The most common cough in children is acute. Lasts 4-5 days and follows a cold. It usually comes from a viral respiratory infection and manifests itself in the early hours of sleep and late at night, causing sleepless nights. However, several remedies are available to overcome this problem.
In most cases, the cough is accompanied by one of the many upper respiratory tract infections that can affect especially the smallest (who have not yet developed a "sufficient" bag of antibodies) and is especially common during the winter season. Turning to drugs immediately to eliminate them can be counterproductive and, in some cases, harmful.
Cough is a mechanism for expelling irritating material, a physiological mechanism that gets rid of germs, environmental pollutants (smoke, dust)
In practice, an irritating object present in the respiratory tract is enveloped in mucous secretions and splashes out strongly when coughing. An air flow is formed, which can reach the pushing phase of 800-1000 km per hour!
Acute cough: most common among children, can have different characteristics and causes, most common in pediatric age Lasts several days, usually accompanied by a cold - therefore it is associated with a respiratory infection, often viral, with a mild fever in the first two or three days.
Cough is very common in the first years of life, especially in children who go to kindergarten, a real "vessel" of viruses and microbes that affect the smallest ones, who have an immature immune system and, therefore, they are more defenseless against infections. It is estimated that, on average, children contract 6 to 8 viral upper respiratory tract infections each year, usually accompanied by a cough.
Acute cough occurs in the late hours or in the morning. In fact, it is the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity in the throat, which moves during a change in position, as it happens when a child is lying down or when in the morning it goes upright, causing in both situations the movement of secretions in the pharynx.
At first, the cough is dry, and then after a few days it is accompanied by phlegm due to the gradual formation of mucus by the mucous glands in the airways.
Acute cough peaks two or three days after its onset, possibly after sleepless nights and continuous awakenings (sometimes accompanied by vomiting). The disorder goes away after 4-5 days, when even a cold tends to spontaneously regress.
Coughing is a natural defense mechanism for the body and therefore should not be blocked. However, to ease the trouble, here are some tips for parents:
• Several times during the day, the nasal cavities are cleaned with saline: there are sprays or bubbles in the pharmacy or even in a large supermarket that can be sprayed directly into the child's nostrils;
• A bed with a lifting front allows the child to sleep with their head slightly raised than usual.
• Give your baby a lot to drink because liquids thin mucus;
• Give hot milk, possibly sweetened with honey (remember honey is prohibited until 1 year old), which will increase the fluidity of mucus and relieve throat irritation. However, it should be remembered that honey causes side effects such as anxiety and insomnia: therefore, it is recommended to always reduce the dose.
