Welcome as we continue in the series – 100 messages for children to learn and share originally developed by Clare Hanbury of Children For health Organization.
The messages were developed to serve as health education tools for children to learn and share with members of their community on key priority health issues. Additionally, I find the messages quite useful for parents and child caregivers as well – to know the basics on common health conditions, how to prevent them and when to seek medical attention.
Today’s priority area is Coughs and Colds and more serious illnesses. It is one area mums ask the paediatricians loads of questions. Almost every child has cough and catarrh in Nigeria! Please read, learn, teach your children and share the 10 messages on this important topic.
COUGHS, COLDS AND MORE SERIOUS ILLNESSES. Smoke from cooking fires has tiny bits in it that can go into the lungs and cause illness. Avoid smoke by cooking outside or where fresh air comes in and smoke escapes.
- Smoking tobacco makes lungs weak. Breathing smoke from other people smoking is also harmful.
- Everyone gets coughs and colds. Most get better quickly. If a cough or colds last more than 3 weeks, visit a health worker.
- There are types of germs called bacteria and others called viruses. Viruses cause most coughs and colds and cant be killed using medicine.
- Lungs are the part of the body that breathes. Coughs or cold make lungs weak. Pneumonia is a bacteria germ that causes serious illness in weak lungs.
- A sign of pneumonia (a serious illness) is fast breathing. Listen to the breath. Watch the chest going up and down. Other signs are fever, sickness & chest pain.
- Fast breathing is 40–50 or 60 breaths a minute or more (depending on a child’s age). A child breathing FAST must go to a health worker FAST!
- A good diet (and breastfeeding babies) a smoke–free home and immunisation helps prevent serious illness like pneumonia.
- Treat a cough or cold by keeping warm, drinking tasty drinks often (like soup and juice), resting and keeping the nose clean.
- Stop coughs, colds and other illnesses spreading from one to another. Keep hands, eating and drinking utensils clean and cough into paper.Thanks for reading and watch out for the next in the series! If you are just joining, please check out the previous posts on Malaria,Diarrhoea and Nutrition. I am sure you will find them very educative. Let me know your thoughts and questions if you have them – you can always Ask The Paediatricians!
So from this,its unnecessary to give cough syrup to my 2+ year old and 3 month old? The older one must have infected her kid sister. And its been over 5days now
Yes and most will resolve on their own if it is a virus infection. You may want to read more here HANDLING COLD IN CHILDREN!!
Good evening Doc… Since antibiotics is not to be administered..wat do u do to a child with blocked nose Breathing through the mouth, or a child with unproductive cough
You should give lot of fluid and you can drop saline drops in blocked nostrils. Read more about handling cough and cold in children here and to also know when to go to the hospital.
My baby has been coughing for the past two months and each time I go to the hospital they will ask me to continue steaming. I don’t know what to do because he is not improving at all
Kindly take the child to a Teaching Hospital where you can see a Paediatrician for further evaluation and management.
Wow!!!!!! I have learnt a lot from reading this. May God Almighty continue to bless you abundantly. Ameen.
Thank you Lawal and Amen to all your prayers. Keep reading other articles for more information
Please how do u do steaming for a 5 months old baby and won’t d saline drop flow into her nostril into her head
One saline drop into each of the nostrils is what you need to apply only if the baby has blocked nostrils from mucus. It softens the mucus and makes it flow out.
Thank you doctor
My 1 year 4 months old child has cough and cattarh with blocked nose at night,no temperature… should I be worried?
There is no need to worry but you should apply saline drops to the notrils to loosen the blocked nostrils; give the child lot of fluids and vitamin C. If no improvement then see a doctor for further evaluation and treatment.