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Pediatric common cold
How can children quickly sweat out a cold?
When children catch a cold, they often experience symptoms such as fever, runny nose, sore throat, and coughing. At this time, inducing the child to sweat can be beneficial for their recovery from the cold. We can encourage the child to drink more warm water to promote sweating quickly. Additionally, increasing the child's physical activity, such as walking, running, and jumping, can also facilitate sweating. Giving the child a warm bath can promote blood circulation in the extremities and encourage sweating as well. If the child’s cold symptoms include a fever and the body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, we can administer antipyretic medication to reduce the fever.
Symptoms of a cold in children
Children's colds, also known as acute upper respiratory infections, are acute inflammations of the upper respiratory tract caused by various pathogens. The primary symptoms of a child's cold are systemic symptoms, including fever, headache, general discomfort, and lack of energy. Some children may also experience a lack of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms, and even some children may have episodic pain around the navel without tenderness, possibly due to intestinal spasms caused by the cold. If there is persistent abdominal pain, it is necessary to consider whether the child has developed acute mesenteric lymphadenitis. Additionally, there are local symptoms, mainly characterized by nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and cough, which is mostly dry. There is also throat discomfort and sore throat.
What to do if a child has a cold with external cold and internal heat?
The main symptoms of external cold in children with a cold include sneezing, clear nasal discharge, nasal congestion, chills, and no sweating. Symptoms of internal heat include a red face, thirst, dry stools, and yellow-red urine. These are the symptoms of external cold and internal heat. Currently, the treatment mainly involves Chinese medicine, using Chinese herbs that disperse cold and clear heat, primarily combining herbs that dispel exterior cold with those that clear internal heat. Commonly used herbs for dispelling exterior cold include Jing Fang Bai Du San, supplemented with herbs like gypsum and astragalus for treatment. (Please follow medical advice for specific medications.)
How to treat a cold in children?
Child cold, also known as acute upper respiratory tract infection, is a common disease in children, mainly manifested in inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, nasopharynx, and throat. It can lead to acute manifestations of rhinitis, pharyngitis, and tonsillitis in children. The treatment of a child's cold begins with general measures such as ensuring the child rests, drinks plenty of water, and avoids contact with others who have a cold to prevent complications. Symptomatic treatment is also important. For example, antipyretic analgesics can be used when a child has a high fever. If the high fever is accompanied by febrile convulsions, sedatives may be needed to control the convulsions. If nasal congestion is particularly severe, topical medications can be used to reduce congestion. For severe throat pain, throat sprays may be used. Etiological treatment is also necessary, as most colds are caused by a viral infection, so antiviral medications can be used. If the cold is severe and there is a secondary bacterial infection, antibiotics should be used under the guidance of a hospital doctor. If the child has a viral conjunctivitis along with a cold, antiviral eye drops can be used.
Can children with a cold drink milk?
Children can drink some milk when they have a cold, but be sure to only give it in moderate amounts. After catching a cold, a child's respiratory tract may show signs of congestion and swelling among other inflammatory symptoms. Milk is rich in nutrients, including a large amount of protein which can help enhance the child's immune resistance, so it's appropriate to drink some in moderation. However, care must be taken not to drink too much because the digestive system of a child with a cold can be quite fragile. Drinking too much can easily overburden the gastrointestinal tract, affecting the child's digestion and absorption. During a cold, it is advisable to provide the child with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits and to encourage them to drink plenty of warm water.
How can a child recover quickly from a cold?
Children's colds are mostly viral infections, and viral infections can heal themselves. Therefore, when a child catches a cold, we should first let the child rest plenty, drink lots of water, and ensure they get enough sleep. If the child has noticeable cold symptoms, you can give them cold granules for symptomatic treatment of the cold. Also, maintain indoor air humidity, and keep the home temperature appropriate, generally between 18-23℃, with about 60% humidity. Under these conditions, a child's cold can recover quickly. Do not let children in contact with adults who have a cold during their cold period, do not let children play outside, and certainly do not allow children to engage in strenuous activities. (Please follow your doctor's medical advice regarding medicines.)
Treatment of Gastrointestinal Type Cold in Children
Gastrointestinal type of cold in children is primarily characterized by symptoms of a common cold, such as sneezing, runny nose, and fever. The gastrointestinal symptoms usually include nausea and vomiting, with or without diarrhea. Some children may also experience abdominal distension and crying among other symptoms. The treatment principle for the gastrointestinal type of cold involves treating the symptoms of the cold, which can include taking oral medication for colds. If it is caused by a viral infection, antiviral medication may be used to treat the symptoms. For mild nausea and vomiting, controlling the diet and consuming light, liquid foods may suffice. More severe cases may require intravenous fluids and rehydration or the use of antiemetic drugs for further treatment. If abdominal pain and bloating occur, it is necessary to facilitate gastrointestinal passage, such as by encouraging bowel movements, applying heat to the abdomen, or gently rubbing the abdomen in a clockwise direction, etc. (The use of medication should be carried out under the guidance of a healthcare professional.)
Can children with a cold drink mung bean soup?
If a child catches a cold, it is okay to drink some mung bean soup. The common cold is a fairly common illness in children and is generally a viral infection that tends to resolve on its own. After a child catches a cold, it is important to pay attention to a reasonable diet and auxiliary cold medicine can also be used. Mung bean soup has the effects of clearing heat, eliminating fire, and detoxifying, and it can also improve the metabolic state within the body, which is beneficial for recovering from a cold. Therefore, it is suitable to give children some mung bean soup when they have a cold.
Can a cold in children cause encephalitis?
Colds in children can potentially lead to encephalitis, and are generally referred to as upper respiratory tract infections in children. The pathogens can be bacteria, viruses, etc., typically manifesting as fever, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and more. Sometimes, gastroenteric colds can also manifest as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc. Because children have relatively lower immunity, if the infecting pathogen is highly toxic and aggressive, it can potentially cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain tissue, causing encephalitis. When encephalitis occurs in children, symptoms such as fever, seizures, and coma can appear, and neurological signs may be observed upon examination.
Is it good for children to sweat while sleeping when they have a cold?
If a child sweats while sleeping during a cold, it is generally not a cause for concern. First, children usually do not have a fever when they sweat during sleep at night. Therefore, when there is a fever, sweating usually does not occur. Parents only need to pay attention to promptly changing sweat-dampened clothes and avoiding getting chilled after sweating. The second situation of sweating during a cold in children may indicate that the body has become relatively weak, or that the cold has led to phenomena such as calcium deficiency or an exacerbation of insufficient vitamin D in daily life. In such cases, where night sweating occurs, parents should promptly provide appropriate supplements of trace elements like calcium and vitamin D based on the child’s symptoms. They should also ensure a balanced and reasonable diet and sufficient sleep to aid the recovery from the illness.