Therapy
What to do if you have baby bronchitis? Acute bronchitis is first treated by resting and drinking enough fluids. Warm, unsweetened teas are best so that the mucous membrane can regenerate and the mucus is dissolved.
Mucolytic drugs can also be given to relieve the child’s symptoms. So-called cough looseners or expectorants contain ingredients such as acetylcysteine, which are intended to change the structure of the mucus so that it becomes less viscous and can be more easily removed. Ambroxol or Bromhexine support the production of a thin mucus.
A cough expectorant can be taken as a juice, capsule or effervescent tablet to dissolve it. Therapy with an antibiotic is only useful for baby bronchitis if the disease is caused by bacteria, which is rarely the case. In obstructive bronchitis, the shortness of breath is caused by the narrowing of the bronchi.
In order to provide relief, other medications that cause the small bronchi to dilate (for example beta-2 sympathomimetics) can be used here. If chronic bronchitis is present, the primary consideration is to eliminate or treat the triggers of the disease in order to relieve the symptoms. Bronchitis in babies without fever: Approximately one in three babies develops bronchitis in their first year of life.
The symptoms can vary from case to case, usually flu-like symptoms with a slight fever. A severe cough is particularly characteristic of the disease. In addition, the children are limp and groggy.
An elevated temperature or fever does not necessarily occur with bronchitis. Instead, there may be loss of appetite and a runny or blocked nose. Even if no elevated temperature or fever can be measured, the baby should be presented to a doctor if he or she has only drunk half of the usual amount of milk in the last 24 hours, if there has not been a wet diaper for six hours or longer, if there are difficulties in breathing, or if the baby seems sleepy or lethargic.
Homeopathy for bronchitis
Homeopathic remedies such as Belladonna, Actonium Napellus, Bryonia Alba, Drosera, Hyoscyamus or Rumex can alleviate accompanying symptoms such as the baby’s dry cough. However, if the cough persists for more than 1 week or if the baby develops a fever, refuses to eat, appears sleepy or even gets blue lips and/or fingernails, it is not advisable to continue giving globules to the baby. In these cases, please consult a doctor immediately to rule out a bacterial superinfection or pneumonia, which should then be treated with antibiotics.
When do you have to take the baby to the hospital?
First of all, very few babies develop severe bronchitis, so that they have to be treated in hospital. The vast majority of bronchitis can be treated very well at home. However, if your baby shows the following symptoms, you should consult a doctor with him/her: If your baby suddenly seems very sleepy and difficult to wake up If he has eaten less than half of his usual food in the last 24 hours or consistently refuses to eat it If he shows signs of dehydration (dehydration), your baby will show this in dry diapers for 6 hours or more If he has difficulty breathing, your baby will show this If the baby’s nostrils move visibly when breathing in and out (nostrils), if the abdominal muscles contract so much when breathing that the ribs can be seen, if the fingernails or lips turn blue, or if the baby suddenly starts to groan when breathing. Additionally fever above 38°C
- If it suddenly seems very sleepy and is difficult to wake up
- If it has eaten less than half of its usual food in the last 24 hours or consistently refuses to eat it
- If it shows signs of dehydration (dehydration), this can be seen in babies in dry diapers over a period of 6 hours or even longer
- If the baby has difficulty breathing, this can be seen in the baby as follows: If he visibly moves his nostrils when breathing in and out (nostrils), if the abdominal muscles contract so much when breathing that you can see the ribs, if the fingernails or lips turn blue, or even if the baby suddenly starts moaning while breathing. – Additionally fever above 38°C
