Dry cough in a child: causes, symptoms, treatment

A dry cough can be a symptom of many pathological conditions in the body, ranging from a mild cold to very serious diseases. If it occurs, you need to consult a doctor for a diagnosis.

Author:

• Galkin Alexey Vladimirovich

  ENT pathology expert

3.33 (Votes: 15)

Coughing is a natural protective reflex of the body, a contraction of the chest muscles in response to the action of any irritant. Normally, it helps cleanse the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract from dust, mucus, and harmful microorganisms.

There are two types of cough: wet (productive) and dry (non-productive). In the first case, sputum is discharged, and the cough ultimately brings relief to the person. In the second, the cough is prolonged and painful, without sputum production, and is perceived by the person as much more painful. Most often, the disease begins with a dry cough, after which it transforms into a wet one, but sometimes this does not happen. A dry cough can be a symptom of many pathological conditions in the body - from a mild cold to serious illnesses. When it appears, even without signs of a cold or any other manifestations, you need to consult a doctor for a diagnosis. This will guarantee quick relief from dry cough, identification of the underlying disease or indication for lifestyle correction.

What is a dry cough?

Depending on its specifics, it can be:

• Long lasting. Usually it doesn't take at least a few minutes.
• Paroxysmal. Accompanied by difficulty breathing, severe wheezing, and a feeling of tightness in the chest.
• "Barking." So named due to its resemblance to the sounds made by animals.
• Suffocating. Accompanied by the inability to breathe air, usually for a few seconds. This is the most dangerous condition that requires urgent help.
• At night. Makes you wake up and doesn't go away for several minutes. Attacks of suffocation may occur.

This classification is needed so that you can describe your symptoms to the doctor in detail. It is important to talk about the time of occurrence of attacks, their duration, pain or absence thereof, impact on adjacent parts of the body, and other details.

How long does the cough last?

To assess the clinical development of the disease, it is important to determine the nature of the cough. It can be acute, protracted and chronic. A cough is considered acute if it has been present for less than three weeks. Such a cough, as a rule, accompanies the development of acute respiratory diseases and serves to clear the airways of phlegm. Acute cough is usually persistent; that is, while a person is sick, he coughs, and a decrease in the severity of attacks and the cessation of coughing indicates recovery. If the cough returns again after some time, then we are talking about a lingering cough. A cough that lasts from 3 weeks to 3 months is considered to be protracted. Such a cough (a month or longer) means that the disease causing it develops slowly and tends to become chronic. If a cough does not leave a person for more than 3 months, it is classified as chronic. With chronic cough, periods of exacerbation alternate with periods of remission (when there is no cough). Chronic cough is also characterized by fixation - the occurrence of a cough at a certain time of day. Chronic cough is an alarming symptom because it is usually a sign of serious illness. A constant cough loses its useful function and may itself be the cause of the development of certain pathologies.

What diseases can cause cough?

A dry cough can be a consequence of:

• Inflammation of the larynx. At the same time, the sound is “barking”, the voice becomes hoarse, and the attacks themselves more often occur at night.
• Inflammation of the trachea and bronchi. A dry cough lasts 2-3 days, after which it turns into a wet cough and sputum begins to be released.
• Tuberculosis. A cough with tuberculosis does not end for several weeks in a row, despite taking any medications. The cough characteristic of this disease is frequent, dry and hacking, intensifying over time, accompanied by wheezing and sputum, and may be accompanied by hemoptysis.
• Pneumonia. At first it is “barking” and dry; from the 2-3rd day of the disease, sputum begins to be released, sometimes mixed with blood.
• Bronchial asthma. The cough is painful, with attacks of suffocation. The condition is dangerous, as with any attack of suffocation.
• Malignant tumors in the respiratory system. In oncology, the cough may be mild, depending on the type of tumor and its size. Shortness of breath is typical, chest pain and coughing up blood are possible. Any cancer is accompanied by weight loss and weakness.
• Whooping cough. The cough is severe and paroxysmal, often ending in vomiting. It is not blocked by any dry cough medications and can last for several months.
• Corey. Associated symptoms are fever and skin rash.
• Entry of foreign bodies into the respiratory tract. In this case, emergency medical care is important, as the condition can cause suffocation.
• Allergies. An allergic dry cough occurs directly upon contact with an allergen - dust, pollen, gases, chemicals, household chemicals. It can develop in industrial workers through inhalation of dust and small particles. This condition is usually accompanied by an allergic runny nose without other signs of a cold. If there is no exposure to the allergen, it stops.
• Smoking. “Smoker's cough” usually appears in the morning; it can be long-lasting, dry, with poorly separated sputum.
• Pleurisy. The cough is very painful, to the point that it is difficult for a person to change body position and gives off severe pain in the chest. Fever, chills, shortness of breath, and weakness appear.

Symptomatic therapy

The periodic appearance of attacks of deep dry cough or its persistence for 5-7 days, especially in combination with low-grade or high fever, other breathing disorders (shortness of breath, suffocation), thoracic pain is a serious reason to seek qualified medical help. Self-medication in such cases is unacceptable. The patient is advised to limit physical activity, and in case of fever and poor health, stay in bed.

It is important to ensure regular ventilation and sufficient humidification of the air in the room. Before identifying the causes of a deep cough, to alleviate the symptoms and relieve intoxication, it is recommended to drink plenty of compotes from dried fruits, fruit drinks from fresh berries, juices, and warm tea. Drinking warm alkaline drinks - still mineral water, heated milk with a small amount of soda - is effective. If there is a reasonable suspicion of whooping cough, the sick child or adult should be protected from bright light, noise, and other irritants.

Diagnosis and treatment

To identify the root cause, your doctor may order the following tests:

• X-ray;
• fluorography;
• bronchoscopy;
• auscultation;
• percussion;
• blood tests for allergens.

The main goal of treating a dry cough is to transform it into a wet cough - productive with sputum discharge. Treatment is complex, using medications, physiotherapy, and in some cases traditional medicine.

Drug therapy includes: antiviral, antitussive, antihistamine, mucolytic agents, antibiotics. It is important to know that taking antitussive drugs without a doctor’s instructions is strictly prohibited - this can cause the accumulation of mucus in the respiratory tract and lead to stagnation of mucus in the lungs, and this will lead to serious complications.

Physiotherapeutic procedures include:

• warming up;
• inhalation;
• UHF;
• acupuncture;
• electrophoresis.

A cough is a reason to see a doctor

Cough is a very common symptom. Very often it is combined with other symptoms such as a runny nose, fever, sore throat or chest pain. In such cases, we usually resort to medical help in a timely manner.

But in other cases, cough may be the only symptom: other symptoms are completely absent or appear vaguely. And then the illusion arises that there is nothing serious and you don’t need to see a doctor. In this case, the cough is often chronic, since it is the chronic cough that, as a rule, acts as an isolated symptom.

This is a dangerous misconception. Since many serious diseases (tumors, lung cancer) in the initial stages can only manifest themselves as a cough. In case of heart failure, the patient may complain of cough and not pay attention to other symptoms (shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, hypertension). Therefore, if the cough does not leave you for several weeks ( cough for more than a month

– this is already a lingering cough) or if you notice
an increase in cough in the morning or at night
, be sure to consult a doctor.

If your child coughs, take him to the doctor. Children's immunity is weaker than that of an adult, so more sensitive monitoring is required over the child's health. Perhaps the child is simply clearing his throat (a healthy child can cough up to 10-15 times a day - this is how his body clears the airways of dust and germs), or maybe he develops an inflammatory process in the nasopharynx or nasal breathing is impaired..

Doctor Mom

Doctor Mom is a whole line of drugs in lozenges, ointments and syrups. Causes expectoration, removes phlegm, reduces inflammation and relieves pain when coughing. The composition includes many beneficial herbs (aloe, basil, ginger, etc.). Designed for both adults and small children.

Pros:

• Pleasant to the taste
• Relieves cough
• Affordable prices
• Used for prevention
• Suitable for long-term use

Minuses:

• Manifestation of an allergic reaction
• Not effective for severe cough

Omnitus

This cough suppressant is available in the form of syrup and tablets. Sold in pharmacies without a prescription. The active ingredient in Omnitus is butamirate. This is an antitussive drug that suppresses cough by acting directly on the cough center. Helps saturate the blood with oxygen and improve spirometry. It has an expectorant effect, relieves inflammation and moderately dilates the bronchi.

"Omnitus" is prescribed for dry cough and ARVI. The drug is used to suppress the cough reflex before operations, bronchoscopy and other diagnostic procedures.

Omnitus is contraindicated for children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, lactating women and those patients who are allergic to any component of the drug.

The cough suppressant is incompatible with alcoholic beverages, sleeping pills, sedatives, and tranquilizers. It is prescribed with caution to those who have kidney and liver diseases.

Omnitus

- dry cough of any etiology (for colds, flu, whooping cough and other conditions);
- to suppress cough in the preoperative and postoperative period, during surgical interventions, bronchoscopy. from 145

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Treatment of severe cough with Doctor MOM® drugs

Medicines based on herbal components from the Doctor MOM® line can be used to treat both unproductive and unproductive severe cough. Due to the multidirectional action of the active substances that make up the syrup, they produce anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator, mucolytic and expectorant effects. For the treatment of adults, any of the products from the Doctor MOM® line can be used (in the absence of contraindications and individual sensitivity to the components of the drug), and children are prescribed syrup Doctor MOM® and Doctor MOM® Phyto ointment (from 3 years of age).

Adverse symptoms associated with cough

The treatment regimen for dry cough in children depends on the causes that caused it, so it is important to take into account the accompanying symptoms.

• If a dry cough is barking, hoarse, and occurs when inhaling cold air, the cause may lie in the development of laryngitis or laryngotracheitis. With chronic bronchitis, cough can only be observed in the morning.
• Bronchial asthma is sometimes characterized by the absence of expectorated sputum, accompanied by a suffocating cough and shortness of breath. Obstructive bronchitis also leads to difficulty breathing, whistling, and shortness of breath. Pale skin and increased sweating may occur.
• Dryness, sore throat, rawness, itching, pain when swallowing are common symptoms of pharyngitis.
• The most common accompaniment of a dry cough is elevated body temperature. In this case, we are most likely talking about ARVI or influenza.

It is important to understand that a dry cough in a child is already a reason to visit a doctor or call a specialist at home. However, there are accompanying symptoms that require immediate help: hemoptysis, elevated body temperature, difficulty breathing.

ACC

The mucalytic effect that this drug has on the body allows ACC to be proven as an active medicine. In addition, ACC has an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing chest and throat pain.

The drug has contraindications: it is not recommended for use by pregnant women and nursing mothers. Experts also note that the drug should not be combined with other antitussives and paracetamol. Otherwise, you will also have to deal with congestion of the respiratory tract.

Pros:

• Quickly removes mucus and relieves cough
• Does not irritate mucous membranes
• Delicious
• Versatility (suitable for many diseases)
• Convenient packaging

Minuses:

• There are many contraindications, it is better to consult a doctor
• Possible exacerbation of allergies

Causes of sore throat

The appearance of an unpleasant symptom is most often associated with an upper respiratory tract infection. But this is not the only reason why your throat starts to feel sore.

An unpleasant feeling appears when a person accumulates moral tension. It comes out physically through the constant desire to cough. This is especially noticeable before performances: people first seem to “clear” their throats or take a sip of water. This allows you to stop the tickling and start speaking.

Discomfort in the throat may be associated with thyroid disease. The symptom also occurs in people who inhale chemicals with a burning effect on the mucous membranes for a long time. Most often this is an occupational hazard. Or the mucous membrane is irritated by gastric juice, which is thrown through the esophagus in some gastrointestinal pathologies. There is also a dry paroxysmal cough and a sore throat due to cigarette smoke. Especially if it is inhaled by a person who is not used to it, or if it enters through the nose.

The cause of soreness may be drying out of the oropharyngeal mucosa. It appears when there is difficulty breathing through the nose or excessively dry air (due to heating or working with very hot objects). Perspiration often occurs with increased vocal load - among singers, artists, and public figures.

Rengalin

This cough medicine comes in tablet form and can be bought without a prescription. "Rengalin" contains affinity-purified antibodies to bradykinin, histamine, morphine, which have an antitussive effect. The drug reduces the cough reflex, relieves inflammation and has an antihistamine effect.

Rengalin is prescribed for dry cough due to ARVI, influenza and respiratory infections. Treats cough due to bronchitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, as well as cough due to allergies.

The product is contraindicated for children under three years of age, pregnant and lactating women, and those with allergies to the components of the product. There is no data on negative combinations with other medications; it does not affect driving.

Rengalin