How to treat bronchitis in children: signs and prevention

Bronchitis is a common pathology of the respiratory system. In childhood it occurs more often and it is more complicated than in adults. Parents should be aware of the first symptoms of the disease in order to immediately recognize and begin treatment. The most common cause of acute bronchitis is infection, but there are cases of non-infectious disease. What is bronchitis, its symptoms and treatment in children will be considered in more detail.

• Symptoms of bronchitis in children
• Types of disease
• Than the ailment is dangerous
• Treatment of bronchitis
• Medication
• Treatment without antibiotics
• Treatment with folk remedies
• Prevention

Symptoms of bronchitis in children

The broncho-pulmonary system in children has its own characteristics. The breathing passages are narrow, so they quickly overlap with mucosal edema. Congenital pathologies usually appear in the first year of life. The immune system only develops, the organism is unstable to the action of viruses and bacteria, children easily fall ill. The volume of lungs in childhood is less, therefore the infection spreads faster, complications often occur.

Important! Infants are especially dangerous bronchospasm and swelling of the respiratory tract with a viral infection! These conditions lead to suffocation!

How is bronchitis manifested? It begins with signs of a cold, to which a cough joins.

A simple form of bronchitis manifests itself by such symptoms:

• weakness in the body;
• headache;
• irritating cough;
• wheezing, audible with breathing;
• temperature increase.

What cough with bronchitis? At first it is dry, and then it becomes wet. The child sometimes hears wheezing in the chest. The severity of the disease depends on age, general well-being and physical development.

In obstructive bronchitis in children, the lumen of the bronchi narrows due to spasm. This form is often found at a young age. The main provoking factors are viral infection and allergy. The main signs of the disease are a shortness of breath, wheezing in the chest, wheezing, coughing before vomiting.

How long does the temperature last? Until inflammation diminishes. The disease is not always accompanied by a fever. Signs of bronchitis without fever (bronchospasm) manifest suddenly due to an allergic reaction - after contact with the animal, the inhalation of paint, pollen of plants. Obstruction can occur on the fourth day after the onset of acute respiratory disease.

Important! Obstructive bronchitis is similar in symptoms to asthma. But it ends with recovery, and for asthma, a recurrent course is characteristic!

Types of disease

Doctors distinguish several forms of the disease. By origin, bronchitis is primary or secondary (complication of acute respiratory infections, other conditions).

According to the nature of the current, the following variants are distinguished:

• acute;
• chronic.

In children under one year, the process affects small bronchi - bronchioles. This form is called bronchiolitis. Treatment should be started immediately to prevent complications - pneumonia.

Important! The diagnosis of chronic bronchitis is established if the child is ill 2-3 times per year for two consecutive years! Even after recovery, the child may have a cough.

In terms of prevalence, bronchitis is divided into the following types:

• limited - inflammation affects the local area of ​​the bronchial tree;
• diffuse - the disease affects all the bronchi.

By the nature of inflammation, bronchitis happens:

• catarrhal - only mucous is involved in the process;
• hemorrhagic - there are hemorrhages;
• Purulent - there is pus in the sputum;
• necrotic - the areas of dead tissue are characteristic;
• ulcerative - ulcers affect the mucous membrane;
• fibrous - fibrin covers the bronchi;
• mixed.

Children are more often diagnosed with a catarrhal and catarrhal-purulent variant.

Than the ailment is dangerous

With bronchitis, the patency of the airways decreases and ventilation of the lungs worsens. If the lungs do not receive oxygen, then the circulatory system, which nourishes all organs, is not enough.

In addition, acute bronchitis provokes the development of pneumonia. Microorganisms penetrate into the lung tissue and multiply rapidly. In children, pneumonia is a frequent complication after bronchitis, especially if treatment is inadequate or the doctor's recommendations are not followed.

Bronchitis is a disease that must be treated. In children, sputum accumulates deep in the bronchi, it drains severely through the narrowed bronchi. For the withdrawal, intensive work of the respiratory muscles is required, in young children the muscles are poorly developed. Cough is often ineffective, so the child's bronchitis runs harder and longer. Is it contagious? No, you can get infected only by the virus that caused it.

Treatment of bronchitis

This disease does not provide inpatient treatment, but therapy should be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor. Hospitalization is recommended for infants up to a year because of the risk of developing pneumonia.

Therapy takes 10-14 days, with complications - 3 weeks or more. It includes:

1. Bed rest at the beginning of the disease. It is necessary to limit physical activity until the temperature normalizes, the general condition improves.
2. Dietary food. The child needs to offer easily digestible food, favorite dishes. Vegetables, fruits, cereals, soups and dairy products are recommended. Also, a lot of drinking is required.
3. In case of inflammation, the throat should be rinsed with medicinal broths to reduce pain and perspiration.
4. Expectorants are prescribed for liquefaction and excretion of sputum.
5. Inhalation with nebulizer has proven effective in the treatment of bronchitis.
6. Warming compresses and ointments on the chest are distracting therapies. It has no therapeutic effect, but it improves the child's well-being. Ointments with essential oils and extracts of injuries can cause allergies and provoke bronchospasm.
7. The use of vibrating massage and postural drainage helps cleanse the bronchi.
8. Antipyretics are prescribed at high temperature - from 38.5 degrees.
9. With nasal congestion, vasoconstrictive drugs and solutions for washing the strokes are needed.

Important! Infants independently expectorants are not prescribed! Coughing can be associated with the swelling of the nasal mucus! If necessary, the medicine is selected by the doctor.

Medication

Prescribes medicines to a child with bronchitis, the treating doctor. Consideration is given to the symptoms and features of the course of the disease. They use such drugs:

1. Bronchodilators - Vetolin, Salbutamol, Berodual, Pulmicort. Apply them in the form of inhalations using a nebulizer only with bronchial obstruction.
2. Antibiotics according to indications.
3. Hormonal drugs (Prednisolone or Dexamethasone) are recommended only in cases of severe illness, when you need to quickly remove inflammation and eliminate spasm of the bronchi.
4. Expectorants. These include Ambroxol, Bromhexine, Lazolvan, Flavamed or tincture of thermopsis.
5. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also effective. Syrup Erespal perfectly copes with the symptoms of bronchitis.

Treatment of acute bronchitis can be carried out using antibiotics. In children, this disease is almost always viral, antibiotics are prescribed only for bacterial complications. With a simple form, the body must cope with the disease on its own.

If antibiotics are indispensable, Flemoxin Solutab, Amoxicillin or Amoxiclav is recommended for treatment. Of modern medicine, doctors prefer the drugs Supraks, Augmentin, Sumamed, which are available in capsules or suspensions.

Antibiotics doctors appoint immediately after confirmation of bacterial infection. More often it is caused by pneumococci, streptococci and hemophilic rod.

Important! Take antibacterial drugs according to the recommendations of the doctor, you can not break the course, because it can cause serious health problems.

Treatment without antibiotics

Famous doctor pediatrician E. Komarowski recommends the treatment of bronchitis in children without the use of antibiotics. They will be effective only in the fight against bacteria, and with viruses can not cope. That is why it is important to accurately diagnose.

Treatment of acute bronchitis, not complicated by obstruction, consists in moistening the respiratory tract and removing symptoms - coughing or shortness of breath, dyspnea. At a high temperature, warming rubbing, hot inhalation should be avoided.

If the baby's state of health is satisfactory, he does not have a fever, then massage can help get rid of accumulated sputum. It is necessary to put the baby on the stomach, so that the buttocks are above the head and light tapping on the back to do a massage. Then put the child and give him a cough.

With colds, acute respiratory infections and bronchitis, Dr. Komarovsky advises a plentiful drink - compotes with a moderate sugar content and herbal teas, water. In the child's room, it is necessary to carry out a wet cleaning and to air 4-5 times a day.

Treatment with folk remedies

Use in bronchitis and folk methods of treatment. Here are a few recipes that help in the treatment of bronchitis:

1. Leaves of mother-and-stepmother help to cough up phlegm. Prepare the decoction as follows: 1 tbsp. l. crushed leaves poured 200 ml of water, put for 15 minutes in a water bath. Cool, remove the cake and take 1 tbsp. l. 4-6 times a day.
2. Juice of cabbage will help to get rid of a damp cough. To improve the taste, you can add honey, take 1 h. l. up to 6 times a day.
3. Well helps with bronchitis, a decoction of figs in milk.
4. The juice of black radish with honey helps to get rid of symptoms, drink 1 tbsp. l. 15 minutes before meals.
5. Potato cake from cough is another excellent method of treatment at home. It is worth simply boiling potatoes, chopping, wrapping in gauze and putting warm on your chest.

Treatment with folk remedies gives a good result if it complements traditional therapy. Only herbs can not do. You can also add point and percussion massages.

Prevention

Preventive measures - tempering, sea bathing in the summer, proper nutrition, observance of the regime of the day. With often relapsing bronchitis, the child is recommended vitamins, adaptogens, inoculation from hemophilia infection.

When the cause of bronchitis - chronic diseases of the nasopharynx, you need to sanitize the foci of infection. Also, children with immunocompromised breathing exercises are recommended.

With bronchitis for diagnosis, prevention and treatment should consult a doctor. Self-medication often leads to complications and prolonged course of the disease.