A cold causes a cold in a child: a runny nose clogging the nose and forcing him to breathe through the mouth, sore throat, cough, increased body temperature. How to care for a child with a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, commonly known as a cold? How to relieve the symptoms of a cold in a child?

A cold in a childis a common problem, especially in spring and autumn.Cold symptomsappear 48-72 hours after exposure to the virus. There is no special cure forcold . But you can alleviate the symptoms associated with it by using homeopathic preparations and herbs.

Preparations from the pharmacy and pantry for colds in a child

You can use ready-made preparations or reach for herbs. However, you must always consult your doctor about the choice of the agent. The fact that many over-the-counter medications can already be used in infants does not mean that you should treat your baby yourself without consulting a pediatrician. After all, each child has a disease differently, and some cold symptoms may be a signal of other diseases. Also, do not underestimate home methods of fighting infections that have been practiced for generations. They are really effective and, importantly, safe for young children. And if you start using them at the first symptoms of a runny nose, there is a chance that you will not allow the disease to develop. Warming teas, inhalations that facilitate breathing, cupping and cooling baths and compresses will bring relief to your child and significantly accelerate his recovery.

Child has a cold: fever is good

If your child becomes lethargic, has glassy eyes, a hot body, flushed face, and a dry mouth, you may suspect a fever. Often it is she who is the first sign that the disease is beginning. It is worth knowing that the increase in body temperature accompanying infection is a positive symptom. It signals that the body's defenses have been activated and it is starting to fight the disease. The blood supply to the tissues increases and defense cells can reach the site of infection more quickly. Additionally, at elevated temperatures, pathogenic viruses and bacteria are destroyed faster.

How to fight a runny nose in a child? Look! [TOWIDEO]

Child's cold: bad fever

But you need a high feverfight, because it adversely affects the work of internal organs, especially the central nervous system, circulatory system, kidneys and liver. Therefore, a sick child should have their temperature taken approximately every four hours. When it exceeds 38 degrees C (in infants 37.5 degrees C), you need to try to lower it. If you do not have a modern thermometer to measure the temperature (in the ear) within a few seconds, know that it is most convenient for babies to measure the temperature in the rectum (it should be done very gently so as not to damage it), for older children under the armpit, in the groin, in the ear ( with a special thermometer) or in the mouth (when we are sure that the child will not bite the thermometer). Note: the temperature measured in the mouth is higher by 0.3 degrees C, and in the rectum by 0.5 degrees C than the temperature measured at the same time in the armpit. Fever in infants and young children is said to be when the temperature measured in the rectum is higher than 38 degrees C; high fever is the temperature above 39 degrees C.

They will help with a fever in your child

  • Means with paracetamol or ibuprom for children, with antipyretic, analgesic and antibacterial properties. Tablets for older children (e.g. calpol, apap, panadol, nurofen, ibufen), suppositories for infants and younger children (e.g. efferalgan, viburcol, which also has a slightly calming effect).
  • Raspberry fruit infusion: 2 tablespoons of dried raspberry fruit pour a glass of boiling water and cover. After 15 minutes, strain, add a teaspoon of raspberry juice or honey. The infusion is diaphoretic and thus helps to lower the fever.

For a child's runny nose

Viral, and this is what we deal with in a cold, is a watery-mucous discharge from the nose, which thickens after 2-3 days. It does not always appear in both nasal passages at the same time. A runny nose is accompanied by a sneezing, scratchy throat, a stuffy nose feeling and a general breakdown. The child also has a dull sense of taste and refuses to eat.

Nose cleansing

The best way to fight a runny nose is to clean your nose. As often as necessary, the baby should blow secretions out, but never from both holes at the same time, so as not to irritate the eardrums. It is especially important to clean the nose of babies. We remove the secretion only with a special pear. We do not use cotton buds for this purpose, because instead of removing the secretion, we push it deeper into the nose. It is better not to give any drops without consulting a doctor because they dry the nasal mucosa. The body tries to compensate for this with increased mucus production, and after a moment of relief, the child fights the mucus build-up. The exception is the nasivin preparation, which can be used in 3-month-oldschildren.

Nasal moisturizing

You also need to give your baby plenty of water, because proper hydration from the inside thins the body fluids, including catarrhal secretions, and helps to clean the nose. You should also take care of moisturizing the room where the child is. Dry air (below 40% humidity) inhibits the movement of the cilia of the nasal mucosa, which facilitates the penetration of viruses into the deeper layers of the mucosa. In addition, the mucus, instead of being discharged to the outside, dries up and makes breathing difficult.

They will help

  • Nasal application: saline solution (e.g. pnysidose, miwana) or sea s alt (e.g. sterimar), which thin the mucus and facilitate its removal.
  • Onions, garlic, horseradish. The juice from these vegetables will work best, but only older children can be persuaded to drink it. However, in the presence of the baby, you can grate the horseradish root, chop the onion or chop the garlic. The volatile substances will cause the nose to water and increase runny, so the nasal passages will clear very quickly.
Important

The infection occurs via droplets. A sick person spreads germs by coughing and sneezing. It is worth knowing that viruses are active on the skin for many hours. If a friend who is sitting next to us in the office sneezes with a cold, the germs will "land" on our hands and we will carry them home, infecting the whole family. That is why it is so important to follow the rules of hygiene, wash your hands frequently and avoid people with a cold or coughing condition. Since a cold can be caused by over 200 different viruses, the body is unable to immunize against them. Therefore, a child may suffer from them several times a year, and even monthly when it comes to kindergarten or school. 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. The cough, on the other hand, sometimes takes two weeks to pass. In babies under six months of age, feeding difficulties may be the main symptom of a cold: the nasal mucosa is swollen, which forces the baby to breathe through the mouth.

Child cough

It starts with a slight scratching in the throat, which turns into a cough as the infection develops. At first it is dry, because there is no secretion in the upper respiratory tract yet. Later it becomes moist as the accumulated mucus begins to be dislodged. That is why it is so important to administer the right drugs, depending on the type of cough. When dry, antitussive preparations that inhibit the cough reflex will be helpful, so as not to irritate the bronchi. When it becomesmoist, replace them with expectorant syrup, which will help get rid of excess secretions. And this rule must be strictly adhered to.

They will help

  • You can buy moist cough syrups at the pharmacy.
  • Homemade plantain syrup for wet cough: Crush 100 g of plantain leaves (available at a pharmacy), throw into 100 ml of boiled, cooled water, mix thoroughly, then strain. Add 100 g of sugar. Boil it. Pour the hot one into a scalded jar and close it. Store in a refrigerator. Serve a teaspoon several times a day.

Children under 12 must not be given preparations containing aspirin, because this may lead to Reye's syndrome, which is manifested by acute liver and brain dysfunction. It is a dangerous condition that affects only children. Although it is extremely rare, it is better to give your little one a paracetamol or ibuprom preparation instead of aspirin.

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