Often in young children, hoarseness and sore throat are signs of beginning laryngitis. It is important for parents to see a doctor immediately in order to start timely treatment. This is far from a harmless disease: in a neglected state, laryngitis threatens with serious complications up to stenosis of the larynx and even respiratory arrest.
Why do children get laryngitis?
What is laryngitis? Experts call this the inflammatory process of the laryngeal mucosa. Clinical practice shows: more often the disease torments babies up to three years old, since their surface of the vocal cords is extremely loose, and therefore prone to rapid edema.
Swelling of tissues is caused by various kinds of pathogens, other unfavorable factors. Knowing the cause of laryngitis in children is extremely important - this will allow the doctor to prescribe an effective course of therapy. The disease can be caused by:
- ARVI, including influenza and parainfluenza, is the most common cause of laryngitis and laryngotracheitis, especially in frequently ill children.
- Complications of other infections such as measles, chickenpox, scarlet fever.
- Colds, inhalation of cold air.
- Bacteria trapped in the respiratory tract, usually staphylococci, hemophilic sticks, pneumococci.
- These or those allergens, often - dust, food, wool.
- Severe stress associated with the immaturity of the central nervous system of a small child.
- Improper and frequent use without specialist supervision of aerosols for the upper respiratory tract.
- Inflammatory process in the paranasal sinuses.
- Poor ecology, smoke.
- Loud singing or screaming, overextension of the vocal cords.
How to recognize laryngitis in a child
The development of laryngitis in children is rapid, therefore, from the first signs of the disease, parents should sound the alarm. At the onset of the disease:
- the child becomes lethargic and weak
- complains of a sore throat, then pain when swallowing
- his throat is red
- runny nose appears
If parents take too long to see a doctor, the disease will progress rapidly. She will remind herself of herself with a characteristic loringic barking cough, which will manifest itself on exhalation, while on inhalation, the child will begin to wheeze.
The next probable problem is difficulty breathing, in which dry wheezing is heard. It has been noticed that most often children with acute laryngitis begin to suffocate early in the morning, and suddenly.
In a sick baby, the body temperature can jump up to 39 ° C, and the voice, which was previously hoarse or hoarse, disappears altogether. A bluish color appears around the lips, the lymph nodes increase.
What is false croup
Of course, the treatment of laryngitis should be started at the initial stage, but if for some reason this did not happen, be prepared for complications! You should immediately call an ambulance if the child begins to breathe unevenly "with a whistle", shortness of breath is observed, the high temperature does not subside for more than a day!
The edema accompanying the disease makes the lumen of the larynx small, which is why even respiratory arrest, problems with the heart and blood vessels are not excluded. This is how false croup manifests itself, which needs to be treated in a hospital setting.
What can parents do if the child begins to choke, is very scared, and the ambulance has not arrived yet:
- keep the baby upright
- humidify the room with a special humidifier, wet towels on the battery
- alternatively, put a hot stream of water in the bathroom, let the steam breathe and lower the child's feet into warm water
- make an alkaline inhalation
Laryngitis treatment at home: inhalation
Laryngitis without serious, life-threatening complications can be effectively treated at home as prescribed by your doctor. As a rule, inhalations are prescribed for sick babies, which allow evenly irrigate problem areas with sprayed liquid or steam with a medicinal solution, decoction, infusion.
For these purposes, it is convenient and safe to use a special device - a nebulizer, which is sold with a children's mask. Medication for inhalation is diluted in saline in a certain proportion, which is selected by the doctor, taking into account the age and weight of the baby.
The procedures must be done carefully following the prescribed dosages and instructions for the device. Usually, at least a dozen inhalations are prescribed for at least five days.
What medications can a doctor prescribe for inhalation for laryngitis:
- "Berodual" to relax the bronchi and produce mucus for better expectoration in case of laryngic cough
- alkaline inhalation of mineral water without gas as an expectorant
- Lazolvan also for better coughing
- "Pulmicort" for chronic laryngitis for relief of allergic edema and inflammation in the laryngeal mucosa
- "Euphyllin" for relieving spasm of ligaments in case of suffocation
- Aminocaproic acid to strengthen the walls of blood vessels
Steam inhalation is possible when the child is able to independently inhale the hot vapors of the medicinal decoction, keeping the face at a sufficient distance from the container with hot liquid to avoid burns. When treating laryngitis, decoctions of chamomile, mint, sage can be prescribed.
It is impossible to self-medicate, since inhalation is not at all such a harmless procedure as it might seem. Only a doctor can prescribe the optimal remedy, determine the duration of the course and the duration of the procedures.
Medication for laryngitis
When visiting a sick child, the pediatrician or ENT doctor will definitely prescribe potions, pills and other forms of drugs, taking into account the cause of the disease and symptoms. The following drugs are most often used for laryngitis in children.
- With the viral nature of the disease - antiviral agents for children, such as Orvirem, Kagocel, Tamiflu, Anaferon.
- If there is a bacterial infection, antibiotics. Children can, in particular, prescribe suspensions or tablets "Suprax", "Cefix", "Sumamed", "Amoxiclav", "Flemoklav Solutab", "Augmentin", "Macropen". A course of injections "Fortum" or "Ceftriaxone" is possible.
- Together with antibiotic therapy, prebiotics or probiotics are required to restore the intestinal microflora. Among the most popular are Khilak Forte, Linex, Acipol, Bifidobacterin.
- To relieve laryngeal edema and as a sedative at night, antihistamines can be prescribed, including Suprastin, Tsetrin, Diazolin, Fenistil in drops.
- Among the antimicrobial agents for relieving sore throat recommended for children with laryngitis are Faringosept, Hexoral, Ingalipt, Lizobakt; lozenges containing mint, eucalyptus or sage oil.
- Antipyretics at a body temperature above 38 ° C - preparations based on ibuprofen or paracetomol.
- With a dry cough, for its transition to a productive one - such means as "Stoptusin Fito".
- When wet - expectorant ("Ambrobene", "Herbion", "Alteika", breast fees).
- Antitussives like Libeksin are used strictly according to the doctor's prescription to relieve the painful laryngic cough.
Drug therapy should be carried out carefully, be attentive to the sick child. So, sprays like "Ingalipt" or "Hexoral" can cause a spasm of the larynx in a baby, careless use of an antitussive drug and mucolytics at the same time can cause serious complications of the lower respiratory tract. Anyway, any new medicine can cause allergies in children. If the condition of a small patient worsens, parents should immediately consult a doctor.
Diet of a child with laryngitis
Proper nutrition with swelling of the laryngeal mucosa is the key to a speedy recovery, while non-compliance with a strict sparing diet can aggravate the disease. With laryngitis:
- you need to eat warm food and drink, but not hot or cold;
- exclude spicy, sour, pickles and pickles
- include soft, mashed food in the menu to avoid injuries to an inflamed larynx
- you can not drink carbonated water and drinks, eat nuts and seeds
- the best broth for any soup is chicken
- to soften the throat, you can drink warm milk with butter
So that the child does not get sick with laryngitis
Usually, a timely and well-chosen therapeutic course helps to successfully cope with an insidious childhood illness. Nevertheless, in order to prevent relapses, it is important to carry out ARVI prophylaxis, temper, eat right and move a lot in the fresh air, and prevent children from contacting allergens. The child's body should not have such infectious foci as bad teeth, adenoids, tonsillitis.
Practice shows that children after three to four years become less and less ill with laryngitis - the laryngeal mucosa becomes less loose in structure, the immune system is strengthened. Finally, parents gain experience and the ability to recognize the disease at the initial stage, preventing it from developing and turning into a serious pathology.
