The child has a cold, what to do. What to do if a child has a cold

All parents have to deal with childhood colds. No matter how we protect our children, not a single child is insured against acute respiratory infections, ARVI or influenza. But there is no need to make tragedies from a runny nose, cough or fever. Immunologists say that colds train immunity, because the child's body does not just grow, it learns to adapt to the environment in which it is. It is noted that people who "did not collect" infections in childhood are much more likely to get sick and more difficult to endure a cold in adulthood. But this does not mean at all that it is possible to let the disease take its course: in order for the body to win the battle against viruses, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for recovery. Strengthen the child's immunity, and in case of acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections or flu, act correctly!

Prevent your child from getting colds

Returning from kindergarten, from school or from a walk, did the child chill or wet his feet? Take urgent action! Rub the baby's feet and hands with a warming agent (this can be warm interior fat with the addition of pine, cedar, and juniper essential oils). Then put on warm socks on the baby and send them under the covers. Give me a warm drink (like chamomile tea with honey). It is good to drink warm milk with honey at night. Timely measures taken will help the body cope with the attack of viruses and avoid colds.

The child caught a cold - the first bells

If a child has a sore throat or a runny nose, the visit to kindergarten or school is canceled! To quickly cope with the disease, it is necessary to start treatment immediately. Give your baby a nasal lavage. Use a solution for this sea \u200b\u200bsalt (such a spray can be bought at a pharmacy) or herbal infusion (heather, calendula, sage, eucalyptus, St. John's wort). After rinsing, it is very good to drip the nose with an oil herbal extract. Such drops can be bought at the pharmacy or prepared on the basis of olive and corn oil (1: 1). To do this, take St. John's wort, calendula, chamomile (in equal proportions), fill it with oil (1: 5), leave for a day, then warm it up on a steam bath for 3 hours. Insist the extract for another day, pat and squeeze the herbal cake. Drops can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator. By burying your nose with such a medicine, you will relieve inflammation without any aggravating effects. Before bedtime, rub the area of \u200b\u200bthe roots of the lungs and throat with warm goat fat, to which add warming essential oils of eucalyptus, pine, etc. These procedures must be done daily for at least 5 days.

Do not knock down the temperature if the child has a cold

Does the child have a fever? As a rule, this indicates that the baby's body is actively fighting against viral infection... Fever is a defensive reaction that promotes rapid recovery. If the temperature does not exceed 38.5 ° C, it is not recommended to knock it down. The exception is children prone to febrile seizures and individual cases of hyperthermia intolerance. In any case, urgently invite a doctor to your home, as it is very important to make a correct diagnosis. The specialist will develop an effective treatment regimen and, if necessary, prescribe medications that will help cope with the disease. The child needs bed rest, as well as plenty of drink. Children are advised to give not only water, but also sweet tea with sugar in order to replenish glucose reserves in the body in time and prevent an acetone crisis. After recovery, 3-5 days should pass before the child goes to the children's team.

Cough, sneezing, runny nose

Children's colds are very difficult to treat. Parents are accustomed to using all available over-the-counter rhinitis and cough remedies, but they are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Scientists are constantly conducting research on the safety of these drugs for older children.

One thing is known: there is no over-the-counter cold medicine that can treat a common cold or speed up the healing process.

What to do? Check out our tips and you will know how to help your child cope with this nuisance.

Home mode

Talk to your school doctor and he will tell you how often parents send their children to school when they shouldn't. Do not be like them.

When the child's temperature exceeds 38 degrees, he must be left at home. Even a low temperature should alert you if the child is contagious and weak. By staying at home, the child will recover faster and will not spread germs among their peers.

Getting rid of the temperature

An elevated temperature means that the child's body is fighting off infection. When the temperature rises above 37.8 degrees and the child is in pain, give ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

The drug and dosage should be appropriate for the child's age. Do not use aspirin - its effects are often associated with Reye's syndrome.

If the baby, which is not yet three months old, rectal temperature exceeds 38 degrees, or in a child aged three months to three years - above 39 degrees, you must immediately seek a professional medical help.

How to stay hydrated

For sick children, drinking plenty of fluids plays an important role. Any liquid is suitable: water, ginger citro, diluted juice. Chicken broth and popsicles also provide the baby with the necessary liquid.

Repair irritated skin

Regularly drying your nose causes redness and inflammation. Use warm, damp wipes to prevent this. If the applied effort did not help to avoid the appearance of irritation under the baby's nose, carefully lubricate the inflamed areas with petroleum jelly.

Honey

Honey should not be given to children less than a year old. This is due to the risk of developing infant botulism. But for older children, it cures coughs and restores sore throat... In 2007, a study was conducted, during which it turned out that 0.5 tsp. honey before going to bed suppressed cough in children 2-5 years old, and children aged 6-11 years needed 1-2 tsp. product.

Obtaining more accurate data is possible only after further scientific activity.

Although there is no conclusive scientific evidence that honey can stop coughing, it still has a positive effect on children's well-being.

Recreation

In order for the baby to get better soon, you need to provide him good rest at night time. Children should sleep 8-12 hours, depending on age. A sound and long sleep provides protection against colds. If your baby has a cold, it takes longer than usual to sleep.

Symptoms

To begin with, there is no diagnosis of "cold" in medical practice. Experts replace this diagnosis with a couple of other terms: ARI - inflammation respiratory tract (bronchitis, pharyngitis, rhinitis, etc.) and ARVI - accompaniment of the disease high temperature from the first stage of the disease. The human body and its environment are filled with all kinds of bacteria and viruses. They cannot harm us, since their content is regulated by the immune system (through the secretion of lymphocytes and antibodies). If the excretion is hampered by something, the immune system begins to weaken and the body misses a blow. It turns out that a cold is a kind of violation of the immune defense caused by hypothermia. This leads to the active multiplication of bacteria and viruses on the mucous membranes, and pathogens after a while begin to penetrate into the blood.

The first signs of a cold

Of course, the first signs of the disease depend on which specific organ is inflamed. For example, with rhinitis, a child has a stuffy nose, with pharyngitis, the child coughs and his throat hurts, and with laryngitis, a hoarse voice appears or even its complete absence.

Symptoms characteristic of the onset of ARVI:
- temperature increase;
- chills;
- drowsiness;
- weakness;
- decrease in physical activity.

It is necessary to immediately dismiss such assumptions as "teeth are being cut" and do not refuse to help the baby. Moreover, if the child's temperature rises. Keep in mind that the baby is in a fever not from "cutting teeth", but because when they erupt, the immune system weakens and the body becomes more vulnerable to any bacteria and viruses.

If the body temperature in a baby under the age of 3 months exceeds 38 degrees, you need to immediately call an ambulance. It is also possible, and even necessary, to alleviate the condition of the baby with various antipyretic medicines and suppositories. But many medicines at this age can lead to unpredictable reactions, so it is necessary to have experienced professionals and special medical equipment nearby. For children over the age of months, an ambulance is called if the temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees, and for children with febrile seizures - 38 degrees. It is necessary to give the crumbs an antipyretic agent, when the thermometer is 37.5, and the legs and arms are cold, and the skin is pale. In all other cases, you need to call the pediatrician at home.

There is a signal

So, the doctor (pediatrician, and, if necessary, a cardiologist, otolaryngologist, neurologist) examined the child and prescribed medication, but all the care of the baby rests with the parents.

Runny nose

If your child has a runny nose, you should use baby drops prescribed by your pediatrician. It is important to clear the mucus from the nasal passages before digging in the nose (otherwise the accumulated infection can go down the nasopharynx, causing inflammation). Using a special suction or a pear-shaped balloon, you need to suck mucus from the nasal cavities. By the way, to make mucus and crusts go away better, you can drip a special salt solution (Salin, Aquamaris, Humer) into the spout, boiled water or saline - a couple of drops into each nostril. A runny nose can be cured by instilling aloe juice into the child's nose (one drop must be diluted with two drops of water).

Temperature

It is not necessary to measure the temperature if the child is already scared, very excited or crying. Wait for him to calm down.

By the way, an increased temperature indicates that the body has activated a protective reaction, and the development of defense mechanisms - interferons - has begun. And if you hurry, giving an antipyretic agent (at a temperature of less than 38 degrees), the body will not have its own strength to fight the infection.

Cough

It is imperative to consult a doctor (even a mild cough in infants can develop into pneumonia or bronchitis). Give the crumbs the expectorant drugs prescribed by a specialist and often apply the baby to the breast (milk has a good expectorant property and strengthens the immune system).

Important points

Provide comfortable conditions for your child to recover faster. Do not wrap the child up, ventilate the room more often (naturally, the child must be moved to another room at this time). Bathe your baby daily: harmful toxins are flushed out through the skin and a warm bath cleanses the body.

Improving health in weakened children

Very simple and effective folk recipe, which gives good results with regular use.

0.5 liters of water, 1 teaspoon with a top of sea salt, 3-5 drops of iodine, 3 tablespoons of alcohol or vodka.

Mix all components. In the morning, wipe the child with a cloth soaked in this composition. In the evening, be sure to rinse off in the bath or shower. Rubbing should be carried out daily from autumn to May, that is, capturing all the cold months. These easy procedures temper well and strengthen the health of small, frail children prone to frequent colds.

And to cleanse the blood vessels: you should just drink 200-300 g of hot (as far as tolerable) water every day on an empty stomach. With this procedure, all kinds of deposits are removed from the body.

Golden mustache guarding health

You need to cut 15 joints of the golden mustache into pieces, pour 0.5 liters of vodka, leave for 10 days. Dilute with 2 tsp. tincture in 0.5 tbsp. warm water and give the baby a drink twice (morning and evening).

Before going to bed, rub the tincture on the chest.

Nadezhda I.

Two days - and there is no cold

I mixed 50 g of vodka with 1 tsp. soda, warmed up to 20 degrees. I rubbed the child's back and feet with this mixture. I put on a woolen sweater and socks and wrapped them warmly.

20-30 g of dry chopped raspberry branches brought to a boil in 1 liter of water, insisted for 20 minutes. In 100-150 g of broth, I diluted 1 tsp. honey and gave the baby a drink.

I did the procedures at night. 2-3 days - and the child is healthy!

Yanina D,
village Massolena Grodno region

From colds "troubles"

To strengthen the immune system, I drip my children on an empty stomach into warm milk, propolis tincture. The number of drops depends on the age of the child and on how he tolerates the bee products.

Children from 3 to 7 years old can be given 3-5-7 drops. I gradually increase the number. As a preventive measure, I sing propolis for a month, then a month - a break.

If the child is already sick, add the tincture to milk twice a day. My four-year-olds went out for 10 drops twice a day during illness. After recovery, I give them the tincture for another two weeks, but I reduce the dose to a preventive one.

And I cured laryngitis with a terrible dry cough in my girls like this.

2 tbsp dry grains of anise poured 1 tbsp. cold water... Bringing to a boil, filtering, adding 3 tbsp. honey and gave to drink every hour 1 tbsp. The cough subsided by the end of the first day. If you are allergic to honey, you can replace it with sugar, but I did not use the broth in this version.

Elena V,
mogilev

Dairy cold medicine

When my daughter and I managed to catch a cold together, I brought to a boil over low heat, stirring, 0.5 liters of milk from 1 dec. l. without the top of dry chopped sage (bought at the pharmacy). Wrapped it in a towel, insisted for an hour, filtered it and again brought it to a boil over low heat. Sometimes honey was added to the finished medicine to taste.

Before going to bed, in bed, the baby and I drank this hot drink in small sips (the temperature should be high, but not scalding).
Three days later, colds and coughs were gone!

Despite the fact that her daughter does not like boiled milk, she drank this sage drink with pleasure.

Elena T,
mogilev

Onion syrup

My name is Vera. I am 27 years old. I live in the city of Berezniki, Perm region. I have two children. The son is 9 years old, the daughter is 1.5 years old. Both were often ill in early childhood. My daughter had colds (ARI and ARVI) all the time. A little something - immediately snot and cough. What we didn’t do! Nothing worked.

But once they gave me a good recipe, which still helps us a lot. To prepare a healing potion, you need to take 2 medium onions, peel them and chop finely. Then pour the onion mass with 2 tbsp. spoons of honey, leave overnight. Strain in the morning. Give this syrup to a child 1-2 teaspoons 3-4 times a day. After that, the child should not go outside. Two days of such treatment - and the cold recedes.

Vera Kuznetsova,
berezniki, Perm Territory

Onion syrup - good remedy for coughs and colds. But if the child is allergic to the components of this remedy, he should be discarded.

If the first manifestations of the disease occur, you should contact a medical institution. Self-administration of medicines, especially the uncontrolled treatment of colds in infants, can have dire consequences.

Symptoms

Colds include acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections, parainfluenza, flu. The first signs of a cold in children may appear several hours after the penetration of the pathogenic agent into the body.

The onset of the disease can be accompanied by nasal congestion, sneezing, an increase in temperature indicators, and a deterioration in the general condition of the body. With the development of the pathological process in the nasal cavity, mucus begins to be actively produced, due to which nasal breathing is disturbed. As a result, shortness of breath may occur in a child with a cold. In such a situation, babies who do not yet know how to switch to breathing through the mouth are especially affected.

Often in childhood, the above symptoms of colds are accompanied by a decrease in appetite, weakness, sleep disturbances, sweating, and skin rashes. Pathological phenomena such as sudden lethargy, convulsions, cold sweat, loss of consciousness, diarrhea with a cold in a child are dangerous symptoms and require emergency medical care.

If any manifestation of a cold occurs, the child must be shown to a specialist. Since the lack of adequate and timely treatment can lead to various dangerous complications, for example, to such serious diseases as bronchitis and pneumonia.

What is important to consider during therapy?

Today, pharmacies offer a wide range of medications that can quickly cure a child from a cold.

However, they can be used strictly on the recommendation of a doctor. To speed up the healing process, the pediatrician may prescribe the intake of funds that strengthen the defenses of the child's body, such drugs include Citovir syrup, Anaferon tablets, Derinat drops.

Besides using drugs, ensure optimal environmental conditions.

It is necessary to ventilate the room several times a day, carry out wet cleaning, and maintain normal temperature and humidity.

If the temperature does not exceed 38 ° C, there is no need to take medications. Thus, the child's body actively fights against pathogenic viruses and bacteria. In the event that the temperature values \u200b\u200bare more than 38 ° C and their rapid increase is observed, antipyretic drugs should be used. What to give a child with a cold to reduce the temperature? In childhood, drugs based on ibuprofen and paracetamol are used - Ibufen, Eferalgan, Nurofen, Panadol.

Pharmaceutical companies produce antipyretic drugs in various forms. For the treatment of children, it is preferable to use drugs in the form of rectal suppositories, syrup, and chewable tablets. When using medications, it is necessary to strictly observe the indicated dosage and the interval between doses of the medicinal substance.

Cold treatment

A runny nose is one of the first symptoms of a cold. How can I prevent a cold if my child sneezes? To stop the development of the pathological process, it is necessary to regularly rinse the child's nasal cavity with preparations based on sea salt - Humer, Aquamaris. During this procedure, the nasal passages are cleared of disease-causing elements.

To eliminate mucous secretions from the nasal cavity, a special nasal aspirator should be used. It must be used with extreme caution so as not to disrupt the integrity of the inflamed mucous membrane.

If mucous discharge has acquired a purulent character, antiviral and antimicrobial nasal drops can be used as directed by a doctor.

Most effective means are Pinosol, Protragol, Kollargol.

Drugs with a vasoconstrictor effect are not recommended for use in childhood. These medications eliminate mucosal edema and improve nasal breathing, but over time they become addictive. It is possible to use such funds only in difficult situations, when, due to nasal congestion, sleep is disturbed and the child has shortness of breath with a cold. TO vasoconstrictor drugs include drops of Tizin, Xymelin, Nazol Baby. They can be used strictly according to the doctor's prescription and no more than 3-5 days.

Cough treatment

Cough is a natural reaction of the body, thus the production of accumulated phlegm is accelerated. But coughing exhausting an already weakened child's body. To relieve the child's condition, special cough medicines can be used. However, in no case should one independently use drugs that suppress coughs; only a specialist should prescribe such drugs. On the recommendation of a doctor, cough treatment can be carried out with the help of expectorants, mucolytic, antimicrobial agents. For dry cough for children, Prospan and Gerbion syrups are used. For the treatment of wet cough, drugs Mukoltin, Pertussin are used.

Alternative medicine

Colds that endlessly attack children require an integrated approach to treatment. Along with traditional methods proven alternative medicine recipes can be used. How to cure a child of a cold using folk remedies? You can use the following effective recipes:

to eliminate nasal congestion, cough, painful sensations in the throat, inhalations with medicinal herbs (eucalyptus, chamomile, sage) should be carried out;
to reduce sore throat and strengthen the body's defenses, you can prepare healing tea with raspberries or honey, vitaminized drinks are also useful - fruit drinks, compotes, juices;
with rhinitis, fresh beet juice can be instilled into the nasal cavity;
at colds it is recommended to do foot baths with mustard and salt - add 150 g of salt and 100 g of mustard to a basin of water, put your feet into the water, cover with a blanket on top, after the water has cooled, rinse your feet with clean water, put on warm socks and go to bed ...

To avoid undesirable consequences in the form of an allergic reaction, use folk methods treatment should only be followed after consultation with a specialist.

Is a large group of varieties of spicy respiratory diseasecaused by viruses, it is also the most common infectious disease childhood... Most often, the introduction of viruses occurs through the nasopharynx and larynx, while different strains prefer their own "gateway". For example, for rhinovirus it will be the nasal mucosa, the adenovirus will settle in the pharyngeal and palatine tonsils, the parainfluenza virus will prefer the integumentary tissues of the larynx. Of course, the onset of a cold in a child with each of these options will proceed in its own way: in the first case with nasal congestion and a runny nose, in the second, the child will complain of, in the third, the first symptom will be a dry cough. Alas, such a differentiation of symptoms is not always the case, more often the child gets a combined infection, and with it such a bouquet of manifestations, which is very difficult to understand.

However, it is not necessary to understand much, because a child's cold is treated according to a similar scheme, regardless of the type of viral agent. It is much more important to capture the moment when the child has just got sick. If the beginning cold in a child is noticed in a timely manner, then it will be much easier to cope with it than with a "cleared" infection.

Causes of a cold in a child

A cold in a child is a disease with a pronounced seasonal dependence, the most dangerous is the autumn transition from heat to slush and cold. Autumn is also special in that it is the time of returning to school, that is, to mass contacts between children.

The child does not immediately wean from summer freedom, he is reluctant to put on a warm jacket and hat, therefore he freezes easily; Add wet shoes to that - it's the perfect target for viruses. In contrast, overprotected children sweat under excess clothing and become equally susceptible to infection. Of course, not everyone will get sick, because the state of immunity, the presence of other (especially chronic) diseases, the vitality of the child and his physiological features.

Most often, a child's cold occurs at the age of one to three years, this is due to the fact that it is during this period that protective (immune) mechanisms are formed. The formation of immunity is sometimes delayed until the age of 7, this happens in cases where the child does not attend kindergarten; lack of contact with other children prevents the "training" of immunity. Infants suffer from respiratory infections much less often, since they are protected by a set of antibodies received from the mother - passive immunity. For example, a cold in month old baby happens 10 times less often than a one-year-old baby.

The main route of transmission of viral respiratory infection is airborne, but a fair share of infections also falls on contact and household. With airborne droplets, everything is clear, someone sneezed nearby - the smallest droplets of moisture containing pathogens are already hovering in the air. The contact method of transmission involves the direct spread of viruses from person to person through a handshake, kiss, hug. Household infection occurs, as a rule, when hygiene rules are violated: the use of common cutlery, telephones, towels.

A child has a cold at least once a year. It doesn’t matter if children get sick up to nine times a year, but if parents lose track of recalling cases of illness, then we are talking about a significant decrease in immune protection, then it's time to sound the alarm and see a doctor.

Colds in young children are often triggered by lack of mobility, more often this happens in those families where grandmothers look after the child. What can they not think of so that the child would sit quietly, play calmly, move slowly, eat often and a lot. As a result, the child is underdeveloped physically and is overweight, and this entails excessive permeability of capillary vessels, looseness and a tendency to swelling of the mucous membranes - the gateway for infection has already been created.

Other factors, due to which a child's cold occurs more often and is more severe, are unbalanced diet, stuffiness and heat in the room, secondhand smoke (adults who smoke indoors), and frequent stress.

The first signs of a cold in a child

A beginning cold in a child can manifest itself in very different ways, in many cases it is barely noticeable, so parents often ignore the first signs of a cold, or even write them off to the child's whims. The behavior of the baby should be analyzed; why suddenly his mood deteriorated, why the desire to lie down instead of the usual fiddling with toys, how to understand the refusal of his favorite dessert? An attentive attitude to the child will allow you to notice these changes in time and take up treatment in a timely manner.

This is how a child's cold begins - gradually, gradually, with a slight deterioration in his condition.

It is important to know: if a child's temperature suddenly rises above 38 ° C, severe weakness has developed, complaints about headache and pain in the eyes, there is no appetite at all - this is not the beginning of a cold in a child, but a detailed picture of the flu - a reason to immediately consult a doctor!

The onset of a cold in a child will manifest itself with certain symptoms, depending on the place where the virus enters the body. If the epithelial lining of the nose is hit first, rhinitis begins, in which catarrhal changes (inflammation of the mucous membranes) come to the fore - nasal congestion, runny nose, slight coughing, sneezing, but the baby himself during this period may remain active and not make complaints. Nasal congestion occurs due to impaired blood circulation in the inflamed tissues of the nasal cavity with subsequent edema, and then the so-called vicious circle develops: the edematous tissues compress the capillary network even more, which in turn further increases the edema. The child breathes through the mouth, which causes the larynx to dry out and back wall pharynx, hence discomfort in the throat and coughing.

If the throat becomes the gateway of infection, then the onset of a cold in a child will manifest itself as a cough and a reddened throat, pain when swallowing - these are symptoms of acute laryngitis or pharyngitis. An earlier sign of a cold - unpleasant sensations in this area - the child may not pay attention to and not tell the adults about it.

A cold in a child is usually limited to the defeat of the integumentary tissues of the upper respiratory tract, that is, the area of \u200b\u200bthe affected mucous membranes is small. But the virus, having invaded the cells, begins to multiply intensively and release toxins, which leads to more or less pronounced intoxication, it is she who becomes the cause of general malaise. During this period, the child may complain of discomfort in the muscles of the shoulder girdle, sleep disorders often appear (prolonged falling asleep, interrupted light sleep).

Before the appearance of a temperature reaction of the body, a cold in a child can be smoothed out, and therefore there is an opinion that it is manifested precisely by an increase in body temperature, in fact, there will always be symptoms that accompany the onset of a cold in a baby.

Symptoms of a cold in a child

In the advanced stage of the disease, lethargy, indifference to favorite games appear, appetite decreases, sleep is significantly disturbed. Bad mood and moods are the usual companions of the disease, complaints of headache, burning in the throat may appear, body temperature may rise to high numbers and be accompanied by chills. In almost all cases, nasal congestion and a growing runny nose are present. Nasal discharge is so abundant that the skin around the nostrils turns red, flakes, even becomes covered with superficial sores and crusts. It is possible that even under these conditions the general condition of the child will not suffer much - this is a feature of some forms of respiratory infections. But a stuffy nose in a three-year-old baby is one thing, a cold in a month-old baby is quite another - due to the inability to breathe through the nose, the baby may refuse to eat at all, although in general his condition is disturbed very slightly.

An increase in body temperature is often abrupt, then decreasing to normal values, then rising to a frightening 39.5 ° C, while a new jump in temperature follows the appearance of a new symptom - a sign of the spread of infection to a new area of \u200b\u200bthe mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. But we must not forget that an increase in temperature is a protective mechanism that plays an essential role, both in suppressing the reproduction of the virus, and in the development of a very important immune reagent - interferon.

From the second day of the disease, cervical, submandibular, axillary lymph nodes may increase. By the third or fourth day, the nature of nasal discharge usually changes, they acquire a pale greenish color and stringiness, and crusts can form in the nose. Clouding of mucus from the nose does not necessarily mean the addition of a secondary (bacterial) infection, on the contrary, more often it indicates a turn towards recovery. In many cases, a child's cold is accompanied by lacrimation, redness of the sclera.

The phenomena of intoxication are increasing, this is manifested in two ways: some children will be lethargic and sleepy, others will react with excitement, become irritable and whiny. But one symptom will be for everyone - this is the pallor of the skin, because the ingress of viral toxins into the blood leads to a spasm of the peripheral capillary network. This also explains the cold hands and feet of a feverish child.

Cough occurs as a result of inflammation of the integumentary membranes of the upper respiratory tract, which produces large amounts of mucus. In this case, the cough reflex does an important job - it removes excess phlegm. But how much trouble is this cough, which can be wet with sputum discharge or dry and harsh. If it is not treated, it can lead to pain in chest (intercostal muscles are overworked) and even vomiting (excessive irritation of the diaphragm). The cough disrupts the baby's sleep, worsens overall health, increases discomfort and spoils the mood.

With respiratory infections that proceed without complications, the increased body temperature lasts for about four days, with the exception of certain types of the disease (for example, adenovirus infection), in which temperature jumps can be observed up to 10 days.

A child's cold on the lip

Not a frequent, but very unpleasant symptom that causes inconvenience to children and troubles to mothers. Outward manifestations are always preceded by symptoms hidden from mother's eyes, but you can see that the child touches the lip, rubs it. When asked, the kid will answer that he is pricking or baking a sponge. Further, inflammation, swelling join, a small area of \u200b\u200bthe lip is covered with small bubbles. Bubbles can burst, crusts form, this period is extremely unpleasant due to itching, in addition, the baby strives to knock off the crust, infection of the ulcer may follow, recovery will drag on.

The listed symptoms are caused by the herpes virus. If this happens rarely, then it does not deserve special excitement, but when it becomes more frequent up to once every two months, this is a reason to show the child to a dermatologist in order to exclude immune disorders.

A child's cold on the lip passes rather quickly, but sometimes the affected area can expand, capturing the inner surface of the lip and cheek, here you cannot do without the help of a doctor, such cases require thorough treatment.

Cold without fever in a child

We are so accustomed to the cold-cold-cough-fever triad that the loss of the last component is puzzling. I must say that anxiety is justified.

An increase in body temperature is a normal reaction of the immune system disturbed by viruses. If there is a detailed symptomatology of a respiratory illness, but there is no such reaction, then the explanation is found by itself: something is wrong with the immune system. Of course, the reason must be found out.

But there are conditions that simulate the symptoms of a respiratory illness, which is not in sight. A runny nose and cough can occur when foreign body in the nasal passages. The same symptoms occur when the upper respiratory tract is irritated by dust or smoke, so we remember whether the child was sitting by the fire, whether he was trying to put things in order in the sandbox, raising clouds of dust. Yes, sometimes nasal discharge and cough are explained just like that.

But the most likely reason for the lack of temperature in a sick baby is a mild course of the disease.

There is a simple way to navigate this situation: you need to assess the child's condition; yes, just like that, by eye. The beloved child is mobile, busy with his own affairs, the cheeks are quite pink, the breathing is free, the appetite, if broken, is not much, while dripping from the nose. Well, it's okay, this is a mild form of a cold in a child, nothing more.

If the child is lethargic, pale, categorically refuses to eat, strives to lie down, breathes in an incomprehensible way, but definitely not as before, and there is no temperature - immediately see a doctor!

Treating a cold in a child

Adults often say that it is easier to get sick yourself ten times than to cure a child once. From a scientific point of view, this is a tenfold exaggeration, but emotionally it is so. Therefore, the first advice for moms: don't panic! First, the children feel the mood of their mother and begin to worry themselves, and this is useless. Secondly, in a calm state, it is easier to assess the situation and do everything possible so that the baby gets better as soon as possible.

As a rule, a child's cold begins with a runny nose. Discharge from the nose from the point of view of the body's defenses is a very useful reaction; mucus prevents those viruses that have not yet penetrated the epithelial cells to penetrate further, in addition, it contains substances that inhibit the reproduction of the pathogen. Mucus does not need to be eliminated, you just need to prevent it from drying out, otherwise you cannot avoid coughing. Therefore, you do not need to grab onto drops and pills, you should not start with this. The first step is to dress the child correctly, preferably in warm cotton pajamas, and then take care of the microclimate in his room. It is generally harmful for children to be in too warm rooms; this is contraindicated for a sick child. The optimum temperature environment is 22 ° C. Is the child cold under these conditions? Better to wrap it up than to raise the room temperature.

You need an influx of fresh air, so the room must be ventilated often and at least for 5 minutes. It is very important to humidify the air in the baby's room, as runny nose and sweating is a large loss of fluid that can dry out the nasal membranes. Frequent wet cleaning will keep the humidity at the right level, in addition, it will help to remove a fair amount of viruses in the air. If the child continues to claim that his nose is pinching, then it is necessary to additionally moisten the nasal passages, for this it is best to use ready-made saline solutions.

During this period, it is very useful to start gargling and rinsing the nasal passages, such simple procedures not only will reduce the discomfort, but may prevent the development of cough.

Along the way, you need to take care of a plentiful drink, it is necessary for a sick child. Fruit drinks are best suited, it is advisable to cook them from fresh or frozen berries, dried fruits, it is better not to use homemade preparations during this period. Drinks should contain a sufficient amount of vitamin C, therefore we give preference to drinks with lemon, currants, their combination is quite suitable, cranberry fruit drinks are good. Juices will work, but only freshly prepared, thermally processed store juices will not work. You can prepare herbal and fruit teas, but even if you drink a child with simple boiled water, it is important to drink plenty of water.

At this stage of the disease, it is useful to do a light massage of the feet and palms, this will improve blood circulation and reduce nasal congestion. In the absence of temperature, short-term hot foot baths work well, small children can rub their heels with warming ointment "Doctor Mom" \u200b\u200bor "Zvezdochka", and then wrap the legs.

Further cough joins the symptoms. It is also useful for recovery, as it accelerates the secretion of accumulated phlegm, but only up to certain pores. A hacking frequent cough wears out a child who is already weakened by the disease, here you cannot do without drugs, but you must remember that in no case should you independently prescribe drugs that inhibit the cough reflex to children. You can use only those agents that dilute phlegm and help remove it from the respiratory tract.

What to do with fever? There is only one advice: to look at the child's condition and draw the right conclusions. The body is not trying in vain, warming the body in excess of the norm, which means that it is necessary for something. So that's just in order to fight infection. The conclusion is simple: do not interfere with the body's defenses. While the child is with elevated temperature feels satisfactory, it is not necessary to stuff him with pills and syrups. Again, in the treatment of colds in children, abundant drinking comes to the fore, since a child with a fever loses a lot of moisture. Do not over-wrap the baby, let the skin breathe and generate heat outside. It is not worth using compresses with ice, cold wraps in order to lower the temperature, this will only increase the spasm of the peripheral vascular network and worsen the situation. But warm rubbing is useful, they increase the heat transfer of the body through wet skin.

When a child is ill, it is always a nuisance, but a cold in young children is doubly a nuisance. The kid cannot express his complaints, he does not even know how to blow his nose. He can be helped by gently removing mucus from the nasal passages with a pipette or small syringe.

You cannot force-feed children during illness. Let's reason like this: the body is busy with the most important work, it is fighting the aggressor-virus, and we suggest that it switch part of its efforts to digesting food. Of course, he will resist. Appetite will recover a little later, when the most difficult stage of the disease is over. Then we will offer the child such food, which will be beneficial and easily assimilated. "Live" yoghurts, kefir, vegetable purees, a cup of warm milk with honey, chicken broth will be good. Of course, not all at once, this is an approximate set of products to maintain the baby's strength.

But if these efforts did not give the desired result - recovery, then drug treatment cannot be avoided.

Medicines and remedies for colds in children

Medically, a child's cold is treated when more gentle measures did not give the desired effect. Of course, the greatest excitement for parents is caused by a rise in body temperature, often accompanied by chills. When the thermometer has gone off scale at 38 ° C and the child's condition causes reasonable alarm, you should use effective but safe antipyretic drugs: Paracetamol or its analogs Panadol, Efferalgan; Ibuprofen (Nurofen, Brufen). For children, these drugs are best used in the form of syrups and rectal suppositories, for small children - only in this form. Solpaflex, Acetaminophen have proven themselves well. If, soon after taking the drug, the temperature dropped noticeably, this is confirmation that the child really respiratory infection... But if it was not possible to bring down the temperature, consult a doctor, since there is a high probability of another, more serious illness or the addition of a secondary infection. Tablets should be used against a background of heavy drinking.

With a runny nose, the main task becomes to prevent the mucus from drying out on the membranes of the upper respiratory tract, because the virus feels great just where it is drier. To moisturize the nasal passages, it is best to use ready-made saline solutions: Aquamaris (sea water in the form of a sterile isotonic solution), Dolphin (sea salt solution with additives of licorice and rose hips). These drugs are available in irrigator vials with a special nozzle and are very convenient to use. Salin, Alergol are no less effective.

Nasal congestion is such that the child is constantly breathing through the mouth, this is bad in itself, and even worse, there will be no good sleep. Will help out vasoconstrictor drops in children's dosages: Vibrocil, Tazol, Tizin, Galazolin, Farmazolin, Nazivin, Xymelin, Otrivin. It is important to know that the listed drops for colds in children have an exclusively symptomatic effect, they temporarily relieve swelling of the nasal mucosa, nothing more. In addition, the nasal passages dry out, so remember to use a moisturizing solution after nasal instillation. The listed drugs should not be used for longer than a week, otherwise rhinitis medicamentous can be provoked.

When the runny nose begins to subside, the mucus becomes viscous and cloudy, more difficult to excrete, so bacteria can settle in it. To avoid complications, you can use drops containing essential oils - Pinosol, they have an anti-inflammatory effect, have a beneficial effect on drying up mucous membranes.

Before treating a cough, you need to understand its nature: dry or wet. With a dry cough, you need to thin the phlegm, speed up its excretion from the respiratory tract. When wet, increase the cough push for better airway clearance. Accordingly, treat different types cough needs in different ways.

With a dry cough, expectorants are used that accelerate the cleansing of mucous membranes: Mukaltin, Althea Root, Licorice Root, Plantain Leaves, Solutan, Bronholitin, Tussin, Pertussin. These drugs are mainly based on medicinal herbs.

When wet cough they use drugs that do not inhibit the cough reflex, but effectively act by thinning sputum: ACC, Carbocisteine, Ambroxol, Mesna, Bromhexin.

There are combined drugs for cough, which simultaneously have antitussive, mucolytic, bronchodilatory, anti-inflammatory effects: Codelac phyto, Dr. Mom.

In the process of treating colds in children, you can use other methods aimed at alleviating the child's condition: inhalation, physiotherapy, massage.

To strengthen the immune system, drugs are shown that induce the production of interferon in the body, but their use is better to agree with the pediatrician. There are many such funds, the most common are Cycloferon, Laferon, Anaferon, Viferon.

In general, it should be noted that a child's cold is much easier to prevent than to be treated. The kid needs to be tempered, taught to personal hygiene and daily routine, be sure to choose a balanced diet for him, and walk with him as often as possible. Strengthened immunity will pay off a hundredfold, getting rid of frequent illnesses. Especially for: - http: // site

Child's cold Is a large group of varieties of acute respiratory disease caused by viruses, it is also the most common infectious disease of childhood. Most often, the introduction of viruses occurs through the nasopharynx and larynx, while different strains prefer their "gateway". For example, for rhinovirus it will be the nasal mucosa, the adenovirus will settle in the pharyngeal and palatine tonsils, the parainfluenza virus will prefer the integumentary tissues of the larynx. Of course, the onset of a cold in a child with each of these options will proceed in its own way: in the first case with nasal congestion and a runny nose, in the second, the child will complain of a sore throat, in the third, the first symptom will be a dry cough. Alas, such a distinction between symptoms is not always the case, more often the child gets a combined infection, and with it such a bouquet of manifestations, which is very difficult to understand.

Causes of a cold in a child

A cold in a child is a disease with a pronounced seasonal dependence, the most dangerous is the autumn transition from heat to slush and cold. Autumn is also special in that it is the time to return to schoolwork, that is, to mass contacts between children.

Most often, a child's cold occurs at the age of one to three years, this is due to the fact that it is during this period that protective (immune) mechanisms are formed. The formation of immunity is sometimes delayed until the age of 7, this happens in cases where the child does not attend kindergarten; lack of contact with other children impedes the "training" of immunity. Infants get sick with respiratory infections much less often, since they are protected by a set of antibodies received from the mother - passive immunity. For example, a month-old baby has a cold 10 times less often than a one-year-old baby.

The first signs of a cold in a child

This is how a child's cold begins - gradually, gradually, with a slight deterioration in his condition.

It is important to know: if a child's temperature suddenly rises above 38 ° C, a sharp weakness develops, there are complaints and pain in the eyes, there is no appetite at all - this is not the beginning of a cold in a child, but a detailed picture is a reason to immediately consult a doctor!

The onset of a cold in a child will manifest itself with certain symptoms, depending on the place where the virus enters the body. If the epithelial lining of the nose is hit first, rhinitis begins, in which catarrhal changes (inflammation of the mucous membranes) come to the fore - nasal congestion, runny nose, slight coughing, sneezing, but the baby himself during this period may remain active and not make complaints. Nasal congestion occurs due to impaired blood circulation in the inflamed tissues of the nasal cavity with subsequent edema, and then the so-called vicious circle develops: the edematous tissues compress the capillary network even more, which in turn further increases the edema. The child breathes through the mouth, due to which the larynx and the back of the pharynx dry out, hence the unpleasant sensations in the throat and coughing.

Symptoms of a cold in a child

The phenomena of intoxication are increasing, this is manifested in two ways: some children will be lethargic and sleepy, others will react with excitement, become irritable and whiny. But one symptom will be for everyone - this is the pallor of the skin, because the ingress of viral toxins into the blood leads to a spasm of the peripheral capillary network. This also explains the cold hands and feet of a feverish child.

Cough occurs as a result of inflammation of the integumentary membranes of the upper respiratory tract, which produces large amounts of mucus. In this case, the cough reflex does an important job - it removes excess phlegm. But how much trouble is this cough, which can be wet with sputum discharge or dry and harsh. If left untreated, it can lead to chest pain (overworked intercostal muscles) and even vomiting (excessive irritation of the diaphragm). The cough disrupts the baby's sleep, worsens overall health, increases discomfort and spoils the mood.

A child's cold on the lip

The listed symptoms are caused by the herpes virus. If this happens rarely, then it does not deserve special excitement, but when it becomes more frequent up to once every two months, this is an occasion to show the child to a dermatologist in order to exclude immune disorders.

Cold without fever in a child

We are so accustomed to the cold-cold-cough-fever triad that the loss of the last component is puzzling. I must say that anxiety is justified.

But there are conditions that simulate the symptoms of a respiratory illness, which is not in sight. A runny nose and cough can occur with a foreign body in the nasal passages. The same symptoms occur when the upper respiratory tract is irritated by dust or smoke, so we remember whether the child was sitting by the fire, whether he was trying to put things in order in the sandbox, raising clouds of dust. Yes, sometimes nasal discharge and cough are explained just like that.

But the most likely reason for the lack of temperature in a sick baby is a mild course of the disease.

Treating a cold in a child

During this period, it is very useful to start rinsing the throat and rinsing the nasal passages, such simple procedures will not only reduce discomfort, but can prevent the development of cough.

What to do with fever? There is only one advice: to look at the child's condition and draw the right conclusions. The body is not trying in vain, warming the body in excess of the norm, which means that it is necessary for something. So that's just in order to fight infection. The conclusion is simple: do not interfere with the body's defenses. While the child feels satisfactory at an elevated temperature, it is not necessary to stuff him with pills and syrups. Again, in the treatment of colds in children, abundant drinking comes to the fore, since a child with a fever loses a lot of moisture. Do not over-wrap the baby, let the skin breathe and generate heat outside. It is not worth using compresses with ice, cold wraps in order to lower the temperature, this will only increase the spasm of the peripheral vascular network and worsen the situation. But warm rubbing is useful, they increase the heat transfer of the body through wet skin.

But if these efforts did not give the desired result - recovery, then drug treatment cannot be avoided.

Medicines and remedies for colds in children

Medically, a child's cold is treated when more gentle measures did not give the desired effect. Of course, the greatest excitement for parents is caused by a rise in body temperature, often accompanied by chills. When the thermometer has gone off scale at 38 ° C and the child's condition causes reasonable alarm, you should use effective but safe antipyretic drugs: Paracetamol or its analogs Panadol, Efferalgan; Ibuprofen (Nurofen, Brufen). For children, these drugs are best used in the form of syrups and rectal suppositories, for small children - only in this form. Solpaflex, Acetaminophen have proven themselves well. If soon after taking the drug, the temperature has dropped noticeably, this is confirmation that the child really has a respiratory infection. But if it was not possible to bring down the temperature, consult a doctor, since there is a high probability of another, more serious illness or the addition of a secondary infection. Tablets should be used against a background of heavy drinking.

Before treating a cough, you need to understand its nature: dry or wet. With a dry cough, you need to thin the phlegm, speed up its excretion from the respiratory tract. When wet, increase the cough push for better airway clearance. Accordingly, different types of cough should be treated in different ways.

With a wet cough, drugs are used that do not inhibit the cough reflex, but are effective by thinning sputum: ACC, Carbocisteine, Ambroxol, Mesna, Bromhexin.

There are combined drugs for cough, which simultaneously have antitussive, mucolytic, bronchodilatory, anti-inflammatory effects: Codelac phyto, Dr. Mom.

In the process of treating colds in children, you can use other methods aimed at alleviating the child's condition: inhalation, physiotherapy, massage.