7 Tips To Treat Nocturnal Cough In Children
Cough in children is one of the conditions most consulted by parents in the pediatrician. So here are some tips to help ease your symptoms at night.
Night cough in children is very common. The little one goes about his daily life without coughing, but when night comes, a persistent cough bothers him, keeps him from sleeping, and perhaps even vomits. Given this, parents often turn on alerts.
Coughing is a physiological reflex, that is, an involuntary response of the body that, through violent exhalation, tries to expel mucus, dust or other particles that are in the respiratory tract.
A healthy school-age child with no history of respiratory infections can cough up to 34 times a day. However, coughing is one of the most frequent causes in daily pediatric practice, and that generally does not need medical treatment. All of this is pointed out in this article published in the Revista Española de Pediatría .
Why does the cough occur?
Cough receptors are located along the airways, from the larynx to the bronchi. These are stimulated by the presence of the following factors:
- Upper respiratory infections, such as rhinitis, rhinopharyngitis, laryngitis, and colds.
- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
- Asthma and allergies.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
During the day, many children cough from time to time, but when they go to bed they do not stop. This is because, during the day, the child is standing and moving, so the mucus is also moving and there is less coughing.
But when lying horizontally, the airways become more congested, since the mucus moves less. Congestion and posture make your airways and mucus more dry, so you won’t stop coughing.
How to relieve night cough in children?
The nocturnal cough in children can be very distressing when it lasts over time and could indicate a more serious ailment. It has a negative impact on sleep, daily activity and affects the quality of life of children and their parents.
And this is evidenced by this study published in the journal Cough . But it can usually be relieved at home by following the few recommendations.
Avoid an environment that is too dry
You have to provide humidity to the child’s room. Humidifiers are very useful, but they must be well cleaned and cared for. If you have heating at home, make sure it is not too high and place a container with water on top of the radiator to add humidity to the environment.
Helps thin mucus to relieve nighttime coughs in children
So that the mucus is more fluid and can be expelled more easily, it is important that the little one is hydrated. Achieving this is as simple as giving him a drink of water. You can also give him coconut water or some combinations of fruit juice.
Sleeping semi-sitting
Since the horizontal position when sleeping fuels nighttime coughs in children, you can try to get them to sleep a little while standing up. Raise the head of the bed a little or have some pillows so that he is semi-sitting.
Improves nasal breathing
If there is thick mucus, saline nasal washes can be done. It’s not kid-friendly, but it’s very effective. They can be used in spray or drops. Likewise, you can also massage the child’s chest (as long as it is more than 2 years old) with a mixture of essential oils.
Ingredients
- 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
- 10 drops of frankincense essential oil.
- ½ glass of sweet almond oil (100 milliliters).
What should you do?
- Mix all the oils well in a bowl.
- Put a small amount in your hands and massage the child’s chest to relieve congestion.
Relieves dry throat
Various studies, such as this work carried out by researchers at Norbert Wiener University, indicate that honey calms dry coughs. So you can give your little one a teaspoon before bed or when the cough starts. You can also dilute it in a little warm milk.
A grandmother’s remedy: onion
It is popularly believed that an effective way to relieve a nighttime cough in children is to place a chopped onion next to the bed.
This remedy is said to be effective because onion is rich in polyphenols, the natural antihistamine that can alleviate the effects of allergies and deflate the airways, but at the moment there is not enough scientific evidence to confirm its effectiveness.
Avoid self-medication
In general, a nocturnal cough in children does not require the use of drugs of any kind. However, if you have doubts, consult your pediatrician. Over-the-counter drugs in pharmacies are contraindicated for children under two years of age, as they contain codeine, dextromethorphan or cloperastine, which can have side effects for children.
About night cough in children
It is very common that, when the child begins in kindergarten or preschool, coughing episodes begin to appear from respiratory infections. According to the medical point of view, or na cough it is considered chronic if it persists longer than 4 weeks.
If the little one, in addition to coughing, has breathing difficulties and sleeping problems, you should consult your pediatrician. It is also important that environmental irritants, such as cigarette smoke and cleaning chemicals, are removed from the home.
