How many days will it take for a child to recover from a cold?

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on September 17, 2024
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How long it takes for a child to recover from a cold depends on the specific circumstances. If it's just a minor cold, like a common viral cold with symptoms such as a runny nose and sneezing, the symptoms can generally be controlled within about 3 to 5 days. However, if the child's cold symptoms are more severe, including high fever, coughing, and a runny nose, it could take longer, possibly 5 to 7 days or more. This is because some colds can lead to bronchitis or even develop into pneumonia. It is difficult to specify an exact duration in such cases. For instance, bronchitis generally requires about 5 to 7 days of treatment to control the symptoms. If pneumonia is involved, the recovery might take even longer, around 7 to 10 days or up to 2 weeks. Therefore, an assessment based on the child's specific condition is needed to estimate how long it might take to recover. A typical mild cold can usually have its symptoms controlled within about 3 to 5 days.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
1min 18sec home-news-image

Why do children have stomachaches when they catch a cold?

Colds are usually caused by viral infections, and may be accompanied by swelling of the lymph nodes. Abdominal pain caused by colds in children is often considered to be mesenteric lymphadenitis. This means that the virus causing the cold leads to the swelling of the lymph nodes around the intestines, which in turn can cause abdominal pain. There are generally two ways to alleviate this condition. One is to use oral pain relief medications, where children typically use traditional Chinese medicine orally, and do not take Western medicine, such as Yuanhu Zhitong Drops. Another method is to apply heat. At the same time, it is essential to ensure that the gastrointestinal tract is functioning well during a cold. Gastrointestinal dysfunction during a cold can also cause abdominal pain. Therefore, the diet should consist of warm, liquid, and easily digestible foods. (Note: The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
1min 4sec home-news-image

How many days will it take for a child to recover from a cold?

How long it takes for a child to recover from a cold depends on the specific circumstances. If it's just a minor cold, like a common viral cold with symptoms such as a runny nose and sneezing, the symptoms can generally be controlled within about 3 to 5 days. However, if the child's cold symptoms are more severe, including high fever, coughing, and a runny nose, it could take longer, possibly 5 to 7 days or more. This is because some colds can lead to bronchitis or even develop into pneumonia. It is difficult to specify an exact duration in such cases. For instance, bronchitis generally requires about 5 to 7 days of treatment to control the symptoms. If pneumonia is involved, the recovery might take even longer, around 7 to 10 days or up to 2 weeks. Therefore, an assessment based on the child's specific condition is needed to estimate how long it might take to recover. A typical mild cold can usually have its symptoms controlled within about 3 to 5 days.

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Written by Dong Xian Yan
Pediatrics
43sec home-news-image

Why do children with colds have a lot of eye discharge?

Increased eye discharge in children with colds is primarily due to congestion and swelling of the nasal mucosa during a cold, which blocks the nasolacrimal duct. At the same time, pathogenic microorganisms from the nasal cavity can enter the eyes through the nasolacrimal duct, causing conjunctivitis, which leads to increased eye discharge. Therefore, when a child shows symptoms of a cold, it is important to maintain cleanliness and hygiene of the eyes. If nasal congestion is severe, medication should be administered under the guidance of a doctor to reduce the chance of developing conjunctivitis. If there is excessive eye discharge, eye drops can be used locally to alleviate the symptoms.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
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Is it good for children to take a bath when they have a cold?

When a child has a cold and the symptoms are mild, the child is in good condition, not experiencing high fever, and has no shivering, then it is acceptable for the child to take a bath. Bathing poses no problem and can even help reduce mild fever. However, if the child has a high fever, shivering, physical weakness, discomfort, or symptoms such as rashes, it is advisable not to bathe the child. Bathing a child who is shivering can sometimes lead to higher fevers, convulsions, or seizures. Therefore, whether or not a child can bathe should be determined based on their specific condition.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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Will children with colds have recurrent low-grade fever?

Children with a cold may experience recurrent low fevers. In children, colds are generally caused by viral infections, such as rhinoviruses, common coronaviruses, etc. The symptoms include fever, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, etc., and the duration of the illness is mostly three to five days, usually not exceeding a week. Therefore, during the course of the illness, the symptoms of a cold may recur. During the illness, fever-reducing measures are taken, such as physical cooling and medication. However, after the fever subsides, it may recur, which is a normal phenomenon.