Barking cough in a child without fever

Quite often, small children have a so-called barking cough, so named because of its resemblance to a dog's bark. Such a cough can be accompanied by whistling and wheezing, and can also be rough. Attacks occur quite often and are very exhausting for the child's body. The breathing process becomes difficult, because the respiratory organs begin to swell.

Very often, a barking cough is observed in a child without a fever, which is often a sign of a serious illness. Attacks usually occur at night, arising unexpectedly. If such a situation occurs, parents must first calm the child down so that the coughing fit passes. In any case, this symptom cannot be left unnoticed - it is better to call a doctor for an examination.

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Causes of a barking cough in a baby with no fever

Reasons for the appearance of this type of cough without an accompanying increase in temperature include:

• Laryngitis or pharyngitis;
• Diphtheria or whooping cough;
• Development of bronchial asthma;
• Nervous disorders;
• Increased dryness of indoor air;
• The entry of a foreign object into the larynx or the appearance of a cyst in it;
• Allergy;
• Various infections.

In addition, a barking cough can be caused by helminthiasis.

Risk factors

Possible factors that provoke the development of this symptom include dry air, possible allergies to indoor plants, hair of animals living in the house, and household chemicals.

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Symptoms of a barking cough in a baby with no fever

A barking cough usually occurs at night. It causes suffocation, which immediately wakes the child up. There is no fever, and other symptoms include:

• a whistling sound is heard when inhaling;
• shortness of breath;
• the voice becomes hoarse, until it disappears completely;
• the skin becomes pale or bluish in color, the jugular notch and supraclavicular fossa are drawn in when inhaling.

Symptoms that accompany coughing include shortness of breath, the severity and duration of attacks, vomiting, and a general feeling of malaise are a warning sign for parents.

• Night barking cough in a child without fever

If in the middle of the night a child begins to have a sudden attack of a barking dry cough, during which he also begins to choke, you should call a doctor, because this may be a sign of a severe form of pharyngitis or false croup.

It can also be a manifestation of allergies, pneumonia or other respiratory diseases.

Complications and consequences

This type of cough is the most life-threatening for the baby, as swelling in the larynx can completely block air from entering the respiratory tract, causing suffocation. Other complications of the disease include:

• Bronchial asthma;
• Respiratory failure;
• Development of occlusion (blockage of the respiratory organs).

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Diagnostics of a barking cough in a baby with no fever

To diagnose the cause of the cough, a full examination is carried out, the neck and lymph nodes are palpated, and the baby's temperature is measured. First, parents need to contact an otolaryngologist, and he, in turn, can refer the child for examination to a nutritionist, allergist, phthisiatrician, as well as a pulmonologist or infectious disease specialist.

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Tests

To make a diagnosis, the patient undergoes blood tests, as well as stool and urine tests.

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Instrumental diagnostics

It is possible to conduct an instrumental examination: chest x-ray, respiratory function test, tuberculin diagnostics, and in addition scintigraphy and CT.

Treatment of a barking cough in a baby with no fever

To eliminate swelling of the respiratory organs and bronchospasms, you should do inhalations with steam and soda. To do this, take some chopped dry herbs (sage or chamomile), add sunflower oil, pour boiling water, and then let the baby breathe this decoction for a while. Or you can dilute soda in boiling water instead. Inhalations using mineral water are also effective.

Make sure that the optimum humidity level is maintained in your home, especially during the heating season. You can use a special humidifier that turns water into steam and sprays it around the room. Alternatively, you can use this method - keep wet towels on the radiator.

The child needs to drink a lot of liquid – preferably juice or warm tea.

It is also necessary to keep the baby's feet warm - for example, apply a special warming cream or make a hot bath. It is also recommended to use mustard plasters. Another way to ease the patient's condition is to unbutton the clothes, as they may be constricting the sternum.

Medicines

When a baby has a barking cough, it is necessary to treat the cause of the symptom - depending on it, the treatment regimen is selected.

For pharyngitis, antibacterial drugs are used for treatment - Vokara, Dekatilen, and Ingalipt, and in addition to them, antitussive drugs - Mucaltin, Fito, as well as Sinekod, Codelac, etc.

In case of tracheitis or bronchitis at an early stage, mucolytics should be taken: ACC, Ambroxol and Ambrobene, as well as Bromhexine, Lazolvan and Bronholitin.

If the cause is an allergy, antihistamines are needed - Zyrtec, Cetrin, Claritin or Clemastine, as well as Ebastine, Suprastin, etc.

In the case of whooping cough, special antitoxins are used and, if necessary, antibiotics and antibacterial drugs.

Vitamins

To thin mucus and remove it, you should take vitamin C.

Physiotherapy treatment

Physiotherapy is a very effective method for treating a barking cough. When combined with medications, it can activate the immune system and thus speed up the recovery process. Such procedures reduce pain and inflammation, and improve blood circulation.

Nebulizers, which are used for inhalations, are very popular now. The device can be compressor or ultrasonic - it sprays the medicine into small particles, which allows them to penetrate into all parts of the bronchopulmonary system, thereby accelerating recovery. In addition, this device allows you to remove bronchial spasm in obstructive bronchitis or false croup in children.

Folk remedies

If your child is not lactose intolerant, you can add baking soda to hot milk so that he drinks the drink in small sips.

You can also make an effective healing drink yourself. You need to take natural black radish juice and mix it with sugar. Give the resulting syrup to your baby in small portions throughout the day.

Rosehip or lingonberry decoctions, as well as cranberry juice, effectively cope with a barking cough without fever. They soften the attacks, thereby easing the patient's condition.

If the child's age allows, give him herbal cough drops containing sage or mint extract. They have softening properties, which helps to eliminate coughing fits.

Wrap a warm heating pad in a towel and then place it on the baby’s chest – this “compress” will help him fall asleep faster.

In some cases, aromatherapy will be effective. You should place a container with hot water next to the child's bed and drip a little oil (anise, lavender or mint) into it.

Herbal treatment

There are medicinal herbal infusions that help soften the mucous membrane - this allows you to turn a dry cough into a productive one (with the discharge of phlegm).

Marsh wild rosemary herb – 30 g of finely chopped stems and leaves of this plant should be poured with boiling water (1 glass). Then leave for about 1 hour, and then take the tincture 3 times a day, 2 tbsp.

Elecampane roots [ 11 ] (2 tsp) should be brewed in a small thermos. The tincture should be drunk 3 times a day, 1/3 cup at a time. This drink is a potent expectorant, which is why it is often used as an auxiliary drug in the treatment of bronchitis.

The fruits and flowers of the viburnum should be poured with hot water, then boiled for 10 minutes. Drink the resulting decoction 3-4 times a day, 0.5 cups at a time.

Prevention

Prevention of barking cough includes measures such as organizing a nutritious diet and daily routine, strengthening the immune system, regularly humidifying the air and ventilating the room, and undergoing vaccination procedures according to the schedule.

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Forecast

A barking cough in a child without fever usually heals quickly. The prognosis will be favorable for both viral and allergic coughs. Problems are possible only if the cause of the cough is whooping cough or diphtheria. In such a situation, you should not try to treat yourself - you must immediately contact a doctor.

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