steam should not be carried out, as all this can cause severe allergies in the child and lead to closure of the walls of the larynx.

Many mothers who studied information about laryngitis in order to identify the disease in a timely manner saw photos of swollen vocal cords. This symptom of laryngitis is the reason why the baby develops hoarseness, it becomes difficult for him to talk and swallow.

The narrowing of the air passage causes difficulty breathing. This symptom often occurs around 4 am. A child may become frightened and panic while sleeping, which will only intensify the attack of suffocation. The skin around the mouth may become bluish due to lack of oxygen in the body.

You should know a few more facts about this insidious disease.

• If laryngitis is caused by an infection, it is contagious and spreads through the air.
• The disease is more severe in the youngest children.
• Listening often reveals humming wheezing in the lungs of children, similar to the sound of an accordion. They do not mean that laryngitis has spread that far - these are sounds that are heard that have formed in the upper part of the respiratory system.

Symptoms and causes of the disease

In more than 95% of cases, the disease is caused by viral agents. They enter the body through the nasopharynx and settle on the surface of the mucous membrane of the throat. But this does not mean that as soon as a viral particle has entered the body, laryngitis will necessarily begin to develop. For its occurrence, predisposing factors must be present.

Komarovsky believes that in a child aged from six months to three years, the disease is provoked by the structural features of the larynx - the looseness of the tissues of the mucous membrane of the vocal cords and the lumen of the throat with a small diameter. This is why treatment in children differs from therapy in adults.

Dr. Komarovsky considers the following to be common triggers for the development of laryngitis:

• bacterial infections;
• allergic inflammatory process on the vocal cords;
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD);
• injuries or strain to the vocal cords.

A common causative factor, especially in newborns and infants, is hypothermia. Often the occurrence of the disease is a complication of measles, whooping cough, and scarlet fever.

Before treating laryngitis in a child, it is necessary to understand the clinical manifestations. The disease has the following symptoms:

• increase in general body temperature;
• hoarseness of voice;
• sore throat;
• nervous excitement;
• perioral cyanosis (around the mouth);
• dry barking cough;
• difficulty breathing;
• sore throat, the intensity of which increases during swallowing.

The acute form of the disease is characterized by the fact that the temperature rises to 38.5-40 degrees, and in the chronic form – 37.5-38 °C. The patient's condition usually worsens in the evening. The baby feels apathy, drowsiness, and weakness. The sore throat can be very severe, the patient may refuse to eat, which provokes rapid weight loss, so the attending physician should try to eliminate this symptom as quickly as possible.

Sore throat.

Treatment using the Komarovsky method

Causes

Laryngitis in a child can occur for various reasons. It all depends on the individual characteristics of each organism. Komarovsky names the most common causes of laryngitis in children:

• Allergic reactions.
• Upper respiratory tract infections.
• Inhalation of cold air or hot steam.

Laryngitis can progress in children of different ages. To minimize the risk of complications, parents need to know the algorithm of actions for the corresponding problem. It is not enough to simply establish the cause of the pathology; you need to be able to fight it. Read more about laryngitis →

Dr. Komarovsky’s information about laryngitis is distinguished by its simplicity of presentation and ease of memorization.

Diagnostic rules

The popular doctor additionally highlights the differences between laryngitis and croup. The latter term denotes the obligatory presence of an infectious factor in the child. Before the vaccination era, diphtheria was a common cause of croup.

At the moment, the corresponding bacterial disease rarely occurs, and laryngeal stenosis often progresses against the background of acute respiratory infections.

Dr. Komarovsky identifies the following characteristic symptoms of laryngitis in a child:

• Breathing problems with croup. There is difficulty in inhaling. Komarovsky focuses on the fact that for pneumonia and bronchitis, exhalation disturbance remains characteristic. The corresponding feature should be used for differential diagnosis.
• Voice change. The little patient begins to nasal. Sometimes it becomes difficult for a child to speak.
• Characteristic barking cough. The symptom occurs due to swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx. Air passing through a narrow gap causes the appearance of a corresponding sound.

Komarovsky focuses the attention of parents on the fact that with croup, the cause of the problem is an infectious factor. Additionally, there are signs of intoxication - general weakness, increased body temperature, sleep disturbance, sore throat.

With laryngitis, breathing is usually not impaired. However, the problem may be the onset of croup, so if you experience any changes in your voice, you should consult a doctor.

Laryngitis in newborns is additionally accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Loss of appetite. The baby may cough while eating.
• Constant anxiety.
• Unreasonable crying.

To determine the cause of the problem, Komarovsky recommends consulting a doctor. If you have difficulty breathing, you should definitely call an ambulance. Diagnosis of the disease by doctors is based on collecting anamnesis, analysis of patient complaints and examination of the pharynx.

Treatment

How to treat laryngitis in children? Komarovsky suggests first calming the child down. It is important to minimize the negative emotions of a small patient. There is no need to try to put mustard plaster on him or put his feet in boiling water.

The doctor calls the second step “vocal rest.” It is necessary to explain to the baby that excessive screaming or even talking will lead to a worsening of the condition. Treatment of laryngitis in children in this case is based on the use of the regenerative forces of the body’s own.

Dr. Komarovsky emphasizes the importance of keeping a child with laryngitis in a clean, cool bedroom where the air is humidified. This helps stabilize the function of the larynx and prevents the progression of the problem. Dry air leads to the formation of thick mucus, which blocks the airways.

How to treat laryngitis in infants? Komarovsky, in addition to the above points, allows the use of the following medications:

• Antipyretics in the presence of fever above 38 o C. Representatives - Paracetamol, Ibuprofen.
• Vasoconstrictor drops - children's Nazivin, Pinosol and others.

In severe cases, when inhalation of cool, humidified air and other simple measures do not help, and the child has laryngitis with severe difficulty breathing, hormonal drugs are used - prednisolone, hydrocortisone. They are prescribed only by a doctor depending on the clinical picture.

Komarovsky focuses on the fact that treatment of laryngitis in children is effective without the use of medications.

With a disease such as laryngitis, inflammation occurs mainly in the larynx. At least at the initial stage. The reasons for this can be varied. Firstly, viral and bacterial infection should be noted, and secondly, chemical poisoning and exposure to cold or hot air.

With the arrival of autumn, the number of laryngitis in children increases. This is due to the cool weather, as well as the start of the school year at school and kindergarten. Pediatrician Komarovsky believes that acute laryngitis can be treated at home if the baby does not have life-threatening symptoms.

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx. As a rule, this disease is more severe in children than in adults.

This is due to anatomical features: the lumen of the children's larynx is narrower, so even slight inflammation and swelling can lead to extreme narrowing of the lumen and difficulty breathing.

According to Dr. Evgeniy Komarovsky, in 99% of cases, laryngitis is viral in nature. Viral infection is the main cause of laryngitis, but it can also be a consequence of exposure to the pathogens of whooping cough and scarlet fever.

However, simple exposure to the virus is not enough to cause the disease to develop. It begins when the following factors occur:

• hypothermia,
• excessive vocal strain,
• chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

If treatment of acute laryngitis is carried out incorrectly or untimely, and its causes are not eliminated, then the disease passes from an acute form to a chronic one.

Symptoms

The symptoms and treatment of laryngitis are related, so it is necessary to be able to recognize the disease as early as possible. Acute laryngitis can begin:

• how suddenly with a rise in temperature and a sharp increase in painful manifestations,
• and gradually - with a slow deterioration in the general condition and then the manifestation of the main symptoms. The mildest and most frequently occurring form is catarrhal laryngitis. Here are its most typical symptoms: Pain when swallowing
• Soreness, burning sensation, feeling of dryness in the throat
• Dry frequent cough
• Headache, weakness
• Moderate increase in temperature (37.0-37.7 degrees); the temperature may not rise immediately, but 1-2 days after the appearance of cough, sore throat, and dry throat.

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Since laryngitis can be caused by different pathogens and manifest itself in different forms, the following specific symptoms may also appear. Among the varieties are:

• Hemorrhagic laryngitis: the presence of small hemorrhages in the mucous membrane (blood leaks from the vessels dilated due to the inflammatory reaction).
• Stenosing laryngitis: there is a significant narrowing of the lumen (larynx stenosis) and difficulty breathing.
• Diphtheria laryngitis: a bacterial infection spreads from the tonsils, as a result of which a plaque in the form of a white film forms in the larynx; when detached, it can cause blockage of the respiratory tract.
• Phlegmonous laryngitis: is a consequence of the catarrhal form of laryngitis; characterized by the appearance of diffuse inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa (phlegmon) and increased symptoms of the disease.

How to treat

Treatment tactics depend on the form and pathogen - if the disease is caused by a virus, the treatment will be the same, but if it is caused by bacteria, it will be completely different.

Laryngitis in children is usually viral, so the main treatment, according to Dr. Komarovsky, is plenty of warm drinks and clean, cool air with optimal humidity (60-70%). Thanks to this, the sputum will not collect in clots and become crusty, and the mucous membranes will not dry out.

To do this, in addition to drinking plenty of fluids and clean air, you need to comply with some requirements for the regime:

• At the beginning of the illness, you need to provide the child with rest and bed rest, and at the end, when the sputum begins to be coughed up and health improves, you can gradually walk in the fresh air.
• It is necessary to eliminate tension on the vocal cords - the child should speak as little as possible.
• Provide gentle nutrition that does not irritate the throat - food should not be sour, spicy, hard, too hot or cold.

Dr. Komarovsky also says the following about various treatment options for laryngitis:

• You need to provide dry warmth to your throat - for this it is best to tie a woolen scarf around your neck.
• Inhalations are done only in agreement with the attending physician. Inhalations should not be done at elevated body temperatures.
• You can gargle with alkaline solutions (for example, a soda solution), but you should not do this too often, as gargling creates vibrations that further irritate the larynx.
• You can make warming mustard foot baths.

Dr. Komarovsky talks about laryngitis in his video school.

Having impressive medical experience, Komarovsky laryngitis in children under one year of age and older advises treating it immediately and, first of all, directing efforts to eliminate the factors that provoked it. He lists the basic principles of proper therapy as:

• timely diagnosis;
• personal approach to the choice of therapeutic agents;
• creating healthy living conditions for patients - clean air, no cigarette smoke and maintaining high humidity in the house;
• nutritional adjustments taking into account the increased sensitivity of the mucous membranes of the larynx to chemical and mechanical irritants;
• use of natural preparations;
• tracking and stabilization of the emotional background - when the child is calm, it is fundamentally easier to relieve spasm of the vocal cords.

NOTE: Komarovsky does not recommend giving antibiotics for laryngitis in children, especially if there is no high fever and the child’s body is able to cope with the infection on its own.

Having studied the general principles, let's look at what the treatment of laryngitis in infants should be according to Komarovsky in detail:

• Do not do hot steam inhalations;
• the patient must be ensured complete rest and limit head activity;
• It is undesirable to use expectorants and antiallergic drugs, since the main cause of the disease is microbes;
• in the room where the baby is, the air temperature should be at least eighteen degrees, and the humidity level should be 50-60% or higher (you can place a special humidifier or a pot of water near the crib);
• the room must be regularly ventilated and wet cleaned;
• if additional symptoms such as a runny nose are observed, these also need to be treated;
• Make sure your child drinks a lot.

Acute laryngitis in a child Komarovsky

How to treat laryngitis in children

Inflammation of the larynx (laryngitis) in children is the most common infection of viral origin. Like other infectious diseases, laryngitis most often affects children who attend nurseries, kindergartens and schools - due to contact with a large number of children who may be infected with the virus. In more rare cases, the disease is bacterial in nature, caused by exposure to toxins or immune disorders. Whatever the cause of laryngitis, it needs to be treated, especially in cases where a child is sick.

Everyone knows that laryngitis comes in two types: acute and chronic. The first type of disease lasts several days, and the chronic form can attack the body for many years. However, chronic inflammation of the larynx does not occur in children, so we will talk to you about the treatment of acute laryngitis.

Symptoms

First of all, with this disease, the vocal cords are affected - they become irritated or swollen. This leads to the fact that it is difficult for a small patient to speak (any attempt to pronounce a word causes pain). Other symptoms of laryngitis in children are as follows:

• feeling of dryness, burning and sore throat
• difficulty swallowing food
• hoarseness
• dry cough
• elevated temperature
• aphonia - problems with voice volume, in more serious cases - complete loss of voice
• chills
• malaise
• dyspnea
• enlarged lymph nodes.

In very rare cases, symptoms such as bloody sputum discharge after a coughing attack may occur.

Here is what the famous children's doctor Komarovsky says about this disease:

Why does the disease need urgent treatment?

Laryngitis in a child, if left untreated, can cause the virus or other microorganisms to infect other areas of the respiratory system. Non-healing acute laryngitis can develop into chronic inflammation of the larynx, which will lead to irreversible damage to the vocal cords. The acute form of the disease also causes changes in the vocal cords, but these processes are reversible. Therefore, as soon as you notice the first alarming symptoms of inflammation, you should immediately begin treating your child.

We will tell you below how to do this using traditional medicine recipes.

Treatment

General Tips

Inhalations

To treat laryngitis, traditional healers recommend doing inhalations for the larynx at least 2 times a day. We recommend adding a couple of drops of eucalyptus or pine essential oil to the water on which the baby will be steaming. Inhalations can be done over a pan of hot water, or using a special inhalation device. The second option is more preferable for a child, since it is much safer - there is no risk of boiling water spilling on the baby.

Tea with lemon

Add lemon to tea and ask your child to drink as much as he can. Lemon helps clear mucus and throat congestion.

Honey with lemon

Mix honey and lemon juice in equal quantities and gargle with this mixture. Honey softens and moisturizes all irritated tissues, and lemon thins mucus.

Apple cider vinegar water

A very effective method to treat acute laryngitis is to mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with 1/2 cup of warm water. Give this drink to your child every half hour for seven hours. Apple cider vinegar acts as a disinfectant. In addition, it removes toxins from the blood.

Syrup for a sore throat

Another great way to relieve inflammation of the larynx is to take syrup with onion, honey and lemon. To do this, chop three large onions and fill them with 4-5 glasses of water. Heat the whole thing over low heat until you get the consistency of syrup. Then strain the liquid. To five tablespoons of strained onion syrup you need to add 1 tablespoon of honey and the juice of half a lemon. You need to drink this syrup slowly.

Salt water rinses

If your child has laryngitis, you can also rinse his throat with salt water or saline. Simply mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water. You need to gargle your throat several times a day. Salt water is known to be an excellent way to fight infections.

Herbal inhalations

Herbal inhalations help cure laryngitis, so if you have the time and desire, prepare the following mixture for your child:

• Thyme herb - 40 g
• Sage leaf - 40 g
• Pine shoots - 40 g
• Chamomile – 40 g

Preparation and use. Pour 30 g of the mixture with hot water, warm it slightly, then bend the child over the pan with this inhalation, cover him with a towel on top. It is recommended to do 2-3 such inhalations per day, lasting 5-10 minutes.

Inhalations from the following herbal mixture will also quickly relieve acute laryngitis:

• Sage leaf - 30 g
• Thyme herb - 30 g
• Pechoria rhizome – 30 g

The herbal mixture should be poured into a glass of water, boiled for 2-3 minutes, and then carried out the inhalation procedure. At the end of the session, the child should be put to bed and covered with a warm blanket.

Herbs for internal use

To overcome laryngitis, call on the power of medicinal plants for help. For example, try this collection:

• Mallow – 20 g
• Marshmallow leaves - 10 g
• Chamomile – 10 g
• Anise fruits - 10 g

Preparation and use. Pour 2 teaspoons of herbal mixture into 1 glass of boiling water, keep warm under the lid for 30 minutes. This infusion should be given to the child warm, half a glass several times a day.

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Another equally effective collection:

• Marshmallow root – 30 g
• Marshmallow leaves - 30 g
• Thyme herb - 30 g

Preparation and use. Pour 2 teaspoons of herbs into 1 glass of boiling water, keep warm under the lid for 30 minutes. Serve the drug warm (but not hot) several times a day in case of dry cough, hoarseness and difficulty coughing up mucus.

Dandelion honey

If your child often has laryngitis, you should pick dandelion flowers in the spring to make healing honey. This plant has a gentle effect on the body, kills infection and accelerates the healing of inflamed mucous membranes of the throat.

So, to make honey we need 250 g of fresh, washed dandelion flowers, 1 kg of sugar and 1 lemon. Pour 1 liter of water over the flowers and cook for 15 - 30 minutes. Next, pass the broth through a sieve, add 1 kg of sugar and lemon juice, then boil for 1 hour. The mixture should have the consistency of honey. As soon as your child gets laryngitis, you should start this treatment: 1 teaspoon of dandelion jam is given to your baby several times a day. Jam can be added to milk.

Beet syrup

Laryngitis is very “afraid” of beet juice, since this vegetable coats the mucous membranes of the throat, relieves inflammation and increases the body’s resistance to viruses. Therefore, as soon as your child begins to complain of a sore throat, carry out the following treatment: grate the beets on a fine grater, squeeze out the juice through cheesecloth, and mix with the same amount of high-quality natural honey (preferably linden). This mixture should be heated in a water bath to a temperature of 40-50C, and then given to the child to drink in small sips. It is recommended to take 1-1.5 glasses of this drug per day.

Kalina

Viburnum is a natural antibiotic that helps cure laryngitis, coughs, colds and other viral and bacterial diseases. To do this, you need to take ripe viburnum fruits and grind them with sugar. This drug can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Treat with viburnum as soon as you notice your baby has laryngitis. Give him 1 teaspoon of candied viburnum 3 times a day. Ask your child to suck the viburnum very slowly - then the sweet juice will gently coat the throat, relieving inflammation and killing infection.

Breast rubbing

If your baby has laryngitis, rub his chest with a mixture of essential oils at night. For this, the following essential oils are used: eucalyptus, thyme, lavender, camphor, pine or turpentine. For small children, 2 - 5 drops are enough, for middle-aged children 3 - 6 drops, but for teenagers, the dose can be increased to 8 drops. Dilute essential oils in olive oil and rub this mixture gently onto your upper chest. This procedure must be repeated 2 - 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 2 - 5 days (during this time, laryngitis should completely go away). If a wound appears at the site of rubbing, you must stop treatment.

Warming compress on the throat

As we said at the beginning of the article, laryngitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the throat. Therefore, we recommend making local warming compresses to quickly overcome this illness in your baby and bring him relief.

Here is one effective recipe: mix chopped garlic with vegetable oil, apply to a gauze cloth, and apply to the throat. Wrap a warm scarf around the baby's throat. This compress should be kept as long as the baby can stand it.

How to treat laryngitis in a child? Choosing a reliable method

A change of season or hypothermia of the body against the background of a weakened immune system can provoke inflammation of the larynx, or laryngitis. Children are most susceptible to this disease. Therefore, the question arises: how to treat laryngitis in a child? First you need to identify the cause of the disease. After all, the cause of laryngitis can be not only hypothermia, but also an infectious disease (whooping cough, measles, scarlet fever). In addition, it is necessary to determine the type of laryngitis (catarrhal, hypertrophic, atrophic).

How to treat laryngitis in a child? It all depends on the form of the disease

Catarrhal laryngitis

This is the most common and mildest form of the disease. Symptoms of this type are a sore throat, hoarseness, and occasional cough.

Hypertrophic laryngitis

This form is characterized by thinning of the mucous layer of the larynx. The patient is bothered by dry mouth and severe cough. You may cough up blood. Fortunately, children practically do not suffer from this form of the disease.

Treatment of laryngitis

Of course, only an experienced specialist can make an accurate diagnosis and decide how to treat laryngitis in a child. The sooner you go to the hospital, the faster your recovery will come. It is especially important to see a doctor as soon as possible if laryngitis is detected in a child under one year old.

For a speedy recovery, it is necessary to provide complete rest to the sore throat. You should explain to your child that whispering strains the vocal cords no less than screaming. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the baby breathes through his nose. This will protect the inflamed larynx from cold air and bacteria.

The famous children's doctor and TV presenter, Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky, in his TV shows and books more than once spoke about various colds, in particular laryngitis, and gave advice on how to achieve a faster recovery. If laryngitis is detected in children, Komarovsky recommends treatment, no matter how strange it may sound, to start by opening the window. Indeed, very often, if a child gets sick, parents try to create greenhouse conditions in the children's room, making the air very warm. And this dries out the ligaments and increases hoarseness. If you open the window, the air in the room will become cool and humid, and it will become much easier for the child to breathe.

The patient must be provided with plenty of warm fluids. These can be compotes, fruit drinks, natural juices and other fortified drinks. In addition, coarse, spicy and hot foods should be excluded from the baby’s diet. Inhalations with medicinal herbs (sage, chamomile, eucalyptus, St. John's wort) and warm compresses are also useful.

The use of medications for laryngitis is aimed at relieving swelling and inflammation, reducing allergic reactions, and softening the mucous membrane. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate or prescribe medications yourself. How to treat laryngitis in a child and what medications to use should only be decided by a doctor. This is especially true for antibiotics, the uncontrolled use of which can weaken the child’s immunity, destroy beneficial intestinal flora and provoke dysbacteriosis.

Recommendations of Dr. Komarovsky for the treatment of laryngitis

Content

With a disease such as laryngitis, inflammation occurs mainly in the larynx. At least at the initial stage. The reasons for this can be varied. Firstly, viral and bacterial infection should be noted, and secondly, chemical poisoning and exposure to cold or hot air. Laryngitis can also occur with tuberculosis, diphtheria and syphilis. But the most common is the acute form of the disease.

Main symptoms and types of laryngitis

The main signs of the onset of the disease are a sharp increase in body temperature, even fever. In this case, the child experiences a severe sore throat and shudders. Other symptoms of laryngitis: hoarseness, as well as a barking, very dry and suffocating cough.

Since this disease is accompanied by a common cold, the symptoms become similar to acute respiratory infections, that is, children develop a runny nose, conjunctivitis and many other symptoms. That is why it is quite difficult to recognize laryngitis at the initial stage. In addition, symptoms do not appear in all cases. Sometimes a child just has a slightly dry throat and a mild cough.

When examined by a pediatrician, symptoms of swelling of the vocal cords may be detected, and subsequently the disappearance of the voice. Children begin to suffer from shortness of breath. If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner, a chronic form of the disease may develop, which is much more difficult to treat. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to all the signs and symptoms that your child exhibits.

This disease, which occurs in an acute form, can be cured within just one week, of course, provided that laryngitis is treated correctly. The state of the immune system also plays a huge role in this, so first of all it is necessary to increase the level of resistance of the body. If the recovery process does not occur on time, then it is quite possible to expect complications:

• damage to the laryngeal cartilages
• cervical cellulitis
• sepsis
• narrowing of the lumen
• severe tissue swelling.

The acute form of laryngitis must be treated only comprehensively and using inhalations based on medicinal herbs, mineral water and soda solution. It is worth considering that at very high temperatures, breathing over steam is contraindicated. The child should take in fluids as much as possible and breathe fresh, humidified air.

Based on the above, treatment of laryngitis must be carried out in a timely manner, otherwise the disease will develop into a chronic form. As soon as the first symptoms of inflammation appear, you should immediately go to the hospital. In the acute course of the disease, the mucous membrane becomes covered with polyps, the laryngeal walls become dense, and the cough worsens when exposed to the cold.

The next type is called diphtheria laryngitis, in which the infection spreads to the lower part of the larynx. A white membrane covers the entire mucosa and sometimes peels off, blocking the airways.

The same symptoms appear when infected with streptococci. The tuberculous form of laryngitis occurs due to bacteria in the pulmonary area. The main symptoms are the appearance of nodular thickenings in the larynx. Occasionally, destruction of the epiglottis and cartilage in the corresponding organs may occur.

If a child carries syphilis bacteria, syphilitic laryngitis may well develop, the symptoms of which are manifested in the appearance of ulcers and scars. Doctors always prescribe a course of therapy only individually, because each child has different causes of the disease, different stages, and so on. That is why, before treating laryngitis in children, the pediatrician carefully studies the medical history.

Treatment according to Komarovsky

Of course, every doctor has his own opinion on the treatment of the disease, and the famous TV presenter and doctor E.O. Komarovsky was no exception. who wrote many books on various childhood diseases. His advice and recommendations received the deserved attention of many parents and helped a huge number of children in the recovery process.

The first thing to do is to provide the child with free access to air, that is, you need to open the window in the room. This is due to the fact that with laryngitis the cough is already quite dry, so the atmosphere of the room needs to be moistened. Among other things, in greenhouse conditions, microbes begin to develop intensively, and when fresh air enters, on the contrary, they are destroyed.

According to Komarovsky’s recommendations, the child needs to drink a lot of fluids and, preferably, these should be natural juices, compotes, decoctions of medicinal herbs, fruit drinks and the like. Hot, cold and spicy foods are excluded from the children's diet. Inhalations are mandatory and warm compresses are used on the sore area. Medications are prescribed that can relieve inflammation and swelling, reduce allergic reactions and soften the mucous membrane as much as possible.

Laryngitis in children, the treatment of which should only be prescribed by an experienced pediatrician, can be painless, the main thing is to follow all the doctor’s instructions. Remember that antibiotics are used as a last resort, as these drugs reduce the level of immunity. And it is very important in the fight against infections.

Doctor Komarovsky. Laryngitis and croup.

Laryngitis can be caused by chemical or physical irritants (poisonous gases, cold or hot air) or infections (bacteria and viruses).

Laryngitis occurs in infectious diseases such as diphtheria, tuberculosis, and syphilis.

Symptoms of laryngitis depend on the form of the disease. Acute viral laryngitis (one of the common manifestations of the common cold) is accompanied by increased temperature (fever), chills, and sore throat.

Typical symptoms of laryngitis are hoarseness (hoarseness of voice) and a ringing, dry, suffocating cough, sore throat. Laryngitis is often associated with the common cold, so very often, in addition to the symptoms of laryngitis, there are other symptoms of acute respiratory infections (runny nose, chest cough, conjunctivitis, etc.).

In children (especially against the background of parainfluenza infection), due to massive damage to the laryngeal mucosa, a dangerous condition can develop - acute stenosing laryngotracheitis (croup).

The course of acute laryngitis takes 5-7 days and, as a rule, ends with complete recovery, but in some cases (frequent episodes of the disease, poor quality treatment, weakening of the body’s defenses) the disease can become chronic.

Possible complications of acute laryngitis are damage to the cartilage of the larynx, phlegmon of the neck, sepsis.

Chronic laryngitis

Chronic laryngitis is usually caused by smoking, alcoholism, or overuse of the vocal cords. In the case of chronic laryngitis, the mucous membrane becomes dry and covered with polyps (small protruding growths), the walls of the larynx become thickened and inflamed.

Symptoms of chronic laryngitis are a dry, annoying cough that worsens in the cold or when inhaling smoke or irritating gases, periodic pain and sore throat, persistent hoarseness or deepening of the voice.

Diphtheria laryngitis

In diphtheria, laryngitis is caused by the spread of infection from the tonsils down into the larynx. The mucous membrane becomes covered with a white membrane, which can detach and cause blockage of the airways at the level of the vocal cords. A similar membrane can also form during streptococcal infection.

Tuberculous laryngitis

Tuberculous laryngitis is usually secondary and occurs when infection spreads from the lungs. With tuberculous laryngitis, tuberous nodular thickenings form in the tissues of the larynx. Destruction of the laryngeal cartilage and epiglottis is also possible.

Syphilitic laryngitis

Laryngitis is one of the many complications of syphilis. In the second stage of syphilis, ulcers and mucous plaques may form. In the third stage of the disease, scarring occurs that can deform the larynx and vocal cords, which can lead to permanent hoarseness.

Treatment of viral laryngitis (for colds, acute respiratory infections) is symptomatic - bed rest, plenty of warm drinks, gargling with alkaline or solutions, and, if necessary, lowering the temperature.

A severe dry cough with laryngitis requires the use of antitussives, provided, however, that the infection has not spread to the bronchi (bronchitis). Antibiotics for laryngitis are indicated only if the disease is bacterial in nature.

Treatment of chronic laryngitis depends on the specific form of the disease and includes: elimination of adverse factors, alkaline inhalations, physiotherapy, if necessary, a course of antibiotics, surgical removal of laryngeal polyps.

Sources: nmed.org, fb.ru, anginynet.ru, karapyziki.net

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How to treat laryngitis in children

Due to the fact that this disease has many forms, similar diseases and is dangerous in its consequences, therefore, never self-medicate your baby; at the first suspicion, consult a specialist.

Remember that the first thing to do in case of laryngitis for a quick cure is to eliminate the cause, that is, fight the infection, eliminate the allergen, and provide maximum psycho-emotional and vocal peace for the child. Let's take a closer look at the methods of combating the disease.

For laryngitis, the following drugs may be prescribed:

1. Medicines aimed at combating viral infections - Anaferon, Kagocel, etc.

• "Anaferon" - homeopathic tablets, are well suited for treating children 1 month old, but under the supervision of a doctor. The medicine needs to be dissolved in the mouth; for children under 3 years old, dissolve the tablet in 1 tsp. water at room temperature. Reception regimen:

• on the first day, the first 5 tablets. every half hour, the next 3 tables. one at a time at equal periods of time, 8 tables in total;
• second day – take 1 tablet. three times a day, continue this until recovery.

1. Antihistamines - “Cetrin”, “Zodak”, etc.

• “Cetrin” is a syrup that will help relieve swelling of the larynx, use until symptoms disappear once a day in the following doses:

• children from 2 to 6 years old – 2.5 ml;
• children over 6 years old - initial dose 5 ml.

1. Antipyretics - Panadol, Paracetamol, etc.

• Paracetamol in suspension should be taken no more than 4 times a day with a 6-hour break at the following dosage:

• age from 1 to 3 months – 2 ml;
• from 3 months up to 1 year – up to 5 ml;
• 1-6 years – up to 10 ml.

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Antibiotics

These medications for laryngitis should be used with caution only if the child has a bacterial infection and there is a risk of intoxication of the body; Augmentin, Amoxiclav, and Cefodox are often prescribed.

• "Cefodox" - suitable for children from 5 months of age, the suspension is taken orally with meals. The daily dose is calculated as follows: 10 mg per kilogram of the child’s body weight, taken 2 times with an interval of 12 hours.

In total, probiotics “Linex” and “Laktovit” are used to maintain intestinal flora.

Inhalations

A special device will help you effectively inhale at home - a nebulizer, which will spray the medicine in small droplets, like a spray, which will help the active substance quickly penetrate the mucous membrane.

Inhalations with the homeopathic drug “Tonsilgon N” have an anti-inflammatory effect. Adrenaline (Epinephrine) is used to relieve swelling of the larynx. The course lasts 5-10 days, depending on the doctor’s prescriptions. Attention:

• for children under 2 years old - in a ratio of 1:12, apply 3 ml of the resulting mixture once a day;
• for children over 2 years old - dilute the drug 1:6, use 3 ml of the mixture once a day.

To moisturize the larynx and alleviate coughing attacks, inhalations with degassed alkaline mineral water “Borjomi” are used (4 ml of water up to 4 times a day). Finally, let us remind you about careful use of medications.

For example, the Berodual inhalation solution, which is often mentioned in connection with laryngitis, should not be used. This medicine is a bronchodilator - it affects the tone of the bronchial muscles, not the larynx.

If the child’s condition allows him to stay at home, you can additionally use traditional medicine. How to treat vocal cords and larynx with home remedies?

• Firstly, you need plenty of warm drinks - compotes, fruit drinks, milk with honey and cow butter (1 tsp per glass) softens the larynx well.
• A milk decoction of carrots has the same effect: grate 1 medium carrot, add 0.5 liters of milk and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Strain, cool, and give to the child to drink.
• To make breathing easier, humidify the air in the room with eucalyptus vapor: 2 tsp. add herbs to a liter of boiling water, place in an open container out of the child’s reach.
• At night, it’s good for your baby to make an oil compress. To do this, moisten a cotton-gauze bandage in heated vegetable oil, which is secured to the chest and wrapped with a woolen scarf on top.

In this article you will learn the most important things about laryngitis in a child: how to treat it! Komarovsky, in his video (located at the end of the publication), will tell in more detail how and how to treat the disease in a child under the age of 3 years and older.

Laryngitis in children causes inflammation of the larynx.

Causes of illness in an infant under one year of age include:

• upper respiratory tract infections;
• viruses;
• overuse of the vocal cords;
• too loud and prolonged screams, crying;
• chronic irritation of the vocal cords;
• exposure to polluted air.

The disease is contagious only if it is caused by an infection. Laryngitis in a child will not develop if the course of the viral infection stops within the baby’s throat, and will only result in pharyngitis.

The deterioration of the latter and the process when the virus descends lower along the path of the respiratory organs lead to the development of incipient laryngitis in the newborn.

In infants under 9 months of age, breathing becomes difficult. When a child tries to breathe through a swollen, narrow larynx, the cartilage can break down, similar to when a one-year-old baby tries to breathe through a straw.

With age, the cartilage becomes tougher and is able to withstand deep breathing, but a child's cartilage is weak and with each breath, he may need to put in a lot of effort. The maturation of larynx cartilage and expansion of the airways occurs gradually as children grow up, which will take more than 1 year.

The most common symptoms of the disease in a 6-year-old child are:

• hoarseness;
• fever;
• loss of voice;
• sore throat.

Symptoms in children 5-6 years of age can also include dry throat, pain when swallowing, and a feeling of swelling in the throat or neck. If the disease is caused by an infection, additional symptoms may occur in the form of enlarged lymph nodes and a hoarse cough.

Acute laryngitis, unlike chronic laryngitis, which is typical for children 3 years old, is not accompanied by prolonged symptoms that can last for weeks. Chronic inflammation in children who are already 2 years old is no less dangerous, since it can lead to the formation of nodules or polyps on the vocal cords.

It will be useful to increase the amount of fruit drinks, compotes, herbal teas, and milk your baby drinks. When treating, do not neglect the help of alkaline water. You should avoid carbonated drinks and excessively hot and cold foods.

Walking in the fresh air is very individual in such a sick condition. They can both make breathing easier and tire the patient out with physical activity. Antihistamines will relieve swelling and normalize the mucous membrane.

It will also be useful to use antitussive expectorants. Warming neck compresses and mustard foot baths also make sense to pay attention to.

NOTE: The effectiveness of the treatment of laryngitis according to Komarovsky is confirmed by numerous reviews from parents. At the same time, the author emphasizes that the main thing when signs of illness appear is to immediately go to the hospital or call an ambulance.

You can use the recommendations of a specialist for both acute and chronic pathological processes. In the first case, signs are observed in the baby for 2 weeks, and in the second - for more than two weeks.

Causes of laryngitis in a child between 1 and 2 years of age

Laryngitis in children causes inflammation of the larynx.

Causes of illness in an infant under one year of age include:

• upper respiratory tract infections;
• viruses;
• overuse of the vocal cords;
• too loud and prolonged screams, crying;
• chronic irritation of the vocal cords;
• exposure to polluted air.

The disease is contagious only if it is caused by an infection. Laryngitis in a child will not develop if the course of the viral infection stops within the baby’s throat, and will only result in pharyngitis.

The deterioration of the latter and the process when the virus descends lower along the path of the respiratory organs lead to the development of incipient laryngitis in the newborn.

Treatment using the Komarovsky method

After you have learned what laryngitis is in children, what are the symptoms and treatment of this disease, find out how to prevent the disease:

1. Walk with your child in the fresh air more often, regularly ventilate the house, maintain a proper daily routine and ensure proper nutrition.
2. In the rooms where the baby walks and sleeps, create a cool, humid microclimate with a temperature of 18 degrees.
3. Maintain high humidity by placing vessels with water near the radiators, hanging wet towels, or spraying water from a spray bottle.

Treatment

How to treat laryngitis in children? Komarovsky suggests first calming the child down. It is important to minimize the negative emotions of a small patient. There is no need to try to put mustard plaster on him or put his feet in boiling water.

The doctor calls the second step “vocal rest.” It is necessary to explain to the baby that excessive screaming or even talking will lead to a worsening of the condition. Treatment of laryngitis in children in this case is based on the use of the regenerative forces of the body’s own.

Dr. Komarovsky emphasizes the importance of keeping a child with laryngitis in a clean, cool bedroom where the air is humidified. This helps stabilize the function of the larynx and prevents the progression of the problem. Dry air leads to the formation of thick mucus, which blocks the airways.

How to treat laryngitis in infants? Komarovsky, in addition to the above points, allows the use of the following medications:

• Antipyretics in the presence of fever above 38 o C. Representatives - Paracetamol, Ibuprofen.
• Vasoconstrictor drops - children's Nazivin, Pinosol and others.

In severe cases, when inhalation of cool, humidified air and other simple measures do not help, and the child has laryngitis with severe difficulty breathing, hormonal drugs are used - prednisolone, hydrocortisone. They are prescribed only by a doctor depending on the clinical picture.