A child has a cold! What to do and how to treat a cold in children?

"The child has a cold!" - a phrase that scares many parents. However, there is no need to panic. It is worth keeping yourself in hand and calming down, because a cold is not as scary as it seems at first glance. It can be dealt with quickly and easily, without even resorting to pharmaceutical drugs. Traditional methods of treatment will help the baby find a peaceful sleep, a good mood and excellent health.

What to do if a child has a cold?

If the child has a runny nose, it is best to rinse the nose. To do this, you will need half a teaspoon of salt. It must be mixed with another half teaspoon of soda and dissolve the whole mixture in a glass of warm water. A small pear is suitable for this, thanks to which parents can rinse the child's nose. Immediately after this, it must be cleaned and dripped with pharmacy drops on a plant basis for a runny nose. But you can make them yourself, preparing them on the basis of aloe or Kalanchoe. So, the juice from it must be squeezed out and diluted with the same amount of any vegetable oil. Olive oil is best for this, It will not burn and will evenly contribute to the recovery of the nose from a cold.

You can help get rid of a baby's runny nose by warming his nose with dry heat. A boiled egg or table salt, preheated in a frying pan, should be applied to the maxillary sinus area. If we are talking about salt, you can drop two drops of iodine into it, having previously wrapped it in cotton cloth. But it should not be hot!

Another way to fight a cold, very easy and high-quality, is inhalation. It has an anti-inflammatory effect. It is best to do inhalations from sage. This amazing antiseptic disinfects the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, and fir oil promotes the discharge of sputum. 10 minutes is the optimal amount of time that should be allocated for inhalations. During this time, the solution will not cool down, and the baby will not get tired.

Gargle. For this, parents will need herbal decoctions. This can be St. John's wort, sage, chamomile. Its temperature should not exceed 37 "C.

Cough is a rather evil "enemy" for the body of a small child. If you do not take precautions in time and neglect the cough, the baby can get many different complications. Therefore, do not hesitate to start fighting it!

First of all, you will need breast infusions, which are easy to brew and make an infusion from. Then you can give it to the child warm 20 minutes before eating. In general, it is worth saying that he should drink as much as possible. This liquefies phlegm, and toxins are washed out of the body. And to ensure that the baby sleeps sweetly and peacefully, before going to bed you need to prepare warm milk with honey or raspberries. Children will love this delicious medicine.

Steaming the feet. If the child has a cold, the procedure will undoubtedly bring only benefits. To carry out hot procedures correctly, it is best to increase the temperature gradually. For example, from 37 "C to 40 - 45 "C. You can add a few drops of fir oil to the water and steam for at least 10 minutes.

It is important to remember that under no circumstances should you steam your feet, inhale or heat your child if he or she has a high temperature.

If a baby has a cold

The body of a baby in the first year of life is very fragile. And any, even the mildest disease can weaken it very quickly. Various complications can appear literally immediately. Shortness of breath, rough cough, difficulty breathing - these are the signs that are observed in infants.

Here's what you need to do first:

1. A sick child must definitely call a doctor!
2. Before he arrives, don't forget to give the baby first aid. It will consist of:
   • providing the baby with fresh air and oxygen;
   • airing his room, ensuring silence and cleanliness, dry clothes;
   • "distracting" him from the attack (in medicine there is such a thing as "distraction therapy"). It consists of putting mustard plasters on the chest, back, and larynx area, making mustard foot baths or general mustard baths;
   • immersing the child in a bath up to the neck in warm water, the temperature of which should gradually increase. After that, it is worth giving the baby warm milk with baking soda or tea;
   • providing the child with the long sleep he needs. This is a fairly powerful factor in the recovery of a weakened organism. The baby should be put to bed 3 times;
   • feeding a sick child, which at that time is an impossible task for the mother. It is impossible to force healthy children to eat. It is doubly unacceptable to force-feed sick children. According to doctors, the number of feedings can be increased, reducing the portion size accordingly;
   • in love. After all, a small child, like no one else, needs affection, care and tenderness with all his being. Therefore, the mother should be constantly nearby to ease the pain, calm, instill confidence, bring him joy if the child has a cold.

Many parents do not know how and where to correctly measure a temperature that has suddenly appeared. And this is how to do it:

• The first and easiest way to check the temperature is by mouth. To do this, you need to give your child a special so-called pacifier - a thermometer - to suck on. The result will follow immediately. You will see it in just a couple of minutes.
• A thermometer with an infrared sensor, which is designed to check the temperature of a child's ear, is suitable for all children, regardless of their age and gender. With its help, you can see accurate data, despite the fact that it is inserted into the ear for only a couple of seconds.
• For infants, the only place where you can measure the temperature most conveniently and painlessly is the groin. To do this, you need to make sure that there is no diaper rash or sweat on the baby's skin. An electronic thermometer will be very suitable for this. This will take no more than 30 seconds.

If a newborn baby has a cold

If a newborn baby has caught a cold, it is advisable to see a doctor immediately! Do not wait until the child starts coughing or has a fever. The sooner the doctor examines him, the better. Please note: if there are signs of a cold, but the temperature does not rise, this is not a good sign!

What can you do before the doctor sees you?

1. Do not start treating your son or daughter with adult medications. Not only will they not provide any help, but on the contrary, they will significantly harm them.
2. Try to lay the baby down so that it is as easy as possible for him to breathe. To do this, you can use a pillow on which you should lay him down, having first raised his chest higher. Lay him down so that your baby's breathing is not difficult.
3. Do everything possible to clear his nose. You can do this with ordinary cotton wool. Tear off a piece of cotton wool, stretching it a few centimeters beforehand, and roll it up to make a cotton swab. Do not confuse it with ready-made cotton swabs. They are suitable only for adults. Then, moisten this swab with your breast milk, carefully clear the nose. Milk can be replaced with beetroot juice. But know that you should not use it immediately after squeezing. Let it sit open for at least several hours. This juice can also be used instead of drops. If the discharge from the nose is abundant, you can remove it from the nose with a pharmacy bulb.
4. Bee honey can come to the rescue when a child has a cold. But before you try it, do a test. To do this, take a little natural honey on your finger and apply it to the child's skin and bandage it. The next day, look at the results. If there are no inflammations or rashes in the place where you applied honey yesterday, you can safely use it if the child has a cold.

If a month-old baby has a cold

Many people believe that folk medicine is extremely harmful for babies. But if it is used in moderation, then there is no need to worry. After all, all the remedies are natural, and therefore do not cause harm. But let us repeat once again, you should definitely call a doctor and consult with him about the use of certain folk remedies. The main principle, both in medicine and in any other field: "Do no harm", so that doctors, in the case of protracted troubles, do not find themselves powerless against the emerging disease.

Some mothers do not use chamomile for their babies because it causes diarrhea. Others, if the child has a cold, boldly use it. Some believe that a month-old baby may have an allergic reaction, so it is not recommended to give Kalanchoe juice to babies. It can cause severe irritation of the mucous membrane, so salt water and breast milk are used to rinse the nose. Others use drops. The rest of the mothers are not keen on them, believing that any vasoconstrictors are dangerous because of their addiction and their effect on the mucous membrane. They are not afraid, seeing how their child safely accepts Kalanchoe juice, which is dripped (as a rule, it is diluted 1:1 with boiled water), as a result of which his nose is cleared of snot.

If a 2 month old child has a cold

The main thing is not to panic. Any deviation from the norm is normal. The child is simply growing, maturing, adapting to the reality around him. It is believed that calm mothers have calm children.

Here are five simple tips to help your baby avoid further complications:

1. The first thing to do if a child has a cold is to follow the doctor's instructions.
2. Avoid any walks in the near future. You can do without them. The main thing is to periodically open the windows, ventilate, so that there is fresh air.
3. It is not recommended to wrap your child too much. Be attentive and observant. The child should not sweat or lie wet. It is necessary to keep him warm. The temperature of the arms and legs will be a signal for you. They should be warm.
4. At this stage, many parents ask: "Is it worth giving a lot of liquid at a temperature?" Liquid is certainly necessary, but in moderation. The baby should not be offered a lot of water at once, otherwise, he may vomit. It is best to give it in doses, drop by drop from a pipette, wiping his lips with water if they are red. But it is better to do this regularly. The same can be said about food: if the child does not resist being put to the breast or formula, then give it in small quantities. The child must be undressed so that he is not so hot, removing his diaper. The house should not be too hot and stuffy. It is worth periodically airing the room.
5. Only in case of urgent need, you can give the child an antipyretic. If the baby has a fever, then be sure to call the doctor to the house so that he can understand what is causing it. And only after that, you can give antipyretics. And before his arrival, you can do a rubdown, having previously undressed the child. Remember, if the baby has a cold, it is important to bring down the temperature in a timely manner.

If a 3 month old child has a cold

If the child has a cold, the nose is stuffy, then for this it is necessary to carry out preventive methods of treatment. So, here are some of them:

• Sometimes it happens that his nose can be clogged with a crust that remains when regurgitating. Then, getting into the nose, it prevents smooth and clear breathing. Because of this, the child can sniffle. It even seems that he has a runny nose. Therefore, in order for your baby to breathe freely and without difficulty, his nose needs to be cleaned daily, using a cotton wick for this, preferably made by hand and pre-soaked in baby oil.
• If the baby's runny nose is a consequence of ARVI, then you can drip safe products based on sea water into his nose. As for other treatment methods, they can be used only with the permission of the attending physician.
• Don't forget to clean your baby's nose during feeding, especially when it comes to feeding. You can clean your baby's nose with the same cotton wicks.

If the temperature rises and remains for several days, then this is a cause for concern. Another question arises: "How many times a day and in what quantities can antipyretics be given?" It is definitely not worth giving too much. They can be given no more than a couple of times a day, for 2-3 days. The fact is that with a common infection, a high temperature usually lasts no more than two days, and on the third day it decreases. If the temperature is elevated for more than 3 days, then this is an extreme reason for a new visit to a specialist. This indicates that the so-called secondary infection has begun, or rather complications or some manifestations from the nervous system. In this case, the child will need special treatment.

If a 4 month old child has a cold

If your child has caught a cold, suddenly becomes lethargic, capricious and has completely lost his appetite, pay close attention to his health. Measure his temperature, watch for a runny nose and throat. If at least one of the listed symptoms is present, you should worry and take appropriate measures.

So, what to do if a 4-month-old baby has a cold. Here are some simple rules that will help him get well soon.

1. Give your baby more liquid. Up to 6 months, it is advisable to give him only warm boiled water. If the baby is breastfed, this is very good for his health. Since such milk contains immunoglobulins, they help the body fight infections. If the baby has already been fed with additional mixtures, then all kinds of purees made from fruits and vegetables, which are rich in various vitamins, will be useful for him.
2. If a child has a high temperature, then you should not, as we have already repeated, wrap him up and put on him as many things as possible. On the contrary, he should be dressed in "breathable" cotton clothes, and simply covered with a light blanket.
3. You should not go outside with your baby until the temperature returns to normal. You should also avoid daily bathing during this period. If the temperature is 38° or higher, then you should give him an antipyretic in a small dose, typical for the child's age. In case of vomiting, the baby should be given an antipyretic in the form of rectal suppositories. If the temperature has risen above 39°, then the best folk remedy for this is to wipe the child with vodka or vinegar, which are first diluted with water in the correct proportions. Many parents also advise putting a wet napkin on the forehead.

If a 5 month old child has a cold

If your child has a cold and his nose is stuffy, try to clear it yourself. There are many ways to do this, but we will tell you about another one, not mentioned in the previous subheadings.

To do this, you will need a chamomile solution, which is important to drip 1 pipette into each nostril. After that, you should clear your nose. It is quite easy to do. Pinch one nostril, and use a pincer to draw out the contents from the other. After that, drip vasoconstrictor drops into your child. But do not forget and know the limit. Such drugs can be used no more than 3 times a day and no longer than 5 days in a row. If after these few days the runny nose does not go away and causes discomfort to your baby, then you should immediately call a doctor.

If a 6 month old child has a cold

Children get sick often and a lot. At any age, almost every month, he is haunted by some kind of cold. If at the age of 6 months the child has a cold, then in order to bring down the temperature, get rid of a runny nose and improve the general well-being, it is useful for the child (if he is not allergic) to give cranberry and lingonberry fruit drinks, rosehip infusion, dried fruit compote. It is better to drink in small portions, but as often as possible.

Chamomile tea, which has an anti-inflammatory effect, will also help if the child has a sore throat. It can be given to a child over six months old, 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. If he has a cough, then before using any medications, it is very important to consult a pediatrician, since the choice of drugs is related to the nature of the cough.

It is sad that ARVI is dangerous not so much for its symptoms as for its consequences. For example, a harmless runny nose or cough in children can soon turn into otitis, bronchitis, pneumonia. Therefore, if you notice cold symptoms in your child, it is better to immediately contact a pediatrician who will examine the baby and prescribe an appropriate course of treatment.

The most important thing is that before his arrival you should not self-medicate, which consists of the simple, at first glance, use of antibiotics. Many doctors believe that parents harm their child by doing this. The baby's liver is weak and cannot handle the load yet. Therefore, in order for the cold to pass without any complications, do not act arbitrarily, so as not to end up becoming an enemy of your own blood.

If a 7 month old child has a cold

Approaches to treating ARVI can be completely different for different doctors. Some believe that it is better to be on the safe side and prescribe more medications, while others, on the contrary, prefer to wait and give the body a chance to fight the infection alone, believing that gentle treatment methods are the most optimal for the child. Therefore, if the child has a cold, but does not have serious serious diseases, then they do not pose much harm. Light food, warm drinks and rest, as well as "folk methods" of treatment will be enough to help the child overcome the disease and bring the body back to normal.

If a child has a cold, then, as a rule, his temperature rises, which is a signal for immediate action. This means that the body is fighting the infection, since it has been proven that when the temperature rises, the metabolism accelerates, due to which the immune system works much better and more effectively.

Despite the fact that when a patient's temperature rises, it should be brought down to ease his condition, some pediatricians insist that it is necessary to reduce a child's temperature only if it exceeds 39°C. Therefore, if the child does not have serious chronic diseases, it is better to monitor not the thermometer readings, but his well-being and, if possible, if the temperature is not so high, to be patient.

It is important to monitor what the baby himself requires: if the temperature quickly becomes elevated, he is shivering, then you need to help him warm up as quickly as possible. Warm clothes, a blanket and hot, plentiful drinks in small portions are perfect for this. When the temperature reaches its maximum, the chills disappear, the child's skin turns slightly red, and sweat appears on the forehead, it would be good to uncover it if possible so that the baby can more easily tolerate the heat. You can also move on to rubbing or a warm bath. All this will help to lower the temperature even more. But at the same time, do not forget that a sharp medicinal decrease in temperature can be replaced by a sharp increase, which is fraught with febrile seizures. In addition, with strong temperature changes, the load on the heart becomes higher and stronger.

The conclusion suggests itself. The temperature should be reduced when it becomes higher than 38 - 39 degrees. It is better to use suppositories or syrups in the age-appropriate dose for this procedure, but it is very risky to use aspirin and analgin for small children to reduce the temperature.

If a child has a cold at 8 months

If a child has a cold at the age of 8 months, then you should immediately pay attention to the following signs: change in skin color, difficulty breathing, cough, weakness, disruption of the feeding regime. In addition to all of the above, you can include: changes in body temperature, the appearance of a rash, loss of appetite and stool disorders. The mother should certainly notice and take appropriate measures if the child looks more excited than usual, or, on the contrary, too lethargic and motionless. Long sleep, screaming in sleep are also not the most pleasant signs and signals to start fighting a cold.

Temperatures above 38.5" C and below 36" C deserve special attention. They are the most dangerous of all. In addition, if the baby has a temperature of 37.1-37.9" C for more than 3 days, this is another worrying symptom, which can sometimes indicate a slowly developing inflammatory process.

Other dangerous symptoms include: a sharp cry, paleness, sudden lethargy with a low temperature. An unusual rash may appear, repeated vomiting, and the stool will become loose and frequent. It is scary to say, but the child may suddenly begin to have convulsions, faint, and loss of consciousness. The baby's voice may suddenly become hoarse, breathing may be impaired, swelling may appear on the face, and sharp pains in the abdomen may occur.

If your child has caught a cold and you notice one of the listed symptoms, immediately consult a doctor. And if they also increase sharply, then it is better to call an ambulance. This will prevent dangerous complications of the child's body, or even worse, a situation that could become a threat to the child's life.

But the main thing is not to worry, no baby has ever developed without a cold. Therefore, in case of ARVI, be patient, any disease can be treated, the main thing is not to let it get worse, but to provide the child with timely help, both the first urgent one, which the parents themselves can do, and the second one, from a qualified doctor who will give useful recommendations for further treatment and successful recovery.

How to treat a child with a cold?

So, let's sum it up. Don't worry and panic if you suddenly feel that your child has caught a cold. When he or she catches a cold for the first time in their life, you should definitely consult a doctor, and then depending on the child's condition.

No matter what age the child is, it is important to create favorable conditions for him, ventilate the room and not bring down the temperature unless absolutely necessary. Also, following the daily routine, proper nutrition and hardening will help to avoid endless colds. These are general conditions for a speedy recovery, and what to treat specifically if the child has a cold, in more detail in these tips:

• As soon as parents notice that their baby's condition has worsened, they immediately want to follow the advertising and buy something that will quickly help get rid of a cough or runny nose. But this is the wrong decision. Fast does not always mean high quality. Yes, pharmacy products can relieve the symptom, but they are not able to cure the disease as a whole. This is especially true for cough, which is strictly prohibited to suppress. The child must cough up all the phlegm from the lungs, and this takes time. All these medications can only reduce immunity, but not vice versa. Herbs can be very useful for this.
• Infants are very active, this has a beneficial effect on the disease, as it promotes effective drainage of the lungs. Drinking plenty of fluids, rosehip and St. John's wort decoctions help well with colds.
• If the child has caught a cold and the temperature has risen, you should remove all unnecessary clothing from him, and then change into light cotton. If the temperature reaches 38.5" C, then it is necessary to carry out air baths, periodically it is worth wiping the baby with a diaper, which was previously soaked in water at room temperature. You can put a wet napkin on the baby's head. If the temperature does not decrease, but rises with each hour, you can wet wrap the baby's entire body. If desired, you need to rub him with vodka. At a high temperature, an enema with water at room temperature will be useful.
• When sick, many babies do not want to eat. Do not force him to eat. You can simply put him to the breast or give him plenty of fluids. You can use juice, berry decoctions, compotes, tea.

If a runny nose appears, it is important to clear it of mucus by dripping breast milk into it. If it is absent, vasoconstrictor drops can be used for these purposes. The attending physician can suggest which ones are best to use, taking into account the child's condition and age before writing a prescription. In order to drip drops into the baby's nose, he needs to be laid on his side in the direction in which half of the nose you will drip, and then change position. It is necessary to drip 1-2 drops into each nostril.

• Also, it is very important for any child, no matter what age, to feel a positive attitude, support from his parents, and then recovery will come immediately. Play doctor and hospital with your child more often. Soak his feet with funny toys, distract him by launching boats, instill confidence in him that it is just a cold. This feeling of security will be transmitted to the little one and any throat or nose disease will pass quickly and without sad consequences.
• Taking care of the feet is also important. Before the child falls asleep, prepare a bath for him to stimulate the reflexology points on his little feet. After that, wipe the feet, putting on socks, in which you can put dry mustard beforehand.

For a runny nose, folk medicine can use:

• pieces of cotton wool, previously moistened with onion juice, which are also placed in the nose several times a day for 10-15 minutes;
• carrot juice and vegetable oil (in a 1:1 ratio) will also be an excellent aid in combating a runny nose. All this must be mixed with a couple of drops of garlic juice and dripped into the nose several times a day;
• 3 tablespoons of finely chopped onion are poured with 50 ml of warm water, combined with half a teaspoon of honey. The mixture is infused for 30 minutes.

If, after applying all these useful and at the same time simple recommendations, your child's mood has improved, appetite has appeared, temperature has stabilized and activity has increased, and also the child is no longer bothered by a runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, vomiting or diarrhea, then we can consider that the treatment of the disease was successful!