Treatment of colds in children 7 years. How to quickly cure a cold in a child, what to give at the first sign of illness: medicines and folk remedies. Other means: how to cure a baby

The common cold is a common illness that occurs in adults and children. In babies, it can appear several times a year, while it has a severe course, and if it is not treated, dangerous complications may appear. But during it, children develop immunity, and the protective properties of the body increase.

Most importantly, parents should know what to give their child at the first sign of a cold, this will help prevent complications and unpleasant consequences. But it is first recommended to study the features of the course of colds, their signs and causes.

Causes

Often, colds occur with the onset of the cold season. The child may experience hypothermia during prolonged exposure to the street, it may be blown by a cold wind, it may wet its feet in a puddle or snow. He can get infected from peers in kindergarten, on playgrounds.

But the main reason for contracting a cold is the constant failure of immunity. This may be due to the following factors:

• decreased immune system;
• the development of certain diseases and the period after them;
• consequences of taking antibiotic drugs;
• low levels of vitamins, trace elements;
• poor environmental ecology;
• inactive lifestyle;
• unbalanced diet, overeating;
• various stressful situations - for example, frequent quarrels of parents, abrupt weaning;
• unfavorable microclimate in the house - increased dryness, stuffiness, heat, rare cleaning, lack of ventilation;
• passive smoking - when someone smokes in front of a child.

Signs of a cold

What to understand how to treat a child at the first sign of a cold is to find out how this disease manifests itself. Usually there are no problems with its identification. It begins abruptly, at first the baby begins to have a severe runny nose, bouts of sneezing, he develops a fever. He becomes irritable and complains of headaches. Over time, he develops a cough, mucus discharge with a denser and darker structure appears from the nose.

Approximately 2-7 days after the virus enters the child's body, in addition to the above signs, the following symptoms may occur:

• increase in body temperature;
• feeling of weakness, malaise;
• sore throat;
• pain when swallowing;
• irritability;
• urge to vomit;
• diarrhea;
• a significant deterioration in appetite, it may be completely absent;
• tearing and redness of the eyes;
• fast fatiguability.

Usually, with a cold, a child's temperature rises to 38 degrees and above, which can last for three days. And after it decreases, various unpleasant symptoms may appear - swelling of the nose, vomiting, headaches.

What to do at the first sign of a cold in children

How to treat a child at the first sign of a cold? Many parents often make a big mistake, they immediately begin to give various drugs that may be contraindicated for infants. In pharmacies, you can find drugs specifically for babies, but they should be used only in emergency cases.

At the first sign of a cold in a child, it is worth creating the necessary conditions that will help to greatly alleviate the condition of the baby, namely:

• in the house it is necessary to create a quiet and calm stop, there should be no stress, quarrels, screams. If the mother is worried about something and is constantly nervous, then this is easily transmitted to the child, which negatively affects his condition;
• it is important to monitor the cleanliness of the air in the baby's room. It is recommended to carry out wet cleaning every day, it is also required to install a humidifier in the room;
• It is important to ventilate the child's room. Some parents think that drafts can cause hypothermia in the baby, which can eventually lead to a cold. But this is not so, on the contrary, in a too stuffy and hot room, microbes, viruses, and pathogenic bacteria accumulate. For this reason, the room should always have clean and fresh air;
• with a cold, especially if it is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, dehydration can occur. To prevent this condition, the child must be given as much liquid as possible. So what to give a child at the first symptoms of a cold? Depending on age, he can drink breast milk, boiled water, fruit drinks, compotes, teas;
• if the baby does not have an appetite, then you do not need to feed him through force. If he wants to eat, then he can be given fermented milk products, they contribute to the active elimination of viral organisms;
• aromatherapy with the use of certain types of essential oils - roses, lavender, fir, chamomile, eucalyptus, bergamot, tea tree - has a positive effect. It is good if there is a special aroma lamp, but if this product is not available, then you can pour water into small containers and drop a few drops of essential oils into them. Then they are placed in the room;
• a cold begins with a runny nose in a child, what a pediatrician can tell you what to do. Usually, in these cases, preparations containing sea water are prescribed, for example, Aqua Maris. You can also prepare a saline solution yourself and use a pipette to pour a few drops into each nostril;
• treatment of a child at the first sign of a cold, especially if he has a severe runny nose that makes it difficult to breathe, may be accompanied by the use of drops with a vasodilating effect - Nazivin drops. But they should be used only in extreme cases, after consulting a doctor;
• during a runny nose in the crib, an additional pillow can be placed under the baby's head, and a folded towel can also be placed under the mattress. This will prevent snot from flowing into the throat, they will enter from the nose;
• with the active struggle of immunity with microbes and viruses, the baby has an increase in temperature. If it leaves no higher than 37.9 degrees, then it is not knocked down. But if it rises to 38.5 or more, then the child can be given an antipyretic, preferably in the form of rectal suppositories.

Drug treatment

Many parents sometimes panic at the first sign of a cold, they simply do not know what to take to the child, which medicines can be given to him and which not. Of course, it is better to consult a pediatrician, it is the specialist who will be able to prescribe the most suitable drugs that will not have a harmful effect on the child's body.

If the first signs of a cold appear in a child with a severe runny nose, then what to treat, you can ask the doctor, and you can safely use preparations based on sea salt. They are designed to wash the nasal cavity. Their use will have a softening effect on snot crusts and can be easily removed with a cotton swab.

So give your child at the first sign of a cold with a severe runny nose. The following are considered the most effective:

• Morenasal;
• Aquamaris;
• But-salt;
• saline sodium chloride;
• Fluimarin.

If, in addition to a runny nose, other unpleasant symptoms appear, then stronger drugs can be additionally prescribed. They should be prescribed by a doctor depending on the age of the child, on his condition, the course of the disease.

If the onset of a cold in a child is accompanied by a deterioration in the condition, then how to treat it can be found in the following list of drugs:

• Genferon. This is an antiviral agent. Shows high efficiency at the initial stage of the disease;
• Pinosol. These are nose drops that should be used for purulent discharge. They have an antimicrobial effect. Do not use for more than 7 days;
• various cough syrups - Geksoral, Dr. Mom, Gerbion. It should be used in small doses. These drugs have mucolytic, antitussive and anti-inflammatory effects;
• if you don’t know what to do at the first sign of a cold with a wet cough in a child, then you can use special syrups and powders - Bromhexine, ACC, Ambroxol. They do not cause suppression of the cough reflex, they are highly effective due to the liquefaction of sputum;
• to reduce the temperature, it is recommended to use Paracetamol, Nurofen, Ibufen, Ibuprofen, Panadol. It is worth bringing down the temperature when the mark on the thermometer reaches 38 or more;
• Anaferon, Viferon can be used to strengthen immunity. Use these funds only after consulting a doctor.

Treatment with folk remedies

What to do at the first sign of a cold in a child? Folk remedies have a good effect. They allow you to quickly suppress the activity of bacteria and accelerate the recovery process.

The most effective folk remedies include:

• inhalation. To do this, pour hot water into a glass, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda or salt. The child should breathe the solution for several minutes. It can also be used for gargling and rinsing the nose;
• foot baths with mustard. They are held for 10-15 minutes, the temperature should gradually rise to 40 degrees;
• tea with raspberries, honey, decoction of lime blossom has a good effect.

Of course, only a doctor can accurately answer the question of what to do at the first sign of a cold in a child. He will examine the baby, identify the cause and select the most effective and appropriate remedies. But if you follow all the recommendations and rules at home, you can quickly eliminate all the unpleasant signs that often lead to complications.

My child has a cold, what should I do?

The kid caught a cold: his throat hurts, he has a cough and a fever. In such cases, syrup is often prescribed. But what if it is tasteless, and the baby flatly refuses to drink it? And how can a child of 1 year help to take a pill? Learn the simple ways to take medicine!

Moms know how difficult it can be to persuade a baby to take medicine, especially if it is unsweetened. But there is a way out!
If the child flatly refuses to take the medicine and clenches his jaw, gently pinch his nose, and his mouth will immediately open.
It is very important that all the required amount of the drug enters the body. Leftovers from a spoon or from a small measuring cup should be diluted with water and given to the child to drink.
When the medicine is very bitter, try rubbing an ice cube on your child's tongue to make the taste buds less sensitive.
It is more difficult for a baby to take medicine in tablets. Solution: crush the tablet and add to puree or drink.

But if the medicine has a fruity sweet taste, the opposite problem may appear - for children, a tasty medicine can become an attractive delicacy. In this case, the medicine must be hidden especially carefully!

The common cold is the most common illness among children of all ages. The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Over 200 different viruses can cause the common cold, but the most common infection is rhinovirus. Because the common cold is viral in nature, antibiotics used to treat a bacterial infection are not used to treat it.

Colds in healthy children are not dangerous, they usually pass in 4-10 days without special treatment. Due to the large number of viruses that can cause the common cold, children lack immunity against the disease. Sometimes a bacterial infection can join a viral infection, which weakens the immune system and requires antibiotic treatment.

cold symptoms in children

Colds in children in most cases begin abruptly. The child may wake up with a runny nose, sneezing, tired, and sometimes with a fever. Also, the child may have a sore throat or cough. The cold virus can affect a child's sinuses, throat, bronchioles, and ears. With a cold, a child may also have symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.

In the early stages of a cold, your child may be very irritable and complain of headaches and a runny nose. As the cold progresses, the mucus in the sinuses may become darker and thicker. The child may also develop a mild cough that may last for several days.

How often can a child get a cold?

Statistics show that preschool children get colds about 9 times a year, and children attending kindergarten even more often - 12 times. Adolescents and adults typically have about 7 colds a year. The most "dangerous" months for a cold are from September to March.

How can you prevent a cold in a child?

The best way to prevent your child from getting a cold is to teach them how to wash their hands with soap. After all, a cold is carried mainly by hand contact. Research shows that proper handwashing does indeed prevent the risk of catching a cold. Teach your child to wash their hands before eating, after playing at school or at home. If a child shows signs of a cold, then in order to avoid infecting other children, he should be released from attending school or kindergarten. You should also teach your child to cover their mouth when sneezing and use a tissue.

How to treat a cold in children?

A cold usually goes away on its own without any treatment. Home treatment consists of the following activities:
Make sure your child gets plenty of rest.
Let the child drink plenty of fluids.
Use a humidifier in your child's bedroom at night. Humid air in the room makes it easier to breathe.
Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen to lower body temperature and reduce pain. Both drugs are approved for use in children.

Do not give aspirin to children or teenagers with a high fever. Aspirin increases the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare disease that occurs in children under the age of 15. It can cause serious liver and brain damage.

Ask a doctor before giving any over-the-counter cold and flu remedy to a child under 6 years of age. A nasal bulb can be used to flush out accumulated mucus in very young children with blockage. Or use a nasal spray, instilling a couple of drops into each nostril.

It should be remembered! Antibiotics are not effective in treating the common cold. They kill bacteria, and colds are caused by viruses, not bacteria.

In domestic pediatrics, it is considered the norm if a child catches a cold or catches ARVI no more than 4-6 times a year. The peak incidence of colds usually occurs in the first year of kindergarten or school. At the first cold in a child's life, it is necessary to consult a doctor. It is important to create comfortable conditions for the patient, ventilate the premises and not bring down the temperature unless absolutely necessary. Compliance with the daily regimen, a balanced diet and hardening will help to avoid frequent colds.

What symptoms do you need to pay attention to?

When a child has a cold, it is important to tell the doctor about the following symptoms: discoloration of the skin, breathing problems, coughing, sweating, weakness, feeding disturbances, any other unusual symptoms.
It is especially important to monitor changes in body temperature, the appearance of a rash, loss of appetite and stool disorders. It is important to note if the child became more excited or, on the contrary, lethargic, began to sleep for a long time, cry out in a dream, etc.
The temperature above 38.5 and below 36 requires special attention. In addition, if a child has a temperature of 37.1-37.9 for more than three days, this should also be alarming, as it can be a symptom of a slowly developing inflammatory process (pneumonia, pyelonephritis and etc.). The presence of these symptoms should be a reason to consult with your doctor.

What are the most dangerous symptoms?

A sharp cry, pallor, cold sweat, sudden lethargy with low temperature. The appearance of an unusual rash. Loose stools more than 5 times a day, repeated vomiting. Seizures. Fainting, impaired consciousness, inadequate reaction of the child to the question and answer. Sudden hoarse voice in a child. Respiratory disorders. The appearance of edema, especially on the face in the head and neck. Sharp pains in the abdomen. First time complaints of headache.
These symptoms require immediate medical attention. If they appeared suddenly and increase sharply, it is necessary to call an ambulance, so a situation may arise that threatens the life of the child.

When should you call your child's doctor?

A phone consultation with a trusted pediatrician can help you decide whether a face-to-face examination is necessary in any given case. If there is no agreement between the family about the treatment regimen, it is better to call a doctor whose opinion is trusted by all the “opposing sides”. It is necessary to visit a doctor at home if this is the first illness with a temperature in a child under one year old, or if the child is sick with some symptoms unusual for parents, or something worries parents. In addition, if the parents themselves treat the child and there is no improvement by the third day, the doctor must also see the baby.

How to treat a cold?

Approaches to the treatment of colds can drastically diverge from different doctors. Some tend to play it safe and prescribe a large number of drugs, while others prefer expectant tactics and gentle methods of natural treatment. In any case, it is important to remember that colds are a training of immunity in the fight against pathogens, and for a child without severe chronic diseases, they do not pose a particular danger. The tactics of waiting and observing allows the child's immunity to learn to cope with a constant load in a "big city". Light meals, warm drinks and rest, as well as "folk ways" of treatment - this is usually enough to help the child recover quickly and avoid complications.

How to treat a cold in children with folk methods?

First of all, all warming procedures are suitable for children: warm foot baths, warm compresses of the nose and chest, plentiful warm drinks rich in vitamin C. The popular practice of washing the nose to cleanse it of secretions is not at all as harmless as it might seem at first glance. The use of vasoconstrictor drugs dry out the nasal mucosa, opening the way for the virus to enter the body. Aggressive naturopathic procedures (for example, rinsing the nose with undiluted onion juice) can break the integrity of the mucosa and also contribute to the further spread of the disease. And washing the nose in the smallest children can lead to otitis media, since discharge from the nose can enter the middle ear, since the auditory tube in children is very small (1-2 cm, and in adults 3.5 cm). Therefore, it is better not to rinse the nose with anything if the discharge easily departs, does not prevent the child from breathing calmly, and he can suckle, eat and sleep. If the discharge from the nose is too thick and it is difficult for the child to get rid of them, you can drip 2-5 drops of water or a weak saline or soda solution into the nose to make the discharge more liquid. Homeopathic medicines, such as oscillococcinum, also help well in the treatment of colds.

Do I need to lower the temperature?

An increase in temperature is the main way the body fights infection, since, on the one hand, when the temperature rises, metabolism accelerates, so that the immune system works more efficiently, and on the other hand, the spread of viruses and bacteria slows down.
Despite the fact that in widespread practice it is customary to bring down a high temperature in order to alleviate the patient's condition, and pediatricians usually advise lowering a child's temperature if it exceeds 39 degrees, this procedure does not have a therapeutic effect. Therefore, if the baby does not have severe chronic diseases, then it is better to focus not on the thermometer readings, but on the child’s well-being, and, if possible, endure the high temperature for as long as possible. First of all, you need to follow what the child himself wants: if the fever rises quickly, he is shivering, you need to help the baby warm up quickly with warm clothes, blankets and hot drinks. When the temperature reaches a maximum, the chills will pass, and the child's skin will often turn a little red, and sweat may appear on the forehead. At this point, you need to open the baby as much as possible so that it is easier for him to endure the heat. In addition, you can resort to sponging or a warm bath - all this allows you to reduce the temperature by about a degree. It must be remembered that a sharp drug-induced decrease in temperature, as well as a sharp increase usually following it, can provoke fibril convulsions. In addition, with strong temperature changes, the load on the cardiovascular system increases.

Is it possible to bathe a child with a cold?

The recommendation not to wash during illness appeared when there was no hot water in the houses, and people went to baths to wash. Now, if the house has a bath and hot water, bathing is a great way to relieve the condition and reduce the temperature, so you can and should bathe a sick child if he himself does not mind. When bathing a patient, it is important to avoid drafts. The water should be warm, about a degree lower than the child's body temperature, but not higher than 39C. It is necessary to regularly add hot water to the bath so that the child does not freeze. It is especially important to bathe a child if he has vomiting or diarrhea, as this will be an excellent prevention of dehydration.

When can we consider that the child has recovered?

If the child's mood, appetite, temperature and activity are normalized, and there is no discharge, then we can assume that he is healthy.

When can I go out for a walk after a cold?

If the child is cheerful, active and wants to walk, and the weather allows, the first walk can be done 2-3 days after the temperature returns to normal. It is important that the first walk after an illness last no more than 20 minutes. However, the weather must be good. Early walks are highly not recommended if the temperature outside is below -10, blizzard, rain, etc.

When can I return to kindergarten or school after a cold?

It is better to return to the children's team no earlier than a week after the child has recovered, since a newly recovered child is especially sensitive to viruses and can easily get sick again if he returns to the children's team too early.

Colds often occur in childhood, and especially in early childhood. In the first months of life, many children retain the immunity received from the mother. However, they can also be affected even in the neonatal period. Most often, a cold in a child develops as a result of the spread of infectious viruses and a decrease in the body's defenses.

Colds in children.

Colds can lead to serious complications, so it is extremely important to carry out correct and timely treatment. Parents need to know how to treat a child at the first sign of a cold. The common cold often causes epidemic outbreaks in children's groups. The disease can occur throughout the year, but mainly in the cold months (autumn, winter, spring). The role of colds in childhood is extremely high. Together with the attached bacterial flora, they are the main cause and one of the conditions for the formation of chronic respiratory diseases. They also play an important role in the development of chronic tonsillitis(angina).

Common colds include:

• SARS (acute respiratory viral infection).
• ARI (acute respiratory disease).
• Parainfluenza (the disease is caused by a parainfluenza virus, which is very similar to the common flu, but is less variable and does not mutate, so children who have been ill develop strong immunity to it (but it happens that weakened, sickly children can get parainfluenza several times a year).

Causes of a cold in a child. What to do?

The source of infections is a sick person or a virus carrier. The main method of transmission is airborne, which determines the rapid spread of the infection: with adenovirus, enterovirus, infections, in addition, fecal-oral transmission occurs. As a result of oppositely acquired immunity and the wide circulation of various viral varieties ORZ repeated many times over even a short period of life.

Respiratory viruses are often referred to as epidemic outbreaks in children's communities. Diseases can occur throughout the year, but mainly in the cold months (autumn, winter, spring). The role of catarrhal infections in the pathology of childhood is extremely high. In association with the secondary bacterial flora, they are the main cause and one of the conditions for the formation of chronic respiratory diseases; they aggravate the course of other diseases, contribute to their exacerbation and unfavorable course, obviously play a certain role in the formation of chronic tonsillitis.

Arising during preventive vaccinations, they (especially in severe and complicated cases) inhibit the processes of immunity formation and contribute to the development of complications after vaccinations. In a weakened body, they can cause allergic reactions. Respiratory viral infections and pathological processes that develop with their participation occupy an important place among the causes of death in young children.

The first signs of a cold in a child, what to do?

• the incubation period is from 1-5 days.

—first sign of a cold in a child- Nasal congestion, runny nose. With the development of the inflammatory process in the nasopharynx, mucus begins to be actively produced, which disrupts nasal breathing. In such a situation, infants who are not yet able to switch to mouth breathing are especially affected. At the same time, there is a moderate reddening of the throat, more often only the palatine arches. Runny nose tends to be protracted, it can last up to two weeks.

• sneezing, sore throat, drowsiness, lethargy, moodiness.

fever is observed in a child with a cold. Moderate rise in temperature, lasting in uncomplicated cases 2-5 days. Occasionally, after 1-2 days of normalization of temperature, a 2nd temperature wave is observed, usually associated with the addition of a bacterial infection. In some sick children, the disease occurs at a temperature of 37.0-37.5 and even at normal body temperature.

a constant symptom is a persistent cough, which is a manifestation of tracheitis or tracheobronchitis, at the beginning it is dry, and then becomes wet. Occasionally, in young children, bronchitis becomes asthmatic.

typical of the common cold is laryngitis, manifested by a dry, rough cough and mild to moderate hoarseness.

Complication of a cold.

The most common complication in young children is pneumonia, which is usually focal and sometimes severe. the first days of the disease are normal, less often an increased amount leukocytes, (formed elements of the blood, the purpose of these white cells is to provide the body with protection from pathogenic bacteria and foreign proteins. Leukocytes have developed a special sensitivity to them, sometimes a small neutrophilia(this is one of the types of white blood cells that are involved in maintaining human immunity, and plays a key role in the fight against bacterial infections)). ESR(erythrocyte sedimentation rate) - a blood indicator that reflects a sign of an inflammatory process in the blood, which increases during inflammatory processes. Normal or slightly elevated.

How to treat a child at the first sign of a cold.

What to do at the first sign of a cold in a child:

• It is necessary to provide bed rest.
• Plentiful warm drink (tea, compote, fruit drinks). Together with the liquid, viruses and toxins will be washed out.
• Can't shoot down body temperature if it has not reached 38.5 (if the child does not have convulsions, if there is, then we begin to lower the temperature if it has reached 37.5-38.0). An increase in temperature is due to the fact that the body itself fights bacteria and viruses, producing its own interferon protein, which resists infection. The higher the temperature, the more.
  However, if the body temperature has risen to high numbers, it must be reduced:

• Paracetamol: tab. children 6 months (up to 7 kg.) -350 mg - daily dose.
  up to a year (up to 10 kg.) -500 mg. - daily dose.
  Up to 3 years (up to 15 kg.) - 750 mg. - daily dose.
  Up to 6 years (up to 22 kg.) - 1 gr. - daily dose.
  Up to 9 years (up to 30 kg.) - 1.5 gr. - daily dose.
  In the form of a suspension: for children 6-12 years old - 10.0-20.0 (in 5.0-120 mg).
  From 1 year to 6 years - 5 - 10.0;
  From 3 to 12 months -2.5-5.0;
  The dose from 1 to 3 months is individual.
• Substitutes: Ibuprofen, Dolgit.
  Dosage - used after meals, without chewing. With plenty of water, 200 mg per dose, but not more than 4 times / day.
• Antibacterial therapy is not effective for viral diseases.
• With nasal congestion in a child, vasoconstrictor drops are used: nazivin, snoop.
• Before instillation of vasoconstrictor drops, it is necessary to carry out a nasal toilet (washing with saline solutions, Aqualor, Aquamaris, saline solution)
• Take an antiviral drug: Anaferon, Kagocel, Kitovir.
• With a dry cough, drugs are taken that will thin the sputum: mukaltin, tab. cough, licorice root, acc. With the help of coughing, the lungs and bronchi are cleared of mucus. Inhalations with saline are also recommended 2-3 times a day. With an already wet cough, drugs are taken:
  The most popular syrups are gedelix, lazolvan, marshmallow syrup, herbion (contraindicated in infants), prospan (allowed in the first year of life).
• How to treat a child at the first sign of a cold, folk remedies: Decoctions of medicinal herbs can be given to a child to drink (mother and stepmother, linden blossom, sage, chamomile).
  Herbal teas are also effective for children with severe, lingering coughs that occur at night.
• Rubbing children at night if the body temperature is normal. For the procedure, badger fat is used. Bouts of prolonged coughing do not bother children after rubbing. And fats do not cause allergic reactions. And can be used for one year olds.

Prevention of colds in children.

• limit contact with sick people. It is advisable to avoid crowded places.
• hands should be washed frequently.
• after a walk, before and after kindergarten, rinse the nose with saline.
• You can also recommend immunomodulators that reduce the risk of disease even when a child visits a kindergarten and crowded places. These include: Derinat, IRS 19, etc.
• for the purpose of prevention and, it is recommended to take multivitamins according to the age of the child: Complivit, Vitamins, etc.
• hardening.

Colds are common in toddlers and older children. There are many provocative factors: weakened immunity, being in a team (kindergarten, school), poor ecology. Excessive use of drugs, improper lifestyle reduce the body's defenses.

How to treat a cold in children with folk remedies and medications? In the first-aid kit, there should always be effective medicines to relieve negative symptoms and strengthen immunity. Proven traditional medicine recipes are as effective as pills and drops. Write down recipes, study the rules of application.

Main signs and symptoms

Pay attention to the signs of ARI:

• cough;
• runny nose, sneezing;
• fever (in most cases);
• perspiration, sore throat;
• weakness;
• headache;
• whims, irritability;
• diarrhea, urge to vomit (more often at elevated temperature).

A selection of effective treatments

How to proceed:

• at the first symptoms of a cold, put the baby to bed, 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 a suitable remedy;
• call the pediatrician, even if the symptoms do not seem dangerous;
• when treating a cold, follow the recommendations of a doctor, without fanaticism, use homemade recipes, potent drugs with a tendency to allergies.

Basic rules for a speedy recovery of the 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;
• drinking plenty of water (herbal teas, mineral plus boiled water, tea with lemon, mint, raspberries);
• exact implementation of the recommendations of your doctor;
• refusal of self-medication, dubious home remedies;
• limiting contact with relatives, peace, quiet games;
• light food, refusal of sweets, muffins, large pieces, products that irritate the throat;
• taking multivitamins.

Medicines for colds in children

To relieve the symptoms of a cold, use formulations that are suitable for age. An integrated approach, optimal dosage is important.

Medicines for colds

Nasal congestion, accumulation of mucus is 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.

With the accumulation of purulent secretions, use Collargol, Pinosol with an active antimicrobial effect.

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

Cough remedies

• first use folk remedies. Milk with honey, linden tea, saline solution often cure a sore throat, successfully fight unpleasant symptoms;
• use ready-made cough syrups in the minimum dosage;
• there are enough cough medicines for children: Dr. Mom, Alteyka, Geksoral, Gerbion, Bear cub Bo, Prospan and others.

Medicines for high fever

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

Aspirin is prohibited under 12 years of age: the use of these tablets against temperature in young children provokes side effects.

Traditional medicine recipes

Timely treatment of acute respiratory infections with home formulations is often effective. Folk recipes relieve symptoms, strengthen immunity, improve well-being.

Important! Carefully select recipes, take into account chronic diseases (if any), a tendency to allergic reactions. If in doubt about whether a particular prescription is suitable for a child, consult a pediatrician.

Diaphoretic compositions with antipyretic action

It is important to quickly remove toxins from the body, to make the young patient sweat. Plentiful drink with useful "fillers" will help. Natural tea not only cleanses the body. Fees bring down the temperature well without the use of synthetic drugs.

Proven Recipes:

• lime tea. For a glass of boiling water, it is enough to take a teaspoon of lime blossom. In a sealed container, the tea will infuse after 30 minutes. Give a healthy drink after meals three times a day, 100–150 ml, taking into account age. The tool is suitable even for babies;
• chamomile tea. Proportions, method of application are similar to tea from linden flowers. Chamomile is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent with good cleansing properties;
• nettle leaf drink. Prepare a decoction: boil 1 tsp for 5 minutes. dry leaves (water - 250 ml), let it brew for 30-40 minutes. Give a decoction twice a day after eating a third of a glass;
• raspberry tea. Proven antipyretic. Suitable for fresh and dried berries. The proportions are the same as for lime blossom tea. If desired, add a slice of lemon or ½ tsp to the finished drink. honey. The child should drink tea, go to bed, but do not wrap up completely so that the fever does not increase;
• milk plus honey. In the absence of allergic reactions, give a useful remedy. Boil a glass of milk, cool to 40 degrees, put a teaspoon of honey, immediately give a cold child a drink. Let the baby lie under the covers for at least half an hour to sweat well.

Cough recipes for children

Suitable recipes:

• breast collection. Combine equal parts of licorice root, chamomile, coltsfoot, mint, calendula. Select 2 dessert spoons of expectorant collection, pour 500 ml of boiling water, mix, let stand for an hour, filter. Give a breast collection three times a day after meals, taking into account age (50 to 100 ml is enough). After tea drinking, bed rest is mandatory;
• dry cough tea 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 the medicinal tea, cool. Give a warm drink to a small patient 4-5 times throughout the day, two dessert spoons;
• milk with butter and honey. An effective cough remedy for children of all ages. For 250 ml of milk, take ½ tsp. oils and honey. The liquid should be warm (hot milk is not suitable): honey will lose its beneficial properties and will be harmful.

Gargles for redness, itching and sore throat

At 4-5 years old, teach children to rinse their mouth and neck. A simple procedure effectively eliminates problems.

Ingredients for rinsing:

• propolis/eucalyptus tincture. For 200 ml of boiled water, take 1 tsp. healing liquid;
• sea/cooking salt. Prepare a saline solution from 250 ml of warm water, a teaspoon of salt. To fight germs, add 3 drops of iodine;
• herbal decoction. An excellent remedy for rinsing a sore throat is a collection of chamomile, sage, calendula. Per liter of boiling water - a tablespoon of each type of medicinal raw materials. After 40 minutes, filter the infused broth, use up to five to six times throughout the day.

Inhalation for cough and redness of the throat

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

A more modern method is warming up with an inhaler. The device consists of a flask into which hot liquid is poured and a special nozzle. It is convenient for the child to breathe through the nose (for a runny nose) or through the mouth (for coughing). Vapor enters only the respiratory tract 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: a compressor inhaler, a 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 is worth spending money once, and it will be much easier to fight a cold in children.

Prepare compositions for inhalation, based on the tolerance of the baby to various means and products. Avoid propolis if you are allergic to honey.

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 of eucalyptus, orange, mint essential oil;
• crushed pine buds.

Suitable options:

• a decoction of chamomile, coltsfoot, calendula, sage. An excellent effect is given by a collection of two or three types of medicinal raw materials. To herbs, you can add 3 drops of eucalyptus oil or a teaspoon of useful tincture;
• a decoction in which peeled potatoes were boiled. To enhance the effect on half a liter of liquid, you will need 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.

Helpful Recipes for Combating Cold Symptoms

Complement rinses, herbal teas, diaphoretics with other treatments and remedies:

• garlic beads. Peel a couple of heads of garlic, string on a thread, make beads, hang the child around the neck. Phytoncides, essential oils actively fight microbes, accelerate recovery;
• gruel of onion and garlic. Grind a few heads of garlic with a blender, 2 onions, arrange on plates, put 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 the legs

After 2-3 years, carry out the procedure with the initial signs of a cold, severe runny nose. At high temperatures, you can not warm the legs.

How to proceed:

• warm the water well, taking into account the volume of the basin, cool to a temperature pleasant for 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 the legs into the basin, cover with a towel for the duration of the session;
• after 15 minutes, rinse your feet well with clean water, wipe dry, rubbing your feet well, put the cold child under the covers. Complement the procedure with raspberry, linden tea or a milk-honey mixture.

Simple folk remedies

A couple more recipes:

• natural nose drops Squeeze the juice from the fleshy leaf of aloe, combine with honey in equal proportions. Enough for 3 drops for each nostril. The frequency of the procedure - 4 times a day;
• vitamin decoction. To prepare a 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 useful remedy is ready. Strain the decoction, give the children 100 ml instead of tea three times a day. Rosehip infusion strengthens the immune system, saturates the body with vitamin C.

Is the child sneezing or coughing? Does the baby have a reddened throat, a fever? Do not panic, remember the recommendations of pediatricians, ENT doctors and herbalists. Use folk recipes, give an effective antipyretic at high temperatures. Be interested in the methods of treating acute respiratory infections, study materials on the topic “how to treat a cold in children,” and you will certainly help a child with a cold to recover sooner.

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

Colds in children are very common. The immunity of babies is only at the stage of formation, so their body cannot always repel the attack of viral infections. According to medical statistics, children over 6 years old on average catch colds up to 4 times a year, kids under 5 years of age have a cold about 6 times a year. By what signs to determine that the child has caught a cold? How to quickly cure a cold?

General information about the common cold

According to the Great Medical Encyclopedia, a cold means hypothermia of the body or its individual parts, which leads to the development of various diseases. In sources that are not related to medicine, this term refers directly to the disease provoked by the cooling of the body. In the common people, a cold means any infectious disease, in particular:

• flu;
• SARS;
• inflammation of the nasopharynx and larynx;
• simple herpes.

A cold is not directly related to hypothermia, but it often begins after a child has been in a low temperature for a long time. Over 90% of colds are caused by viruses, with the remainder being bacteria and other pathogens. The table contains information about the causative agents of the common cold.

Sources of the disease:

• a person with signs of illness;
• virus carrier;
• bacteria.

A cold is contagious, and a child with a cold in the first few days is especially dangerous, but often this period begins 1-2 days before the onset of symptoms of the disease and lasts an average of 10-14 days. Most often, a cold is transmitted by airborne droplets. At the same time, the contact-household mechanism of infection is not excluded.

It provokes the development of the disease by a decrease in local immunity in the nasopharynx and oropharynx. The risk group includes:

• children under three years of age;
• elderly people over 60;
• persons with chronic diseases;
• patients with immunodeficiency conditions.

Symptoms of a cold in a child

To understand that the child has a cold, you can by the following symptoms:

How are colds treated?

Many parents treat the common cold as a harmless phenomenon, and associate the disease solely with hypothermia. However, ignoring the symptoms of a cold can lead to the need to place the child in a hospital. In severe situations, they resort to the use of resuscitation measures.

If the baby has a cold, it is forbidden to self-medicate. Any drug used must be agreed with the doctor. For flu and colds for children, antipyretic drugs are recommended, as well as cold and cough medicines. The most effective and safe drugs for babies are available in the form of rectal suppositories and syrups. Reasons to see a doctor include:

• early age;
• prolonged hyperthermic syndrome;
• severe headaches;
• rashes on the body;
• barking cough;
• discharge from the nose and sputum that is yellow or green;
• severe pain in the chest during coughing;
• chronic bronchitis or sinusitis;
• the presence of concomitant pathologies (malignant neoplasms, severe kidney and liver diseases);
• pain in the stomach.

It is necessary to treat a cold disease immediately after the first signs appear. Children with moderate and severe forms of the disease are subject to treatment in stationary conditions. With the onset of a cold or flu, as well as a mild illness, babies are treated at home.

Treatment includes:

1. Special daily routine. Until the complete elimination of the hyperthermic syndrome, the child is shown bed rest. During this period, children should not go to kindergarten or school.
2. Medical nutrition. The acceleration of recovery is facilitated by the use of food in the form of heat. It is recommended to exclude fatty, fried, spicy foods from the diet. Strengthening the immune system and removing toxins from the body will help the inclusion in the daily menu of berry and fruit fruit drinks and compotes, rosehip infusion, warm water with lemon and honey.
3. Vitamin therapy. To restore the forces lost during the fight against the disease, it is necessary to give the kids vitamin complexes (Vitrum, Multitabs, Supradin). Their use must be agreed with the pediatrician.
4. Etiotropic treatment. For a cold of viral etiology, antiviral drugs (Tamiflu, Kagocel, Ingavirin, Viferon) and immunomodulators (Arbidol, Oscillococcinum, Aflubin) are indicated (for more details, see the article: Ingavirin for children: instructions for use, indications). To eliminate the symptoms of a cold caused by bacteria, antibiotics (Amoxiclav, Augmentin) and immunostimulants (Amiksin, IRS 19) are used at a certain stage of therapy (we recommend reading: how is Amoxiclav suspension used for children?).
5. pathogenic treatment. It consists in the correction of immunity, the use of desensitizing and anti-inflammatory drugs, bronchodilators. Therapy is carried out, as a rule, in stationary conditions.
6. symptomatic treatment. Based on the elimination of symptoms of the disease.

What medications are prescribed?

If the baby has a cold, the appointment of medicines, especially for infants under one year old, is carried out exclusively by a pediatrician. At the same time, he takes into account not only the age, but also the characteristics of the body of a small patient. In addition, the doctor assesses the severity of the course of the disease and the risk of side effects when using a particular drug.

In the treatment of a cold of bacterial etiology, the use of antibiotics is indispensable. Antibacterial agents in the treatment of children are used with great care. Their intake should be combined with the use of probiotics aimed at restoring the intestinal microflora. In this case, antibiotic therapy is started only a few days after the onset of the first symptoms of the disease.

cold medications

You can cure a runny nose with the help of vasoconstrictor nasal preparations:

1. Nazol Baby (more details in the article: instructions for using Nazol Baby drops for children). For infants under 1 year old, the medicine is instilled 1 drop every 6 hours, for babies 1-6 years old - 1-2 drops twice a day, for school-age children - 3-4 drops 2-3 times a day.
2. Nazivin. In the treatment of newborns and one-year-old infants, a 0.01% solution is used, babies 1-6 years old - 0.025%, children after 6 years old - 0.05%.
3. Tizin Xylo. Spray with caution is used to treat infants under 2 years of age.
4. Isofra. It is injected to children three times a day.
5. Pinosol. It is recommended to use 1-2 drops 3-4 times a day. You can also do compresses. To do this, gauze turunda is soaked with medicine and placed in the nasal passage for a while.

When stopping a runny nose, it should be borne in mind that the period of use of vasoconstrictor nasal drops should not exceed a week. Otherwise, the drugs will stop working, and the nasal mucosa will atrophy. For infants under one and a half years old, it is better to use saline solutions to eliminate the symptoms of a runny nose: Aqua Maris, Aqualor baby, Quicks.

Cough preparations

When choosing a cough medicine, the doctor must take into account its nature. With a productive cough, the child should be given syrup or tablets that promote sputum discharge. In addition, in order to quickly get rid of a cough, babies are prescribed medications aimed at activating the drainage function of the bronchi and enhancing sputum evacuation. To do this, inhalations with a soda solution or the drug "Lazolvan" are used. Such procedures are done twice a day for 15 minutes for 4 days.

In the treatment of cough, centrally acting antitussive drugs are also used in the form of syrup and tablets (Codelac, Terpinkod). For children, these drugs can be used only after consulting a doctor. The table provides information on the most effective drugs used in the treatment of young patients to eliminate cough.

Medications for high fever

It is recommended to give antipyretic drugs to babies only in cases where the body temperature exceeds 38 degrees. Lower marks indicate that the child's body is trying to fight off the infection on its own. When choosing a drug to eliminate hyperthermic syndrome, parents should take into account that the available and popular analgin is contraindicated in children under 12 years of age. Any antipyretic medication should be agreed with the pediatrician.

To reduce body temperature in infants and infants, it is recommended to use rectal suppositories. This dosage form acts gently and quickly. Teenagers can already take pills.

Information on the most effective and safe antipyretic drugs for children's health is presented in the table below.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies will help to cope with a cold in a child. However, they are effective only in the initial stages of the disease and in the absence of any serious complications. Despite the fact that traditional medicine methods are based on the use of natural ingredients, before using them, you must make sure that the child is not allergic to the ingredients included in the recipe. In addition, any of the methods used must be agreed with the pediatrician. Information about the most effective and safe folk remedies for children's health is available in the table.