What foods are good for children with a cold?

Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
Updated on October 29, 2024
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Children's colds are acute upper respiratory infections, and children can have rhinitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, etc. Most are caused by viral infections and are self-limiting. Therefore, during a cold, it is important to ensure that the child drinks plenty of water, rests a lot, eats more green vegetables, and supplements some vitamins.

The diet should be light and easy to digest, avoiding heavy meals with large fish and meat, as well as snacks, sweets, and even puffed food. It is very helpful for the recovery from a cold to eat more fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin C. Also, drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of rest are very important.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Do children with colds need to take cephalosporins?

Common colds in children are generally divided into bacterial colds and viral colds, with the majority being viral colds. For viral colds, it is mainly important to monitor body temperature and mental state, among other conditions. If there is a high fever, fever-reducing measures should be taken, and some antipyretic and detoxifying medications may be administered. If a bacterial cold is considered, such as acute tonsillitis caused by streptococcal infection, the use of sensitive antibiotics, such as cefaclor or cefixime, should be added to the treatment. Therefore, not all colds require cefaclor, but if the upper respiratory infection is caused by bacterial infection, cefaclor-type medications are needed for treatment. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What to do for quick relief of nasal congestion in children with a cold?

A minor cold with nasal congestion is likely caused by a viral infection leading to swelling of the nasal mucosa, and thus, blocking the nasal passages. For quick relief, we can initially take oral medications such as children's acetaminophen-diphenhydramine granules, etc., which can promote the contraction of the nasal mucosa. Additionally, antiviral oral solutions can be taken for antiviral treatment. Locally, a 3% sodium chloride solution can be used for nasal drops to promote the contraction of the nasal mucosa, or physiological seawater nasal drops can also be used for the same purpose. Furthermore, physiological saline can be used to wash the nasal cavity, and then a nasal aspirator can be used to clean the secretions inside the nasal cavity, which also helps to clear the nasal passages.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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How to treat children's colds, coughs, and phlegm

When children catch a cold and cough with phlegm, the first consideration should be whether there is bronchitis. If the cough is severe, expectorant and cough suppressing medications can be administered orally, such as traditional Chinese medicine or Western medicine, for example, ambroxol. Additionally, bronchitis might be accompanied by a bacterial infection, in which case anti-inflammatory drugs like cephalosporins or penicillin can be prescribed. Nebulizer treatment can also be used, which helps in thinning the mucus and suppressing cough. Furthermore, it might be necessary to conduct a routine blood test to assess the child's condition.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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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 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.