Colds In Children and Treatment of Colds
This information is about childhood colds. You'll learn what they colds are and how to deal with colds.
The common cold is an infection of the upper respiratory passages -- the nose, throat, and sinuses. Symptoms include stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, a dry cough, poor appetite, and irritability. Sometimes, a cold is accompanied by fever. Most normal children have four to six colds a year.
Here's how to treat your child's cold. First, you need to understand that no one can treat the illness itself. Antibiotics like penicillin don't work on colds because they kill only bacteria, and a virus causes a cold. There's nothing a doctor can prescribe that will fight the illness itself. Only your child's body's defenses can do that.
Though you can't treat the cold itself, you can help relieve its symptoms of fever, pain, and nasal congestion.
To relieve pain and fever, do not give aspirin to your child. For children under nineteen, aspirin may possibly increase the risk of a serious illness called Reye's Syndrome.
Give your child aspirin-free medications containing acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, Tenpra, or generic acetaminophen. You can buy these medications without a prescription. For infants up to one year old, use the drop form of the medicine. For older children, use either liquid or tablets -- following the directions on the labels.
To relieve nasal congestion, use a rubber bulb aspirator on children under a 6 months old, to suction the nose. With older children, use a non-prescription cough medicine for a frequent cough and congestion.
To help your child get well, there are three things you should definitely avoid doing. Don't force your child to eat. Instead, encourage the child to drink liquids in small amounts, taken frequently. Don't give your child leftover antibiotics. Again, antibiotics are useless against colds because viruses cause colds. Finally, don't force your child to stay in bed. It's all right for children to get up if they feel like it.
The common complication of childhood colds is ear infection. If a baby with a cold shows increasing irritability -- or if an older child complains of an earache, the child should be seen by a health care provider. Unlike the cold itself, an ear infection can be treated. So if you suspect an ear infection, contact your health care provider.
Even without an ear infection, you should contact your health care provider if the child's symptoms do not improve considerably after four or five days. Call your health care provider also if new symptoms appear, or if you have any other concerns.
Colds are spread through coughing, sneezing and nasal drainage. If your child is coughing or sneezing, it may be wise to keep your child out of public places or home from school. Protect others by covering your child's mouth when your child coughs or sneezes. Be sure to wash your hands after touching your child's mouth or nose or after changing diapers.
Remember these key points:
- children normally get four to six colds a year
- Antibiotics are useless in treating virus colds, but you can help relieve symptoms by giving the child non-aspirin pain relievers for fever and pain, and decongestants for cough and runny, stuffy nose.
- If your child develops an earache, contact your health care provider.
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