Medicines for allergic cough

Allergic cough in children is a symptom of various diseases of the respiratory organs (bronchi, lungs, trachea). This cough can be caused by infectious diseases of the respiratory tract and inflammatory processes. By coughing, the body tries to get rid of allergens or bacteria in the body. Also, such a cough may indicate the onset of the development of a chronic disease, such as bronchial asthma. In any case, you should not try to treat cough in children on your own. You should immediately consult a pediatrician.

Causes of allergic cough in children

There are many reasons for this cough. This may be an unfavorable environmental situation, unsuitable climatic conditions, or a reaction to any food product.

Let's consider the possible causes of allergic cough in children.

During pregnancy or breastfeeding, strong antibiotics were prescribed. The mother's body is very closely connected with the baby's body. Therefore, when taking antibiotics, the mother passes on their components to the child. In the future, this can lead to the development of allergic reactions.

One of the baby's parents is allergic himself. Thus, the gene responsible for the occurrence of allergies is transmitted to the child. This could be a food allergy, an allergy to dust, wool, and much more. However, it is not a fact that the child will develop an allergic reaction to these factors. Perhaps it will be other products or substances.

It was found that during a cesarean section, babies are more likely to suffer from an allergic cough in the future. Perhaps the baby's mother used too many cosmetics and hygiene products to care for the baby. These can be various powders, wet wipes, baby creams.

Scientists have not yet found a clear answer to the question of the causes of childhood allergic cough.

Causes

Factors that provoke the development of allergic cough:

• house dust;
• wool, down and feather products;
• cosmetical tools;
• plant pollen;
• taking antibiotics in the first years of a baby’s life;
• food with the addition of various additives, taste enhancers;
• sweet food;
• genetic predisposition;
• household chemicals;
• various syrups, tablets;
• pet fur.

In addition, the development of childhood allergic cough can be affected by:

1. Abuse of antibiotics by the mother during pregnancy.
2. Birth by caesarean section.
3. Excessive hygiene.
4. Weakening of the immune system.

Allergic diseases accompanied by cough include:

1. Laryngitis. In this case, the larynx is affected.
2. Tracheitis. Characterized by the development of an inflammatory process in the trachea.
3. Bronchitis. It is an inflammation of the bronchial walls.
4. Bronchial asthma.
5. Inflammation of the nasopharynx.
6. Quincke's edema.

Symptoms of allergic cough in children

If parents notice that coughing attacks mainly appear at night, this is one of the symptoms of an allergic cough. During the daytime the attacks weaken.

The cough is dry, hacking or barking. This cough does not stop for quite a long time (2-3 weeks).

With colds or viral diseases, the temperature rises. When an allergy occurs, there is no such symptom.

There is profuse lacrimation from the eyes. There is a feeling of itching in the larynx and nasal cavity. A clear, watery fluid is discharged from the sinuses.

How is it different from other types of cough?

Symptoms

In most cases, allergic cough:

1. Occurs suddenly (after contact with an irritant).
2. Most often, it lasts for a long time (more than 21 days), while clinical signs of a cold (increased body temperature, chills, feeling of weakness) are absent.
3. Accompanied by accumulation of mucus in the nasal cavity , increased secretion of tear fluid, itching of the skin, burning of the mucous membranes.
4. A cough may appear immediately after or during contact/inhalation of an irritant , for example, in a perfumery, cosmetics store, or in a room with many carpets and fabrics.
5. This symptom often occurs at night , with pain in the head, mainly in the forehead.

The appearance of a cough due to food allergies may be accompanied by the following clinical signs:

• skin rashes;
• runny nose;
• diarrhea;
• itching;
• conjunctivitis of an allergic nature;
• swelling;
• redness;
• gagging.

A dry cough may occur due to infection with ascariasis.

First aid during an attack

Allergic cough attacks can cause suffocation. Therefore, before the doctors arrive, the child must be given first aid.

Moist steam promotes the expansion of the bronchi. Therefore, you can fill the bathtub with hot water. The child must be taken to the bathroom (there is no need to immerse him in water) and allowed to breathe moist air.

Do inhalation. You can simply boil the potatoes, cover the baby’s head, tilt them over the pan and let them breathe in the steam. The same can be done with a soda solution. If you are sure that the child is not allergic to medicinal herbs (chamomile, sage, eucalyptus), you can inhale them.

Treatment of allergic cough

Treatment of allergic cough should be prescribed by a pediatrician. It will help identify the cause of an allergic cough in a child. Carry out the necessary tests to identify the allergen. If this is a reaction to dust, animal hair or fluff, it is necessary to get rid of the allergen carrier and wet clean the room more often. Then the pediatrician will prescribe medication treatment. Several types of drugs may be prescribed. First of all, these are medications with antihistamine properties. This group of medications includes suprastin, claritin, histalong, erius, trexil and others. Many of these drugs cause drowsiness and decreased activity. Therefore, only a doctor can prescribe treatment. After conducting and receiving the results of all the necessary tests, the pediatrician will prescribe the optimal treatment for each specific case.

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You can also use traditional medicine methods. For example, honey in combination with lemon juice will help relieve an allergic cough attack. To prepare the solution, you need to take 2-3 tablespoons of honey, mix with crushed lemon, add 4 to 5 tablespoons of water. Boil the resulting mass until smooth, cool and give the child food up to 5 times a day. Honey softens the walls of the larynx and reduces painful itching. But this is only if you are sure that the child is not allergic to honey or citrus fruits.

Advice from Dr. Komarovsky

Dr. Komarovsky is a famous pediatrician. According to the doctor, allergic cough mainly occurs in children aged one and a half to five years. Komarovsky insists that an allergic cough in a child is a manifestation of the symptoms of some disease. That is, it is not an independent disease. Therefore, it is necessary first of all to diagnose the disease causing allergic cough. The greatest likelihood of an allergic cough is caused by infectious diseases (in 90% of cases). The remaining 10% are allergic diseases.

First of all, Dr. Komarovsky advises not to self-medicate under any circumstances, not to listen to the advice of friends or relatives, but to immediately consult a doctor.

A well-known pediatrician advises not to suppress the cough itself, but to look for the origins of the allergic reaction. He recommends giving plenty of fluids, ventilating the room more often, and purchasing devices that humidify the air in the room. In hot, dry air, as well as in the case of an abundance of dust, its microparticles settle on the bronchi and penetrate into the pulmonary alveoli, i.e., vesicles. The lungs begin to produce large amounts of mucus, trying to get rid of foreign particles. This is how a cough occurs.

To prevent and treat allergic cough in children, Dr. Komarovsky advises getting rid of the main sources of dust: hide carpets, put books behind glass. There should be no smoking in the house. You should not use perfume or deodorant in close proximity to your child. It is not recommended to use cleaning products containing chlorine or aggressive acids. If you use a vacuum cleaner, it is better for the child to be in another room. Drinks should be given warm, at body temperature. This will help the liquid be absorbed faster by the digestive tract and penetrate the blood. You can offer your child not very strong tea, dried fruit compotes, fruit drinks, and juices. Dr. Komarovsky insists that prescribing medication is the prerogative of the doctor.

Cough in a newborn - causes and complications

Cough is only a symptom that may indicate various respiratory diseases

A cough in a newborn baby can be very frightening for parents. At this age, the child cannot yet complain about his condition. Only a doctor can determine the cause of cough.

After examination, the doctor may prescribe cough syrup for newborns. The list of acceptable medications at this age is very small and they must be selected with great care, since newborn children often have allergic reactions.

The symptoms of cough in a small child are the same as in an adult, but it is worth remembering that the child is not always able to cough up sputum. The cough can be dry, barking or wet. The most dangerous complication of cough is false croup - swelling of the laryngeal mucosa, when air access to the lungs is disrupted. The causes of cough in a small child can be different.

It is important to describe to the doctor in detail when and after what the cough appeared, and what other symptoms it is accompanied by.

Possible causes of cough:

• ARVI. The most common cause of childhood cough. With a viral infection, the cough can be immediately with sputum or dry, but gradually turning into wet. Often a viral infection is accompanied by other symptoms: rhinitis, snot, poor appetite. In a newborn child, treatment for ARVI should begin as early as possible, since the likelihood of complications is higher than in adults.
• Upper respiratory tract diseases. A small child may experience laryngitis, tracheitis, and pharyngitis. With these diseases, the cough is usually dry, barking, exhausting, and paroxysmal. One of the symptoms may be suffocation and high fever.
• Whooping cough. Cough with whooping cough has its own characteristics: it has a certain periodicity, occurs at the same time, the cough is persistent and mainly occurs at night. This cough is also described as a “convulsive” cough. Whooping cough occurs more often in young unvaccinated children.
• Dry air. A cough in a newborn baby may occur due to dry air and irritation of the throat mucosa. In the children's room it is necessary to maintain a certain humidity and ventilation, which will create comfortable conditions for the child and help protect against various infections.

Syrups for dry cough

A dry cough is called non-productive. It is not accompanied by sputum discharge, does not bring relief and is often paroxysmal. An exhausting dry cough is difficult for young children to tolerate, but giving antitussive drugs is not always effective.

Most often, pediatricians recommend expectorants that thin mucus and help remove it from the lungs:

• Sinekod. Antitussive drug based on butamirate. It has antitussive and anti-inflammatory effects. It is prescribed for dry cough and wet cough before bedtime. The syrup has a pleasant vanilla taste. The syrup is prescribed for children over 2 years old, but drops are often recommended for small children under one year of age, as they are easier to swallow.
• Dr. Theiss. A drug with an expectorant and anti-inflammatory effect. This drug is of plant origin, contains mint, plantain and other components that can cause allergies in a child, so it is prescribed to children under one year of age with caution.
• Lazolvan. A drug based on ambroxol, which has a pronounced expectorant effect. The syrup does not contain alcohol or sugar, so it is often used to treat dry cough in infants. A newborn baby may develop intolerance to ambroxol, which is accompanied by Quincke's edema, rash, and urticaria.
• Gerbion. Complex preparation based on plantain syrup. It relieves inflammation, fights germs, thins and removes mucus, relieving coughing attacks. The syrup is prescribed to children under 2 years of age. Newborn children should be given syrup with caution and only with the permission of a doctor.
• Bronchicum. The drug has a bronchodilator and expectorant effect. The syrup promotes the removal of sputum and accelerates the process of transition from a dry cough to a wet one, however, it is rarely prescribed to children under six months of age due to possible side effects.

Before using the drug, you must consult your pediatrician. Syrups may contain additives that cause a reaction. Young children cannot yet cough up mucus, so they may choke on it. This should be kept in mind when using expectorant syrups.

Syrups for wet cough

For wet coughs, medications are prescribed that thin the mucus, making it easier to remove.

A wet cough is accompanied by sputum production. But young children may find it difficult to cough up this mucus, especially if it is thick. As a rule, antitussives are not prescribed for wet coughs, since the accumulation of sputum in the bronchi can cause inflammation.

If a child accumulates mucus that he cannot cough up, an adult places him with his stomach on his knee and, with a gentle, precise movement, hits him with his palm between the shoulder blades. This is an emergency technique when a newborn is choking on mucus.

Remedies for wet cough:

• ACC. A potent drug based on acetylcysteine. It actively liquefies and removes mucus, which is why it is prescribed to newborns extremely rarely. They cannot cough up on their own yet. The drug itself is colorless with a slight cherry smell, not bitter. ACC is often prescribed for severe diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract. For ordinary ARVI, other drugs are prescribed.
• Gedelix. The drug is based on herbal components and contains ivy extract. The drug can be prescribed to children from birth, but the possibility of an allergic reaction should not be ruled out. Gedelix is ​​not recommended for use in newborns without consulting a doctor.
• Doctor Mom. Doctor Mom syrup can be used for both wet and dry coughs, but it is not recommended for children under 3 years of age. The drug contains a larger number of plant components, which can be the strongest allergens.
• Ambrobene. The drug contains ambroxol. It can be used to treat cough in children from birth, but raspberry flavoring can cause an allergic reaction in the form of rash, hives, and swelling.
• Ascoril. Combined drug based on salbutamol. The drug relieves spasm of the pulmonary muscles, relieves coughing attacks, but at the same time thins phlegm. This drug is often prescribed for whooping cough in children. It is not recommended to give the drug to children with congenital heart defects and heart failure, as well as kidney disease.

Syrup for allergic cough

Allergic cough is dangerous because it can lead to bronchial asthma

An allergic cough is very difficult to distinguish from a cold, since the symptoms sometimes coincide. Only a doctor can identify an allergy, so starting treatment on your own without consulting a pediatrician is not recommended.

The distinctive features of an allergic cough are unexpected and sharp coughing attacks, slight shortness of breath, and lack of fever. This cough can last for a long time, up to a month.

It is worth remembering that treating an allergic cough in a child is a complex and lengthy process. Syrups may not be enough. Antihistamines are needed that block receptors that respond to the allergen (Zyrtec, Zodak, Cetirizine, Suprastin).

During an allergy, sputum begins to be actively produced, so you can give your child expectorants.

Such drugs include Ambroxol, Lazolvan. For attacks of dry cough, you can give Sinekod and Stoptussin. Antitussives are given only in extreme cases, since suppressing coughing attacks due to allergies can be dangerous.

The impact of the allergen on the receptors provokes the secretion of mucus, which will accumulate in the lungs, which can cause a severe inflammatory process. Syrups are not intended for long-term use. They are given no more than 1-2 weeks. The course can be extended only with the permission of the doctor. It is important to identify the cause of the allergy and eliminate it.

More information about children's cough can be found in the video:

Inhalation with a nebulizer for sore throat in children: procedure and best drugs

Syrups help relieve symptoms, but an allergic cough will recur if the allergen that causes the reaction is not eliminated. A prolonged cough can be caused by washing powder used to wash bed linen and diapers, feather pillows, dust, pollen, and animal hair.

In any case, with an allergic cough in a newborn, syrups are a temporary remedy. If you have a severe allergy, you need to conduct a thorough diagnosis and identify all possible types of allergens.

Prevention of children's allergic cough

If you know exactly the cause of your baby’s allergic cough, preventive measures are quite simple. It is necessary to change bed linen as often as possible. It is better to use pillows that do not contain fluff. It is important to constantly vacuum upholstered furniture and wash toys. It is necessary to ventilate the room several times a day and do a thorough wet cleaning.

If you suspect an allergic cough, you should not have pets. If the animals are already in the house, you should try to isolate them at least for the molting period (you can give them to friends or relatives for a while). Allergic cough in children can also occur as a reaction to certain foods. In this case, you need to completely remove such a product from the baby’s diet.

Parents need to know that if their child develops a cough, they should consult a doctor. It is advisable not to delay and not wait for everything to go away on its own. An allergic cough is not just discomfort or inconvenience. In severe, advanced cases, a child’s cough can cause attacks of suffocation. This is extremely dangerous. An allergic cough is activated at night, so parents may simply not notice the onset of an attack and not have time to provide help. There is no need to self-medicate. Treatment methods and medications should only be prescribed by a doctor.

Types of cough

Coughing is an instinctive contraction of the pectoral muscles, which is considered a response to some irritant. With the help of this symptom, the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract are released from accumulated mucus, pathogens and dust.

Dry

A dry cough is considered to be an unproductive cough that does not produce sputum. Most often it occurs in the upper respiratory tract. It comes from the throat area, is loud, intrusive, and may be accompanied by a whistle.

This type of cough is most often observed with allergic manifestations. A prolonged dry cough in a child may develop at the initial stage of development of bronchial asthma.

Wet

Allergic wet cough in children is much less common. The sputum secreted during this symptom is transparent and does not contain any admixture of pus, as a result of which it is called vitreous . A wet cough comes from the chest.