Treatment of bronchitis in children - bronchitis in children
Inflammation of the bronchial mucosa is called bronchitis. This is a fairly common disease of the respiratory system in children. Despite the prevalence, there are still many questions on diagnosis and treatment options that need to be addressed.
Why bronchitis occurs
appear? Bronchitis in children is more common than in adults. This is due to the anatomical features of the infantile respiratory system. Trachea is short and pathogenic microorganisms easily penetrate inside. Narrow airways make it difficult for the mucus to escape.
The main cause of bronchitis is an infection caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi. Not the last place is allergic.
In most cases, bronchitis has a viral origin, to which a bacterial infection is added. The main role here belongs to parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses. Inflammation caused by influenza viruses, measles, cytomegalovirus and others.
Bacterial and fungal bronchitis in a pure form rarely develop, for example, with trauma.
Recently, mycoplasmal and chlamydial bronchitis( up to 40%) have been detected more often. The cause is intracellular parasites of mycoplasma and chlamydia. They do not have their own cell walls and settle inside the cells of the ciliated epithelium.
Forms of bronchitis
In most cases this disease develops as a complication of ARVI.
Acute bronchitis often occurs with a high fever. In addition to cold symptoms( runny nose, nasal congestion) there is a cough. At first it is dry, then it becomes wet. The total duration of the disease is about 2-3 weeks. When a child falls ill again( more than 3 times a year) they speak of a recurring form.
In children under the age of three, often acute bronchitis occurs with obstruction( obstructive bronchitis ).With this form, bronchospasm spasm occurs, which makes it difficult for the mucus to escape. Breathing becomes noisy, rattling in the chest.
Sometimes the inflammatory process affects bronchioles, the so-called bronchiolitis .The most severe form is bronchiolitis obliterans. Characteristic for infants. There is a partial or complete constriction( obliteration) of bronchioles. The danger of such a disease is that it develops very quickly and causes pulmonary and cardiac failure.
The most difficult to diagnose is chronic bronchitis. To diagnose only on a clinical picture it is not possible, therefore spend X-ray inspection. The pictures show changes in the lungs even during remission.
is a chronic bronchitis that changes the structure of the respiratory tract. Thin walls of the bronchi are thinned, the mucous membrane is destroyed and ceases to perform its protective function.
In complicated cases, a chronic process is accompanied by obstruction or is asthmatic. Often, the cause is an allergy.
Treatment of bronchitis in children
Treatment primarily depends on the form of bronchitis and the type of pathogen. In all cases, therapy is reduced to removing the infectious process.
Do not use self-medication for bronchitis. The likelihood of complications is too high. All the details can only be taken into account by a specialist.
When bronchitis occurs without complications, then designate expectorants, the so-called mucolytics. At a temperature shown by abundant drink and antipyretics. When the main danger passes, add distraction therapy.
Treatment of obstructive bronchitis in children, when the temperature lasts more than 3-4 days, it is mandatory to have antibiotic therapy lasting from 3 to 7 days.
If it is a recurrence of a chronic, then the treatment lasts about 2 weeks. Sometimes inhalations with antibiotics are added in addition to the general therapy.
Antibiotics of penicillin and cephalosporin groups are used for bronchitis. They are active against the main pathogens: pneumococcus, morocella catarrhis and others.
Intracellular parasites of mycoplasma and chlamydia are not sensitive to traditional antibiotics. In this case, appoint macrolides, which are also effective against bacteria.
It should be noted that antibiotics kill not only pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, in parallel, it is necessary to use drugs that restore the intestinal microflora: bifiform, yogulact, linex.
In acute bronchitis, only expectorants are prescribed. They increase the secretion and spitting of phlegm. Often such drugs( lazolvan, etc.) are inhaled through a nebulizer. Only in chronic form are shown antitussives. In any case, the treatment should appoint a doctor.
If there is obstruction, then decongestants( suprastin, claritin) and spasmolytic( eufillin) are needed. They relieve spasm in the bronchi, facilitate breathing. When obstructive bronchitis is strictly prohibited to conduct warming procedures. This can further aggravate edema.
Popular treatment of bronchitis in children
Medicinal preparations based on plants( licorice, thyme, marshmallow, etc.) are very effective in the complex treatment of bronchitis. However, when prescribing these medicines, children prone to allergies need caution. Broths of herbs with expectorant effect are used for steam inhalations.
Young children are recommended to do a vibrating massage. The child is put on his stomach with his head down and makes light tapping movements.
Recently, more and more talk about the creation of microclimate conditions in the room, conducive to rapid recovery. This is facilitated by a cool( 18-21 ⁰С) and moist air( 50-70%).
Under such conditions, the mucous does not dry out and sputum easily clearses. The respiratory tracts are quickly cleared and come back to normal. This is especially important for chronic bronchitis.
These same conditions allow not only to alleviate the disease, but also to avoid it. At the first sign of acute respiratory viral infection, the child must remain in such a microclimate.
In addition to conventional therapy, it is effective to conduct other general health-improving measures. Very useful massage, exercise, especially those that train the breathing apparatus. When chronic inflammation of the respiratory system is recommended to do breathing exercises.