Nervous cough in a child: symptoms and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Cough is not always a manifestation of a cold or viral disease. Sometimes the reflex phenomenon is neurotic in nature. If a baby has such attacks against the background of stressful situations, and is absent in a calm state, we are talking about a neurological, neurogenic or psychogenic form of cough. How to cure a nervous disorder in a child?

Body-Brain Connection

As you know, all diseases come from nerves. This statement is true. This problem is studied by the science of psychosomatics. The emergence and subsequent course of many somatic pathologies is closely related to the work of the central nervous system, psychological factors. Ongoing research finds a deep connection between bodily diseases and mental and spiritual problems. To date, the psychosomatic causes of migraines, asthma, vegetative disorders manifested by panic attacks have been studied.

Features of nervous cough in children

This disease is neurogenic in nature. Attacks are always accompanied by a loud / dry cough, which intensifies during the periodstress. In a calm environment, the symptoms subside or disappear altogether. Eliminating the problem begins with finding out its root causes and conditions that cause nervous overexcitation.

According to doctors, in 9 out of 10 cases, a nervous cough in children is an option to create protection against irritating factors. Coughing, the child tries to eliminate them. Violation appears in two variants: unconscious and arbitrary.

In the first case, the disorder appears unexpectedly, but always has a protracted character. May be the result of recent diseases of the lungs and bronchi. It also occurs against the background of experiences that the child is trying to get rid of. Voluntary coughing always has a purpose. The kid is trying to use it to attract attention.

Distinguishing a nervous cough in children from an allergic or cold is easy for a number of reasons. Most often it is dry, manifesting itself mainly in the daytime. Does not cause sputum production. Disappears when the child reads poetry or speaks quickly. Nervous cough during intense physical exertion does not increase, does not respond to the use of bronchodilators or expectorants.

Main reasons

This violation is a manifestation of a mental disorder, dysfunction of the cerebral cortex or central nervous system. It is characteristic of children who are constantly in a state of stress, feeling anxiety and worries. During the next attack, the vocal muscles are reduced. As a result, psychogenicbronchospasm or vocal tic.

Nervous cough in a child can be triggered by the following reasons:

• problematic relationships with parents, misunderstanding on the part of adults;
• regular overwork in kindergarten/school;
• loneliness, depressive thoughts;
• conflicts with supposed friends;
• "mirroring" diseases of loved ones and their problems.

Negative emotions are the main provocateur of irritation of those parts of the cerebral cortex that are responsible for coughing. However, the appearance of symptoms is possible not only with experiences, but also with deafening joy. Excitation in both cases occurs with the same force.

Dangerous lingering cough. In medical practice, many cases are described when, after the elimination of negative emotions and the normalization of the mental state of the child, the disorder persisted. The reason for this is the consolidation of symptoms reflexively, that is, at the subconscious level. It is not recommended to allow such cases. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the problem in a timely manner and start fixing it.

Clinical picture

At risk are children from 4 to 8 years old. In rare cases, the disorder manifests itself at an older age, but by about 18 years this problem disappears. You can recognize the symptoms of a nervous cough in a child if you watch him. However, you should not try to draw conclusions on your own, it is better to seek medical help.

Attention should be paid to the following signs:

• attacks appearexclusively during the daytime and for no apparent reason;
• their intensity decreases when the child is passionate or interested in something;
• cough is dry and persistent;
• symptoms remain unchanged even after a long time;
• cough medicines fail;
• during seizures, the child feels a lack of oxygen.

Sometimes the symptoms of nervous cough in children are demonstrative and loud. In parallel, the child complains of pain in the region of the heart. He has a panic mood, fear. Falling into hysterics, some kids literally bring themselves to such a state that during the next attack sputum and even vomiting are released.

Diagnostic Methods

Diagnosis of violations involves the study of complaints, an assessment of the general state of he alth of the child. The doctor draws attention to the psychological situation in the family, school. Additional studies are required to rule out asthma, allergies, and other diseases that can manifest as coughing. Several specialists usually work with a child (pulmonologist, allergist, neurologist, psychotherapist, otolaryngologist).

Treatment of nervous cough in children is prescribed only after confirmation of the diagnosis. It may include several approaches, ranging from medical to homeopathic.

Medicated approach

Doctors try to avoid medicationelimination of symptoms and treatment of nervous cough in a child. Taking medications is justified only in cases where the disorder interferes with social adaptation and interferes with building interpersonal relationships. For this purpose, antidepressants and sedatives are prescribed. They are prescribed in small doses, and the course of therapy itself takes place under the supervision of a physician.

It is important to be aware of the side effects that medications can cause. With prolonged use, there is a sleep disorder, headache. It is also possible a violation of concentration, an obsessive state of unjustified anxiety, muscle hypertonicity.

Relaxing massage

Massage has a positive effect on nerve endings, relaxes muscles and improves blood circulation. While having a beneficial effect on the child's psyche, the sessions also help strengthen the immune system.

Some parents prefer to seek professional help. However, you do not need to have special skills for such manipulations. All that is required is a positive attitude, a cordial attitude towards the child. Together with other methods of therapy, massage allows you to quickly eliminate the problem.

Psychotherapy sessions

It is believed that the treatment of a nervous cough in a child is the task of a psychotherapist. He must determine the causes of irritation, teach him how to relax and cope with emotions. In addition, the specialist is responsible for working with family members to create a favorable atmosphere in the house. In some cases, sessions of individual behavioralpsychotherapy. For young patients, distracting activities are applicable, including special breathing techniques. In especially serious cases, resort to hypnosis.

Using Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatment of nervous cough in a child and symptoms of the disorder is popular. The natural ingredients that make up the preparations inspire confidence in parents. They are selected after diagnosis by a homeopathic doctor and taking into account the physique of a small patient. The duration of the reception is also set by the specialist. If you follow the instructions, the improvement comes quickly enough. The most popular are the following remedies: Chamomilla, Ignatia.

Help of traditional medicine

In folk medicine, there are a large number of effective recipes to combat the disorder. However, you must first consult with your doctor. How to treat a nervous cough in a child?

1. Soothing tinctures and decoctions. Ready-made medical fees can be purchased at any pharmacy chain or prepared independently at home. As a rule, they include motherwort, heather, thyme and valerian. Dry herbs are poured with boiling water in the proportion recommended by the doctor, insisted and given to the child at bedtime. It is important to monitor the reaction to a particular remedy. If an allergy occurs, it will need to be replaced.
2. Evening baths. A warm bath with lavender essential oil, chamomile flowers or sea s alt strengthens the central nervous system. In addition, daily procedures improve blood circulation. Their duration can vary from 15 to 30 minutes. Better to spend inevening time to facilitate the process of falling asleep.
3. Alcohol tinctures. They are recommended to be taken for therapeutic purposes in children over 12 years old, strictly following the dosage prescribed by the doctor. For example, Eleutherococcus tincture is suitable to increase the general tone of the body. In order to improve blood circulation and reduce nervous excitability, a remedy based on hawthorn extract is suitable. Sleep-grass relieves hysterical attacks well.

Proper use of traditional medicine recipes under the supervision of a doctor allows you to stop attacks of nervous cough in a child.

What should parents do?

Nervous cough cannot be overcome without help from parents. In addition to creating a favorable background in the home, their actions should be aimed at strengthening the child's body, maintaining the general tone. For this you need:

1. Spend more time outdoors, try to put to bed around the same time. Sleep duration should be 8-9 hours. Preschool children are shown one daytime sleep. It is better to limit computer activities and TV viewing.
2. Caffeine-rich foods (cocoa, tea, chocolate) should be excluded from children's diets. Replace them with foods high in magnesium (green vegetables, nuts).
3. It is important to reduce the demands placed on your child both at home and at school.
4. At the next bout of coughing, you can not punish, pull, focus. It is better to try different ways to distractbaby.
5. Moderate exercise is also beneficial. Experts advise enrolling a child in a sports section.

The main task on the part of parents is not to stop coughing attacks in various ways, but to create conditions for a comfortable existence for the patient in compliance with the above recommendations.

Prevention Methods

To prevent coughs of nervous origin in children and its recurrence, parents should try to create a positive atmosphere at home. It is important to encourage the efforts of the child, to support him in adapting among his peers. The kid needs to be tuned in to a positive attitude towards small problems that can happen to everyone.

Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician, believes that the level of stress allows you to reduce the course of taking vitamins. He attaches particular importance to the positive emotions that a child can get during sports, trips to nature.

Conclusion

Cough really sometimes occurs against the background of nervous strain. Children are especially susceptible to this problem. Stress, conflicts with peers, misunderstanding on the part of parents are just some of the reasons for its appearance. To cope with a psychosomatic disorder, medication alone is not enough. Most often, work with a psychotherapist, the use of traditional medicine and homeopathy recipes is required. A special role in the elimination of nervous cough belongs to parents. They are responsible for creating a positive atmosphere in the family.