Folk remedies cough in children

Cough can begin in a child of any age. The reasons that cause it are many. Not always parents want to give the baby pharmacy cough syrups, as they contain a large amount of sugar, and sometimes dyes with flavors. Then the question arises about the alternative to traditional medicines. She is. Folk remedies often cope with the problem no worse than expensive imported drugs.

Cough itself is not considered a disease. This is the defense mechanism of our body, which is triggered by a command of the cough center of the brain when foreign bodies and pathogens enter the airways. In the nose, in the larynx, in the bronchi and trachea, and even in the pleura, there are many receptors that, when irritated, cause contractions of the respiratory muscles. As a result, the child begins to cough, because this is exactly how the body is forced to expel bacteria, viruses, etc., forced by a sharp exhalation.

Dr. Komarovsky in this issue will tell us all about children's cough, treatment and causes.

The most common causes of children's cough are acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, whooping cough. Allergic cough that occurs as a symptom during inhalation of an allergen, as well as with systemic allergies. Often, children with a cough react to pollution or excessive dryness of the air, to toxic compounds in it, to toxic fumes and alkalis.

A cough may be acute if it started for some reason no later than 2 weeks ago, prolonged (if it lasts about a month), subacute (up to 2 months) and chronic (more than 8 weeks). In such a recurrent form, in some diseases (for example, whooping cough), the child’s cough may last for several months, and it can be treated with great difficulty.

Before choosing a method of therapy, parents should consult a doctor for qualified advice. For successful treatment, it is important to know what caused it. And if it is almost impossible to establish the cause in detail at home, then it is quite possible to determine what type of cough the child has on her own.

• Dry cough. With this type of cough, the child cannot cough up, so this reflex is also called unproductive. The phlegm does not depart, relief does not come. Dry cough is quite painful and debilitating. Most often it happens at the initial stage of a viral disease. If the child is treated incorrectly or not treated at all, a second type of cough appears - wet.
• Moist cough. This is a productive reflex, accompanied by the formation and release of sputum. After the attack, the child is expectorated and feels a noticeable relief. During coughing, even without medical equipment, gurgling and wheezing are heard. Often a wet cough is a companion of serious respiratory diseases.
• Barking cough. This type is called “barking seals”, for acoustic similarity with the cry of this animal. This reflex occurs paroxysmally. The cough is rough, dry and unproductive. Phlegm is not formed and does not stand out.It may indicate that inflammation of the upper respiratory tract has begun.

And now an interesting issue on how to distinguish children's cough.

With a prolonged cough, the mother needs to pay attention to the hands of the child, if his nails have taken the form of watch glasses (lenses) and are bent down, this so-called drumstick syndrome indicates a serious lung disease.

If after a long cough the mucous membranes of the nose are pale, there is a high probability that the reflex is caused by an allergic reaction. If, on the contrary, the mucous membranes are red and inflamed, it may indicate the presence of infection in the child’s body.

However, let the doctors do the diagnostics, and moms should be well aware of another fact - dry and wet coughs are treated quite differently. In the case of dry therapy, the problem is to reduce the intensity of the attacks. When wet - on the contrary, stimulate expectoration and sputum discharge. If the first type of reflex gives the child mucolytic drugs, the cough will only intensify, and there will be no relief. It is also contraindicated in case of a wet cough to feed the child with antitussive drugs. This can cause stagnation of the secret in the bronchi and lead to pneumonia and more severe consequences.

With respect to folk remedies, the same rule applies. Recipes that are relevant to the dry or barking reflex, absolutely not suitable for treating a baby with a wet cough.

Cough is not always an indicator of respiratory disease. Sometimes this protective reflex accompanies ischemic heart disease, pancreatic insufficiency, physical development lag with poor weight gain, hematopoietic disease. Almost all of these diseases are dangerous and require immediate treatment, sometimes in the hospital. But time can be missed, while parents carefully otpaivayut baby folk remedies for cough and make compresses on the chest and back.

In 40% of children of kindergarten age, according to official statistics of the Ministry of Health, when examining the subject of ascertaining the causes of chronic cough, they find small foreign bodies in the respiratory tract. They can not be seen on the radiograph, but can be clearly seen from the results of bronchoscopy.

That is why it is so important to show the child to the doctor before treating any cough. Do not rely on your parenting experience. If the doctor confirms that the baby is coughing because of viruses and it is not dangerous, most likely, he himself will allow mom and dad to treat the toddler with the use of traditional medicine. For many recipes pediatricians are more than loyal.

On a glass of boiled milk you need to take a tablespoon of honey and the same amount of butter. The yolk of one chicken egg should be whipped with a fork and add a pinch of soda. All mix and water the child several times a day. According to parents, such a recipe very well helps to cope with a wet cough with bronchitis and tracheitis. However, the presence of chicken yolk makes such a tool unsuitable for use in children with allergies. The combination of honey and yolk is not recommended for children under three years.

To prepare such a drink, healers recommend boiling 0.5 liters of milk and adding a tablespoon of pine buds to it. After the liquid is properly infused, it should be drained and given to the child to drink. The resulting amount (about 500 grams) should be given to the child in small portions during the day. This remedy has an excellent emollient effect, it is advised to give it with a dry cough.You should not treat children with allergies in this way, as pine buds can provoke a negative reaction.

This useful vegetable is widely used in traditional medicine. There are recipes for cough. Two medium sized onions should be peeled, chopped, filled with milk and cooked until ready. As soon as they are soft, the drug is removed from the heat, cooled at room temperature. When the decoction becomes warm, you can add a tablespoon of honey to it. Liquid give the child a tablespoon every 1-2 hours (except for bedtime) for two to three days.

Onion-milk broth is recommended to give when dry cough. Contraindications are the same - a tendency to allergies and children age to 3 years.

Older children can use black radish, babies - green or white. Vegetable should be washed and cut off his top. In the pulp of radish make a groove in which lay a couple of tablespoons of honey. From above cover with the cut off part of a radish. Vegetable put in a deep plate and insist a few hours. When rarely gives juice, it can be given to the child to drink, but in small quantities. Not more than 4 times a day for 1-2 teaspoons. This method helps a lot when wet coughing

This is an old and very effective way of treating cough, which alleviates the condition of the child by performing expectorant functions. You will need a tablespoon of mustard beans, as much honey and sunflower oil, and two tablespoons of flour and vinegar (9% concentration). Ingredients with the exception of flour should be mixed and heated in a water bath, but do not bring to a boil. In the mixture immediately enter the flour, knead the dough, from which make cakes.

On the chest of the child and the back should be attached to a piece of wet gauze, covered with a layer of cling film on top. Only then comes the turn of mustard cakes, which need to be warmed on top with dry cotton and fastened with a warm scarf. This compress is left for 4-5 hours.

Flakes with mustard and honey warms up the respiratory system with a dry and unproductive cough, but are contraindicated when wet, especially if there is a patch of pus or blood in the sputum. Also, do not do the warming procedures if the cough is accompanied by increased body temperature.

You can see the video recipe for mustard cough cakes in the next video.

From this cereal prepare a decoction, perfectly soothing sore throat and relieves coughing in early stages of viral infections. Grind grains and boil in water for at least 15 minutes. Such a tool is hypoallergenic, it can be given to children from 6 months to 3 years old with a dry and barking cough without any doubts and fear.

This useful and rich in vitamin C berry will help save the child from strong attacks of dry unproductive cough. From it you need to squeeze the juice and add a teaspoon of honey to 100 grams of juice. If the yard is winter or spring, and there is no fresh currant, it makes sense to use stocks of frozen berries harvested in summer. To give such a mixture should be a teaspoon four times a day.

Decoction viburnum perfectly helps to cope with a wet cough in a child. To do this, a handful of berries brewed in half a liter of boiling water and left to "reach" in a water bath for about a quarter of an hour. You can drink the decoction in its pure form in a quarter cup three times a day, or mixed with honey a tablespoon 4 times a day.

For inhalation is better to use herbalists. Herbs like coltsfoot, oregano suitable for the treatment of dry non-productive and barking cough. Children after 5 years a couple of drops of essential oil (eucalyptus, pine or fir oil) can be added to the liquid for inhalation.

In a liter of milk, you need to cook one large pine cone.The resulting milk with cedar aroma and useful essential oils, which it will take during the cooking process, should be given to the child 2 tablespoons not more than 6 times a day. The method helps a lot when dry coughing.

This exotic fruit is now available to everyone, without exception, and the medicine from it turns out tasty and pleasant. Two large bananas must be rubbed through a sieve, boil the resulting gruel well in 300 grams of water. Add a little sugar and give the child to drink in the form of heat. This method helps to avoid stagnant sputum with a prolonged wet cough. It can be used in the treatment of children from a year.

In a plate of warm water you need to dilute a tablespoon of regular table salt. Moisten the pieces of woolen fabric and make a compress on the chest of the child for the whole night. This means with a pronounced expectorant effect.

This useful plant is recommended to be rubbed with a dry cough, but not into the chest cell, but into the heels of a child. To prepare the ointment, take a head of garlic, peel the teeth, wipe and mix the garlic mass with any fat or oil. The tool should be rubbed into the heels before bedtime. After the procedure, the child must wear socks (but not wool) and leave until morning.

Rubbing the chest, back, heels and palms of a child with a strong cough with this tool is possible even in infancy. The main thing to remember is that the procedure is forbidden if the crumbs have a high temperature, otherwise the heat transfer may be disturbed and the child will overheat - a condition that is very dangerous, especially for newborns and infants.

Drainage massage - An excellent auxiliary procedure for the traditional treatment of cough, and the treatment of folk remedies. To facilitate the discharge of sputum for bronchitis, bronchotracheitis, bronchopneumonia, you should put the child on his knees, face down. His head should be below the priests. It is easy to do with your fingertips on the back, and then abruptly put the baby and ask to cough. After that, repeat the procedure several times.

A baby should not be placed across the knees, it is enough to take it several times a day in your hands and gently patting the back of the hand. This will also help sputum discharge.

How to make a massage in the treatment of bronchitis, see the transfer of Dr. Komarovsky.

• Traditional recipes based on milk, eggs and honey are not suitable for children who suffer atopic dermatitis (or as it is also called mothers, diathesis).
• A child who has honey allergy and bee products, this product in folk recipes can be replaced by sugar.
• Do not forget that in the treatment of cough at home with improvised means is important comply with the requirements for temperature and humidity in the apartment. Too dry air will prevent sputum discharge, as the bronchial secretion may dry out. Too humid air can aggravate the situation and contribute to the spread of infection. The optimal parameters are as follows: air temperature - no more than 18-20 degrees, humidity - 50-70-%.
• In the house where there is a child with a cough, it is imperative to need twice a day do wet cleaning, air the room in any season.
• For inhalation, it is desirable to use an inhaler or a special device - nebulizer. You can, of course, breathe boiled potatoes in the old manner, over a basin or a saucepan under a blanket with your head, but doctors warn against such a “treatment.” Hot fumes can cause burns to the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx, larynx, bronchi and lungs. And this is a completely different story, which will require long medication in the hospital.
• For home treatment, do not put the child in bed and Do not forbid him to actively move, play. Movement increases the number of breaths and exhalations, it contributes to a more rapid release of sputum and normalization of the condition of the toxins.
• Do not forget about the abundant warm drink. Tea, dogrose decoction, dried fruit compote are beverages that should be given as much as possible in order to avoid bronchial secretion drying and complications. Do not give sparkling water and jelly. Cold drinks are prohibited. In diseases of the respiratory system due to increased temperature, they can cause vascular spasm.
• Putting banks when coughing was fashionable 20-30 years ago. Now pediatricians warn against such a procedure, as it severely injures the skin of the child and can cause overheating of the body as a whole.