Cough is one of symptoms of many diseases, both rather harmless, and menacing to health, even human lives. But if the adult can ask for medical care, the child, especially small, often is not capable to complain of feeling sick or to explain that he disturbs him. Therefore it is necessary that parents knew why at the child the cough can begin, and if necessary called to it the doctor.
For what reasons children have a cough
Why can cough arise? In most cases (about 90%) children's cough is one of SARS symptoms – acute respiratory viral infections. Inflammatory process can take both the upper airways, and lower (throat, a trachea, bronchial tubes, lungs).
At inflammation of the upper airways cough, as a rule, dry, without office of a phlegm. At inflammation of a throat – laryngitis – cough becomes peculiar, kind of "barking".
At hard cases of laryngitis because of hypostasis mucous the gleam of the upper airways is so narrowed that the child labors for breath. Such disease ("false croup") threatens life and demands urgent medical care!
The severe cough accompanied with office of a phlegm can demonstrate inflammatory process in bronchial tubes. Parents should see a doctor. Cough at children can arise also because of diseases of a nose, additional nasal bosoms, a throat. Besides, cough – one of the main symptoms of bronchial asthma. At attacks of this disease it becomes very strong, causing feeling of suffocation. If at the child who does not have bronchial asthma the attack of a severe cough suddenly began, it can demonstrate hit of a foreign matter in airways. In that case it is necessary to call "Ambulance" immediately. Cough can be caused in small children by also excessively dry air or availability in it of foreign impurity, for example, of tobacco smoke.
In certain cases the cause of cough can be not connected with a respiratory system at all, and is caused by heart trouble or digestive organs.
In what cases at cough of the child the medical care is required
Parents of the kid need to ask urgently for medical care if cough arose suddenly and does not stop if it is followed by the heavy rattles which are distinctly heard at distance and also when at cough blood or a phlegm of yellowish-green color is emitted. Medical examination is required also in case cough developed against the background of a SARS and the long time (over 3 weeks) does not stop. Do not self-medicate at all the child as it is fraught for his life! You can use folk remedies only after consultation with the expert watching health of your kid.