The first signs of a cold in children

Unlike adults, children are much more likely to suffer from colds. This is due to an undeveloped immune system and the insecurity of the child’s body to various viral and bacterial agents.

The peak of colds comes at the moment when the child begins to attend kindergarten or primary school. In a large team of viruses actively circulate, infecting kids. It should be borne in mind that each case of the disease is a test for the immune system, which further confronts such an infection.

Children's cold has a number of features:

• Abrupt onset with fever.
• Increased anxiety and moodiness of the child.
• Bad appetite and sleep.
• Weeping.

Cold treatment should begin when the first symptoms appear. In this case, it is impossible to postpone therapy, relying on the own strength of the immune system. To draw up a scheme of effective treatment should contact your pediatrician. Before visiting the doctor, the child should be provided with abundant drinking and bed rest.

Symptoms of the first symptoms of a cold in a child

An immature immune system is the main reason why children often suffer from respiratory diseases. Often the infection occurs when contact with the patient, with hypothermia, violation of hygiene rules.

The first signs of a children's cold include:

• Increased body temperature.
• Feverish condition.
• General malaise.
• Nasal congestion and runny nose.
• Sore throat.

If the temperature is above 38 ° C persists for longer than 3 days, then it indicates a complication of the disease. If the baby has frequent loose stools and vomiting, then these are signs of dehydration. To prevent this symptom is very important to ensure that the child drink plenty of flu during cold. Frequent complications of the disease include difficulty breathing and changing a child’s behavior.

In infants and children in the first years of life respiratory infections are difficult and there is a high risk of complications. In preschoolers and schoolchildren, the disease makes itself felt 6-8 times in the cold season. Moreover, its duration is from 5 to 14 days.

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Treatment of the first symptoms of a cold in a child

Children's bodies are more susceptible to colds, unlike adults. When viruses and bacteria enter the respiratory tract, the immune system is activated and resists, which manifests itself as an inflammatory process. Because of this, there is a sharp increase in temperature, sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing. If you do not start treatment at this stage, the disease will progress.

What to do when the child has the first cold symptoms?

In order to help your child cope with a cold, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Provide your child with bed rest and homely rest. Do not spend 2-3 days in kindergarten or school, in order to limit contact with other infected.
2. Regularly ventilate the baby’s room, ensure that the air is sufficiently humidified (dry air irritates the nasopharyngeal mucosa) and do wet cleaning.
3. To speed up the excretion of pathogens need to drink plenty of fluids. This starts the detoxification process and shortens the duration of the disease. You can drink warm water, tea with honey, warm milk, compotes and fruit drinks, herbal teas, infusions, herbal teas, broths.
4. In the first days of illness, a child may have a bad appetite, so you should not force him to eat. In this case, it is necessary to balance the children's diet, so that the body receives a full range of beneficial micro and macro elements.
5. Rinse with a solution of soda, iodine, and salt will help with the sore throat You can also use chamomile decoction or pharmaceutical antiseptics - Furacilin, Miramistin. If there is a runny nose and nasal breathing is difficult, then steam inhalation with eucalyptus oil or boiled potatoes, washing the nose with a weak solution of sea salt will help.

If, in compliance with the above recommendations, there is no improvement in the painful condition and the symptoms are increasing, then you should contact your pediatrician. In severe cases, you need to call an ambulance.

What to take a child at the first sign of a cold?

Because of the immature immune system, children catch much more cold than adults. The first signs of the disease are manifested by fever, which can last three or more days. Against the background of general malaise there is a runny nose and sore throat, appetite deterioration. Infant babies suffer respiratory infections much harder than older children.

Treatment of the child should be complex:

1. First of all, provide your child with rest and bed rest. Ventilate the room daily and do wet cleaning. During the period of illness recommended milky-vegetable diet. If the child refuses to eat, then you should not force him.
2. Before using medications, pay attention to medicinal herbs. At the first painful symptoms, chamomile, rosehip, and coltsfoot infusions help well. Fruits and juices, tea with honey and raspberries will be useful.
3. Of the medications, preference should be given to immunostimulants, which support a weakened immune system and stimulate the production of their own interferon in the children's body.
4. If a child has a runny nose and nasal congestion, then use vasoconstrictor drugs. At elevated temperatures, antipyretic drugs are prescribed, most often on the basis of paracetamol. They reduce fever, relieve headaches and other unpleasant symptoms. Acetylsalicylic acid-based drugs are contraindicated for children under 12 years old. This is due to the risk of adverse reactions. NSAIs are banned because they exert a high load on children's liver.

The main mistake of many parents in treating a child is overheating of the patient. If because of a cold, the baby's temperature has greatly increased, then it is necessary to provide a coolness in the room. Wrapping, covering with thick blankets and additional heating of the room can lead to thermal shock.

Antibacterial agents are banned, especially if they are not prescribed by the attending physician. Antimicrobial drugs are ineffective against viral infections, they are used in the development of complications or diseases of bacterial etiology.

An integrated approach to treatment allows you to prevent the further development of catarrhal pathology, thereby securing the child from its complications. Particular attention should be paid to preventive measures. Protect your child from hypothermia, limit contact with sick people, follow the rules of personal hygiene. Also, do not forget about a balanced diet and a rational mode of the day.

What to give at the first cold of the child?

People of all ages encounter colds, the disease does not bypass even the smallest ones. In infants, the disease state is more severe than in older children. For some parents, the first children's cold causes a real panic and, in trying to help their child, they rush to the pharmacy in search of an effective medicine.

Today, the pharmaceutical market offers a variety of drugs for the treatment of colds in both adults and children. They can be divided into two large groups:

1. Etiotropic drugs - affect pathogens, increase the immune defense.

• Immunomodulators - strengthen the immune system, allowing it to independently overcome the disease. Most often, babies are prescribed Amiksin or interferon preparations that inhibit the reproduction of viruses and bacteria. Of the latter, the most popular rectal suppositories are Viferon 1.
• Antiviral - affect the virus, disrupting its life cycle and stopping the spread. Often, patients are prescribed products based on oseltamivir, zanamivir.

2. Symptomatic therapy

• Antipyretic - fever contributes to the development in the body of special substances - interferons, which help to fight infection. It should be knocked down when it is above 38 ° C. To do this, use drugs based on paracetamol. Ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid are not prescribed for children because of the risk of adverse reactions.
• Vasoconstrictor - appointed with a cold, quickly relieve swelling and facilitate nasal breathing. The duration of use of such drugs should not exceed 5-7 days. Longer therapy may trigger rhinitis medication.
• Antitussives - in some cases, the cold is complicated by coughing episodes, non-narcotic antitussives of central action are used to treat them. With a wet cough, means are used to dilute the sputum and facilitate its removal.

Parents should provide the child with bed rest and plenty of drink. If on the fourth day of illness there is no improvement, then you need to call a doctor. Medical care is needed for severe hyperthermia, severe coughing, intense pain in any part of the body, and skin rashes.

Any drugs for the treatment of colds in children should be selected by a doctor. The doctor takes into account the child's age, painful symptoms and the nature of their origin. It also takes into account the interaction of drugs and the risk of adverse reactions.