How to eliminate the first symptoms in a child. A cold in a child: invisible first signs, treatment (what to do), causes. How to avoid mistakes and complications. Drink plenty of fluids and moist air

Cold - colloquial name numerous acute respiratory infections infectious diseases and various exacerbations of chronic pathologies of the upper respiratory tract. Their main cause is viruses. Hypothermia of the body activates them and contributes to a decrease in immunity. Most often, the child becomes hostage to such diseases. Therefore, treatment of colds in children is a very relevant and significant issue for many parents. Since a doctor’s consultation is necessary at the first symptoms, the course of therapy begins with medications.

Treatment for colds in children prescribed by a doctor can be carried out in everyone special case completely different. After an appropriate examination, he will identify the underlying clinical picture disease (symptoms), its type (, acute respiratory infections, laryngitis, etc.), neglect. Be sure to take into account the age of the child, his individual characteristics small organism, chronic diseases and heredity. It will reveal the reason for the virus entering the body (epidemic, hypothermia, etc.). And only then will he give you a recipe and tell you how to use it? medicines alleviate the baby's condition. Drug treatment of colds in children under one year of age should be very careful and only with the permission of a doctor.

Antipyretic drugs

Paracetamol
Solpaflex
Panadol
Efferalgan
Acetaminophen
Ibuprofen
Tylenol
Coldrex
Nurofen
Tsefekon
Calpol
Antigrippin

All antipyretic drugs must be marked “for children.” Most of them can be used to treat colds even in newborns. But they become safest only at 3-4 years old, when they cannot harm the baby’s health in any way. At an earlier age, a severe allergy to the auxiliary components of antipyretic drugs may begin.

Antiviral agents

Remantadine
Arbidol
Ingaverin
Ribavirin
Isoprinosine
Cycloferon
Anaferon
Laferon
Viferon
Derinat (allowed from birth)
Echinacea tincture

Antiviral drugs for children come in fast and slow action. To avoid vainly blaming the prescribed remedy for its ineffectiveness, ask your doctor in advance what kind of medicine he prescribed for your baby. After some, cold symptoms disappear already on the second day after taking it, after others - only on 3-4.

Symptomatic medications

The most popular symptomatic medications for the treatment of colds in children, which are usually prescribed after a year:

for the common cold (the packaging of the drug usually indicates the age at which these drops can be used): Galazolin, Nazivin, Tizin, Farmazolin; It is impossible for the child to get used to vasoconstrictor drugs, otherwise after stopping such treatment his nose will be even worse than before; deadline - no more than 4 days of active use;
from wet: syrups and tinctures based on licorice and marshmallow roots, ACC, Mucaltin, Bromhexine, Lazolvan, Sinekod;
for dry cough: Tusuprex, Pertussin, Tussin, Libexin, Tussamag;
from prolonged cough: herbal breast collection, Coldrex-Broncho;
from swelling and allergic reactions: Fenkarol, Tavegil, Erius, Fenistil, Loratadine, Suprastin, Zaditen, Zyrtec, Diazolin ( antihistamines are also actively used in the treatment of colds in children of any age);
for sore throat: Miramistin, Salin, Dolphin, Aqua Maris, Chlorhexidine;
from: Otipax.

Vitamin therapy

Multivitamins;
ascorbic acid.

If a child has a cold, it will be quite difficult to manage without medications, given the viral nature of this type of disease. And yet, most parents today categorically refuse to give their children medications that, in their opinion, contain too much a large number of chemical and synthetic components. Their harm lies in the fact that, along with pathogenic microflora, they also destroy beneficial ones. The result is decreased immunity and stomach upset. An alternative drug treatment colds in children can become a traditional medicine.

Useful statistics. Simultaneous use of two medical supplies for the treatment of colds in children in 10% leads to a risk of negative interaction. The use of three drugs for this purpose brings the dangerous level to 50%, and more than five - to 90%.

Traditional medicine as an alternative

In what cases is it possible to treat colds in children with folk remedies without complications and consequences in the future?

Before visiting the doctor

Having discovered that their child has a runny nose, hoarseness and fever, parents immediately wonder how to treat their child at the first sign of a cold before visiting a doctor. After all, most often the disease takes you by surprise, and the first symptoms appear in the late afternoon or at night. There are recipes for folk remedies that will help bring down the temperature, make it easier for the baby to breathe, and eliminate a sore throat.

As aids

Most best option use of folk remedies - with the permission of a doctor. An experienced therapist will definitely tell worried parents how to treat a cold not only with medications, but will also give several recipes for folk remedies that have been proven for a long time. Firstly, they will reduce the harm that medications have on the child’s immune system and stomach. Secondly, they will soften their aggressive effect. Thirdly, they will contribute speedy recovery baby.

In other cases, the use of any folk remedies will be considered self-medication, which, without taking into account individual characteristics the child’s body and the course of the disease can cause irreparable harm. So, consulting a therapist on how to treat a cold in a child is mandatory if you want him to recover as quickly as possible without consequences and complications.

Keep in mind! Aspirin should not be given to children under 16 years of age as an antipyretic for colds. It provokes the development of Reye's syndrome - severe damage to the liver and brain.

Folk remedies

If this is just the beginning of a cold in a child, the following can be used to treat such diseases: folk remedies.

Antipyretics

Vinegar rubdowns. Dilute vinegar in water in a ratio of 1 to 20. Moisten a napkin, towel, or sheet in the resulting solution. Wipe the armpits and groins, forehead and face, chest and back, arms and legs with them.
Dandelion infusion.

Immuno-strengthening

Decoction of Antonovka. Pour 3 apples with a liter of boiling water, after boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Add sugar, fructose, honey. Suitable for treating colds in children from 6 months of age.
Lime tea.
Infusions from medicinal herbs: sage, chamomile, plantain, coltsfoot, motherwort, chicory.

Symptomatic

Warming dry baths. Mix table salt(1 kg) with grated ginger (50 g). Heat in a frying pan to 60°C. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Put cotton socks on the patient and let him trample his feet on the warm “sand” at home. Can be used to treat coughs and runny nose during colds in children aged 1-2 years.
Cabbage leaf compress. Wrap the cabbage leaf in a clean cotton cloth, beat it with a kitchen hammer, and mash it in your hands. Fabric with cabbage leaf wrap the baby's neck, put plastic on top, wrap it with a thin scarf or diaper. Change the compress every 2 hours.
Onion compress. Blend a small onion, ginger root (10 g) in a blender, add camphor oil (5 drops). Spread the mixture on your feet and wrap parchment paper, put on cellophane and a warm sock.
Rubbing the chest with badger or bear fat.
Rinsing the throat and nose with a solution of water with soda and salt (you can start practicing if the child is already 5-6 years old; before this age, this folk remedy for colds is not recommended).
A newborn can put breast milk in his nose.
Inhalations over eucalyptus, sage, boiled potatoes.
Foot baths with mustard are good for colds

Particularly effective traditional treatment a child at the first sign of a cold, since these drugs can block the activity of viruses and prevent it from spreading. As a result, the disease can go away in a mild form within 3 days without the prescription of antibiotics and other powerful antiviral drugs.

A few words about antibiotics. Colds in children cannot be treated with antibiotics. They are used to eliminate bacterial rather than viral infections. If, 3 days after the onset of the illness, the child’s temperature does not drop, purulent contents come out of the nose, and the cough intensifies, only in this case antibiotic therapy is prescribed.

Homeopathy

Among unconventional methods For the treatment of colds in children, homeopathy is becoming increasingly popular. On her side is the absence of chemical-based medications, 100% naturalness of the products, and an individual approach to each child.

Antipyretic:

Belladonna 30;
Ferrum Phosphoricum 30;
Aconite 30.

Symptomatic:

for cough: Ipecac 30, Cuprum Met 30, Bryonia 30;
for runny nose: Nux Vom 30, Pulsatilla 30.

Parents must understand that homeopathic treatment A cold in a child cannot be treated with monotherapy: in any case, qualified medical care is required.

Interesting fact. The doctor prescribes general analysis blood to a patient with a cold only if there is no improvement in the condition 4-5 days after the onset of the disease.

Auxiliary procedures

Sometimes the onset of a cold in a child takes young (especially inexperienced in this matter) parents by surprise; they do not know what to do, how to alleviate the baby’s condition, and at this moment they make a number of annoying mistakes. Some useful tips What to do in such a situation, if it is still not possible to visit a doctor in the near future, will allow parents to pull themselves together and help the child cope with the disease already at its initial stage.

What do we have to do

Provide the patient with complete rest.
Give him more fluids to drink. It can be plain water, warm tea with honey, lemon and raspberries, cranberry (and lingonberry) juice, compotes, rose hip decoction, mineral alkaline waters(Borjomi), milk with butter. They help the small organism fight phlegm, remove waste products of viruses from it, and effectively increase the discharge of sputum.
Rub the baby's feet.
Maintain the hygiene of the room: while the patient is not in it, regularly (but not too much) ventilate and humidify the air in it.
Provide for someone with a cold proper nutrition during the period of illness, so that it contributes to a speedy recovery. These are foods rich in carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, dairy products.
Try to lower your body temperature if it rises above 38.5°C: such a high level destroys interferon in the body, which fights against viruses.
If the patient is not allergic to smells, use aromatherapy: tea tree, fir, and lemon are effective against colds.
Make it for your baby acupressure wings of the nose (for a runny nose), elbow (for fever), the space between the large and index fingers(for severe headache).

What not to do

Force feed. If he doesn't want it, let him eat it later.
Reduce the temperature if it has not reached 38.5°C. After all, this defensive reaction small organism, aimed at destroying viruses. At this time, interferon, the most important protector against colds, is synthesized at an accelerated pace.
Use any warming procedures (baths, showers) if the temperature rises. Wait until she returns to normal.

If you don’t know how to treat a child’s developing cold before consulting a therapist, don’t experiment and don’t rush to try grandma’s recipes. If you do not have a medical background, you may make mistakes that will only complicate the situation, prolong your recovery time, and may cause Negative consequences. Be wise parents and do not harm your cold baby.

Colds are a common occurrence in babies and older children. There are many provoking factors: weakened immunity, being in a group (kindergarten, school), poor environment. Overuse medicines, an incorrect lifestyle reduces the body's defenses.

How to treat colds in children with folk remedies and medications? The first aid kit should always have effective medicines to relieve negative symptoms and strengthen the immune system. Proven Recipes traditional medicine as effective as pills and drops. Write down recipes, study the rules of use.

Main signs and symptoms

Pay attention to the signs of acute respiratory infections:

cough;
runny nose, sneezing;
elevated temperature (in most cases);
sore throat, sore throat;
weakness;
headache;
moodiness, irritability;
diarrhea, vomiting (usually at elevated temperatures).

A selection of effective treatment methods

How to proceed:

at the first symptoms of a cold, put the baby to bed and provide fresh air in the room;
measure the temperature. The thermometer has not reached 38 degrees? Wait, try to do without antipyretics, use folk remedies. If the temperature does not subside for a long time, give appropriate medicine;
Call your pediatrician even if the symptoms do not seem dangerous;
When treating a cold, follow your doctor’s recommendations, do not use home recipes without fanaticism, or use potent medications if you are prone to allergies.

Basic rules for a speedy recovery for your baby:

bed rest;
optimal air humidity (up to 65%), room temperature (from +20 to +22 degrees);
regular ventilation;
access to sunlight;
wet cleaning in the morning and evening;
drink plenty of fluids (herbal teas, mineral plus boiled water, tea with lemon, mint, raspberries);
exact implementation of your doctor’s recommendations;
refusal of self-medication and dubious home remedies;
limiting contact with relatives, peace, quiet games;
light food, avoidance of sweets, baked goods, large pieces, and foods that irritate the throat;
taking multivitamins.

Cold medicines for children

To relieve cold symptoms, use age-appropriate formulations. An integrated approach and optimal dosage are important.

Medicines for the common cold

Nasal congestion and accumulation of mucus are one of the most unpleasant symptoms. An effective way is to rinse the nose with a safe, hypoallergenic solution based on sea salt. Use Aquamaris, Aqualor, Dolphin, No-Salt.

In case of accumulation purulent discharge use Collargol, Pinosol with an active antimicrobial effect.

Note! Nasal drops should not be used for more than 7 days: addiction develops, and drug-induced rhinitis often appears.

Cough remedies

first use folk remedies. Milk with honey, linden tea, saline solution often cure a sore throat and successfully combat unpleasant symptoms;
Use ready-made cough syrups in minimal dosage;
There are enough cough medications for children: Doctor Mom, Alteyka, Hexoral, Gerbion, Bo the Bear, Prospan and others.

Medicines for high fever

drugs marked “for children” are suitable;
up to 38 degrees use folk recipes to relieve fever. An increase in temperature is a sign of fighting infections, let the body overcome the pathogen;
if the readings are above 38 degrees, give the children Efferalgan, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Nurofen in the correct dosage.

Aspirin is prohibited for children under 12 years of age: the use of these tablets for fever in children early age provokes side effects.

Traditional medicine recipes

Timely treatment of acute respiratory infections with homemade formulations is often effective. Traditional recipes relieve symptoms, strengthen the immune system, and improve well-being.

Important! Select recipes carefully, take into account chronic diseases (if any), and a tendency to allergic reactions. If you are unsure whether a particular prescription is suitable for your child, consult your pediatrician.

Diaphoretic compositions with antipyretic effect

It is important to quickly remove toxins from the body and make the young patient sweat. Drinking plenty of healthy “fillers” will help. Natural tea not only cleanses the body. The preparations reduce the temperature well without the use of synthetic drugs.

Proven recipes:

lime tea. For a glass of boiling water, just take a teaspoon of linden blossom. In a sealed container, the tea will infuse for 30 minutes. Give a healthy drink after meals three times a day, 100-150 ml, taking into account age. The product is suitable even for infants;
chamomile tea. The proportions and method of application are similar to linden flower tea. Chamomile is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent with good cleansing properties;
drink made from nettle leaves. Prepare a decoction: boil 1 tsp for 5 minutes. dry leaves (water - 250 ml), let it brew for 30-40 minutes. Give the decoction twice a day after meals, a third of a glass;
tea with raspberries. Proven antipyretic agent. Fresh and dried berries. The proportions are the same as for linden blossom tea. If desired, add a slice of lemon or ½ tsp to the finished drink. honey. The child should drink some tea, go to bed, but not wrap himself up completely so that the fever does not intensify;
milk plus honey. If there are no allergic reactions, give useful remedy. Boil a glass of milk, cool to 40 degrees, add a teaspoon of honey, and immediately give it to a cold child to drink. Let your baby lie under the blanket for at least half an hour to get a good sweat.

Cough recipes for children

Suitable recipes:

chest collection Combine equal parts of licorice root, chamomile, coltsfoot, mint, and calendula. Take 2 dessert spoons of the expectorant mixture, pour 500 ml of boiling water, stir, let stand for an hour, filter. Give breast milk three times a day after meals, taking into account age (50 to 100 ml is enough). After drinking tea, bed rest is required;
tea for dry cough. Pour a teaspoon of lemon balm and chamomile flowers into a thermos or jar, add half a liter of boiling water. After an hour, strain medicinal tea, cool. Give a warm drink to the little patient 4-5 times throughout the day, two dessert spoons;
milk with butter and honey. An effective remedy for coughs in children of different ages. For 250 ml of milk, take ½ tsp. oils and honey. The liquid must be warm (hot milk is not suitable): the honey will lose its beneficial features, will cause harm.

Gargles for redness, sore throat and sore throat

At 4–5 years old, teach children to rinse their mouths and throats. A simple procedure effectively eliminates problems.

Rinse compositions:

propolis/eucalyptus tincture. For 200 ml of boiled water, take 1 tsp. healing liquid;
sea/kitchen salt. Prepare a saline solution from 250 ml of warm water and a teaspoon of salt. To fight microbes, add 3 drops of iodine;
herbal decoction Excellent tool for gargling a sore throat - a collection of chamomile, sage, calendula. For a liter of boiling water - a tablespoon of each type of healing raw material. After 40 minutes, filter the infusion and use it up to five to six times throughout the day.

Inhalations for cough and red throat

For the procedure, boil water, cool slightly so that a cold child does not get burned by the steam, add active substance. The easiest way is to breathe hot, humid air over a pan of boiled potatoes. But this is not very convenient: the face is hot, wet, and it is easy to get burned.

More modern method- warming up using an inhaler. The device consists of a flask into which hot liquid is poured and a special nozzle. It is convenient for a child to breathe through his nose (for a runny nose) or his mouth (for a cough). Steam only enters Airways or nasal passages.

The steam inhaler is made of non-toxic plastic. A simple model costs from 1200 rubles. The device will last more than one year. More advanced models: compressor inhaler, nebulizer are more expensive - from 2800 rubles.

On the page, read about how to brew dill water for newborns.

The effectiveness of inhalations has been proven by pediatricians, ENT doctors and mothers. It’s worth spending once, and it will be much easier to fight colds in children.

Prepare compositions for inhalation based on the baby’s tolerance various means and products. If you are allergic to honey, avoid propolis.

For 500 ml of boiling water, add a couple of teaspoons of any of the useful components to the flask:

tincture of eucalyptus, calendula or propolis;
sea salt plus 4 drops eucalyptus, orange, mint essential oil;
crushed pine buds.

Suitable options:

decoction of chamomile, coltsfoot, calendula, sage. A collection of two or three types of medicinal raw materials gives an excellent effect. You can add 3 drops to herbs eucalyptus oil or a teaspoon of useful tincture;
decoction in which peeled potatoes were boiled. To enhance the effect, you will need 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil per half liter of liquid.

Helpful recipes to combat cold symptoms

Supplement rinses, herbal teas, diaphoretics with other procedures and remedies:

garlic beads. Peel a couple of heads of garlic, string them on a thread, make beads, and hang them around the child’s neck. Phytoncides and essential oils actively fight microbes and speed up recovery;
onion and garlic paste. Grind several heads of garlic and 2 onions with a blender, place them on plates, and place them in the room closer to the place where the child has a cold. A good option: let the vapors released from the onion-garlic mass breathe.

Warming up your feet

After 2–3 years, carry out the procedure at initial signs colds, severe runny nose. At high temperature You can't warm your feet.

How to proceed:

Heat the water well, taking into account the volume of the basin, cool it to a temperature that is pleasant for the delicate baby skin. The water is hot, but not scalding;
proportions: for 3 liters of liquid – a tablespoon of sea salt and mustard powder;
ask the little patient to lower his legs into the basin, cover with a towel for the duration of the session;
After 15 minutes, rinse your feet well clean water, wipe dry, rubbing the feet well, place the cold child under the blanket. Complete the procedure with raspberry, linden tea or milk-honey mixture.

Simple folk remedies

A couple more recipes:

natural nasal drops. Squeeze the juice from the fleshy aloe leaf, combine with honey in equal proportions. Enough 3 drops for each nostril. The frequency of the procedure is 4 times a day;
vitamin decoction. To prepare the healing liquid, use 2 tbsp. l. dry rose hips, half a liter of hot water. Boil the healing raw materials for 10 minutes, remove from the stove, cover with a lid. After 45 minutes, the beneficial remedy is ready. Strain the broth, give the children 100 ml instead of tea three times a day. Rosehip infusion strengthens the immune system and saturates the body with vitamin C.

Is your child sneezing or coughing? Is your baby's throat red or has a fever? Don’t panic, remember the recommendations of pediatricians, ENT doctors and herbalists. Use folk recipes and give an effective antipyretic in case of high fever. Be interested in methods of treating acute respiratory infections, study materials on the topic “how to treat colds in children,” and you will certainly help a child with a cold recover faster.

Medical video - reference book. Treatment of colds in children with folk remedies:

A caring mother knows how important it is to prevent colds in children. Parents remember the benefits of sports, walks fresh air, strengthening the immune system. But children can still get sick. Most often they suffer from a cold. This usually refers to viral infections. It is believed that children who go to kindergarten can get sick about 10 times a year. This figure is very arbitrary, but it suggests that parents should be prepared for ARVI in their children. It is important to know how to treat your child at the first sign of a cold. Timely assistance will make it possible to prevent the disease from progressing, and prompt action will help a speedy recovery.

How to treat the first symptoms of a cold in a child?

To prevent the development of the disease, you need to notice the signs of a viral infection in time. These include:

nasal congestion, which will later develop into a runny nose;
the baby complains of a sore throat, cough, and the throat may be red;
frequent sneezing;
enlarged lymph nodes;
the appearance of herpes rashes;
temperature increase.

Even before these symptoms appear, the baby may complain of headache, fatigue. If the mother suspects that the baby is sick, she needs to take action. On the very first day of a child’s cold, measures must be taken, and the doctor must determine how to treat it. The choice of drugs will depend on the type of virus that the baby is infected with. The following recommendations will help parents:

give the baby a drink, for example, tea with honey, fruit drink, rosehip decoction;
let the baby eat more vegetables, fruits, and fermented milk;
it is worth limiting fatty and sweet foods;
your nose needs to be washed out saline solution or ready pharmaceutical drugs;
carry out wet cleaning, ventilation;
bed rest is required.

Vasoconstrictor drops should only be used if breathing is very difficult.

It will also not be amiss, especially after hypothermia or a winter walk.

Treatment of the first symptoms of a cold in children sometimes requires medication. Antiviral medications may be needed. These include Arbidol. They also use drugs that have an immunomodulatory effect, for example, Anaferon, Viferon,

The temperature is brought down with Panadol, Efferalgan, Nurofen. But you should not give medications if the readings on the thermometer do not reach 38°C. Treatment of a child at the first signs of a cold will be facilitated by taking ascorbic acid. If the condition worsens, be sure to notify the doctor.

Colds are one of the most common diseases. Many children get sick several times a year, often feel very bad and do not attend educational institutions. However, during illness, children develop immunity, making it easier for them to tolerate similar conditions in the future. It is important to choose the right therapy in order to get rid of the disease as quickly as possible and prevent complications.

Characteristic signs of a cold

Colds usually start abruptly. The child wakes up with a runny nose, sneezes, and sometimes has a fever. The baby may be irritable, complain of a headache, a cough develops over time, and nasal mucus becomes thicker and darker. The main signs of acute respiratory infections also include:

in most cases – increased body temperature;
weakness;
sore throat and painful sensations when swallowing;
irritability;
sometimes - vomiting and diarrhea.

U one year old child Other symptoms may be added:

significant loss of appetite;
tearing and redness of the eyes;
fast fatiguability.

If a child has a cold, he or she will have a temperature above 38°C for about three days. Most often, unpleasant symptoms in the form of swelling of the nose, vomiting, and headache appear when the thermometer readings begin to decrease. The disease almost always begins with rare clear snot and cough.

What symptoms are most dangerous for a child?

Parents should definitely know the symptoms of a cold, which require immediate medical attention. In babies up to one year old danger signs are:

strong cry;
cold sweat;
sudden lethargy;
a sharp decrease in body temperature;
rashes (pimples and spots that do not change color when pressed are especially dangerous).

Signs of complications in older children may include persistent loose stool and frequent vomiting. In this case, the child needs to be given a solution containing a small amount of soda, salt and sugar to restore water balance. The following manifestations are also considered dangerous:

fainting;
forgetfulness and inappropriate behavior;
sudden hoarseness of voice;
breathing problems;
swelling in the head and neck area;
sharp pain in the abdomen.

Dangerous symptoms are rare. They talk about a threat not only to the health, but also to the life of the child. Hospitalization is the only way to provide the necessary help.

It is also important to distinguish a common cold from the flu:

with a cold, a runny nose and cough, discomfort in the throat first appear, and only after 1-2 days the thermometer rises to 38°C (usually no more);
the flu begins abruptly and immediately with a high temperature - the child suddenly begins to shiver, coughs, and the temperature rises to 40°C.

Treatment with medications

Nasal rinsing preparations have a good effect, they allow you to clear the nasal passages of secretions and mechanically remove pathogenic microorganisms. Funds based sea water non-addictive and non-harmful:

Morenasal;
Fluimarin;
No-salt;
saline sodium chloride solution;
Aquamaris.

If, nevertheless, it was not possible to avoid the disease, and the child’s cold is actively developing, it is necessary to resort to the use of stronger drugs. It is worth following certain recommendations in treatment:

For children under 3 years of age, it is better to give the medication in the form of syrup and drops; it is recommended to reduce the temperature with rectal suppositories.
Children from 4-5 years old can be taught to gargle using herbal decoctions. Children can easily swallow capsules and tablets and can dissolve lozenges, so the list of medications is expanding significantly.

The following drugs are often used in therapy:

Drug name	Action	Features of application
Genferon, Derinat	Antiviral agents.	Effective on early stages diseases
Nasal drops Collargol, Pinosol	They are used for the accumulation of purulent discharge and have an antimicrobial effect.	It is not advisable to use longer than 7 days - they are addictive
Doctor Mom, Hexoral, Herbion, Alteyka, Bo the Bear	Ready-made pharmaceutical syrups from different types cough	It is advisable to use it in a minimal dosage. The drugs simultaneously have a mucolytic, antitussive and anti-inflammatory effect
ACC, Ambroxol, Bromhexine (we recommend reading:)	Used for wet coughs	They do not suppress the cough reflex and act effectively by diluting sputum.
Efferalgan, Paracetamol, Nurofen, Ibufen, Ibuprofen, Panadol syrup (we recommend reading:)	Reduce temperature	It is recommended to lower the temperature above 38°C
Chlorophyllipt, Lugol	Used to destroy bacteria, relieve inflammation and cleanse mucous membranes	It is necessary to treat the mucous membrane of the throat
Isofra, Polydexa	Antibiotics	Very rarely prescribed
Anaferon, Viferon	Strengthening the immune system	It is better to use after consultation with a specialist

It is worth remembering that as long as the child feels normal, there is no need to rush into pills or syrups - the body will cope with the disease itself. Some features of the use of drugs:

It is better to crush tablets that have a bitter taste to powder and mix with jam and honey.
When using syrups, it is not advisable to drink water or eat within 20 minutes after administration.
Aspirin should not be used as an antipyretic for children under 12 years of age. Tablets can cause severe side effects.

Treatment with folk remedies

If a child has a cold, most parents treat the baby’s condition as inevitable and hope that he will recover in 7-10 days. However, the disease can be cured by initial stage, quickly, without pills and others medications. Traditional medicine recipes can also be used at an advanced stage of the disease as additional therapy.

At the first signs of a cold, when the body begins to be overcome by microbes, you need to use products that help quickly remove toxins. Fruit drinks made from berries are ideal for this purpose. To replenish vitamin C, children can be given sea buckthorn and rosehip teas, and also add parsley, oranges, and kiwi to their food.

Tea with raspberry jam in a loading dose can “strangle” the initial manifestations of a cold

You can cure a cold in 1 day:

At the first symptoms, take inhalation hot water with the addition of salt/soda (1 tsp per glass of water). Rinse your nose and gargle with the same solution.
Make a foot bath for 10-15 minutes with mustard, gradually increase the water temperature to 40 degrees.
Drink a cup of tea with raspberry jam, linden blossom infusion. Lie in bed, wrap yourself up, breathe hard and sweat for half an hour. Free your head from the blanket, wrap it in a towel and sleep until the morning.

Runny nose

What should parents do if their baby suffers from a runny nose? There are a few effective ways combating nasal discharge:

Make steam inhalation - add 3-4 drops of menthol or eucalyptus essential oil to boiling water. Bend over the bowl and cover with a towel, breathe for 15 minutes. Adding dry cinnamon to the water will help you sweat, and cayenne pepper will improve blood circulation and relieve nasal swelling.
Steam your feet before going to bed for 10-15 minutes. Blood will flow to lower limbs, and the vessels of the head will narrow, which will lead to a decrease in swelling of the mucous membrane. Do not keep your feet in hot water for too long, otherwise the opposite effect will occur. Fever is a direct contraindication to the procedure.
A runny nose in both a one-year-old baby and an older child can be treated with carrot or beet juice. Pour boiling water over fresh vegetables, grate and squeeze out the juice. Apply 2-3 drops up to 4 times a day.
Prepare onion drops. Mix fresh onion juice with boiled water in a ratio of 1:20. Instill 2-3 times a day.

Given that normal temperature To get rid of a runny nose, you can steam your feet for 2-3 evenings in a row and sleep in woolen socks

Cough

The following folk recipes are suitable for treating cough:

Mix licorice root, chamomile, mint, calendula, coltsfoot in equal proportions. Pour 2 dessert spoons with 0.5 liters of boiling water, let stand for an hour. Give the baby 50-100 ml three times a day after meals.
For dry cough, lemon balm and chamomile (1 tsp each) are poured with half a liter of boiling water. The drink should be given warm 4-5 times a day, 2 tablespoons.
An effective remedy is milk (250 ml) with honey (1 tsp) and butter (1/2 tsp). The liquid should be warm, but not hot, otherwise honey will lose its beneficial properties.
Hot compress of water and apple cider vinegar in a ratio of 3:1. Apply to the throat and chest for 15-20 minutes.

Sore throat

If your baby has a cold, he will definitely have a sore throat for 2-4 days. Rinsing will help you cope with discomfort:

in 200 ml boiled water add 1 tsp. propolis tinctures;
per glass of water – 1 tsp. salt and 3 drops of iodine;
pour a mixture of equal proportions of chamomile, calendula and sage into a liter of boiling water, leave for 40 minutes;
in a glass warm water add 3-4 drops of thyme, cypress or eucalyptus oil.

You can gargle up to 6 times a day, preferably at equal intervals. The antibacterial effect of these products will help quickly overcome the infection.

Mistakes when treating a cold in a child

Temperature increase - normal reaction immune system to the penetration of the pathogen and the onset of the disease. However, it is worth understanding that symptoms of a respiratory disease can appear even when there is no trace of a cold. Snot and cough can cause foreign body in the respiratory tract, irritation from dust and smoke.

If parents think that the child has an acute respiratory infection, but the disease occurs without fever, then this is either an allergy or a foreign body in the nose or throat. In this case, it is useless to treat the baby for a cold. However, the absence of fever can sometimes indicate mild form course of the disease.

When treating a cold, many parents resort to medications that are not necessary. Let's look at the main mistakes in therapy:

Use of antibiotics. They can be used only when indicated, otherwise the drugs destroy the natural microflora. This will only increase the symptoms of the disease.
Use of antipyretic medications. If you give them to your baby at a temperature of 37-37.5 degrees, the baby’s immunity will not develop correctly (we recommend reading:).
Antitussive drugs. You should not give them just because you want to quickly eliminate this unpleasant symptom. Coughing is a natural reaction of the body, which tries to remove mucus from the bronchi.
Using all medications at the same time. When combining drugs, it is worth studying the instructions and taking into account the indications. Ignoring these factors will lead to a backlash.

When treating a cold, it is important not to overdo it with medications and use potent drugs only as prescribed by a doctor.

If the baby has a cold, then at the first signs of illness you need to create the most comfortable conditions for him:

You should not place your child in a warm and stuffy room - he will get worse. The air temperature should be no more than 23 degrees.
It is necessary to maintain the humidity in the room at 60-70%. If your baby is cold, you need to dress him and not turn on the heater.
You should not force feed your child if he refuses to eat. Give him tea, juice, fruit drink, milk - the majority of microorganisms and toxins are removed from the body with liquid.
Bed rest is required. It is highly not recommended to endure the disease “on your feet”.

If your child is sick, you need to bathe him during hygiene procedure he breathes moist air, which helps moisturize the mucous membranes of the nose and throat (we recommend reading:). The ban on bathing comes from the times when children were washed in a trough and were afraid of getting too cold. The procedure is prohibited only at high body temperature. You can also walk outside. It is important to dress your baby for the weather and minimize contact with other children.

During the cold period, provided there is no elevated temperature bodies, you can and should walk in the fresh air, dressing according to the weather

Cold prevention

It is better to prevent the development of the disease than to treat a child who has a cold. In unfavorable epidemiological conditions, it is necessary:

avoid handshakes;
try not to be in crowded places (public transport, shops);
limit contact with sick people;
wear a gauze bandage, changing it every 2-3 hours;
try to spend more time outdoors, walk in the park.

Daily work on developing immunity and improving health will help prevent colds and flu:

choose healthy foods(fresh fruits, vegetables, fermented milk);
buy clothes made from natural fabrics;
exercise;
maintain optimal temperature conditions;
harden the child from an early age.

It has been proven that during the day, a person’s hands come into repeated contact with discharge from the mouth, eyes, and nose. A huge number of pathogens are transmitted through the hands, since a person touches door handles, handrails, money, etc. every day. It is advisable to give the child an antiseptic, wet wipes and remind him to wash his hands before eating, after going to the toilet and immediately after returning from the street.

There is nothing sadder for a mother than the illness of her beloved baby. Against the backdrop of complete health, the baby suddenly begins to behave differently. He becomes capricious, lethargic, refuses to eat and play with his favorite toys. And then young mothers begin to worry and panic. But it is precisely at this moment that parents’ panic is the most important enemy for the baby.

Take a close look at your baby, and if you notice the first signs of a cold in your child, immediately begin treating him. You may not have to see a doctor, because a common cold goes away very quickly, in just 4-5 days, if no unwanted complications arise. But they will never happen if parents are attentive and immediately take all measures to ensure that the child again becomes healthy, cheerful and active, as it was before.

In no case should you be negligent about the cold itself and its treatment, hoping that everything will go away, as always, as before. When frequent colds occur in children, many parents get used to it, strange as it may sound, their vigilance is dulled. But despite its apparent banality, a cold is an insidious disease, because it is quite possible to miss the moment when dangerous complications join it.

What is a “cold” really?

Few parents think about the nature of the common cold. But it is of infectious origin, or rather viral. Doctors call this disease ARI (acute respiratory disease) or ARVI (acute respiratory viral infection). It is very difficult to fight viruses with drugs because the nature of these microorganisms is strange and complex. And their prevalence explains the frequency of colds.

So, ARVIs are caused by viral infections, for which the favorite place of penetration and damage is the upper respiratory tract - nasopharynx, larynx, trachea. This group of viruses, which includes several dozen “cold” pathogens, includes rhinovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, RS virus and influenza virus. It is these insidious pathogens that selectively infect certain areas of the respiratory tract of children whose the immune system is still imperfect, and it is difficult for them to effectively resist infection.

Rhinovirus “loves” to damage the nasal mucosa, so the main symptoms of a cold in a child will be nasal congestion and rhinorrhea. The parainfluenza virus usually affects the larynx, leading to laryngitis. The adenoviral infection “settles” in the lymphoid tissue, which is quite developed in children in the form of adenoids and tonsils. And if the disease begins with fever, conjunctivitis and pharyngitis, then we can speak with an absolute guarantee of infection adenoviral infection.

And when a cold in a child under one year of age immediately manifests as bronchiolitis, an experienced doctor will quickly determine the RS-viral nature of this disease. But there are exceptions, because there is a high probability of the occurrence of combined infections, which give such a bouquet of signs of a cold in children that sometimes you can get confused. This is why doctors usually do not separately identify the name of the disease based on the type of virus, but rather talk about ARVI, especially since in children the treatment of colds has the same scheme and tactics. They differ only in relation to the location of the development focus pathological process- be it rhinitis or laryngitis, or pharyngitis, or tracheitis, etc.

It is not particularly correct to talk about ARVI as a cold. This concept is more folk than medical. But Dictionary interprets a cold as an illness that occurs after hypothermia. We will continue to use this concept to make it easier to understand the essence of the treatment of colds in children.

There is no need to talk about the influenza virus in this article, because the flu is rarely transmitted quickly, is often complicated and has a severe course and its own treatment characteristics, although this is also essentially colds to one degree or another, only with its own characteristic course and a high probability of many complications, sometimes very serious and dangerous.

>>Recommended: if you are interested effective methods getting rid of chronic runny nose, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis and persistent colds, then be sure to check out this site page after reading this article. Information based on personal experience author and has helped many people, we hope it will help you too. Now let's return to the article.<<

Under what conditions and why can a child catch a cold?

It was already mentioned a little higher that a cold is a viral disease that occurs after hypothermia. It is this factor that is most often decisive in the launch of pathological processes. It is enough for a child to become hypothermic, and his immune system fails and ceases to effectively resist external aggressive factors - respiratory viruses. And it is absolutely not necessary for the child’s entire body to become hypothermic.

It is only enough for the feet or hands of our little ones to experience the cooling factor for a while, and a response immediately occurs - a reflexive contraction of the blood vessels. This leads to impaired blood circulation in the mucous membranes of the nose, pharynx, and larynx. Viruses that can quickly penetrate the mucous membrane will not fail to take advantage of this condition of the mucous membranes. At this point, her resistance decreases, but her sensitivity to microorganisms and viruses increases significantly.

This is the main cause of colds, and now parents understand how to prevent the disease, and what cold prevention should be!!! The child should not be hypothermic, even partially, not only during the peak seasonal incidence of ARVI, but also in the summer. Remember how often you can see children with a cold in the midst of the summer heat.

But even those children whom their mothers and grandmothers constantly protect from hypothermia and drafts suffer from colds no less often than others. This is due to the fact that parents and grandparents do not take into account the fact that their pets will run around during a walk, sweat in warm clothes and thereby expose their body to the risk of a cold.

With good immunity, mucous membranes become an effective barrier to viral infections. Therefore, cooling alone is usually not enough for the development of the disease. Symptoms of a cold in a one-month-old child or teenager should occur when there is an imbalance in such factors as the state of immunity, vitality, the presence of other diseases, physiological characteristics and factors, as well as climatic parameters of the environment - humidity and air temperature. If the listed factors create a single critical conglomerate that favors the penetration of viruses into the child’s body, he will get sick.

Ways of infecting a child with colds

Infection of children with respiratory infections or diseases that occur as a result of children catching a cold occurs through three main routes of viral transmission:

airborne, when viruses and microorganisms are transmitted through microdroplets that occur during sneezing or coughing;
contact, when the infection is transmitted through a handshake;
household, when a viral infection is transmitted through the use of hygiene products, cutlery, telephone, etc.

For colds, the main route of transmission of infection is airborne droplets, but in a child under 3 years old and even up to 6-7 years old, colds more often occur due to contact and household methods. During coughing, sneezing and talking, particles of saliva, sputum, and nasal mucus, which are saturated with pathogenic microorganisms, begin to be released into the environment from the nasopharynx of a sick person.

An infected zone is created around the patient, the air of which has a maximum concentration of aerosol infected particles. They usually disperse over a distance of no more than 2-3 m, and when sneezing, infected sputum particles can fly up to 10 meters. Therefore, a sick person should only sneeze and cough into a handkerchief and wear a gauze bandage, but not only for him, but for all people in contact with him, especially children. In this way, the concentration of infection in the air can be reduced by up to 70 times.

And if viruses overcome the protective barrier of the cell membrane, then they penetrate inside the mucosal cells, where they begin to multiply intensively. Newborn viruses are released and begin to infect more and more cells. A particularly high degree of reproduction is recorded for the influenza virus, which explains the short incubation period - only a day or two.

During this time, viruses and toxins, the products of their reproduction and vital activity, are carried through the bloodstream throughout the body, resulting in rapid damage by influenza viruses to the cardiovascular, nervous and other systems of the child’s body. But other respiratory viruses are characterized only by local, local damage to the tissues of the upper respiratory tract.

How often do children get colds?

Every child experiences colds at least once a year. But sometimes colds occur so often among children that parents lose track of them throughout the year. A baby can get sick up to 6-10 times a year, and if this happens more often, then you should sound the alarm, because such an incidence rate already indicates that the protective forces of the child’s body are negligible.

Frequent colds in a child under 3 years of age is explained by the fact that only by this age the immune system is formed, although this process can sometimes take up to 7 years, which happens in 15-20% of children. Typically, such children do not attend kindergarten, where they have to “get to know” and experience many respiratory viral diseases at an early age, teaching the immune system to effectively resist infections.

Doctors believe that frequent colds in both one-year-old babies and children under 3 years of age throughout the year, occurring up to 9 times, are almost normal. For kindergarten children, catching a cold up to 12 times is also quite a common situation. If teenagers get sick more than 7 times a year, this is already a cause for concern.

Just don’t interpret this information in such a way that colds are the norm in children. Any disease is a pathology, so we need to strive to ensure that children get sick as little as possible. It is important that treatment tactics be adequate and timely in each case, and that prevention is always maintained at the proper level, regardless of seasonality and time of year.

Let's summarize. Frequent colds among children occur due to reduced immunity against the background of:

lack of training of the immune system;
sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity;
weakening of the microflora of the child’s body;
unbalanced diet, overeating;
hypovitaminosis, lack of microelements;
severe environmental situation;
frequent stressful situations;
excessively warm microclimate in the house where the child lives;
antibiotic abuse;
passive smoking (if adults smoke around).

And if parents manage to correct at least a few points from this list, then the frequency of children’s diseases will go to a minimum.

Unnoticeable signs of a cold in children during the incubation period of the disease

Usually people start talking about illness when all the signs of a cold are present. Only then do the parents of a sick child begin to frantically figure out how and how to treat their child’s cold. But the illness itself is always preceded by a period during which attentive parents can always suspect that something wrong is going on with their child. And if during this period you take measures to maintain the immune system in children, you can nullify the disease itself.

This period is called the incubation period, it begins from the moment the infection enters the child’s body and lasts until the first clinical symptoms of a cold, characteristic of children. This usually happens within 2-7 days. The shortest incubation period after infection with influenza is up to 1-2 days. Adenoviral infection is cultivated in a child’s body for up to 2 weeks.

During this period, you can see the first typical signs of a cold in the child. The baby becomes lethargic and inactive. He is not interested in much, not even his favorite games. Sick children sleep more, they feel weak and overwhelmed. Appetite gradually decreases and sleep may be disturbed. The baby’s psyche also changes, he begins to be capricious, and he is increasingly in a bad mood. Many children complain of frequent headaches.

If already in this period we begin to maintain the protective forces of the child’s body, then it is quite possible to recover quickly and in the shortest possible time, to avoid its prolonged course and the occurrence of complications.

The first symptoms of a cold in a child

Towards the end of the incubation period, the first clinical signs of a childhood cold begin to appear, which have a number of common features for all respiratory diseases, although the severity and combination of individual symptoms are characteristic of a specific viral infection.

1. Features of the course of rhinovirus infection in children

If the disease is caused by infection with a rhinovirus infection, then after an incubation period of 1-5 days, the body temperature begins to rise to 38⁰C, accompanied by temporary chills. The duration of the temperature period usually does not exceed more than 3 days.

After nasal congestion and difficulty breathing through the nose, profuse mucous rhinorrhea (snot) begins, which after a few days becomes thicker and more viscous. Symptoms of intoxication increase slowly and are accompanied by a sore throat. Children with a cold experience redness of the sclera and conjunctiva, and lacrimation. In a baby, colds in the nasal cavity lead to redness of his wings and maceration of the skin underneath.

With this infection, complications in children rarely occur; they are usually associated with the addition of a bacterial pathogenic infection, which leads to the development of sinusitis, ethmoiditis, frontal sinusitis, otitis media and tonsillitis. Colds in infants can be complicated by tracheobronchitis and even pneumonia TEXT_LINKS if the baby is too weak.

2. Features of adenoviral infection

After a long incubation period of up to 2 weeks, an acute onset of the disease occurs, which begins with a sharp rise in the child’s temperature to 39°C. Typically, colds in a child under 2 years of age are accompanied by a low-grade fever, which gradually rises to high numbers. The febrile period can last up to 10 days, during which temperature jumps are recorded from normal numbers to very high ones. The next rise in temperature occurs with the addition of further signs of a cold in children, and a decrease in temperature always occurs critically. Moreover, even against the background of high temperature, the symptoms of intoxication are mild.

From the first day of illness, children complain of headache, weakness, nasal congestion, burning and watery eyes, which is explained by the rapid development of conjunctivitis. From the very beginning, there is severe pain in the throat when swallowing. Severe hyperemia (redness) of the pharynx and tonsils is visible. On the 2-3rd day, a runny nose with a dry cough occurs against the background of pharyngitis. There is a sharp increase in regional lymph nodes.

A cold in a child under 1 year of age can be accompanied by bloating, flatulence and diarrhea up to 7 times a day. Children under 3 years of age are especially susceptible to adenovirus infection, although, as a rule, a viral cold is practically impossible in infants under 6 months of age, because these children have temporary passive immunity from the mother. After an illness, immunity can sometimes last up to 8 years. A cold caused by an adenovirus in a child under 1 year of age can be complicated by pneumonia.

3. Features of the course of parainfluenza

After an incubation period of 7 days, children develop an acute temperature rise of up to 40 degrees within 2-3 days. At the same time, weakness, nasal congestion, and runny nose with mucopurulent discharge occur. A dry, hacking and painful cough quickly develops, accompanied by pain, burning in the throat, and hoarseness of the voice. In children aged 2 to 5 years, a cold caused by the parainfluenza virus can be complicated by the development of croup syndrome, which occurs due to damage to the trachea and a reflex spasm of its muscles. When complicated by a bacterial infection, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, etc. are often associated. If the disease proceeds without complications, then the pronounced symptoms of a cold gradually subside and completely disappear by 7-10 days.

How to cure colds in children?

How to quickly get your child back on his feet and cure a cold? Do I need to immediately grab medications, call a doctor, bring down the temperature at the slightest rise? These questions concern all parents who often have to deal with this problem. And the first thing that parents of a sick child must understand is that medical consultation and examination are required in any case.

Only a doctor can decide what can effectively treat a cold in a child. He will also determine the tactics of therapy depending on whether a bacterial infection has joined the viral infection. You cannot self-medicate, otherwise you may miss the moment when a child who has caught a cold will cross the line and take a severe course with the development of serious complications.

However, there are general principles for treating colds. If there are no complications and the cold takes a mild form, then there is no particular need for medications. And there are no medications that effectively fight viral colds.

It must be remembered that using two medications at once to treat colds in children can lead to a risk of negative interaction in 10% of cases. The use of three drugs increases this risk to 50%, and more than five - up to 90%. So with such treatment, inexperienced parents can do more harm to the child instead of helping.

For a sick child, the most important thing during the period of illness is to ensure complete rest. It is necessary to ensure the intake of plenty of fluids and some “soft” medications that will support the child’s weakened immune system. Room hygiene, constant ventilation and humidification are important.

But we must start by ensuring that the sick baby has adequate nutrition and plenty of fluids. Give your child the opportunity to drink more warm tea with honey, cranberry or lingonberry juice, rosehip decoction, compotes, alkaline mineral waters, for example, Borjomi, which help fight dehydration, remove waste products of viruses and increase sputum production. The more fluid enters the child’s body, the sooner it will be cleansed of toxins and viruses.

Food should be rich in carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. Increase the content of fermented milk products in the diet of a sick child to support the intestinal microflora. Do not burden your diet with fatty, heavy foods; on the contrary, make it as light as possible. Under no circumstances should you force feed a child! Remember that during a viral infection of the body, not only the respiratory system suffers, but also the entire body as a whole, and the digestive tract.

One of the most important signs of a viral childhood cold is an increase in body temperature at the start of the disease. It can reach very high numbers - 40°C, and usually indicates that a bacterial infection has occurred with the likely onset of complications. But most often the child’s body temperature does not exceed 38.5 ° C, or is even at a subfebrile level.

Temperature is a protective reaction of the body, which is aimed at fighting and destroying viruses and pathogenic microorganisms. Against the background, interferon is produced at an accelerated pace - our protector against viral infection. But if the temperature rises above 38.5 ° C, then the synthesis of interferon is disrupted, the nervous and cardiovascular systems begin to suffer from hyperthermia, and a convulsive syndrome with impaired respiratory function may occur.

Only from the moment the temperature barrier of 38.5°C is overcome will the use of antipyretics be required. It is not recommended to lower the temperature to 38.5°C, because by doing so we prevent the child’s body from fighting infection.

What drugs are usually prescribed?

As the drugs of choice from the list of antipyretics, it is better to focus on Paracetamol, Solpaflex, Panadol, Efferalgan, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Tylenol or Coldrex. Very often, parents use Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic acid), without thinking about the fact that it is contraindicated for children under 16 years of age. Aspirin can trigger the development of Reye's syndrome, which leads to severe damage to the brain and liver.

Don’t forget about the simple “grandmother’s” way of lowering body temperature - wet rubbing with a napkin soaked in an aqueous solution of vinegar, one part of which is added to 20 parts of water. Wipe the armpits and inguinal cavities, forehead and face more often, but wiping should always begin with the chest and back, and only then move on to the child’s arms and legs. This method often helps reduce fever without medications.

By the way, you don’t always need to be happy that your baby has a cold without fever, and sometimes even against the background of a low temperature. The parents are confident that the illness has taken a mild course. But most often this circumstance indicates a lack of protective forces in the child’s body.

A dry hacking cough can be temporarily relieved with Tusuprex, Pertussin, Libexin. Prolonged cough can be successfully treated with herbal chest tea. Remember that you cannot suppress the cough reflex again, because the discharge of sputum may be impaired, and an inflammatory process will begin to develop in the lungs.

To reduce swelling and allergic reactions against the background of the inflammatory process in the tissues of the upper respiratory tract, antihistamines are indicated, for example, Tavegil, Suprastin, Loratadine, Zaditen and others.

Particular attention should be paid to sufficient intake of ascorbic acid and multivitamins, the choice of which is very large in pharmacies.

Treatment of infants has its own characteristics, because the child is not able to take tablet medications. The solution is rectal suppositories containing antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Before reaching the age of one, a cold is usually severe, and only a doctor can decide on treatment tactics. At the slightest sign of illness or ailment, you should immediately call your treating pediatrician.

Even after the clinical signs of the disease disappear, it is better to leave the child at home for a few more days and not send him to school or kindergarten. After all, complete elimination of cold symptoms does not mean complete recovery! In addition, after the illness, for up to 2 weeks, children become extremely vulnerable to other types of viral infections.

Do you need antibiotics to treat a cold?

Sometimes there are cases when parents, out of their ignorance, immediately grab antibiotics and begin to stuff their children with a cold with them in order to cure their child’s cold as quickly as possible. What is more surprising is the fact that pediatricians very often prescribe antibiotics to a sick child from the first days of illness, just in case.

But this is a fundamentally wrong idea about the treatment of viral diseases. Antibiotics are not indicated for children with colds; moreover, they are prohibited, therefore it is impossible and unrealistic to treat viral infections with them. Antibacterial therapy is used only to treat bacterial infections, not viral ones. Excessive use of antibiotics leads to the emergence of resistance to them and a decrease in the tone of the immune system. And when treatment with antibiotics is actually needed, they may not have the expected effect. In addition, the use of high doses of antibiotics over a long period can lead to the development of candidiasis.

For your information, viruses self-destruct over time and are eliminated from the body on their own. And if a bacterial infection has not occurred, then the use of antibiotics turns out to be pointless and only causes harm.

But if the child has a high temperature for more than three days, which is not relieved by antipyretic drugs. If severe pain in the ears occurs, purulent sputum and purulent nasal discharge appear. If the cough has become severe and shortness of breath has developed, which is a very poor prognostic sign, then we can confidently assume that complications have developed due to the addition of a bacterial infection. That’s when antibiotics will become a mandatory component of therapy, but only as prescribed by a doctor.