Teething in children is accompanied by various painful conditions, one of which is cough. Please note that this symptom is not always observed. Depending on the nature of the cough, you can understand whether it is the result of a disease or is associated with the appearance of teeth.
In most cases, a wet cough during the eruption of the first teeth in babies provokes active salivation; it goes away within a few days and does not require special treatment. It is necessary to examine the skin in the area of the baby's mouth - you can often see irritation caused by saliva. This is a sign that the cough is caused by an expectorant reflex triggered by teething.
If the cough is accompanied by a runny nose, wheezing and shortness of breath, and it does not go away for more than two days, you should consult a medical specialist. The presence of such problems may be a sign of a disease.
Please note that a dry cough may also be present at this time. It is usually caused by the baby crying for a long time and nasal congestion.
Guide to action for moms and dads, grandparents
To ensure that phenomena such as a runny nose and cough cause minimal discomfort to your baby, try to take care of a few points:
- maintain an optimal level of air humidity in the room: so that the cough is not dry and goes away easily, maintain a suitable microclimate in the room where the child is most often located. The room needs to be ventilated more often (naturally, we take the child out of the room), maintain air humidity in it at 40-60% - for this you can purchase an air humidifier or use the old folk method and place containers of water in the room near the heating devices. It is also advisable to carry out wet cleaning of the apartment every day, wiping not only the floors, but also shelves, toys,
- Buy an aspirator: with its help you can easily remove mucus from the nose of those babies who have not yet learned to blow their nose on their own. Today, pharmacies sell electrical, mechanical and vacuum aspirators. If you don’t want to spend money on an aspirator, then you can use a regular small enema as a “nozzle sucker.” The aspirator will help get rid of mucus in the nose
- Give the baby warm liquids, but feed only on demand: if the child doesn’t want to eat, don’t force him,
- do not wrap your baby so as not to cause an increase in body temperature,
- arrange more walks in the fresh air with your child, even in winter (but only if there is no temperature),
- moisturize the mucous membrane of the nose with saline solutions, you can also do inhalations with saline solution,
- prepare the sleeping place correctly: to prevent drool from entering the nasopharynx during sleep and to allow breathing to be free, slightly raise the baby’s sleeping place (about 15 degrees). You can use a large pillow for these purposes or additionally place something under the children's mattress in the place where the baby's head will be,
- speed up the teething process: buy a silicone brush to care for the first teeth and gently massage the baby’s mucous membrane with it. Invest in cooling teethers and pacifiers. Silicone teethers will help your baby during this period
And the most important thing that is required from caring parents is attention and patience towards their kids. After all, only your love and care will help the little ones get through this difficult period.
And if you suspect that cough and snot are the causes of colds or other diseases, and are not at all associated with teething, be sure to contact a pediatrician who will prescribe adequate treatment. This is especially worth doing if the cough has become so strong that the child is coughing, he has convulsions, wheezing and other alarming symptoms. Then, without delay, call “03” or “112” at any time of the day (from mobile phones - “030”).
Tips for parents
All parents go through the period of teething in their children. For some children, this process is quite painful, so parents must create all the conditions that will help alleviate the baby’s condition.
If you experience a runny nose, cough or fever, it is very important not to confuse them with a viral infection and not trigger the disease. A qualified pediatrician will definitely distinguish a cold from the symptoms of teething
Parents, in turn, must follow all the doctor’s recommendations:
- Monitor the cleanliness and hygiene of the nasal cavity, clear the nose of dry crusts and mucus.
- Do wet cleaning daily.
- Ventilate the room.
- It is prohibited to use any medicine, especially drops with a vasoconstrictor effect, without consulting a doctor.
- If there is increased saliva production, it should be blotted with a soft towel.
- Spend more time outdoors.
- Buy a special teether.
- Always have an antipyretic and analgesic drug on hand: Nuroven, Panadol.
- Pay more attention to the baby.
By following basic rules, you can significantly improve the baby’s general condition and make the teething process less painful. Many parents note that after the first teeth erupted, the cough and runny nose went away on their own without leaving any consequences. However, in any case, the child should be shown to a pediatrician who can rule out the occurrence of diseases not related to the eruption of baby teeth.
source
Treatment options
The initial task in the presence of a severe cough is to eliminate pain caused by teething. Massaging the gums and chewing a chilled teether helps. If the pain does not disappear, it is necessary to use appropriate ointment, gel, rectal suppositories or syrup.
To ensure your child gets proper rest at night during the teething process, it is advisable to regularly rinse the nose using bactericidal agents. You can use ready-made drugs from a pharmacy or make them yourself (based on medicinal plants or salt). You can moisturize your sinuses using special sprays or drops prescribed by your doctor.
Since a cough and runny nose can be the consequences of an acute respiratory or infectious disease, it is advisable, after the growth of baby teeth begins, to consult a doctor about what immunostimulating agents will help improve the protective functions of the child’s body.
Don't forget about traditional methods. For example, in order to ensure the unimpeded flow of saliva and phlegm, you just need to lift the baby’s head when he is in bed. It is also important to regularly ventilate the room and give the child drinks that he prefers. This will reduce the risk of developing an inflammatory process and prevent the sputum from drying out.
In what cases should you consult a doctor?
Until the child leaves infancy, the pediatrician should be informed about all changes in his health and behavior.
You should visit a doctor as soon as possible if:
- cough occurs in attacks;
- accompanied by audible wheezing;
- purulent sputum is rejected;
- the child refuses to eat and drink;
- temperature rises beyond 38℃;
- antipyretics do not help;
- Vomiting or severe diarrhea occurs.
You need to visit the pediatrician again if the cough and other signs of teething do not disappear for more than 6-7 days. A child may get sick after symptoms appear, and parents will think that it is because of the teeth.
Do I need to treat a teething cough?
The answer is obvious - if there is no disease, then what to treat? Of course not.
But helping your child cope with the symptoms that bother him is not only possible, but also necessary.
When teething, parents need to fight not a cough, but a runny nose, since it is the “culprit” of the problem. Buy a special aspirator or just take a syringe and free your baby’s nose from mucus.
Use the aspirator carefully so as not to scare the child. First, release the air from the device
Carefully insert the tip of an aspirator or bulb into one nostril, while the second hole should be covered. Open the hand you are holding the aspirator. Mucus will come out into the device.
Don't forget to moisturize your baby's nose with a salt spray. You can prepare it at home, as Komarovsky advises. This is quite easy: for one liter of boiled water you need one teaspoon of salt. You can buy saline solution at the pharmacy. Or replace it with preparations based on sea water: Aquamaris, Aqualor, etc. By the way, it is better to use sea water, as it helps eliminate swelling in the nose. You should rinse your nose as often as possible.
This procedure will make it easier for the baby to breathe through the nose and the cough will most likely stop.
A child up to one year old sleeps a lot. Therefore, during teething and coughing, properly equip him with a sleeping place. Place or lift a pillow. In a horizontal position during sleep, mucus will get into the throat, the child will not have time to swallow, which means he will begin to cough and wake up more often. Therefore, lift the baby’s head and the problem will be solved.
Cough during teething
Coughing during teething is not a common symptom. The nature of its manifestation allows us to determine whether it is a consequence of the disease, or whether it is caused precisely by the process of formation of new teeth.
A wet cough during the development of the first teeth in children, caused by excessive salivation, usually disappears after 2-3 days and eliminates the need for any special treatment. Examine the skin around the baby's mouth - it usually appears irritated due to expectorated saliva, which indicates the natural origin of the symptom (the expectoration reflex) during teething.
If there is a frequent cough and runny nose, as well as shortness of breath and wheezing that persists for more than 2 days, then it is necessary to invite a doctor to examine the child, since these symptoms may indicate a disease.
Also, children may experience a dry cough at this time. Most often it occurs after a child has been crying for a long time due to prolonged nasal congestion.
Increased saliva production
When the body begins to prepare for teething, the baby increases blood supply and circulation to the mucous membranes and gums, which irritate the teeth that are about to break through. This includes increased blood circulation in the area of the salivary glands and nasopharynx, due to which salivary secretions begin to appear in excess quantities in the child’s mouth. It is also present in the nose, and is often mistaken by parents for snot.
One of the signs of teething is increased salivation.
Saliva, among other things, is the body’s protector from bacterial attack. In young children, it does not yet possess all the enzymes that help fight harmful microorganisms, but, nevertheless, it is already able to secrete the enzyme lysozyme in small quantities, which has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. It is precisely this that is necessary for the natural fight against the inflammatory process on the mucous membrane, without which not a single tooth erupts.
Excessive amounts of saliva accumulate in the baby’s mouth, some of the saliva flows out, and some enters the gastrointestinal tract (which is why the child may experience loose stools and diarrhea). If the baby is in a lying position, then saliva enters the nasopharynx, flows down the back wall of the throat, causing irritation, and the body turns on protective mechanisms, which is why the cough and runny nose so familiar to everyone appears. But if the cause of cough and snot is determined precisely, i.e. It was drool that was to blame, so don’t give your babies expectorants; 3-4 days after teething, such symptoms will go away on their own.
Causes of cough
Cough is a symptom that complements the baby’s already painful condition during teething. True, this symptom does not occur in all babies.
The reasons that cause it are:
- Profuse salivation, in which saliva fills the throat. This causes the baby to cough wetly. Excess saliva flows down the larynx, provoking prolonged and frequent attacks. Simultaneously with the cough, skin irritation appears on the baby’s cheeks, chin and around the lips.
- Runny nose. Its occurrence is explained by an increase in blood supply to the gums and nasal mucosa. These parts of the body are anatomically interconnected. The nasal glands begin to produce excess mucus. It flows down the neck, enters the upper respiratory tract and irritates them, causing a cough. Nasal discharge is profuse, but at the same time transparent. Externally, they differ from those that appear in a baby during a cold. A runny nose may continue for more than one week.
- Prolonged crying and nasal congestion. A cough occurs due to dryness and irritation in the throat.
Since the baby’s immunity is not strengthened, and during the period of teething it weakens even more, the development of an acute respiratory disease is possible. It is also necessarily accompanied by a cough and runny nose. Plus, body temperature rises.
If the cough is associated with teething, it will stop no later than after a few days.
Runny nose in a baby during teething: main causes
Almost everyone will have painful teething, this situation cannot be avoided. But knowing the symptoms and the reasons for their appearance, parents can make life much easier during this difficult period for both themselves and their baby.
Let's take a closer look at why many children also develop a runny nose when their first teeth appear.
The mucous membranes of the nose and mouth are located quite close. Due to the fact that mild inflammation begins in the mouth, the nasal mucosa is also irritated. The body reacts to this instantly, starting to produce phlegm (“snot”) in order to calm the irritation or get rid of what may be causing it.
In addition, increased irritation of the nasal mucosa occurs due to the fact that blood enters both the nose and mouth through the same arteries. Blood circulation in the oral cavity during teething becomes more active, and the same processes occur in the nasal mucosa. And the more active the blood circulation, the more mucus the mucosal glands will produce.
A runny nose may occur due to a mild cold. It is during the period when the first teeth are cut that the first complementary foods are introduced, the dose of breast milk is reduced, and the body undergoes restructuring. Also, the baby constantly tries to chew something to relieve itching from the gums, and the path for viruses and microbes into the small body is open. Fortunately, the baby has enough resources to fight off a cold. A slight runny nose is its residual effects.
It is precisely because of reduced immunity and changes in the child’s eating behavior that a runny nose can also signal allergic reactions. At the same time, it is important to monitor whether the child has any other manifestations of allergies. You should be alerted to a rash, itching, and redness of the mucous membranes of the eyes.
If the baby remains active during the teething period, it is likely that due to his active movements, part of the saliva, which is secreted more than abundantly during this period, ends up in the nose. And it comes out of it in the form of transparent, light snot.
How to distinguish normality from pathology
Symptom | Norm | Pathology |
Cough |
|
|
Runny nose | Often occurs against the background of the eruption of fangs and incisors (“eye teeth”): the secretion secreted from the nose is always transparent and liquid, reminiscent of water | The secretion from the nose was only liquid and transparent at first, but after 1-3 days it thickened, the snot became yellowish or green. Nasal congestion appeared. |
Temperature | 1-2 days before teething, the temperature can rise to 37.5-38 degrees. Easily removed with antipyretics. | High fever is difficult to control with medications such as Nurofen and Ibuprofen and increases quickly. |
Vomiting and diarrhea | No vomiting. Diarrhea can be observed for several days, but no more than 2-3 times a day. | May be. If vomiting is accompanied by diarrhea, it indicates the appearance or addition of rotavirus or intestinal infection. |
When teething, a large amount of saliva is released, which flows from the mouth onto the baby’s chin and lips, and the skin around the lips becomes irritated and reddened from constant humidity, and a rash may even appear on it. You also have to change the baby’s clothes almost every hour, because the baby’s entire chest is also covered in drool. All these are signs that the cough is not a symptom of pathology or a serious illness. In this case, there is no reason to panic, just do not forget to wash the child’s face with water more often and remove drool with a handkerchief. Use ointments and powders to relieve skin irritation.
According to some famous doctors and pediatricians, coughing on teething teeth can occur either wet or dry. Most often, it appears after the baby has been crying for a long time, as a result of which breathing becomes difficult and the throat becomes dry and sore, which is why the so-called “cough reflex” develops. In particular, Dr. Komarovsky shares this opinion.
How to differentiate “dental” cough from other types?
Coughing is a completely natural reaction of a small organism to the appearance of the first milk teeth, and in this case it does not require special medical treatment. In some cases, the use of various drugs can only worsen the baby’s condition.
A cough can be either dry or wet; the main reasons for its occurrence during teething in children are as follows:
- sputum formation;
- profuse salivation.
Sputum and drooling over the edge are the main provocateurs of wet cough in children during the teething period
If you doubt the causes of the cough, you should examine the area near the mouth. If it has been noticed that the child’s skin near the mouth and on the chin has become red and inflamed, then most likely he is teething. This is due to the fact that due to the large amount of saliva, it not only flows down the throat, but also causes skin irritation.
However, if a child is constantly tormented by a cough and there are other accompanying symptoms, including shortness of breath, excessive sputum production and wheezing, then the baby should be shown to a doctor.
Also, do not forget that during the period when teeth are coming in, various serious changes occur in the baby’s body, and the process itself brings a lot of unpleasant sensations.
Therefore, the child often begins to be capricious and cry, as a result of which mucus forms in his nasopharynx. Mucus tends to move down the respiratory tract, thereby stimulating coughing.
Quite often the baby has a dry cough. This happens especially often if before this the child cried for a long time, or snot interfered with normal breathing through the nose, in which case irritation and dryness appear in the throat, which provokes a cough.
Cough, runny nose, red throat - the process has started
Sometimes when a baby is teething, in addition to a cough, there may also be a runny nose. This is a natural process, but to make it easier
Due to the child’s condition, it is necessary to rinse the nose and blot the discharge so that irritation does not occur on the baby’s delicate skin.
A red throat can also be one of the symptoms of early teething, but it should be taken more seriously, since a sore throat and cough can be signs not only of teething, but of the presence of a viral infection, staphylococcus and other pathogenic flora.
Therefore, if a baby has a cough and redness of the throat, it is necessary to show it to a doctor and possibly get tested.
Coughing is not a very common occurrence during teething. And, as a rule, it goes away in a few days (mostly two to three), when the mucous membranes of the larynx are restored.
Characteristic behavior of the baby during this period
It is not difficult to identify the moment when a child is cutting teeth; the main precursors are:
- redness and thickening of the gums;
- heavy salivation;
- the baby constantly puts something in his mouth;
- the baby has become more irritable and whiny;
- sleep disturbance;
- loss of appetite;
- diarrhea or constipation;
- high body temperature;
- cough;
- runny nose.
Thus, some symptoms coincide with those of an acute respiratory viral infection, intestinal infection and other diseases. Therefore, when such symptoms appear, it is better to show the baby to the doctor so that he can determine whether these are signs of teething, or whether the baby is sick with something.
Teeth are teething – how to recognize?
When children's first baby teeth emerge, symptoms can often be confused with a viral or bacterial infection, so parents need to be able to distinguish them from signs of illness. Basically, children cut their first teeth at 4–6 months, so if at this age the baby has a cough, runny nose, problems with stool, body temperature has risen, or the child begins to sneeze frequently, you need to wait to make a diagnosis and take medications. First of all, you should watch the baby and also look into his mouth. Among the main signs indicating teething in a baby are:
- redness and swelling of the gums;
- increased salivation;
- the presence of a white tubercle on the gum;
- increased tearfulness;
- bowel disorders;
- lack of appetite;
- disturbed sleep;
- increased body temperature;
- cough;
- runny nose.
Teething children experience itching and pain in their gums, so they constantly put pens or other objects in their mouths. During this period, it is extremely important for parents to pay attention to the child’s hygiene and the things that surround the baby. Small objects or toys with sharp edges should not be kept close to the baby, as they can damage the gums.
Do I need to treat a teething cough?
Many people are concerned about whether a cough can affect teeth? Therefore, most parents wonder about quick cough treatment options.
Cough caused by teething in infants, according to Komarovsky, does not require special treatment
At this time, attention is important for the child. Since the child will not just lie there, you need to learn how to behave correctly when the child behaves undesirably
The main task for parents is to distract the child from pain, if possible, but this will require resourcefulness.
But it is important to be observant; if a cough is accompanied by a runny nose or fever, this is a signal to start fighting the root cause of their occurrence. In this case, the main thing is to prevent the consequences of an advanced disease.
Why does cough and runny nose appear during teething?
The process of teething in infants is laid down by nature itself, so parents need to be patient during this period and help the child to make this period as painless as possible. For some children, the first teeth appear almost imperceptibly, while for others the process of their appearance is very painful and lengthy. In order to understand the reason, you need to know why a runny nose and cough appear during teething.
Due to the anatomical structure of the mucous membrane of the mouth and nasopharynx, which are very close, any inflammatory process can lead to the appearance of snot and cough. When teeth are teething, there is an increased production of saliva, which flows down the back wall of the nasopharynx, which provokes a wet cough. Basically, during this period, the cough is wet and appears intermittently.
How does a physiological cough manifest in children?
During the growth of teeth, children's gums hurt very much. They swell, turn red, and itch. Pain during tooth growth can radiate into the jaw or into the orbit, depending on the location of the tooth. Pain syndrome disrupts the baby's sleep pattern and increases anxiety. The baby constantly cries and is nervous, pulling his fingers into his mouth. During this period, the baby's mood changes. The pain prevents the child from eating normally, so he often refuses to eat.
When a tooth breaks through the gum, the child's salivation increases. Throughout the day and night, saliva is released abundantly. More often it flows out through the lips, causing redness around the mouth. The formation is very itchy and painful.
Saliva may flow into the back of the throat, causing choking and coughing. The sputum with this cough reflex is liquid and transparent. It appears due to the accumulation of saliva in the tracheal cavity.
Often parents do not know how long a physiological cough lasts. The duration of the symptom is usually 2-3 days. If the duration of the cough reflex increases, you should consult a doctor.
During teething, the baby cries a lot. Prolonged and frequent crying leads to dryness of the mucous membrane of the trachea and larynx. Infants drink little because their appetite is poor. Due to the dryness of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, a cough reflex occurs. He has no phlegm. A dry cough additionally irritates the walls of the trachea and larynx, which can contribute to its intensification.
At night, the baby may have coughing attacks. The cough reflex caused by dry mucous membranes is more stable. If saliva flows into the tracheal cavity, then after coughing up the sputum, the cough reflex stops and the baby falls asleep.
In medicine there is such a concept: severe teething syndrome. He talks about the presence of a cough, runny nose, and severe choking during teeth growth. With such a severe course, even a slight increase in temperature is possible.
How to relieve coughing attacks?
If the cause of the cough is teething, no treatment is required.
The main medicine for the baby during this period is the care and attention of the mother and father. While the baby is teething, you need to continue to walk with him, play and entertain him, try to distract him from the pain as much as possible
Of course, you should also try to reduce the pain that causes the cough. To do this, you can offer your baby special cooled teethers, which are made of safe rubber or silicone.
They can be purchased in pharmacies or children's stores in the departments for children of the first year of life. These teethers come in various shapes and colors, which is sure to attract the baby's attention. You can also do a light massage of the gums, gently pressing on them.
Cleaning and rinsing the nose from mucus
Most parents are concerned about how to deal with a strong cough in their baby. In fact, it is not the cough that needs to be treated, but the runny nose, since it is this that is the source of the problem. To do this, you need to purchase an aspirator or take a syringe, and then use it to free the baby’s nose from mucus.
Please note that when using an aspirator, the most important thing is not to scare the child.
In addition, it is necessary to rinse the spout with saline solution. You can buy saline solution at the pharmacy or prepare it at home
This aspirator can clear mucus from your nose.
on one's own. To make it, you need to dissolve a teaspoon of salt in one liter of boiled water.
You can also use medical products made from sea water, such as Aquapor, Aquamaris and others. It is worth noting that using sea water helps relieve swelling. Doctors advise rinsing your nose about 3-4 times a day. This procedure will help the baby breathe through the nose, which can help stop the cough.
Please note that sometimes pediatricians may recommend immunostimulating drugs for the baby in order to increase the body's defenses during teething. If the baby is bothered by severe pain, then to eliminate it it is worth giving preference to pharmaceutical drugs
There are a large number of drops, syrups, ointments, gels and rectal suppositories that are aimed at pain relief. The most popular are gels, as they are easy to use and give quick results (they seem to freeze the pain)
If the baby is bothered by severe pain, then to eliminate it it is worth giving preference to pharmaceutical drugs. There are a large number of drops, syrups, ointments, gels and rectal suppositories that are aimed at pain relief. The most popular are gels, as they are easy to use and give quick results (they seem to freeze the pain).
A child in his first year of life sleeps quite a lot. Therefore, he needs to equip his sleeping place as carefully as possible. Firstly, it is better to place the baby on its side rather than on its back. Secondly, you should slightly raise the baby's head by placing a pillow under it.
Traditional medicine to protect the baby
There are also folk methods that will help relieve a cough attack. The safest and most proven are:
- liquid honey helps get rid of redness, itching and swelling of the gums, but it can only be used if there is no allergic reaction;
- regularly ventilate the room in which the child is located, monitor the humidity and temperature in the room;
- against a runny nose, you can use drops containing natural oils, such as fir or eucalyptus;
- drinking plenty of fluids.
During this period, parents should minimize other stress in the child’s life, for example, weaning or the transition to a new daily routine is best postponed until better times.
Thus, the eruption of the first teeth is a natural process that occurs between 4 and 9 months. At this time, the baby may become restless, irritable, capricious, refuse to eat, and may also develop a fever, cough or runny nose. These are all symptoms of rapid eruption of baby teeth.
However, it is worth paying attention that if parents notice such symptoms in their baby for more than three days, this is a reason to consult a doctor
What parents need to do
First of all, parents must understand that at the time of teething, the child’s body is weakened, and therefore vulnerable to various types of infections. And the baby must be protected from them: avoid contact with sick people, watch what the child puts in his mouth, and maintain hygiene. And, of course, carefully monitor the child’s well-being, since the same runny nose, cough and upset stomach, depending on the degree of manifestation, can be either normal symptoms of teething or the result of a disease.
If you have a cough
- Give your baby a cool teether.
- Try massaging your gums.
- Raise the baby's head so that phlegm flows down his larynx, he does not choke on it, and this, in turn, would not lead to coughing.
- Using a pipette, drop a bactericidal property into the child’s nose or, as an easy alternative to this, a decoction of medicinal herbs. This will not only prevent the accumulation of sputum, but also prevent the mucous membrane from drying out.
Optionally, you can give your baby immunostimulating drugs that will help cope with the weakening of the body. But only a pediatrician can prescribe these drugs; self-medication is not only harmful, but even downright dangerous.
If you have a runny nose
To prevent the child's breathing from becoming difficult, excess mucus should be removed with a nasal aspirator or a syringe bulb. And to protect the mucous membrane from drying out and softening dried mucus, it is effective to wash and moisten it with clean water or saline solution (the latter has a disinfecting effect).
Sprays for runny nose and nasal congestion are described in this article.
How to treat physiological and pathological cough
Doctors advise first of all to relieve pain caused by a growing tooth. For this purpose, gels with lidocaine and soft teethers are used. You can massage the gums and distract the child with games.
Teethers and lidocaine gels help reduce gum pain in children
The teether distracts the baby, accelerates tooth growth, and massages the gums. Lidocaine relieves pain. These therapeutic measures help prevent prolonged crying, improve the baby’s sleep and appetite. Before buying a gel with lidocaine, you need to consult a dentist, since not all gels are suitable for infants. Some products have a high concentration of lidocaine, which is dangerous for the baby.
The physiological cough reflex does not need to be treated. It goes away on its own. Pathological cough requires the prescription of not only antitussive and expectorant drugs, but also antiviral or antibacterial drugs. Before starting treatment, you should consult your pediatrician. He will determine the cause of the disease and prescribe appropriate therapy.
If the pathological cough is wet, it is better to use mucolytic agents. Mucolytics gently liquefy mucus and promote its removal. A dry cough caused by the disease is treated with antitussives. They help reduce attacks of the cough reflex, especially at night.
If your baby develops snot while teething, it is necessary to rinse the nasal passages with saline solution. To do this, just drop 1 drop of 0.9% sodium chloride into the nasal passage, and then use a special syringe to suck out the mucus along with the solution. There should be 2-4 washing procedures per day.
Pressurized saline sprays should not be used to rinse the nose of children. Strong pressure of liquid can frighten a child. Large amounts of liquid lead to choking or choking.
How to help a child?
When a child develops a cough, runny nose and other characteristic symptoms during teething, the first thing parents need to do is call a pediatrician who can rule out a viral infection. After examining the baby, the doctor will give parents useful recommendations and, if necessary, prescribe a number of medications to cope with one or another symptom.
In order to reduce pain and itching in the gums, the child can have a gum massage. To do this, you need to wash your hands well and wrap a small amount of sterile bandage on your index finger. Lightly massage the gums with finger movements. If this procedure does not provide visible improvements, you can buy a special teether with a cooling effect for children. The child will chew such a toy with his gums, thereby eliminating itching and soreness in the gums.
Teether
When a child is naughty and the previous methods do not provide relief, you can buy a special ointment or gel that is designed to reduce pain during teething: Kalgel, Baby Dent, Kamistad Baby, Dentol. Such remedies alleviate the condition and eliminate pain.
We recommend reading - Erispirus: instructions for use.
If the body temperature rises or there is severe pain in the gums, the baby can be given drugs based on paracetamol or ibuprofen: Nurofen, Panadol, Efferalgan, Analdim or Cefekon . Such products are produced in the form of syrups or rectal suppositories.
If a child has a cough, you should not use any drug in the first days. It is enough to monitor nasal hygiene, clear the nasal passages of mucus several times a day, rinse the mucous membrane with special saline or bactericidal solutions: Aquamaris, No-sol, Salin, Marimer and others. For a prolonged or worsening cough, the doctor may recommend cough syrup: Prospan, Ambroxol, Gedelix drops or Sinekod drops .
When you have a runny nose, it is important to clear the nasal mucosa of mucus using small syringes or nasal aspirators.
When there is nasal congestion and it is difficult for the baby to breathe, the doctor may advise dripping the nose with vasoconstrictor drops: Nazivin 0.01% or Tizin 0.5%. The duration of use of such drops should not exceed 3 days.
It is not recommended to use medications during teething, but an exception can be made to eliminate one or another symptom that disturbs the baby’s general condition. The main thing is to follow the recommended doses and use any remedy only after consulting a doctor.
You may be interested in: Treatment of runny nose in children according to Komarovsky.
How to solve a problem
So how to treat a child? First, you need to reduce the unpleasant painful sensations as much as possible, and a slightly cooled teether, which we talked about just above, will help with this. Experts also recommend doing a light gum massage. In some cases, you can resort to the help of special ointments and gels, however, the use of pharmaceutical products is allowed only after agreement with the pediatric dentist.
As recognized experts in the field of pediatric dentistry and pediatrics advise, in order to eliminate this unpleasant symptom, you first need to deal with the runny nose. Alternatively, you can purchase a special aspirator and clean out your nasal passages from time to time. Another old proven remedy is a baby pear. When breathing is restored, the intensity of mucus secretion will also decrease. A severe cough usually occurs in children at night, so it is better to rinse the nose before going to bed.
Rinsing the nasal sinuses with special bactericidal solutions, which can be purchased at the pharmacy, but only after the approval of the attending physician, will also help. Such remedies effectively relieve dry nose and copious accumulations of phlegm.
On a note! Many parents are interested in the question: does coughing occur during the change of teeth to permanent ones? Yes, similar symptoms can be observed in adolescents during the formation of a permanent dentition, including the growth of molars. The reasons are the same - the body undergoes changes, against the background of which the immune defense decreases. Washing the nasal passages with a light saline solution and restorative therapy will help cope with the problem.
How to treat
First of all, during a severe cough, it is necessary to eliminate the pain from teething. To do this, the baby should be offered to chew a chilled teether or massage the gums. If the pain does not disappear, then it is advisable to use medications in the form of gel, ointment, syrup or rectal suppositories.
Online consultation with a doctor of the highest category : “...can teething be accompanied by a cough?”
To prevent the baby from being tormented by a night cough while teeth are growing, it is recommended to regularly rinse the nose with a special bactericidal solution from the pharmacy, a self-made product based on salt or medicinal plants. This will prevent drying out and accumulation of mucus. In addition, as prescribed by a doctor, various drops/sprays can be used to moisturize the nasal sinuses: “Aquamaris”, “Salin” and others.
Due to the fact that a runny nose and cough can be a consequence of an infectious disease or acute respiratory infection, Dr. Komarovsky recommends that after the formation of baby teeth begins, ask your pediatrician what immunostimulating drugs can be given to children during this period in order to increase the body’s protective functions.
When wondering how to treat a cough during the appearance of molars, you should also remember about simple folk methods. For example, you can achieve natural flow of phlegm and saliva along the wall of the larynx without drugs or rinses by lifting the child’s head when he is lying in the crib. In addition, it is recommended to regularly offer your baby his favorite drinks and ventilate the room - these measures will reduce the likelihood of inflammation and prevent the mucus from drying out.
Timing of teething
Such an important stage in the development of a baby’s body as teething begins on average at the age of 6-8 months. However, this number is quite approximate; the specific time of appearance of the first teeth may be influenced by genetic factors, climatic conditions (in hot conditions, teething occurs earlier), water quality, nutritional habits of the mother and baby, and so on. Although rare, there are cases when a baby is born with one or two teeth already present.
On average, by the age of one, a child acquires all the upper and lower incisors, by the age of two, molars and fangs begin to appear, and by the age of three, all 20 children’s primary teeth have erupted.
Reasons for delay
In itself, a delay in the appearance of teeth in a baby is not something terrible or necessarily requiring medical intervention; often they simply appear a little later. However, this is a reason to take a closer look at the child’s health as a whole. Reasons for late appearance of teeth may include:
- rickets;
- any metabolic disorders;
- calcium deficiency;
- consequences of infectious diseases suffered by the child in the womb or in the first months of life;
- genetic characteristics (both completely harmless and pathological);
- problems in the functioning of the endocrine system.
It is difficult for a person far from medicine to determine whether a delay in teething is normal or not, so the best thing parents can do is to monitor the baby’s condition and constantly consult with a pediatrician.
But should the process of teething also be accompanied by a runny nose and nasal congestion?
No, such manifestations should not happen. And if nasal congestion is still present during teething, then first of all it is necessary to exclude the parallel development of a respiratory infection, as well as an allergic reaction, especially if you introduce complementary foods or new foods to the child, or if there is an increased number of respiratory allergens in the house, for example, the presence of domestic animals.
If there is neither one nor the other, then the vessels of the child’s nasal mucosa are really dilating and swelling appears due to such a provoking factor as teething, which should not normally be the case. Therefore, many otorhinolaryngologists are inclined to conclude that this is one of the signs of a child’s possible predisposition to vasomotor rhinitis. This vasomotor reaction usually goes away within 2-3 days after eruption.
Symptoms during teething
During this period, until the tooth appears from the gum, symptoms of a false cold appear: cough, runny nose, fever. When the tooth appears, the manifestations disappear, provided that the child does not fall ill due to teething and weakened immunity.
Any process taking place in a small organism is a lot of stress. Immunity that has not yet been formed does not protect the body from colds, and often the child becomes ill with a viral infection. In this case, you need to combat the symptoms with the help of medications that the child will be prescribed by the pediatrician. You cannot self-medicate, this will worsen the situation.
If the child is healthy, and the cough and snot appear solely due to teething, then treatment is not required, you just need to alleviate the symptoms of this period. The symptoms will disappear on their own in two to three days.
There are other symptoms of teething, which manifest themselves in:
- bad sleep;
- mild diarrhea;
- weak appetite;
- temperature;
- inflammation and itching of the gums.
These manifestations also disappear when the tooth comes out of the gum.
Mothers who experience symptoms, even mild ones, should consult a pediatrician for advice. The doctor will evaluate the baby’s condition and determine whether there is an infection in the body or just teeth.
Runny nose during teething
Due to the fact that nasal congestion is still considered atypical for the teething process, and especially if the nasal congestion has not gone away within 3-4 days, the child should be shown to a specialist otolaryngologist in order to exclude the infectious and allergic nature of the disease, and also to make sure that nasal congestion does not provoke inflammatory changes in the tympanic cavity, which, unfortunately, can be completely asymptomatic. In a specialized ENT clinic, using a video endoscope, an otolaryngologist will examine the nasopharynx for hypertrophy of adenoid vegetations, which, although rare, still occurs at such an early age; If ear pathology is suspected, a tympanometry study will be performed. All these methods are safe and are used in children from birth.
Remember, if a child has a runny nose during teething and other symptoms that worry you, it is better for the child to be examined by a specialist otolaryngologist in a specialized ENT clinic, where conditions have been created and all the necessary equipment is available for monitoring children, and where you will be provided with assistance and prescribed treatment in a timely manner .
What kind of cough and runny nose appears during teething?
Usually the child develops a cough with sputum, due to severe salivation, an inflamed throat, and dry mouth. The baby coughs without sputum production at the beginning of the process, when there is still no runny nose and saliva. This symptom disappears after a few days and does not require treatment.
When there is an infection in the body, the mucus becomes green or yellow, sometimes brown. Irritation appears under the nose. The child is constantly sneezing. If such a runny nose is present, drug treatment should be used.
If the mucus is liquid and transparent, there is no need to treat the nose. In this case, the baby’s snot is removed using a pear and cotton wool. Then less fluid will enter the lungs, and the cough will not be as pronounced.