Which department should a child visit for a cold?

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on September 06, 2024
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If a child has a cold and is being seen at a general hospital, it is advisable to visit the pediatrics department. However, if the child has a persistent high fever and the condition is urgent, a visit to the pediatric emergency department is recommended. If it's a children's specialty hospital, it would be advisable to visit the pediatric respiratory department, the emergency department, or the fever clinic. Generally, colds are caused by viral infections, though some are caused by bacterial infections. Most fevers can last from three to five days. Therefore, we should not be too hasty and should focus on symptomatic treatment.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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What to do if a child catches a cold and loses appetite?

When children catch a cold, bacteria or viruses may invade the gastrointestinal tract, affecting its function and causing a loss of appetite. Therefore, when children show symptoms of a cold, in addition to fever, runny nose, and cough, they may also experience poor appetite, abdominal pain, bloating, and even vomiting and diarrhea. When a child has a loss of appetite due to a cold, in addition to treating the symptoms with cold medicine, we can also provide a light diet, encourage more water intake, and give easily digestible, vitamin-rich foods. Additionally, administering Chinese herbal medicine to strengthen the spleen and stomach can be beneficial.

doctor image
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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
38sec home-news-image

Which department should a child visit for a cold?

If a child has a cold and is being seen at a general hospital, it is advisable to visit the pediatrics department. However, if the child has a persistent high fever and the condition is urgent, a visit to the pediatric emergency department is recommended. If it's a children's specialty hospital, it would be advisable to visit the pediatric respiratory department, the emergency department, or the fever clinic. Generally, colds are caused by viral infections, though some are caused by bacterial infections. Most fevers can last from three to five days. Therefore, we should not be too hasty and should focus on symptomatic treatment.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
53sec home-news-image

Why does a child's cold not get better?

Children often have persistent colds, which in many cases are related to improper care by parents, as well as poor immune function in the children themselves. Parents fail to adjust their children's clothing based on environmental changes in a timely manner, leading to frequent colds and recurrent colds. Secondly, due to poor immune function in children, they may constantly suffer from colds. Traditional Chinese medicine methods such as massage can be used to enhance children's immunity. In daily life, appropriate increases in outdoor sports activities can also help boost immunity. Additionally, administering oral medications that enhance immune function can improve the child's own immunity, thus avoiding the persistent occurrence of colds and preventing the onset of colds.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What should I do if a child has a cold with a persistent high fever?

For a minor cold accompanied by persistent high fever, firstly, it is essential to monitor body temperature. If the fever continues, the initial step should be to reduce the fever, which can be done by taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen orally every 4 to 6 hours as required. Additionally, physical cooling methods such as tepid sponge baths, warm baths, and drinking warm water can also be used. If the fever persists or recurs, it's crucial to visit a hospital for routine blood tests and C-reactive protein assessments to evaluate the condition and determine whether it is caused by a bacterial or viral infection. If a bacterial infection is suspected, sensitive antibiotics should be used to treat the infection. If a viral infection is considered to be the cause of the ongoing fever, treatment should primarily focus on fever reduction. Attention should also be paid to mental responses and changes in body temperature.

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Written by Mo Ming Hua
Pediatrics
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What is the matter with children feeling unwell in the stomach when they have a cold?

In Chinese medicine, common colds in children are categorized as cold-induced, heat-induced, damp-heat, and epidemic colds. Within the context of colds, complications often arise in three forms: phlegm retention, food retention, and particularly startle retention. Colds in children that result in difficulty with food retention are caused by damage due to food retention. This is because children inherently have a weak spleen that cannot hold substances well; they lack self-restraint in eating and drinking. After being affected by external pathogenic factors, the spleen fails to transport and transform food effectively, leading to stagnation in the middle burner, impeding the flow of vital energy, and causing symptoms such as abdominal distension, pain, loss of appetite, and even vomiting.