- Colds in children: ways to cough
- VIDEO: An expert advises on how to deal with a coughing child
- Colds in children: ways to deal with fever
- 5 things you need to know about your baby's fever
- Colds in children: remedies for a runny nose
Seemingly trivial colds in children may end in a serious illness that requires antibiotic treatment - e.g. otitis media and tonsillitis. But the infection can also spread to the child's larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
The most important thing is to intervene at the first symptoms of a cold in a child. Thanks to this, we have a chance not only to prevent the development of the disease, but also reduce the risk of complications.
The disease is usually more turbulent in a few-year-old child than in an adult. The fever can reach 40 degrees Celsius. After 2-3 days the temperature drops, but other symptoms persist for a few more days. However, the cough sometimes only passes after two weeks.
Feeding difficulties may be the main symptom of a cold in infants under the age of six months: the nasal mucosa is swollen, which forces the baby to breathe through the mouth.
Lowering the temperature in children is necessary when it reaches 38 degrees C (in infants up to 6 months of age - 37.5 degrees C), because it can cause seizures (only some children are susceptible to it between 6 months and 4 years old). Seizures are not life-threatening and go away on their own, but any child who develops a seizure must be examined by a doctor.
If you have seizures, don't panic!You have to stay cool to help your baby. First of all, clear the airways by putting your toddler on his side and tilting his head slightly back. Then call a doctor. If there is an excess of saliva, remove it to prevent the baby from choking. You can put a tetras diaper to your mouth.
After the convulsions have ceased, it is necessary to lower the temperature. Undress your toddler, apply a cold compress to his forehead made of ice cubes wrapped in a diaper or a diaper soaked in cool water and give him a suppository fever remedy. Most pediatricians prescribe for children who have had a seizure incident, luminal suppositories, an anticonvulsant, sedative and antiemetic that must be kept at home and kept in the refrigerator so that you can give it to your baby when needed.
A sore throat in a child is most often caused by viruses, less often it is bacterial. Simultaneously with the pain, fever appears anddecreased appetite. To relieve pain, larger children can be given lozenges, smaller ones are given preparations in the form of lollipops and delicate sprays.
Colds in children: ways to cough
- We make sure that the child does not run, because breathlessness after exercise may cause coughing attacks.
- We make sure they drink a lot. You can give him water, tea, vegetable and fruit juices. Hydration helps to thin the secretion in the upper respiratory tract and makes it easier to expectorate.
- We moisturize the child's room. We should also remember to ventilate the room frequently, regardless of the outside temperature.
- If your toddler has problems with expectoration, put him over his knees and pat him gently on the back. This helps to break away the secretions from the bronchi. It is especially effective if it is performed about half an hour after the administration of the expectorant syrup.
- After consulting your doctor, you can place the cupping cups to stimulate the body's immunity. Fireless bubbles are the most convenient and safe to use. After applying them to the skin, air is sucked out with a special pump. After 10 minutes, remove the bubbles, smear the skin with petroleum jelly or cream. After the procedure, the child must lie in bed.
VIDEO: An expert advises on how to deal with a coughing child
Colds in children: ways to deal with fever
- We disassemble them to allow heat loss through the skin. We put them to bed and cover them with a thin cotton sheet. We put a cold compress to the forehead.
- When the temperature does not drop after 15-20 minutes, we give an antipyretic (e.g. syrup or suppositories).
- In case of high fever (above 38.5 degrees C), it is worth additionally using a cooling bath or wiping the child's body with a damp washcloth. Cooling bath. Pour water into the bathtub having approx. 38 degrees Celsius, put the baby in and slowly add cold water so that the water temperature drops by 1 degrees Celsius. goose bumps, take them out of the bathtub, gently wipe them with a towel, put them in airy pajamas and put them to bed. We spread towels around the child lying in the bed. Pour lukewarm water into a bowl or bucket. Dip a terry cloth in it, squeeze lightly (water should drip from it) and, starting from the head, rub the toddler's body. After 5-10 minutes, measure the temperature. The treatment is interrupted when the fever drops.
- We give the child plenty of fluids, preferably rich in vitamin. C, e.g. fruit juices diluted with water. A feverish body sweats a lot, and then it is easy to dehydrate.
- We make sure that the sheets in the bed are freshand of delicate, soft fabrics (cotton, flannel). The skin of a feverish child becomes very sensitive and should not be additionally irritated.
- If the child falls asleep, check that he is covered and that his body temperature does not rise, and change pajamas when he is sweaty.
- We do not forget to ventilate the room, even if it is cold outside. Oxygen-rich air helps.
5 things you need to know about your baby's fever
Colds in children: remedies for a runny nose
- The baby is often placed on its stomach, because then the secretions do not flow down to the lungs and breathing becomes easier. For an older child, we can put a few pillows under the back for the night to sleep in a reclining position.
- We make sure that the room is well moisturized. If we do not have a humidifier, hang terry towels soaked in cool water in the room. However, we do not put them on the radiator, because then we only moisten (additionally for a short time) around the window. You can also hang wet diapers on the bed rails.
- We make inhalations to help the child breathe and to cleanse the respiratory tract. Put a few drops of oil, e.g. mint, menthol, eucalyptus oil into a pot of hot water (but its steam cannot burn). The child should inhale the steam released with the oils for about 10 minutes. Oils can also be sprinkled (1-2 drops) on a child's pajamas, a corner of a pillow, a damp diaper hung by the bed. Essential oils are very condensed substances, so they can sensitize even those children who are not allergic.