How do parents deal with cold in children?
What causes cold in children and how long does it last?
A cold is a mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract – that is nose, throat and sinuses. It is usually caused by viruses, and there are many types of such viruses. Most colds will resolve spontaneously within few days, and at most two weeks.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms include, blocked or running nose, popularly called catarrh, cough, sneezing and sore throat. There may also be low-grade fever, as well as headaches, feeling of fullness of the head and muscle aches, especially in older children
What can parents do to help ease cold?
Most colds will resolve spontaneously on their own. However, the symptoms can be eased by giving children lot of fluids and keeping them warm. Simple over-the counter medications, such as paracetamol can be given to ease the discomfort, as well.
Will antibiotic help a child’s cold?
No! Antibiotics should never be taken for colds because as stated earlier, most are caused by viruses and do not require any antibiotics. That will be antibiotics abuse.
Is it good to give a child cough syrup, if it lingers?
No! For children, especially infants and children below two years, paediatricians do not encourage the use of cough syrups. This is because it can mask the symptoms of severe chest infection, such as pneumonia or cause the parents to delay in seeking appropriate life-saving treatment early.
When should a parent take a child to the doctor?
If a child’s colds, especially if associated with a cough, is not resolving or getting better or perhaps getting worse with other symptoms, such as fast or difficulty with breathing, that child should be seen by a doctor to examine the possibility of pneumonia. Cough syrup also tends to depress respiration in children (most make the children drowsy) and others have serious side effects.
So, the parents should take the child to the hospital, if the child is not getting better after two weeks, fever is high (39C and above), the child is breathing too fast or the child has any form of difficulty with breathing.
What is the best treatment for the cold?
There is no specific definitive or curative treatment for most colds. They resolve on their own after running their course. However, symptomatic relief treatment includes rest, drinking of a lot of fluids, keeping warm and use of paracetamol for fever.
What measures should parents take to avoid spreading of cold to other family members?
Measures that can help, include keeping sick children at home away from school or play groups; regular hand-washing with soap and water, sneezing into a handkerchief and all other hygiene measures, such as immediate disposal of used tissues can help reduce, but not totally eliminate transmission to other family members, who should avoid sharing of towels and other household items with those who have cold.
Thanks for this. But keeping warm in this HOT weather is quite difficult.
You do not need to keep warm when the weather is hot as the baby is already warm
Good day Doctors in the house and thanks for the great work. Just come from work this bite, found out my baby of three years old was snoring high (I mean, he using his mouth open and neck up and breathing was fast) have use hot water and robb , just to manage till tomorrow morning before going to hospital but is not working at all and my area is not where you can go out in the nite, am scared pls any advice
Please see an ENT surgeon as soon as you can
My son of 3 months has been having catarrh for over a month now, I took him to the doctor and I was prescribed vitamin C, which I did but he’s still having it, is not that the nose is blocked, but breathing as if there’s mucus in his nose, although I use to do hot water stemming for him anytime am bathing him in the morning. Is there any other thing I can do? Is really giving me concern
Thank you for the great works. God bless you.
You need to take the child to the hospital to see a Paediatrician because one month is a long time for just colds.
Good day Doctors in the house and thanks for the great work. Just come from work this bite, found out my baby of three years old was snoring high (I mean, he using his mouth open and neck up and breathing was fast) have use hot water and robb , just to manage till tomorrow morning before going to hospital but is not working at all and my area is not where you can go out in the nite, am scared pls any advice
You should monitor and take him to see an ENT surgeon immediately as it may be he has a enlarged adenoids blocking his airway. For urgent questions, kindly post on our Facebook group Ask The Paediatricians
Wonderful teaching, God bless u ma
Very educative
Thank you Jennifer for reading
Thanks alot for the information you gave about the child’s cold.
Ann, you are welcome
Mummy u are truly a mother thank you very much may God Almighty reward u abundantly. I like words to appreciate u ,u really save souls many more yrs and grace in Jesus name amen.
Amen Joy! Thank you so much for your kind words and prayers
Good Afternoon doctor,
My baby is 2 years old, she has cold which I have been treating,whenever she coughs , she vomits the food ,she has just eaten, please what i can do?
Hi Abiodun!
At this point you should take her to see a doctor. I am not sure how you have been “treating” the cold. Coupled with the vomiting, there is need for proper evaluation by a doctor. All the best
Good day doc,y baby of 5wks+ is having stuffy mose at night and recently developed cough( coughs sparingly) please do I need to worr
Secondly, he will be due for his 6wks immunization on the 9th of July,can he take his immunization while coighing?
Hi Joy.
1. Keep your baby warm and breastfeed exclusively. Ensure baby is not exposed to smoke or people with respiratory infections. Make sure your room is well-ventilated as well. If the child has fever or the cough gets worse then see a doctor immediately.
2. The cough is not a contraindication to immunization; your baby can take the immunization.
Gud evening doc. Is Normal for a baby’s poop to be colour gray mixed with yellow?
No…. The grey is unusual unless the child is on medications. If the stools are grey persistently, kindly see a doctor for further evaluation and management.
Thank u for ur response, but what about yellow poo(as in Mtn yellow), I hope is normal, my baby is only on ebf.
There is nothing wrong with yellow stools.
Good evening MA, please my baby of 11weeks + is having cough, catarrh and hoarse voice whenever he cries or plays for about 4days now. what do I do
You need to take the baby to the hospital in view of the severity affecting the baby’s voice.
I deeply want to appreciate the good work you are doing ma,you are a blessing to this generation and beyond.
Thank you Faith
good morning Doc. does the routine immunization cover vaccine for chicken pox in Nigeria?
No! Unfortunately you have to pay for it by yourself. Read more about immunizations here CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (2)
Hello doc, my baby is 3months plus on EBF but is having catarrh. How can this be managed
Most catarrh in babies are due to viral infections which often resolve on their own without need for any medications so just keep breastfeeding exclusively. Read more about handling colds in children here HANDLING COLD IN CHILDREN!!!
Thank you very much for this, may God bless you all.
You are welcome Hauwau
Thanks doctor am blessed
Great to hear…Keep reading and keep learning!
Good morning ma,thanks for the good works you do to save lives. May God bless u abundantly.
My 3 months baby has catahrr and stuffy nose although not accompanied with cough. I was told not to give any medication bcos he is on exclusive. Pls what can I do to ease the pain bcos he cries so badly
Most cold and coughs in babies are viral and do not require any medications. Simply keep warm and continue to breastfeed exclusively. If the nostrils are blocked by mucus; you can apply saline drops to make the mucus flow out readily. Also ensure that you keep the baby away from other family members with colds. Read the article above for more details.
May Jehovah God keep keeping you Doc.pls my baby of 4months is pooing a green poo and was given a baby ampiclox and some other medications which she used and the poo turned to yellow within the 5days she was ask to take the medications.But now when she poo the normal yellow poo after sometimes it changes colour to a slight green.Pls ma what am I suppose to do ?i do keep her safe but these days she dips her whole fingers a lot in her mouth.
Also ma,for the past 3days now she has cough and cattarh and she has been given oral suspension and Neofylyn and it seems not to be working pls ma what can I do.Shes on EBF
Greenish poo is usually due to inadequate feeding? I encourage you to breastfeed your baby frequently and on demand. All these medications are unnecessary.
Thanks it’s so nice & good
Thank you.
Hello doc. My baby is 3 months has been coughing for 4wks. She is on ebf and breastfeeds well. Should I worry abt the cough although it’s sparingly
Yes…4 weeks is a long time. Please take the child to the hospital for proper evaluation and management.