More often than not, one of the first diseases of infants, oddly enough, is bronchitis. This is due to the fact that the upper respiratory tract of the crumb is not yet fully formed, and any infection that enters the body instantly descends into the bronchi. In addition, the respiratory tract of the newborn child is not yet adapted to the irritating environmental factors, and it would seem that such a commonplace thing in our time, like cigarette smoke, can cause your baby's bronchitis. Therefore, never smoke yourself in the presence of a child, and do not let others do it. What should we know about bronchitis: the symptoms, treatment of infants and the recovery period - what are they?
What is bronchitis in general? Bronchitis is an inflammation of the inner membrane of the bronchi (two large tubes that drain from the trachea). It can begin as a result of ingestion of a random bacterium from the throat in the bronchi, or it can be caused by the same influenza virus or cold (hence the virus and bacterial bronchitis are distinguished). Either way, the virus or bacterium, settling on the inner shell of the bronchi, irritates it and causes inflammation. In response, the baby's body begins to actively produce mucus, which provokes a cough (a reflex reaction of the body aimed at getting rid of an alien body), during which the child, together with mucus, "coughs up" disease-causing bacteria. Distinguish dry and wet cough (doctors still call it unproductive and productive). Dry cough suggests that mucus is poorly separated from the inner shell of the bronchial tubes and not outward. The appearance of a damp cough speaks of the dilution of sputum and a speedy recovery. It is very important that during a dry cough the child receives a sufficient amount of liquid and breathes moist air. Otherwise, there is a danger of even more drying of sputum, which can lead to false rash (narrowing of the respiratory tract, which makes it hard for the child to breathe). If suddenly this happens, the child should be taken out for a few minutes on a balcony or on the street so that he can get some fresh air. Usually after this, the baby becomes lighter.
In addition, there is such a thing as obstructive bronchitis. With this disease, narrowing of the bronchial canal occurs due to excessive accumulation of mucus on them, which as a result leads to difficulty in excretion of sputum and, as a result, difficulty in breathing. In this case, the child breathes with a characteristic whistling sound. This type of bronchitis carries more danger than usual, and requires immediate intervention of a medical officer.
Since the bacterial form of bronchitis is quite rare, it is most often a consequence of the "lowering" of an influenza infection or a cold down the respiratory tract. Symptoms of viral bronchitis, in addition to cough, also include fever, weakness (especially with dry cough and poor sputum), chest pain, difficulty breathing.
When bronchitis is affected by infants - this is a very dangerous phenomenon and you should not self-medicate! At the first signs of malaise, if you notice any dangerous symptoms, you should immediately show the baby to the doctor, and he, already starting from the form of bronchitis, will prescribe to the child either antibiotics, if it is a bacterial form of bronchitis, or an antiviral agent; will write out an expectorant for improving the excretion of phlegm. In addition, if your baby has started coughing, do not postpone the visit to the doctor in the "back box". Bronchitis is a rather insidious disease and, if left untreated, can develop at best into chronic bronchitis, at worst - into pneumonia.
I would like to say a few words about stopping cough medications. Many mothers, when their crumbs begin to cough, try to stop it in any way, but this is not always the right decision. If it's night and your baby can not fall asleep because of a debilitating cough, then the use of such a medicine is completely justified. But if this is a day and a cough is also productive (expectorant), then do not resort to the use of cough medicines, because with his help the child cleanses the bronchi and gets rid of harmful viruses.
While treating bronchitis it is necessary to follow the recommendations of the doctor, but there are several tips that you can use to improve the condition of the baby and speed up the process of his recovery:
- Abundant drink. With bronchitis, the child should receive as much fluid as possible, as this helps to sputum and improves expectoration. Water is best for this, but you can give your child any liquid, according to his preferences.
- Wet air. It also contributes to the dilution of phlegm. If your child is suffering from a dry cough and he can not fall asleep, try to ventilate the room where he sleeps (at the same time, naturally, moving the child for the time of airing in another room), or turn on the humidifier. Also moisten the air in the room helps wet cleaning or hung on the floor drying wet things.
- Encourage a productive (wet) cough. If the child does not manage to cough up phlegm, tap it lightly on the back while coughing, it also helps to remove mucus from the bronchi.
- Mom's chicken broth. If your baby has already "learned" this new dish for himself, then it's a good idea to offer him a warm chicken broth several times a day. It is not only very tasty, but also helps to soothe irritated after a cough throat.
Usually, bronchitis, if properly treated, lasts for one to two weeks and does not leave behind any unpleasant consequences. Moreover, it is not so bad that there is such a disease as "bronchitis" in the world. This, it might be said, is a unique system of protecting the body from harmful bacteria and viruses, which stands for protecting the lungs.