Croup in children

Croup is not a disease, but a syndrome, that is, a combination of certain symptoms. Often croup in children occurs before reaching the age of four. The croup is the pathology of the respiratory system, which in most cases occurs in the middle of the night and is accompanied by wheezing, piercing stridorous wheezing and croupous barking cough. In adults and children older than four years, the airways are much wider, and the cartilage in the walls is not so elastic, so the effect of swelling of the mucosa is not so significant. When these symptoms show up in children, the parents immediately panic. However, special treatment of croup in children is not carried out, doctors can clean only certain symptoms if necessary.

Why does cereal occur and how to determine it?

It is believed that the true croup in children occurs when swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx and trachea against a background of viral infection, influenza, less often diphtheria, a lack of calcium in blood and allergies. In addition, inflammation of the epiglottis in ARVI and influenza also provokes viral croup in children with a fever of 39 degrees.

For mothers, croup syndrome in children is manifested by reddening of the face, barking coughing, heavy breathing with a whistle. It is necessary to monitor the color of lips and temperature. When the appearance of cyanosis on the lips due to a lack of ability to breathe fully and the temperature of 39 degrees - these are signs of croup in children, which indicate the need for urgent hospitalization.

The child usually becomes easier if he is taken to the cold air. You can let him breathe warm couples. Croupous cough in a couple of hours is usually done by yourself. However, the next few nights can pass the same way - the cough will return, and then completely disappear.

Helping the child at home

First, you need to check whether the child can breathe normally, swallow. Be sure to check the temperature and most importantly - do not panic! A terrible cough and so terribly frightens the child, so your fuss and frightened eyes will further exacerbate the situation. The child should be cheered, calm, then the breath will even out. If the house has an air humidifier, turn it on and install it next to the baby's bed. Instead of a moisturizer, you can turn on a hot water tap in the bathroom and bring it to a pair of children so that they can breathe. It is dangerous to breathe from the tip of the teapot with steam from the nozzle - you and a child can get burned.

If warm air does not bring relief, try the opposite option - cold air, but do not overdo it so as not to overcool the baby. If these methods do not work, contact your doctor.

Help of professionals

In some cases, the cause of croup in children is a bacterial infection. If the doctor establishes it, then most likely the child will be prescribed a course of antibiotics. A serious degree of croup requires hospitalization. So, the baby is placed in an oxygen tent. Parents should always be around so that the baby is calm. By the way, in this case, taking antibiotics is not necessary.

If breathing is absent or difficult, you will have to resort to resuscitation. To do this, a tube is inserted into the throat (it can also be inserted through the hole in the neck), which, when recovered, is removed.

Prevention

A child who has once experienced an attack of croupous cough, it can happen again, so it is worth buying an air humidifier. The device should be installed every night near the bed where the child sleeps.