Treat the child's cough at night. Dry cough in a child

Parents should find out what is the reason if the child's cough at night comes to vomiting, and learn how to help the little patient. As a result of inflammation of the mucous membrane, the cough reflex deprives sleep and rest, increases in the absence of timely treatment. If a child has a severe cough at night, in the morning it is required to make an appointment with the local pediatrician to identify the etiology of the pathological process.

What is a child's cough at night

In viral infections, the patient suffers from irritation of the respiratory tract, excessive accumulation of mucus and difficult separation of stagnant sputum. Since the child continues to lie for a long time at night, the bronchi become clogged, swollen, and an acute attack of coughing occurs, as a natural reaction for the necessary cleaning and full breathing. A child's cough during sleep has several reasons, without which the positive dynamics of recovery is absent for a long time. This symptom can equally affect the body of an infant and an older child.

Causes of a night cough in a child

Such an unpleasant symptom characterizes bronchial asthma, but it can be a manifestation of allergic bronchitis. In both cases, the disease is prone to a chronic course, disturbing the child with periodic attacks. Patients with a cough reflex need to see a specialist, otherwise, in case of complications, the baby may begin to choke in his sleep.

Typical symptoms occur in other diseases of the respiratory tract. Well-known reasons are:

bacterial infections: bronchitis, laryngitis, whooping cough, tracheitis, pneumonia, pneumonia, sinusitis, pleurisy;
viral infections: ARVI, colds, parainfluenza, flu;
gastrointestinal reflux, other pathologies of the digestive tract;
cystic fibrosis;
sinusitis, adenoids;
chronic diseases of cardio-vascular system;
weak immune response of the child's body.

Dry cough

With such an unpleasant symptom, it is difficult for a child to cough up, there is a constant feeling of a sore throat. It is thought to be a nonproductive cough in which phlegm does not come out. Seizures of this kind are observed in the following clinical pictures:

bronchial asthma;
whooping cough (dry cough is complemented by bouts of vomiting);
sinusitis;
chronic rhinitis;
pharyngitis (severe soreness in the throat).

Moist cough

With such a cough reflex, you can clear your throat, it is supplemented by a runny nose and the separation of viscous sputum. This is how acute bronchitis manifests itself and respiratory infections, and the attacks are accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx, pharynx, and the throat becomes very red, swells. To alleviate the condition of the child, the first thing the doctor needs to determine is the specific ailment. Alternatively, it can be:

laryngitis;
pharyngitis;
tracheitis;
teething (in the first year of life);
inflammation of the adenoids;

Cough in a child without fever at night

If a baby's teeth are teething, the first step is to increase salivation. As a result, nocturnal coughing fits, poor sleep, increased irritability and moodiness of the child. The temperature does not always rise, however, by the secretion of saliva, parents understand that another milk tooth is on its way. Other causes of cough at night without fever are listed below:

hit foreign body into the respiratory tract;
an acute allergic reaction to an external irritant;
incorrect position of the body at night with bronchial edema;
gastroesophageal reflux with impaired gastric acidity;
exposure to chemical, toxic substances.

Paroxysmal cough

A continuous cough reflex during the day can develop into paroxysmal spasms at night. More often, such changes in general well-being are a symptom of ARVI or whooping cough. In the latter case, the symptomatology is supplemented by bouts of vomiting, fainting, depressed emotional state of the sick child. Other causes of the cough reflex at night are listed below:

bronchial asthma;
false croup;
pneumonia;
tuberculosis;
disturbed humidity in the children's room.

Child coughs at night until vomiting

A whistling barking cough is characteristic of whooping cough and seizures bronchial asthmawhen the child can not clear his throat, while severe vomiting begins. If the suspicion of whooping cough is excluded, we are talking about the complicated symptoms of bacterial and viral infections:

recurrent bronchitis of various etiologies;
pneumonia;
tuberculosis;
laryngitis;
the occurrence of secondary infections.

How to relieve a child's coughing attack at night

To facilitate the general well-being of the child, it is required to control the humidity of the room, before going to bed, it is imperative to ventilate the nursery. The air should not be stale and dry, otherwise asthma attacks may become more frequent. Night cough a child can be stopped by taking antitussive drugs, however, before starting therapy, it is important to study the general recommendations:

If coughing attacks are accompanied by heartburn, it is mandatory to examine the state of the gastrointestinal tract in order to identify hidden pathologies.
Warming compresses on the throat, nasopharynx, it is advisable to perform before bedtime, and do not remove it until morning awakening.
If coughing attacks are accompanied by whistling, an X-ray of the lungs is required, the action of antitussive drugs is ineffective.

Warm drink

It is possible to treat a cough with a systemic antibiotic only for bacterial infections, but a warm drink is a real salvation for any reason for a cough reflex at night. In this case, we are talking not only about hot tea with lemon, but also about other, equally healthy drinks:

tea with honey and milk;
warm decoction of chamomile, St. John's wort, thyme, sage, plantain;
berry fruit drinks, compotes;
herbal teas;
green tea with ginger.

A warm drink warms and softens the child's upper respiratory tract, promotes sputum liquefaction and its productive natural elimination. Mucus does not stagnate in the bronchi, there is no pronounced edema, breathing during sleep is not disturbed. The cough at night ceases to torment the child, temporary relief comes. It is important to remember that the drink should be warm, not scalding hot.

Mustard plasters

If the child coughs only at night, this procedure can help the child sleep well, but it is advisable to carry it out a couple of hours before bedtime. If you put mustard plasters later, there will be no effect or it will not come on time, since at a later time, coughing attacks become more frequent and symptoms of suffocation are not excluded. It is required to put two mustard plasters on the bronchial area, thereby providing a powerful warming effect. Make sure that there is no allergic reaction to dry mustard. Additionally, you can rub the heels with dry mustard, and then put on warm socks for the night.

Inhalation

If a child coughs at night, it is recommended to buy a nebulizer from a pharmacy and perform daily inhalations using a special medicinal solution. These can be effective bronchodilators (Ventolin Nebula, Berotek), mucolytics (Ambroxol, Ambrobene, Ambrohexal), antibiotics (Fluimucil). In addition, diluted essential oils (eucalyptus, calendula, tea tree), medicinal herbs, potato broth or soda composition can be used as therapeutic solutions for inhalation. You can alleviate the condition after 2-3 procedures.

Drug treatment

A dry cough in a child at night is successfully treated with antitussives, and a wet cough with expectorant drugs (syrups, tablets). To help the baby, an integrated approach to the health problem is recommended, which includes the presence of such pharmacological groups:

antiviral drugs: Arbidol, Amizon;
systemic antibiotics: Azithromycin, Augmentin;
antitussive drugs: Butamirate, Tusuprex, Sedotussin;
expectorant syrups: Dr. Mom, Ambrobene, Lazolvan;
multivitamin complexes: Kinder Biovital, Pikovit.

Many patients trust in the effective Prospan syrup and licorice root extract. Brief characteristics of the indicated medicines for oral administration in a full course:

Prospan. This is a herbal preparation of expectorant, mucolytic and bronchospasmolytic action, which reduces the viscosity of sputum, removes it naturally. It is supposed to be taken orally in 2.5-5 ml, based on the age category of the child, 2 times a day.
Licorice root extract. The drug has antispasmodic, wound-healing and expectorant properties, provides a stable effect. Take the syrup, according to the instructions, 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days.

Treatment with folk remedies

Alternative methods also relieve a child's cough at night, provide long-term remission and even full recovery. Consult a doctor before use:

To prepare the compress, you must melt 1 tbsp in a water bath. l. honey, add 1 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar. Stir, soak gauze with a homogeneous composition, apply overnight on the bronchial area, do not remove until morning.
You must first boil the potatoes and mash them with a fork until they are mashed. In a warm form, transfer the homogeneous composition to a tissue napkin and apply to the chest. Leave the compress overnight.

Possible errors in treatment

Without medical advice, it is important not to use syrups Sinekod, Bronholitin, Codelac Broncho in the treatment of cough, otherwise the clinical picture may be somewhat complicated. As for mustard plasters, warming compresses and medical cans, such evening procedures are allowed only for children over 5 years old. In any case, before choosing a medicine, it is important to exclude an allergic reaction to active ingredients, otherwise coughing attacks will only intensify.

Video

The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can diagnose and give recommendations for treatment based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

A child's night cough is not uncommon. It can appear after a cold or as an independent symptom. A severe, excruciating dry cough in a child does not allow full sleep and recovery. If a child coughs badly at night, chokes on saliva, the attacks intensify, the temperature rises, breathing is difficult, and treatment does not help, an urgent need to consult a doctor. Hospitalization may be required.

A dry cough at night may indicate the development of a disease or simply indicate "heavy" air in the bedroom - this situation requires you to consult your doctor.

Causes of cough at night in children

A child's cough at night is a protective reflex. Sometimes healthy people cough too. This is a normal reaction that frees the mucous membrane from irritants - dust and microbes.

If a small child coughs at night and in the evenings, but not during the day, this indicates a malfunction in the body. You need to get a doctor's advice as soon as possible. The moisture level of a cough during sleep depends on the causative agent. It can be dry or wet.

During the day, the baby does not have a cough, but at night and when falling asleep, in a prone position, there are strong attacks that are not easy to stop. Why does the child suffer from a dry cough at night? The thing is that in a lying position, mucus accumulates in respiratory tract and blocks them. The body is trying to get rid of it, to cough. A dry cough, unlike a wet cough, is unproductive, it does not contribute to the discharge of phlegm. By its duration, it can be divided into 3 types:

acute, lasting 2-4 weeks;
post-infectious, lasting 3-8 weeks;
chronic - more than 8 weeks.

What causes a cough that appears in the evenings and at night:

SARS, colds. Dry nocturnal cough is characteristic of the initial stage of the disease.
Laryngitis. It is inherent barking cough, inflammation of the larynx.
Pharyngitis. It causes persistent tickling and tingling in the throat.
Asthma. In a mild form, it can cause this condition at night and in the morning.
Sharp or chronical bronchitis... In the acute form, a dry cough is gradually replaced by a wet one.
Allergic reaction. Dust, plants or pets can provoke it in a child at night and in the evening.
Whooping cough. This is a rare disease, because all children are vaccinated against it, but it cannot be completely ruled out.
Reflux of the stomach. The baby has a sensation similar to heartburn, acid from the stomach enters the oral cavity and makes him want to cough up.
Pathology of the cardiovascular system. The cough is accompanied by shortness of breath and increased fatigue.
Chronic cough after bronchitis or whooping cough treatment. Intrusive, persistent attacks, aggravated during sleep. After whooping cough, it can last up to six months.
Exacerbation of chronic rhinitis or sinusitis. Mucus constantly accumulates in the nasopharynx and makes you want to clear your throat.

It is strictly forbidden to diagnose a nocturnal cough on your own, and even more so to prescribe treatment; the child must be examined by a specialist!

The child sometimes coughs at night for completely harmless reasons that are easy to eliminate:

The ingestion of mucus from the nasopharynx into the mouth. This happens when baby teeth are cut. This is a physiological process and does not require any treatment.
Foreign body. It can partially block the airways.
Cold or dry air in the bedroom. It irritates the mucous membrane and provokes coughing.
Chemical substances. They can irritate the baby. These can be disinfectants, hairsprays, mosquito repellent, air fresheners.

Dry cough throughout the night

If a small child coughs all night long, this condition has an extremely negative effect on his general well-being. He cannot fully rest, gain strength. A paroxysmal, excruciating night or evening cough that occurs in a horizontal position should be treated by a specialist. This course is typical for many diseases, and it is impossible to make an unambiguous diagnosis based on one symptom.

The cough is violent, with attacks until vomiting, and the child chokes on saliva

A debilitating, dry cough leading to vomiting is characteristic of whooping cough. The child seems to be choking on saliva.

If the temperature also rises, you should call an ambulance medical assistance and hospitalize the baby, because when the disease starts, loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest occur. Whooping cough cough is very specific, so a qualified specialist will determine the disease by ear.

Cough worse in the morning

A prolonged cough in the morning indicates heart failure or gastric reflux... This condition cannot be ignored.

If the cough in the supine position increases significantly in the morning, this is a formidable symptom, also characteristic of bronchial asthma. The kid coughs hysterically, almost suffocates, but the phlegm does not come out. The sooner treatment is started, the more favorable the prognosis.

How to cure a child's cough while sleeping?

If a child coughs in a dream, he must be treated, not to let the disease take its course. Assign medications and procedures can only be performed by a doctor depending on the diagnosis. Children, especially under one year old, are very sensitive to all diseases, and some procedures can damage them, so it is very important not to self-medicate.

In the child's bedroom, it is imperative to always be moist and ventilated.

If a baby coughs in a dream, this condition can be removed or alleviated in simple ways:

The air must be clean and sufficiently humid. Before going to bed, the room needs to be ventilated, if possible, use a humidifier or just put a bowl of water next to it. The same effect will be if you hang wet towels on the radiator.
Observe the drinking regime - the baby should drink a lot. Better if it is plain water without additives. Older kids can benefit from a decoction of rose hips and other herbs that will support immunity and help remove toxins from the body. An old proven moisturizer sore throat - hot milk with a lump of butter.
Rinse your child's nose before going to bed. This will help moisturize the mucus and remove mucus. If necessary, nasal drops can be used if the cause of the cough is excessive mucus production.

Medicines

To relieve symptoms, the baby is given drugs to suppress the cough reflex. As a rule, these are Sedotussin, Sinekod, Butamirat, Bronholitin, Levopront and others. There are herbal medicines for children (Mukaltin, Bronchostop, Alteika), but when choosing such a medicine, it should be borne in mind that they can cause allergic reactions.

If a severe cough is caused by an allergy, then you need to remove all possible allergens from the room and give the child an antihistamine. Fenistil is most often prescribed in drops. It happens that a dry cough is caused by an allergy to antipyretic drugs. Then you should stop taking it.
Treatment for stomach reflux will be prescribed by a gastroenterologist. He will prescribe special medications and make a diet.
With ARVI and colds warming ointments will help without temperature: Badger, Doctor Mom, Vicks. They will facilitate breathing, warm the inflamed organs. This procedure can be carried out for children from 2-3 years old.
A protracted cough with fever caused by ARVI or bronchitis is treated with antibiotics (Flemoxin Solutab, Augmentin, Azithromycin). Homeopathic remedies with herbal extracts (Pectolvan ivy, Gedelix, Prospan, Doctor Mom, Travisil) have proven themselves well.

Inhalation

Inhalation is recognized as very effective remedy with a dry cough. However, they can only be done at normal body temperature. For some diseases, inhalation is also contraindicated (allergy, laryngitis).

Inhalation with saline and mineral water (Borjomi, Essentuki No. 17) is done before bedtime to moisturize the mucous membrane. Therapeutic action provide inhalation with a solution of sea or edible salt, soda or a mixture of a drug (for example, Berodual) and saline. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the solution. Inhalation by folk method - with boiled potatoes.

You can relieve a nocturnal coughing fit with inhalation.

It is better for young children to inhale with a special device. However, if it is not there, it is quite possible to use a kettle or pot. The hot solution is placed in a bowl, the child bends over it, and a towel is covered on top of it. The inhalation procedure lasts from 5 to 10 minutes. The baby must be closely monitored so that he does not get burns.

If hot inhalation cannot be carried out, the attack can be stopped using a special device for cold inhalation - a nebulizer. The mucous membranes will quickly moisturize and the cough will calm down.

Folk remedies

Widely used and folk remedies... The most effective medicinal herbs have anti-inflammatory, expectorant and antimicrobial effects: licorice root, plantain, primrose, thyme, thyme and others.

Also, folk medicine recommends dissolving buckwheat honey, but not more than one teaspoon per dose. This recipe is only suitable for babies from 1 year old. Breast fees are popular, which are sold in pharmacies: No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3. Warm tea with raspberries, rosehip broth and hot milk with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda help well.

Raspberry tea is not a panacea, but it is a great cough remedy.

Older babies can be done on their back and chest compresses of mustard, boiled potatoes, fat, alcohol solution and honey. All ingredients are mixed, placed in a clean sachet, then in a diaper. The resulting compress is left for at least an hour.

Prevention and diet

With a dry nocturnal cough, diet is indicated. It necessarily includes foods and dishes that stimulate the immune system and expand the bronchi:

mashed potatoes;
oatmeal;
raw radish salad;
freshly squeezed juices;
fruits: grapes, persimmons, bananas, oranges, tangerines;
fruit drinks from cranberries, lingonberries.

When coughing, a balanced and fortified diet is indicated.

In order to prevent the appearance of a debilitating dry cough in the baby at night, you need:

observe hygiene in the children's room, regularly carry out wet cleaning, remove all allergens;
often ventilate the room;
observe the drinking regime;
pay attention to any changes in the baby's state of health, start the treatment of colds on time;
support the child's immunity;
observe the daily routine, go to bed at the same time;
provide adequate nutrition and vitamins.

At night, a cough is heard from the child's bedroom, which interferes with the baby's sleep and disturbs worried parents who are simply sure that this is a manifestation of some disease. At the consultation, the doctor, having examined the child, claims that everything is in order. How so? After all night cough in a child tortured him and the whole family? Maybe the doctor just missed the disease?

Cough - what is it?

Cough is different, but whatever its causes and nature, cough is the body's defense mechanism against pathological agents. For example, with the help of a cough, accumulated mucus and microorganisms in it are removed from the respiratory tract. But when a child's night cough torments him to the point of vomiting and does not allow him to sleep, it is difficult for parents to remain calm and not start treating the baby. A lot of means and techniques are used, ranging from folk, proven recipes to pharmacy cough syrups. But treatment is not always justified and necessary. Thanks to this forced exhalation, which is a night cough, the child's bronchi, trachea and pharynx are cleared.

A nocturnal cough begins due to irritation of certain receptors that are sensitive to chemical or mechanical stimuli, such as mucus. This type of receptor is called "fast", but there are also slow ones that are sensitive to inflammatory mediators. The joint reaction of these receptors triggers a cough.

Parents should remember that normally a child can cough from time to time, about 15 times a day, and this in no way indicates the presence of pathology. Thanks to this physiological cough, the mucus that has accumulated during the day is removed.

Why is the child coughing?

There are many reasons, and in most cases, diseases of various etiologies become the cause of the development of cough. But not always a child's nighttime cough is associated with a disease of the respiratory organs. A cough can be a symptom of heart disease, gastrointestinal disease, or worms. Coughs can be caused by allergies or asthma. A cough can be caused by strong emotions in the child, and inflammation of the adenoids.

If a child's cough begins suddenly, this may indicate inhalation of a foreign object, and then the intervention of medical personnel may be required. A sudden cough can occur when you breathe in certain strong-smelling gases, such as tobacco smoke. In some cases, even ordinary air can cause a cough (for example, if the air is dry and overheated, especially at night during the heating season).

Why does the child cough at night?

Any type of cough is aggravated at night. This can be explained by the fact that the mucus that is in the child's nasopharynx cannot be absorbed. As a result, "plugs" are formed, which clog the nasopharynx and irritate "fast receptors", and a reflex cough begins.

The same process takes place in the lungs. In a lying child, phlegm and mucus dissolve very slowly and ineffectively. This can be explained by the fact that during sleep and simply in the supine position, blood circulation slows down.

Parents should remember that dry air can also irritate the mucous membrane and receptors, thereby triggering the coughing mechanism.

Many parents notice the following: during the day, the baby coughs from time to time, but the child's night cough is very strong. However, after the baby woke up, got out of bed and cleared his throat, the cough goes away. The fact is that it is difficult for a child in a supine position to clear his throat, which is why the night cough is more intense and lasts longer.

In addition to a physiological cough, which is not a sign of disease, a cough can also be a symptom of a disease. Such a cough, of course, must be treated, namely, to treat the cause that provokes the development of cough.

A night cough can be caused by another reason - gastrointestinal reflux, in which the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus, and sometimes even into the weeding of the mouth, which can provoke a cough. Babies with this diagnosis often complain of heartburn.

Breathing through the mouth for various reasons (malocclusion, chronic rhinitis, etc.) contributes to the drying of the mucous membrane. The child may have a cough, which intensifies at night, since, in addition to oral breathing, the child's production of saliva slows down, which further dries up the mucous membrane and irritates the receptors.

Cough as a cause of the disease

An intense nighttime cough in a child can be a symptom of many diseases. Most common reason is an viral infection... If the cough is dry and bothersome, then the child most likely has chronic sinusitis or rhinitis. An alarming symptom is a nighttime cough with a whistling sound - this may indicate asthma. It is worth remembering that with a mild form of the disease, this symptom may be the only one!

A chronic cough that persists for a long time and manifests itself exclusively at night can be an echo of the past whooping cough. Basically, such a cough is dry, attacks appear at regular intervals, and quite often such a cough ends with vomiting.

How can I help my child?

It is very important that the doctor examines the child to rule out various diseases. If the disease is confirmed, then appropriate treatment is necessary. In order to relieve the child's cough, you need to give the baby more liquid - it can soften a hard cough and remove phlegm.

Doctors recommend lowering the temperature in the room. During the heating season, it is vital to put humidifiers in the room where the child is. If this is not possible, then you can use the old "old-fashioned" methods - hang wet towels on all doors in the apartment and change them as they dry.

Parents do not have to hope for a full, deep and healthy sleep if the child coughs at night. When the baby wakes up and begins to cough, even vomiting, the parents simply cannot remain indifferent. Wanting to help their child, the mother and father begin to use antitussive drugs, put into practice folk recipeswhile forgetting that a cough is a response and a protective reaction of the body to inflammatory processes upper respiratory tract. Thanks to the cough, the body tries to rid itself of pathogens. For this reason, you need to know the cause of the child's nighttime cough, so that it is correct to provide timely assistance to the baby.

It should be noted that the child can cough normally. The number of such coughs during the day is 15. Thus, the child tries to remove the mucus that has accumulated in the upper respiratory tract during the day.

Causes of cough at night in children

Many parents wonder why children are worried about coughing at night. The answer to this question is simple: the phlegm that accumulates in the supine position of the baby in the upper respiratory tract and in the lungs dissolves extremely slowly, thereby causing a reflex cough. In addition, a nocturnal cough can be caused by dry and cold air, compared to daytime, at night, which irritates the lining of the larynx.

Sometimes it happens that the child coughs a little during the day, while at night he often wakes up, rises and begins to cough. This is due to the fact that in the supine position it is rather difficult to cough up the accumulating phlegm, which leads to frequent and severe cough at night time.

Meanwhile, a night cough may be the first sign of the following diseases:

chronic sinusitis, rhinitis or (in this case, a nocturnal cough is accompanied by a sore throat and a constant tingling sensation in the throat);
asthma, even if it is mild (in this case, when coughing, a characteristic whistle is heard on exhalation);
whooping cough (in this case, redness of the face, protrusion of tears, cough ends, as a rule, with vomiting);
gastroesophageal reflux;
adenoiditis;
an allergic reaction (in this case, the allergen should be identified, which can be laundry detergent, down or feathers, blankets or mattresses, and removed);
teething (in this case, there is an increase in saliva flow, which flows down the throat and causes a cough);
runny nose;
parainfluenza (barking cough, hoarseness is noted);
ARI and ARVI;
tracheitis (ringing cough);
acute bronchitis (ringing and deep cough);
measles (dry and excruciating cough);
helminthiases (worse at night, which is associated with active migration of helminths throughout the body)

In cases where the cough does not go away within a week, is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, a deterioration in the general condition of the child, parents should immediately consult a doctor to prescribe adequate treatment in order to avoid the development of complications.

It is important to remember that you do not need to treat a cough, because it is only a symptom. A disease is required to be treated, which causes a night cough.

Traditional cough treatment

The child must be examined by a pediatrician without fail. If the doctor suspects the presence of a serious illness in the baby, then special research methods will be assigned to him to make the correct diagnosis. If the cause of a nocturnal cough is an acute respiratory viral infection, then parents will be able to cope with the disease on their own.

thoroughly ventilate the child's room during the day and do regular wet cleaning;
flush nasal cavity baby weak saline solutions before he goes to bed;
give the child more liquid, for which it is better to use warm decoctions of rose hips, ordinary tea or fortified fruit drinks;
carry out additional air humidification in the children's room;
from six months, children with dry nocturnal cough are helped by inhalation.

It is forbidden for the parents of such children to give their children antihistamines and antibacterial agents. Doctors recommend the following groups of drugs:

For dry cough:

drugs that affect the cough receptors located in the respiratory tract (libexin, levopront);
non-narcotic antitussives acting on the cough center located in the brain (glaucine, butamirate, oxeladine, pentoxiverine);
antitussives of general action (bronchodilator, stoptussin).

With a wet cough:

tussin;
terpinhydrate;
glycers;
marshmallow syrup;
pectusin;
bronchicum elixir.

To use expectorant drugs for the treatment of nocturnal coughs is indicated only if the nocturnal cough is accompanied by sputum secretion (for example, with cystic fibrosis, bronchitis or pneumonia).

Alternative cough treatment

It should be noted that folk remedies can be used to treat a nocturnal cough, and not just medical synthetic medicines... In particular, it is recommended:

offer the baby warm tea with raspberries several times a day;
give the child a drink with warm, slightly alkalized milk;
offer to suck in buckwheat honey (half a teaspoon).

You can fight using a compress, for the preparation of which boiled potatoes, mustard, alcohol, vegetable fat and honey are used. The mixture is placed on the baby's back, covered with a 3 cm thick plastic wrap. In this case, the procedure lasts for an hour.

Antitussive diet

Diet therapy is said to have good results in the fight against nocturnal cough. The child's diet should include:

mashed potatoes with milk;
fresh juices;
grape juice (grapes) with honey;
berries, fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C (persimmons, citrus fruits, rose hips, cranberries);
oatmeal, seasoned with vegetable oil;
radish salad seasoned with sour cream.

The listed dishes not only actively increase the body's defenses, but quickly relieve bronchospasm, while having a pronounced expectorant effect.

Cough in children is a frequent occurrence. Most parents, despite having encountered it many times, panic when their child has a severe coughing fit at night. Yes, at night all sounds are louder, but panic in this situation is a bad advisor. If breathing is difficult, you need to act quickly. And how exactly, "Popularly about health" will tell. But first, let's find out what causes a coughing fit in children at night.

Causes of paroxysmal nocturnal cough in children

Coughing is a natural reflex required to clear the airways of impurities, allergens, mucus. There can be many reasons for its occurrence:

1. ARVI, bronchitis.

2. Bacterial infection (pneumonia).

3. Inflammation of the larynx.

4. Allergies.

5. Bronchial asthma.

6. Sore throat.

7. The so-called "back" rhinitis, when nasal discharge flows down back wall throat.

8. False croup.

The cough is different - barking and hacking, dry, wet, continuous. But paroxysmal cough is especially dangerous for children. This is what most often happens at night during illness. Its danger is that against the background of irritation of the mucous membrane, the throat swells and breathing becomes difficult. If the child is coughing heavily and continuously, he needs urgent help to prevent laryngospasm. What to do with a coughing fit?

How to help with a coughing attack - what to do for a child?

If you woke up at night and see that the child is coughing, it is difficult for him to breathe, pay attention - does he have difficulty breathing in or out? This is important for diagnosis and prescription. correct treatment further. If it is difficult for the baby to exhale, most likely the cough is allergic. If you have difficulty breathing in and a hoarse voice, you are probably dealing with a false croup.

How to help a baby with a cough? Dr. Komarovsky, like most pediatricians, advises the following.

1. Open windows to provide fresh air. It is the cool air that helps to quickly relieve a coughing attack. If the baby is really bad, call an ambulance and wait for the team of doctors, sitting with him at the open window (the baby needs to be dressed).

2. Switch on the humidifier. If it is not there, you need to try to create a humid microclimate in the room in a different way, for example, put a basin of water or hang wet towels in the apartment.

3. If there is no time for these manipulations, take the child, sit him in the bathroom on a chair and turn on a large pressure of water.

4. Give your baby a warm drink. The best way to relieve an attack is alkaline warm water (Borjomi, Essentuki 17). If such drinks are not at hand, soda can help the child at night. Just dissolve it a little (on the tip of a knife) in a glass of water and let it drink.

5. Bury the baby's nose vasoconstrictor dropsto relieve nasopharyngeal swelling.

6. Give him an antihistamine - Suprastin, Zodak, Zyrtec, Loratadin (what is available).

If the attack is caused by a sore throat

It also happens that at night a coughing attack arose not due to laryngospasm, accumulated phlegm or swelling of the throat, but due to sore throat. This often happens due to dry air and irritants - allergens, dust particles, as well as due to accumulated mucus in the nasopharynx. Often, to relieve an attack, it is enough to rinse the nose with sea water or saline and remove mucus that is deep in the nasal passages. To do this, use the drugstore's flexible tube "snipe" to draw out the mucus. At the same time, the child's mouth should be closed. If the baby knows how to blow his nose, give him the opportunity to clean his nose on his own.

For severe sore throat, the following remedies will help:

1. Warm drink - milk, tea.

2. Butter.

3. Honey (if the child is not allergic to this product).

4. Any sucking candy or cough lozenge.

An irritated throat just needs to be softened to stop the attack. The child will calm down and fall asleep, and moisturizing and airing the room will again help to avoid a repetition of the situation.

Important! Do not spray a small child's throat with eucalyptus or menthol sprays, as this can cause laryngospasm.

What to do at night if a child has a cough with vomiting?

If a strong persistent cough, accompanied by vomiting, begins at night, you need to act in the same way as described above. Why does vomiting occur with a cough attack in children? When too much mucus builds up in the airways, it irritates the vomiting centers. You should not panic, you need to help the crumbs to cough up the accumulated secret. To do this, sit the baby down and tilt it down a little, tap him with your palm between the shoulder blades.

If the phlegm persists, give warm water, tea or milk to drink (honey can be added). In this situation, you also need to ventilate the room well and humidify the air. If the situation gets worse and breathing becomes difficult, call an ambulance. While waiting for a team of doctors, you can give your child inhalation with saline with the addition of 7-10 drops of Berodual. This will help expand the bronchi and moisturize the mucous membranes.

Now you know how to act if a child has a coughing fit at night. It is necessary to increase the level of humidity in the room, try to take the baby out into the cool air, give him a drink, soften an irritated throat, drip the nose with vasoconstrictor drops and give an antiallergic medicine. If all else fails, it is difficult for the baby to breathe, urgently call an ambulance.