How to take care of a child with a cold

Written by Feng Hai Tao
Pediatrics
Updated on September 06, 2024
00:00
00:00

How to take care of a child during a cold?

First, it is essential to ensure that the child rests in bed. Provide the child with plentiful water, offering small amounts frequently. If the child does not want to drink water, you can appropriately add some juice or glucose water. Also, monitor the temperature changes, generally measuring the temperature under the armpit.

Second, it is crucial to keep windows open for ventilation at home, avoiding too cold or too hot environments, as neither is conducive to the child’s recovery from illness.

Third, based on the changes in temperature, adjust the child’s clothing accordingly but avoid dressing the child too warmly or covering too thickly, as this can hinder heat dissipation. This is not only detrimental to the child’s recovery but can also exacerbate the illness and potentially lead to heat rash.

Fourth, if the child sweats excessively, be sure to wipe the sweat timely and change their clothes.

Fifth, in terms of diet, adopt a strategy of small, frequent meals that are light and easy to digest. The child should avoid eating fish, shrimp, spicy, and other stimulating foods. If the child has poor appetite or indigestion, do not force-feed them. Instead, frequently massage their abdomen, and if necessary, administer oral medication to aid digestion.

Sixth, ensure adequate caloric intake and that the child urinates frequently and has regular bowel movements.

Seventh, actively apply symptomatic treatment for the child and avoid the misuse of antibiotics. If the temperature persists for more than three days or if the condition worsens, it is imperative to visit the hospital promptly to avoid delaying the child's condition.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
37sec home-news-image

How to control some signs of a cold?

To control early signs of a cold, first and foremost pay attention to adjusting your lifestyle and diet. Avoid staying up late and overworking, opt for bland, soft, and easily digestible foods, abstain from smoking and alcohol, and avoid eating meat. Consume more fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, ensure sufficient and good quality sleep, and drink more ginger sugar water or scallion white broth. These can warm the body and disperse cold, aiding in the recovery from a cold. Additionally, measure your temperature twice daily to check for any signs of fever, and treat the symptoms accordingly.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
1min 21sec home-news-image

What to eat during a cold in the lactation period?

If you have symptoms of a cold during the breastfeeding period, it is important to distinguish between different types. Colds can be categorized into types such as wind-heat cold and wind-cold cold. For wind-heat colds, symptoms usually include sore throat, pain, or dry and itchy throat. In such cases, it is advisable to take some medicine that clears heat and detoxifies, or medicine that provides cooling relief from exterior symptoms. You can also drink some herbal teas to alleviate the symptoms. When taking medicine, it is crucial to do so under the guidance of a doctor and to use medicine that specifically addresses your symptoms. This is especially important during the breastfeeding period, as indiscriminate use of medicine could potentially impact the baby's growth and development. For wind-cold colds, it is suggested to take some heat-clearing granules to treat and alleviate symptoms. It's also important to keep warm, avoid exposure to cold and drafts, and you might drink some brown sugar ginger tea to eliminate inner cold and alleviate symptoms. Additionally, soaking your feet in warm water at night can promote blood circulation and relieve fatigue from the day.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
57sec home-news-image

What water should be boiled for drinking when having a cold with heat symptoms?

Heat colds are one of the very common types of colds seen clinically, often occurring in the hot summer months. Typically, patients with this type of cold exhibit symptoms such as fever, headache, and dizziness. During a fever, they may also experience varying degrees of chills. Additionally, they may suffer from sore throat and cough, often producing yellow sputum. For patients with this type of heat cold, it is generally recommended to drink plenty of plain water. They can also appropriately consume beverages like rock sugar pear water, as well as drinks made from fat sea and honeysuckle. If the patient exhibits different degrees of cough and yellow sputum, drinking monk fruit water could also be beneficial. These can help alleviate some of the patient's clinical discomforts. Overall, it is advisable for patients with a heat cold to drink more plain water, as this tends to be more beneficial.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xia Min
Traditional Chinese Medicine
29sec home-news-image

Is wind-cold cold a viral cold?

Cold-induced common cold usually has milder symptoms without significant widespread characteristics. Viral colds are different; they are more severe, have a rapid onset, clear systemic symptoms, are more likely to lead to complications or conditions like pneumonia, and have broad infectivity and epidemic potential. Thus, cold-induced common colds and viral colds are not the same; they are distinct.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Lin Zhong
Pediatrics
59sec home-news-image

How to treat a baby's cold fever

Children's heat colds generally occur in the summer when the weather is hot, and the following methods can be used to manage it: First, give the child an appropriate amount of warm water to drink. When a child catches a cold, they will consume too much water from their body. At this time, replenishing water can improve the child's symptoms. Second, take some antipyretic and heat-clearing drugs. These drugs are effective in alleviating symptoms such as fever, nasal congestion, and cough caused by heat colds. Third, if the child develops throat inflammation, nasal congestion, and yellow nasal discharge after catching a cold, this might be a bacterial infection. Cephalosporin antibiotics can be used, but it is best to take the child to the hospital for tests like a complete blood count and other examinations. Only after confirming the indications for antibiotic use should antibiotic treatment be administered.