Laryngitis In Children: Symptoms And Treatment
Laryngitis in children is one of the most common reasons people go to the emergency room. The respiratory symptoms that accompany this disorder can be of great concern to parents.
There are precise measures to prevent laryngitis in children from worsening, and thus prevent the onset of any complications. Prevention is one of the most important aspects. By reading this article you will find out how to behave.
What is laryngitis in children?
Laryngitis is a respiratory disease that tends to be acute, arises suddenly and worsens rapidly. This is inflammation of the larynx caused by a virus or bacterial infection.
When viral in nature, the treatment aims to calm the symptoms, as the body will fight the infection. For this reason, it is very important not to give your baby any medications without consulting your doctor first.
In most cases, laryngitis in children is not very serious, it is however important to prevent it and to know the most worrying symptoms so that you can go to the emergency room.
How to prevent laryngitis in children
To prevent laryngitis, just follow simple preventive measures. We present them below:
- Wash your hands, which are the main means of transmission of viruses and bacteria. It is important to educate our children in proper hygiene.
- Smoke. Keep children away from smoky environments, as well as other harmful sources
- Adequate hydration. It is important to keep children hydrated by making them drink often and paying attention to skin hydration, especially after exercising.
- Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables. The intake of vitamins in these foods promotes the activity of the immune system.
- Avoid contact with infected people. It is not recommended that children visit family or friends who are suffering from any disease, especially respiratory disease. Also avoid taking them with you for hospital visits.
Symptoms of laryngitis in children
Laryngitis in children can appear in different forms, but the most frequent are the following:
- Cough. One of the symptoms that worries parents most is when it appears compulsively and does not let the child rest. There are natural remedies to calm it, as humidity is a major cause.
- Hoarseness or aphonia. There is a change in the tone of the baby’s voice caused by inflammation of the vocal cords.
- Pain when swallowing. The baby may experience pain when swallowing, which intensifies when consuming solid food.
- Breathing difficulty. A hissing or strained sound may appear when the baby inhales air. If it is intense, it is perceptible even without auscultation. This is the main symptom for which you have to go to the emergency room.
Warning signs and when to go to the hospital
There are specific situations in which adults need to pay more attention and behave in the most appropriate way.
Breathing difficulty
The situation is serious when the child has difficulty breathing. A more intense thoracic or abdominal movement is observed and intercostal traction can be observed. The latter is characterized by a movement of the muscles between the ribs.
In some cases it is accompanied by a breathing noise caused by exertion. This is a warning sign and in this case it is important to go to the hospital and get a medical diagnosis.
Temperature
This symptom is to be considered worrying if it suddenly reaches or exceeds 39 ° or if it is higher than 37.5 ° for more than 3 consecutive days and does not subside with antipyretic or antithermal treatments prescribed by the pediatrician.
It is important to avoid self-medication, that is, to administer drugs that have not been prescribed by a doctor. Without a doubt, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory treatments already prescribed by the pediatrician can be considered again, always following his guidelines.
Summing up…
Laryngitis in children can cause various ailments ranging from coughing to breathing difficulties. Nevertheless, complications can be avoided with due care.
