Dealing with fever, flu and cough

Every parent has to deal with colds and coughs and it is rare that a child does not develop it even once during a season. A pre-schooler will approximately get six to eight colds a year. Other than cold, cough and fever, stuffy nose is an annoying problem. When the child’s nose is bubbly with thick mucus, the nose gets obstructed and may make him frantic. shifanews

How does virus enter body

Cold viruses enter the body through the nose or eyes. Usually, these viruses get carried through the child’s hands. The virus affects the lining of the nose or throat and results in swelling, mucus production and fever. shifanews

Are cold viruses dangerous? shifanews

Colds are not dangerous but sometimes they lead to severe infections. Cold viruses can lower the resistance to more troublesome bacteria which can cause infection of middle ear and nasal sinuses (sinusitis or lungs pneumonia). During this time, along with fever, the baby’s appetite and energy may fall. Other red flags are ear and face pain, worsening cough or rapid breathing. shifanews

Runny nose that persists beyond 14 days should be evaluated through X-rays, laboratory tests and treated as bacterial sinus infection with antibiotics. However, mucus that turns from clear to green is not a reliable sign of sinusitis. It is simply a sign that the immune system is working. As concern about antibiotic overuse has grown, doctors are becoming more careful about prescribing these drugs only when they are truly needed. Some of the virus illnesses start with runny nose, cough and fever. But the symptoms move down into the intestines with vomiting and diarrhea for several days. So, increase ORS intake and probiotics which your doctor will recommend. And stop using dairy products. shifanews

Treating a cold

Colds get better on their own. The main part of treatment is to limit the discomfort. Following measures can help in this regard. shifanews

 Increase water intake. Take warm water with honey and lemon. Children under one year should not be given honey as it can cause botulism (rare but potentially fatal condition). Start warm liquid diet like soups. shifanews

Try to keep the child on rest. shifanews

Wash your child’s hands properly. Do not let them cough on hands. It is better to wear full sleeves so that they cough on sleeves and blow their nose into tissues which then go into the garbage. Hands always evaporate the infection and the virus can spread through air.

Give them steam with salt added. Use syringe to pull out the mucus after giving steam with saline irrigation. You can also use nose drops: put a drop or two of saline solution into each nostril. Let it sit there for about five minutes to soften the mucus before sucking it out. shifanews

Sometimes a weak immune system needs to be boosted by some nutrition supplements and multivitamins like Vitamin A, C, D and E and zinc. shifanews

Viruses cause cold but cold air makes the nose runny. So avoid going out. Use humidifiers and keep room atmosphere humid at 50-60 percent and room temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This will make the child breathe and sleep better. shifanews

With each cold the child gains immunity to viruses that caused it and number of colds decrease with time and their severity slacks off. A child who gets lots of colds early in life usually does not get as many later on. shifanews

how to deal with fever, flu and cough, tips to reduce fever, flu and cough in children

Vinkmag ad

Read Previous

چائے خشکی کا سبب یا نہیں؟

Read Next

Dryness dryness, every where

Leave a Reply

Most Popular