How to treat acute laryngitis in a child? Causes, treatment, help.

One of the diseases characteristic of childhood and carrying a huge danger to health is acute laryngitis: the child has laryngeal mucosa and vocal cords.

Deterioration of health begins with normal hypothermia and manifests as a runny nose, a slight increase in temperature, reddening of the throat and its swelling with the presence of bloody discharge in the inflamed area.

Causes of the disease

The following factors contribute to the emergence of acute laryngitis in a child :

• Catarrhal diseases (ARVI, measles, influenza, adenoviruses);
• Allergens (varnishes, paints, dust, animal hair);
• Embedded anatomically narrow larynx and nasopharynx, which swell in the inflammatory process, which provokes an even greater narrowing, correspondingly, the entry of air into the body is greatly hampered;
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease, in which the contents of the stomach enters the larynx, which significantly irritates the organ;
• Getting inside a foreign body;
• mechanical damage;
• Hot dry air, smoke-filled premises, dustiness, exhaust fumes;
• Singing, talking in loud tones, a prolonged cry - actions that cause an overstrain of the vocal cords ;
• Weakened immunity, not always able to protect the body crumbs, even from ordinary draft.

Acute laryngitis: symptoms and treatment in children

The disease described is a response of a young immature organism to the viral nature of the disease; A special danger is acute laryngitis in children under one year old who are not yet able to explain to parents why they are worried because of a small age.

Often, the symptomatology, indicating the presence of acute laryngitis, occurs suddenly and is accompanied by:

• Change in the voice timbre, its hoarseness and possible loss of voice,
• Loss of appetite due to pain during swallowing,
• Dry barking cough, the intensity of which increases during the night and especially in the morning,
• Rapid or very difficult breathing,
• Attacks of suffocation.

Bright symptoms that characterize the acute laryngitis in a child are: a strong capriciousness of the baby, restlessness, lethargy, barking cough, discharge from the nose, crying accompanied by wheezing. In the pulmonary area, noise and whistling are heard. Blueing of the nasolabial triangle indicates the progression of such a dangerous disease as acute laryngitis. Symptoms and treatment in children cause particular anxiety in the attack of false croup - the narrowing of the larynx lumen, which leads to difficulty breathing. This symptom is a good reason to call for emergency care, because the current condition carries a mortal danger.

When diagnosing laryngitis, most likely, the treatment of the child will be carried out in a hospital, where doctors can objectively assess the condition of the baby and the threat to his health. Therefore, in no case should parents refuse hospitalization.

Acute laryngitis in children: emergency care

Paroxysmal false croup in young children occurs suddenly (often at night) and very rapidly, literally in a couple of hours, develops. The child begins to gasp, his breathing becomes noisy, coughing - barking, the voice - hoarse. With a significant narrowing of the larynx it is clearly noticeable, as in the process of inspiration in the lower part of the neck falls a hollow, called the "jugular fossa." There may also be a fall in the skin surface between the ribs. Usually acute obstructive laryngitis in children is accompanied by high fever, but during the attack of false croup this indicator may not exceed 37.2 ^o C. At this point, the sick kid is extremely scared, so it is very important that his parents remain calm and self-controlling.

First aid for a child

What actions should parents take when a child develops a fit of false croup?

1. Immediately call for emergency help.
2. Before the arrival of physicians constantly give the crumb (in small portions, but often) a warm alkaline liquid: water "Borjomi" or a solution of 1 liter of boiled water with diluted soda (1 teaspoon). You can not give compotes and juices.
3. Immerse in the hot water hands of the child (to the elbows) and feet (to the knees). This action will somewhat ease the serious condition and allow the baby to breathe more freely.
4. Humidify the air in the room: hang wet sheets or put a container of water in the room.
5. Give the crust an antiallergic agent: Suprastin, Zirtek, Fenistil or Tavegil.
6. Effective use of drugs that remove spasm: Drotaverin, Papaverin, No-shpa.

Complications with acute laryngitis

Acute stenosing laryngitis in children with untimely or incomplete treatment can result in such complications as:

• Phlegmon neck - inflammation of the soft tissue of the body without clear boundaries, having a purulent character,
• Sepsis - the spread of infection throughout the body of the child through blood vessels,
• Mediastinitis - an inflammation of the middle region of the sternum,
• Abscess of the lung - with the localization of pus in this organ,
• Defeat of the cartilage of the larynx.

Diagnosis of the disease

With timely application for professional medical assistance, the predictions for the outcome of the disease are quite favorable. The doctor will prescribe a course of therapy, including:

• Anamnesis - information about the medical history, previous illnesses, the living conditions of a small patient, and so on;
• The analysis of complaints: the time of their appearance and the factors that contributed to the onset of the disease: voice loads, hypothermia, communication with sick people;
• A general examination by palpating the larynx to determine the degree of its soreness and lymph nodes for increasing them;
• Laryngoscopy: examination of the larynx by an endoscope and a special mirror;
• A blood test to determine the etiology of the disease (viral or bacterial);
• A smear with mucous, which allows to identify the pathogen, if the infection is of a bacterial nature.

Information for parents

Acute laryngitis of children of the year, whose treatment is medicated, also requires the organization of a special patient for a small patient, which is especially important for home therapy. What should parents know?

Helping a child with acute laryngitis is to carry out such activities as:

1. Providing bed rest.
2. Control over the state of the air, its regular moistening and airing the room.
3. Abundant warm and unsweetened drink (milk, fruit drinks, compotes, herbal decoctions). It is recommended to use alkaline water ("Glade kvasova" or "Borjomi"), which allows to reduce the degree of poisoning of the body and to cough dry cough. Do not use carbonated drinks.
4. Proper nutrition with dietary food, regulated by vitamin composition. Food should not be too hot or very cold. To increase the appetite of the baby's parents, it is recommended to make original cooked dishes.
5. Limit the load on the voice device. The child should be much silent, talk little. This recommendation is of particular importance, since in the childhood, the formation of vocal cords only occurs, and excessive efforts at conversation can provoke irreversible defects of voice.
6. Staying in the open air provided that the child's condition has improved. It is undesirable to walk in cold and slushy weather, and also on hot days, when there is probably a large accumulation of dust. First time the duration of walks should not exceed 15-20 minutes. Then, the time spent in fresh air can be gradually increased.

Drugs for the treatment of acute laryngitis

If acute laryngitis is diagnosed, treatment in children is of a complex nature and is aimed at combating the bacterial environment, increasing immunity, and eliminating the factors that cause coughing attacks. Recommended drugs, whose effect is directed to complete and qualitative recovery of the baby, are:

• Antihistamines. Helps in removing the swelling of the mucosa and have a calming effect on crumbs. Usually, the doctor appoints Claricens (for babies, Zirtek (from 6 months), Klarotadin (from 2 years), Cetrin (in syrup for 1 year), Parasin (from 6 years).
• Antitussive and expectorant. From a large number of drugs presented on the pharmaceutical market, the doctor chooses the most optimal, able to help the baby at the current stage of the disease. With a paroxysmal cough, the attending physician can appoint "Herbion" (from 2 years), "Sinekod", "Libexin", "Erespal". When the cough goes into the wet stage, such expectorants as Bronhosan, Ambrobene, Lazolvan, ACTS, and Fluimutsil are helpful.
• Antipyretics ("Panadol", "Paracetomol", "Ibuprofen"). Assigned at a high (more than 38 ° C) temperature.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For example, "Ibufen".

Acute laryngitis in a child is not recommended to be treated with aerosols and tablets for resorption: on a background of dry cough the baby can be puked with tablets, and sprays can cause laryngospasm - an allergic reaction that can worsen a child's condition.

Antibiotics for acute laryngitis

Antibiotic therapy is rarely prescribed - in the case of the bacterial nature of the disease and increased intoxication of the body. From penicillin preparations in the treatment of acute laryngitis, the following are used: "Augmentin", "Flemoclav Solutab", "Amoxiclav", suspension "Ecoclave". From cephalosporins, syrups "Cefix", "Suprax", "Cefadox", as well as injections of "Fortum" and "Ceftriaxone" are effective. In case of severe disease, Ecomed, Sumamed, Azitrox, Macroben, Claritomycin are prescribed. In parallel, during the treatment with antibiotics and after it is completed, the child should take probiotics that help normalize the microflora: Lineks, Lactovit, Bifiform, Bifidobacterin.

Inhalation with acute laryngitis

An obligatory part of the complex treatment of laryngitis are inhalations, which are performed efficiently with the help of a nebulizer. The advantages of this method of treatment are safety due to low temperature, ease of use, high efficiency of increased dispersion (dispersion) of respirable particles. Mineral water (Borjomi, Essentuki), soda solution, herbal infusions (from mint, chamomile, sage, thyme), essential oils (eucalyptus, menthol), medicinal preparations (Rotokan, Sinupret "," Lazolvan "," Tolzingon "). For the treatment of infants (over 6 months of age), a suspension for the Pulmicort nebulizer can be used.

Acute laryngitis in children, the symptoms of which indicate the need for professional medical care, in hospital conditions are treated with physiotherapeutic measures: UFO, UHF, electrophoresis on the larynx. With persistent violations of the voice, it is necessary to have a speech therapist.

Traditional medicine for acute laryngitis

In the treatment of laryngitis, one should not abandon the methods of folk therapy, the effective component of which are warming compresses. They need to be applied to the cervical region. In the absence of temperature on the back area it is recommended to put mustard plasters.

A high effect is shown by mustard foot baths. The inhalation of potato steam is good. To prepare a medicinal solution you need to boil the uncooked potato tubers, drain the water, and put the potatoes on a sheet of chamomile, mint or eucalyptus. It is recommended that the baby breathe above the steam formed for 10 minutes. It should be borne in mind that too small children such steam inhalations should be carried out with extreme caution because of the existing risk of burn mucous. The number of procedures during the day is two, between meals. In the process of inhalation and at the end of it for at least 30 minutes the child can neither talk nor drink or eat.

Rinse throat in the treatment of colds is one of the effective measures that help in the speedy recovery. One of the effective home remedies is the juice of boiled beet, which is recommended to perform procedures 3 times a day. As an effective analogue you can use honey decoction, which requires 1 teaspoon of honey to pour a cup of boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Rinse should be done during the day 3-4 times.

Folk remedies for acute laryngitis in children - a decoction for rinsing a sore throat from chamomile and sage. In the treatment of laryngitis, the use of fennel seeds is efficient, which should be poured with boiling water and insisted for 40 minutes. The broth is recommended to drink every day in small portions.

To treat acute laryngitis in a child, you can use fresh juice of carrots (or cranberries), in which you want to add 2 tbsp. Spoons of honey.

Preventive actions

Prevention of acute laryngitis in children should be aimed at strengthening immunity with vitamins appropriate to the age of physical exertion, contrasting water procedures, as well as complete and timely treatment of all infectious diseases.

To strengthen immunity, traditional medicine recommends eating a composition of softened cranberries, mixed with grinded walnut kernels, finely chopped green apples and sugar (if desired). These components should be boiled over low heat, bringing to a boil. Drink medicinal medicine is recommended herbal tea based on lemon balm, mint and blossom chestnut.

Essentially increase the immunity of the kernel of walnuts, dried apricots and prunes, crushed in a blender.

The prognosis in children who have undergone laryngitis is favorable. Children "outgrow" this disease. Once the nervous system is fully formed, the friability of the submucosal layer disappears, the child stops laryngitis.

Prognosis of laryngitis

With acute laryngitis, almost all babies go through stenosis (constriction) of the larynx. And only the skillful and timely actions of parents can prevent serious complications and cure a dangerous disease.

The prognosis in a child who has undergone laryngitis has a favorable soil. With the final formation of the nervous system and the disappearance of the loose submucosal layer, the baby ceases to be sick with laryngitis, "outgrowing" it.