Treatment of colds in children: folk advice and recommendations from a pediatrician. How to quickly cure a cold in a child, what to give at the first signs of illness: medicines and folk remedies A child is sick, what to treat

Colds are one of the most common diseases. Many children get sick several times a year, often feel very bad and do not attend educational institutions. However, during illness, children develop immunity, making it easier for them to tolerate similar conditions in the future. It is important to choose the right therapy in order to get rid of the disease as quickly as possible and prevent complications.

Characteristic signs of a cold

Colds usually start abruptly. The child wakes up with a runny nose, sneezes, and sometimes has a fever. The baby may be irritable and complain about headache, over time, a cough develops, the mucus from the nose becomes denser and darker. The main signs of acute respiratory infections also include:

• in most cases – increased body temperature;
• weakness;
• sore throat and painful sensations when swallowing;
• irritability;
• sometimes - vomiting and diarrhea.

U one year old child Other symptoms may be added:

• significant loss of appetite;
• tearing and redness of the eyes;
• fast fatiguability.

If a child has a cold, he or she will have a temperature above 38°C for about three days. Most often, unpleasant symptoms in the form of swelling of the nose, vomiting, and headache appear when the thermometer readings begin to decrease. The disease almost always begins with rare clear snot and cough.

What symptoms are most dangerous for a child?

Parents should definitely know the symptoms of a cold, which require immediate medical attention. In babies up to one year old danger signs are:

• strong cry;
• cold sweat;
• sudden lethargy;
• a sharp decrease in body temperature;
• rashes (pimples and spots that do not change color when pressed are especially dangerous).

Signs of complications in older children may include persistent loose stool and frequent vomiting. In this case, the child needs to be given a solution containing a small amount of soda, salt and sugar to restore water balance. The following manifestations are also considered dangerous:

• fainting;
• forgetfulness and inappropriate behavior;
• sudden hoarseness of voice;
• breathing problems;
• swelling in the head and neck area;
• sharp pain in the abdomen.

Dangerous symptoms are rare. They talk about a threat not only to the health, but also to the life of the child. Hospitalization is the only way to provide the necessary help.

It is also important to distinguish a common cold from the flu:

1. with a cold, a runny nose and cough, discomfort in the throat first appear, and only after 1-2 days the thermometer rises to 38°C (usually no more);
2. the flu begins abruptly and immediately with a high temperature - the child suddenly begins to shiver, coughs, and the temperature rises to 40°C.

Treatment with medications

Nasal rinsing preparations have a good effect, they allow you to clear the nasal passages of secretions and mechanically remove pathogenic microorganisms. Funds based sea ​​water non-addictive and non-harmful:

• Morenasal;
• Fluimarin;
• No-salt;
• saline sodium chloride solution;
• Aquamaris.

If, nevertheless, it was not possible to avoid the disease, and the child’s cold is actively developing, it is necessary to resort to the use of more strong drugs. It is worth following certain recommendations in treatment:

1. For children under 3 years of age, it is better to give the medication in the form of syrup and drops; it is recommended to reduce the temperature with rectal suppositories.
2. Children from 4-5 years old can be taught to gargle using herbal decoctions. Children can easily swallow capsules and tablets and can dissolve lozenges, so the list of medications is expanding significantly.

The following drugs are often used in therapy:

Drug name	Action	Features of application
Genferon, Derinat	Antiviral agents.	Effective on early stages diseases
Nasal drops Collargol, Pinosol	Used for congestion purulent discharge, have an antimicrobial effect	It is not advisable to use longer than 7 days - they are addictive
Doctor Mom, Hexoral, Herbion, Alteyka, Bo the Bear	Ready-made pharmaceutical syrups from different types cough	It is advisable to use it in a minimal dosage. The drugs simultaneously have a mucolytic, antitussive and anti-inflammatory effect
ACC, Ambroxol, Bromhexine (we recommend reading:)	Used for wet coughs	They do not suppress the cough reflex and act effectively by diluting sputum.
Efferalgan, Paracetamol, Nurofen, Ibufen, Ibuprofen, Panadol syrup (we recommend reading:)	Reduce temperature	It is recommended to lower the temperature above 38°C
Chlorophyllipt, Lugol	Used to destroy bacteria, relieve inflammation and cleanse mucous membranes	It is necessary to treat the mucous membrane of the throat
Isofra, Polydexa	Antibiotics	Very rarely prescribed
Anaferon, Viferon	Strengthening the immune system	It is better to use after consultation with a specialist

It is worth remembering that as long as the child feels normal, there is no need to rush into pills or syrups - the body will cope with the disease itself. Some features of the use of drugs:

1. It is better to crush tablets that have a bitter taste to powder and mix with jam and honey.
2. When using syrups, it is not advisable to drink water or eat within 20 minutes after administration.
3. Aspirin should not be used as an antipyretic for children under 12 years of age. Tablets can cause severe side effects.

Treatment with folk remedies

If a child has a cold, most parents treat the baby’s condition as inevitable and hope that he will recover in 7-10 days. However, the disease can be cured at the initial stage, quickly, without pills and other medications. Recipes traditional medicine can also be used at an advanced stage of the disease as an additional therapy.

At the first signs of a cold, when the body begins to be overcome by microbes, you need to use products that help quickly remove toxins. Fruit drinks made from berries are ideal for this purpose. To replenish vitamin C, children can be given sea buckthorn and rosehip teas, and also add parsley, oranges, and kiwi to their food.

Tea with raspberry jam loading dose able to “stifle” the initial manifestations of a cold

You can cure a cold in 1 day:

1. At the first symptoms, take inhalation hot water with the addition of salt/soda (1 tsp per glass of water). Rinse your nose and gargle with the same solution.
2. Make a foot bath for 10-15 minutes with mustard, gradually increase the water temperature to 40 degrees.
3. Drink a cup of tea with raspberry jam, linden blossom infusion. Lie in bed, wrap yourself up, breathe hard and sweat for half an hour. Free your head from the blanket, wrap it in a towel and sleep until the morning.

Runny nose

What should parents do if their baby suffers from a runny nose? There are several effective ways to combat nasal discharge:

1. Make steam inhalation - add 3-4 drops of menthol or eucalyptus essential oil to boiling water. Bend over the bowl and cover with a towel, breathe for 15 minutes. Adding dry cinnamon to the water will help you sweat, and cayenne pepper will improve blood circulation and relieve nasal swelling.
2. Steam your feet before going to bed for 10-15 minutes. Blood will flow to lower limbs, and the vessels of the head will narrow, which will lead to a decrease in swelling of the mucous membrane. Do not keep your feet in hot water for too long, otherwise the opposite effect will occur. Fever is a direct contraindication to the procedure.
3. Runny nose like one year old baby, and an older child can be treated with carrot or beet juice. Fresh vegetables pour boiling water over, grate and squeeze out the juice. Apply 2-3 drops up to 4 times a day.
4. Prepare onion drops. Mix fresh onion juice with boiled water in a ratio of 1:20. Instill 2-3 times a day.

Provided the temperature is normal, to get rid of a runny nose, you can steam your feet for 2-3 evenings in a row and sleep in woolen socks

Cough

The following are suitable for treating cough: folk recipes:

1. Mix licorice root, chamomile, mint, calendula, coltsfoot in equal proportions. Pour 2 dessert spoons with 0.5 liters of boiling water, let stand for an hour. Give the baby 50-100 ml three times a day after meals.
2. For dry cough, lemon balm and chamomile (1 tsp each) are poured with half a liter of boiling water. The drink should be given warm 4-5 times a day, 2 tablespoons.
3. An effective remedy– milk (250 ml) with honey (1 tsp) and butter (1/2 tsp). The liquid should be warm, but not hot, otherwise honey will lose its beneficial properties.
4. Hot compress of water and apple cider vinegar in a ratio of 3:1. Apply to the throat and chest for 15-20 minutes.

Sore throat

If your baby has a cold, he will definitely have a sore throat for 2-4 days. Rinsing will help you cope with discomfort:

• add 1 tsp to 200 ml of boiled water. propolis tinctures;
• per glass of water – 1 tsp. salt and 3 drops of iodine;
• pour a mixture of equal proportions of chamomile, calendula and sage into a liter of boiling water, leave for 40 minutes;
• add 3-4 drops of thyme, cypress or eucalyptus oil.

You can gargle up to 6 times a day, preferably at equal intervals. The antibacterial effect of these products will help quickly overcome the infection.

Mistakes when treating a cold in a child

An increase in temperature is a normal reaction immune system on the penetration of the pathogen and the onset of the disease. However, it is worth understanding that symptoms of a respiratory disease can appear even when there is no trace of a cold. Snot and cough can cause foreign body in the respiratory tract, irritation from dust and smoke.

If parents think that the child has an acute respiratory infection, but the disease occurs without fever, then this is either an allergy or a foreign body in the nose or throat. In this case, it is useless to treat the baby for a cold. However, the absence of fever can sometimes indicate mild form course of the disease.

When treating a cold, many parents resort to medications that are not necessary. Let's look at the main mistakes in therapy:

1. Use of antibiotics. They can be used only when indicated, otherwise the drugs destroy the natural microflora. This will only increase the symptoms of the disease.
2. Use of antipyretic medications. If you give them to your baby at a temperature of 37-37.5 degrees, the baby’s immunity will not develop correctly (we recommend reading:).
3. Antitussive drugs. You should not give them just because you want to quickly eliminate this unpleasant symptom. Coughing is a natural reaction of the body, which tries to remove mucus from the bronchi.
4. Using all medications at the same time. When combining drugs, it is worth studying the instructions and taking into account the indications. Ignoring these factors will lead to a backlash.

When treating a cold, it is important not to overdo it with medications and use potent drugs only as prescribed by a doctor.

If your baby has a cold, then at the first signs of illness you need to create the most comfortable conditions for him:

1. You should not place your child in a warm and stuffy room - he will get worse. The air temperature should be no more than 23 degrees.
2. It is necessary to maintain the humidity in the room at 60-70%. If your baby is cold, you need to dress him and not turn on the heater.
3. You should not force feed your child if he refuses to eat. Give him tea, juice, fruit drink, milk - the majority of microorganisms and toxins are removed from the body with liquid.
4. Bed rest is required. It is highly not recommended to endure the disease “on your feet”.

If a child is ill, he needs to be bathed - during the hygiene procedure, he breathes moist air, which helps moisturize the mucous membranes of the nose and throat (we recommend reading:). The ban on bathing comes from the times when children were washed in a trough and were afraid of getting too cold. The procedure is prohibited only when high temperature bodies. You can also walk outside. It is important to dress your baby for the weather and minimize contact with other children.

During the period of a cold, provided there is no elevated body temperature, you can and should walk in the fresh air, dressing for the weather

Cold prevention

It is better to prevent the development of the disease than to treat a child who has a cold. In unfavorable epidemiological conditions, it is necessary:

• avoid handshakes;
• try not to be in crowded places ( public transport, the shops);
• limit contact with sick people;
• wear a gauze bandage, changing it every 2-3 hours;
• try to spend more time outdoors, walk in the park.

Daily work on developing immunity and improving health will help prevent colds and flu:

• choose healthy foods(fresh fruits, vegetables, fermented milk);
• buy clothes made from natural fabrics;
• exercise;
• maintain optimal temperature conditions;
• harden the child with early age.

It has been proven that during the day, a person’s hands come into repeated contact with discharge from the mouth, eyes, and nose. Transmitted through hands great amount pathogens, since a person touches door handles, handrails, money, etc. every day. It is advisable to give the child an antiseptic, wet wipes and remind him to wash his hands before eating, after going to the toilet and immediately after returning from the street.

A cold in a child is perhaps one of the most common reasons visits to the pediatrician: children get colds 3-5 times a year, and many kids go on sick leave even more often. It is believed that this disease does not pose a particular danger to the child, but this does not mean that it does not need to be treated. The disease, left unattended, can lead to complications, especially when it comes to small fragile organism. Therefore, it is important to know how to treat colds in children and whether it is possible to protect the baby from this disease.

Where do colds come from and why are they dangerous?

Before you figure out how and what to treat a child with a cold, you need to understand what kind of disease it is and how it differs from ARVI and influenza. You must understand that in medicine there is no diagnosis of a cold. Instead, doctors use the well-known abbreviation ARD, which covers a wide group of respiratory diseases.

Colds are caused by hypothermia, which weakens the child’s immunity. This largely explains why children begin to catch colds more often in the fall and winter. As soon as the body's defense system weakens, harmful work pathogenic microorganisms that, with strong immunity, live peacefully on the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. When microbes multiply, they cause characteristic features colds in a child - runny nose, pain and redness in the throat, cough, fever.

Another sure sign of a beginning acute respiratory infection is weakness and fatigue, accompanied by worsening sleep and loss of appetite. A baby with a cold becomes apathetic, refuses even his favorite games, is endlessly capricious and strives to spend more time in his mother’s arms.

This is also due to the pathogenic activity of bacteria and viruses that cause intoxication child's body.

An acute respiratory infection in itself does not pose a great danger to children: if you notice the onset of a cold in a child in time and begin treatment, then the unpleasant manifestations of the disease can be eliminated in 5-7 days. Much complications are more dangerous which can be caused by an infection developing in the respiratory system. Especially often, complicated colds occur in a small child - an infant or a one-year-old baby. At this age, after suffering an acute respiratory infection, children often develop ear inflammation - otitis media. The infection can also cause sinusitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and pneumonia.

Whether the baby will develop complications largely depends on how strong his body is. But no less important are correct actions parents who want to help their baby cope with the disease as quickly as possible. If mom and dad know how to cure a cold in a child and use this knowledge properly, the risk of complications is significantly reduced.

Experts strongly recommend: do not neglect a visit to the pediatrician if your child has a cold. The signs of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections are in many ways similar, but the treatment of these two diseases is somewhat different. Only the attending physician can determine what exactly the baby is sick with.

Using any medications to eliminate colds in children without a pediatrician’s prescription can be very dangerous for children's health, because not every parent takes into account possible contraindications, side effects and the required dosage of cold medications medicines.

Treatment methods for colds in children have not changed for many years. First of all, symptomatic drug therapy is used.

It is aimed at alleviating the baby’s condition and eliminating the manifestations of the disease - cough, sore throat, runny nose, fever. So, in case of fever above 38.5°C, doctors recommend that the child be sure to give an antipyretic, and to relieve nasal congestion they suggest dripping vasoconstrictor drops and rinse the nasal passages with salt water, and to treat the throat, anti-inflammatory sprays and antiseptic solutions. When treating a cough, pediatricians will definitely take into account its nature (dry or wet), since antitussive drugs have different effects.

The doctor will not only tell you how to treat a child’s cold, but will also give valuable recommendations regarding daily routine and nutrition. Treatment of colds in children involves mandatory bed rest and changes in diet. Children's menu during the illness it should become as light and useful as possible so that small organism I spent my energy on fighting the disease, and not on digesting heavy food, but at the same time I received all the necessary substances. It is very important to ensure that the baby drinks enough liquid - at least 1.5-2 liters per day. Due to the heat and lack of moisture, children can quickly become dehydrated, and this is very dangerous for babies. Drinking should be healthy: berry fruit drinks and herbal infusions are perfect for this.

When should you call an ambulance?

Many parents proudly declare: “We always treat a child’s cold at home and manage it just fine without doctors!” Indeed, often mothers and fathers do not trust pediatricians or simply do not want to go to the hospital once again and give the baby medications that may not seem so safe to them, and they have every right to do so.

It is actually possible to cure a cold at home, but there are situations that require an immediate call to an ambulance:

1. The disease develops suddenly, the child has been lying with a temperature above 38.5°C for several hours, and antipyretic drugs do not help. This is how incipient flu can manifest itself, which cannot be cured on its own.
2. The baby began to have severe headaches accompanied by vomiting. This is one of the signs of a serious complication – meningitis.
3. The baby begins to choke, while his breathing becomes noisy and is accompanied by a “barking” dry cough. This symptom associated with the development of false croup, which is extremely dangerous for children.
4. The child experiences a lack of air, and when he coughs, there is an admixture of blood in the sputum. This may be evidence of a severe defeat respiratory system– pulmonary edema.

Any of the listed symptoms means that parents urgently need to “fly” to the hospital or get an emergency medical care at home, since time in such situations is counted by hours, and sometimes even minutes. Careful monitoring of the child and proper timely treatment will help to avoid such troubles.

Folk remedies for fighting colds in children

If the diagnosis does not raise doubts among parents, they may well treat colds in children with folk remedies. By the way, in the absence of contraindications, this method of eliminating colds can be combined with traditional medicine.

At correct use folk recipes are considered absolutely safe for children and can become a worthy addition to the main treatment, enhancing its effectiveness and accelerating recovery.

People have a huge number of methods for treating runny nose, cough and sore throat in children. You can try the following cold remedies:

1. As an immunomodulatory medicine, children are given rosehip infusion prepared from the dried fruits of the bush. For 100 g of berries you will need 1 liter of boiling water. The rosehip is poured with water and left in a water bath for 15 minutes, after which it is infused in a thermos for 12 hours. This drink can be used instead of tea, adding a little honey to it for sweetness (provided that the child is not allergic to this product). Rosehip infusion is not only effective remedy, but also a wonderful prevention of colds. To increase the body's defenses, you can also give your baby an infusion of chamomile, linden, St. John's wort, lemon balm, and fireweed.
2. When the temperature rises, you can start treatment with raspberries if the child is not allergic to these berries. 2 tbsp. l. dry fruits should be brewed in 200 ml of boiling water, cover with a lid and leave for 10 minutes. Add 1 tbsp to a warm drink. l. honey and give the patient a drink before going to bed at night. If your baby is intolerant to one of the components, it is recommended to use dry burdock leaves. Chopped grass (1 tbsp) should be poured with 1 glass of hot boiled water and, closing the lid, put on water bath for 15 minutes. The finished broth is cooled, filtered and given to the child 1 tbsp. l. 4-6 times a day after meals.
3. A good recipe to help with a runny nose is fresh beet juice. It is easy to obtain by squeezing the grated vegetable through cheesecloth. The juice should be dripped into the nose 3 times a day, 2-3 drops in each nostril for 5-6 days. It is allowed to dilute the product with a small amount of water, honey or fresh carrot juice.
4. For a sore throat, gargling with sage is a great help. Prepare a decoction for rinsing, pour 1 tbsp. l. dry herbs with 1 cup of boiling water and infuse this mixture in a thermos for half an hour.
5. When coughing, steam inhalations with the addition of chamomile or sage are very useful, however, such procedures are better for older children. Treatment with badger fat is more suitable for children. Rub your back, chest and feet with this product, dress your baby in cotton clothes and cover him warmly with a blanket.

Any folk remedies for colds in children, it should be used very carefully, since children are especially prone to allergies to herbal medicines. If parents notice manifestations of an allergic reaction, they should immediately stop treatment and consult a pediatrician.

How to protect your baby from colds

Preventing acute respiratory infections in children is always easier than treating them, so it will be useful for every parent to know how to prevent a cold in a child. Regular prevention can help your baby not catch a cold. Conduct preventive measures recommended all year round, but they are especially necessary during the season of increased incidence - autumn and winter.

The best way to protect your baby from acute respiratory infections is to constantly strengthen children's immunity. This means that parents must monitor nutrition and physical activity child, engage in hardening and use traditional or traditional methods increasing protective forces. Hardening can be carried out at any time of the year, resorting to natural natural resources– air, sunlight and water.

Effective prevention of colds in children of all ages is impossible without observing basic hygiene measures.

If a child learns to wash his hands every time after visiting the street and public places, this will help him protect himself from viruses and germs entering the body through the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose.

It is important to understand that it is impossible to completely insure your baby against colds - these are the characteristics of the child’s body. But mom and dad are able to do everything necessary to ensure that their child suffers from acute respiratory infections as rarely as possible.

Most women consider themselves specialists in three areas: medicine, cooking and raising children, so write on the topic: “How to treat a cold in a child?” - a thankless task. And yet, I will try to discuss a topic about which kilometers of text have already been written.

Colds in children medical language called acute respiratory viral disease (abbreviated ARVI). I highlighted the word “viral” intentionally, since it is key in the further narrative.

Signs of a cold in children are as follows: a sudden, most often asymptomatic rise in body temperature, followed by the appearance of liquid, transparent discharge from the nose (in Russian - runny nose). If the discharge turns yellow or green, then this is a symptom of an attached bacterial infection in the nasopharynx. The cough is dry at first, but becomes wet over time. Possible appearance, as well as sneezing.

How to properly treat a child with a cold?

Every mother, sitting over the bed of a sick baby, asks the question: “What should I give my child if he has a cold?” I outline the rules that are taught to any medical student in pediatrics classes:

1. Fighting fever - .
2. Drinking a lot of water - caused by fever.
3. (contraindicated for children under 2 years of age), if there is a wet cough, expectorants (bromhexine, ambroxol, etc. see review of all).
4. After the temperature has returned to normal, physiotherapeutic methods can be used: foot steaming, soda inhalations, etc.

How not to treat ARVI in children

World statistics say the following

90% respiratory infections(infections of the upper respiratory tract) in children are of a viral nature. It is a viral one, which antibiotics do not work on. Unfortunately, most mothers consider antibiotics to be medicines for fever and start feeding them to the child for any cold.

There are no safe medications, take antibacterial agents causes allergies, intestinal dysbiosis, suppresses the immune system and creates antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Pediatricians, of course, know about the dangers of antibiotics for ARVI, but it is difficult to distinguish a cold from pneumonia, and even at the patient’s home, using only hands, eyes and a phonendoscope, especially with insufficient experience.

For most pediatricians, it’s easier to prescribe an antibiotic to a child on the first day and, as they say, “don’t worry”: the harm from them at the beginning is not very noticeable, if there was pneumonia, it will go away, and if it doesn’t go away, there is an excuse, I prescribed the correct treatment, Yes, and mom is calm.

• If the baby is red- with red hyperthermia, when the child Pink colour, you should not wrap up a sick baby, but on the contrary, undress him down to his panties and leave him to cool in the air. Cruel but effective.
• If the child is pale- white hyperthermia, he should be wrapped in a light blanket and given warm liquid to drink.
• Rub the baby with vodka(not suitable for children younger age, especially up to 1 year), it is better to rub locally - arms, legs. The evaporating alcohol will quickly cool the skin. Should not be used alcohol solutions higher concentration than vodka. This can damage children's skin, and the child can also get drunk, as some of the alcohol will definitely be absorbed.
• Cold on great vessels . In normal language it sounds like this: take a plastic bottle, pour cold water into it and apply it to the armpits or groin areas. The water will cool the large blood vessels passing through there.
• Do not put a hat on your child indoors, especially on the patient. This is what old-school grandmothers like to do. The head is the main source of heat loss in the body; up to 80% of the heat is removed through it, so during fever, the head must be cooled in every possible way.

During fever, the evaporation of fluid from the skin increases significantly. Therefore, the child must be given plenty of water to avoid life-threatening dehydration. Any liquid will do: compotes, fruit drinks, tea, juices and just clean water.

The story of how domestic pediatrics turns healthy children into sick ones

Characters:

• Mom is an average Russian mother who thinks she knows EVERYTHING about colds.
• The baby is a normal, healthy five-year-old toddler who regularly attends kindergarten.
• Pediatrician - recently completed his studies and was assigned to an average Russian clinic, full of knowledge about how Right treat a cold.

So. The baby returns from kindergarten lethargic, snotty, coughing and with a temperature of 38.5 0 C. The next morning, Mom calls the clinic and calls a doctor to the house.

The Pediatrician comes, examines the child and makes a diagnosis: ARVI. He was taught that at this age, 90% of respiratory infections are viral, and therefore are treated as described at the beginning of this article. He prescribes paracetamol, plenty of fluids, and ascorbic acid, and leaves with a calm soul.

But the disease does not go away, the temperature remains around 39 0 C, the child cries, refuses to eat, sniffles and coughs. Mom knows for sure that ascorbic acid is not a medicine at all, and paracetamol only brings down the temperature. She calls the clinic and swears at everyone and everything there, saying what kind of ignorant doctor you sent me.

In order not to “tease the geese,” the manager comes to see the Kid. pediatric department or deputy chief physician and prescribe an antibiotic. The motivation is clear. Firstly, so that Mom doesn’t interfere with work with hysterical calls. Secondly, if pneumonia does develop and an antibiotic is not prescribed, Mom will immediately sue. In general, we treat “not the right way,” but “the calmest way.”

As a result, a cold that could go away in 7 days lasts for 3 weeks. During the fight against the disease, children's immunity was greatly weakened. The baby is taken to kindergarten, where someone will inevitably sneeze at him and the cold will return.

After a week of going to preschool, Baby again has a fever, runny nose and cough. Mom makes house calls again. The pediatrician was called “on the carpet” last time and explained “how to work with patients.” He comes to the Kid and prescribes an antibiotic from the first day. Everyone is happy: Mom - that the treatment is correct from her point of view, the Pediatrician - he will not be deprived of his bonus again, the management of the clinic - there will be no showdown with another complaint.

And again, the illness that could have gone away in a week lasts for a month. What kind of children's immunity can withstand this? Again kindergarten, again a cold and again a month of “treatment”. This is how our heroes turned a healthy toddler into one who was often and long-term ill (an official term, by the way). I hope you understand where they come from frequent colds The child has?

Some of the most popular questions from parents

Is it possible to bathe a child with a cold?

This question goes back 200 years, when hot water there were no people in the houses, and the children were washed in a trough in the entryway or in a bathhouse, where they could get even more sick. In the 21st century, it is possible and necessary to bathe a child with a cold, but it is worth remembering that a hot bath elevated temperature body is strictly contraindicated. It is enough to limit yourself to a warm shower.

How can you understand that a child has recovered?

3 days of normal temperature can be considered positive dynamics. Also good sign The transformation of a dry cough into a wet one is considered (provided that the discharge has not turned from transparent to yellow or green). But if a recovering child’s temperature rises again, then a bacterial infection can be assumed.

If a child is sick, should he eat better?

During a fever, all the body's forces are spent fighting infection, and digesting heavy protein foods requires a lot of energy. Therefore, at high temperatures, food should be light, as rich as possible in carbohydrates and vitamins, but a recovering child should be fed well and tightly in order to restore his strength.

Colds are a common occurrence in babies and older children. There are many provoking factors: weakened immunity, being in a group (kindergarten, school), poor environment. Excessive use of medications and poor lifestyle reduce the body's defenses.

How to treat colds in children with folk remedies and medications? The first aid kit should always have effective medicines to remove negative symptoms, strengthening the immune system. Proven traditional medicine recipes are as effective as pills and drops. Write down recipes, study the rules of use.

Main signs and symptoms

Pay attention to the signs of acute respiratory infections:

• cough;
• runny nose, sneezing;
• elevated temperature (in most cases);
• sore throat, sore throat;
• weakness;
• headache;
• moodiness, irritability;
• diarrhea, vomiting (usually at elevated temperatures).

A selection of effective treatment methods

How to proceed:

• at the first symptoms of a cold, put the baby to bed and provide fresh air in the room;
• measure the temperature. The thermometer has not reached 38 degrees? Wait, try to do without antipyretics, use folk remedies. If the temperature does not subside for a long time, give appropriate medicine;
• Call your pediatrician even if the symptoms do not seem dangerous;
• When treating a cold, follow your doctor’s recommendations, do not use home recipes without fanaticism, or use potent medications if you are prone to allergies.

Basic rules for a speedy recovery for your baby:

• bed rest;
• optimal air humidity (up to 65%), room temperature (from +20 to +22 degrees);
• regular ventilation;
• access to sunlight;
• wet cleaning in the morning and evening;
• drink plenty of fluids (herbal teas, mineral plus boiled water, tea with lemon, mint, raspberries);
• exact implementation of your doctor’s recommendations;
• refusal of self-medication and dubious home remedies;
• limiting contact with relatives, peace, quiet games;
• light food, avoidance of sweets, baked goods, large pieces, and foods that irritate the throat;
• taking multivitamins.

Cold medicines for children

To relieve cold symptoms, use age-appropriate formulations. Important A complex approach, optimal dosage.

Medicines for the common cold

Nasal congestion and accumulation of mucus are one of the most unpleasant symptoms. Effective method– rinsing the nose with a safe, hypoallergenic solution based on sea ​​salt. Use Aquamaris, Aqualor, Dolphin, No-Salt.

If there is an accumulation of purulent discharge, use Collargol, Pinosol with an active antimicrobial effect.

Note! Nasal drops should not be used for more than 7 days: addiction develops, and drug-induced rhinitis often appears.

Cough remedies

• first use folk remedies. Milk with honey, linden tea, saline solution often cure a sore throat and successfully combat unpleasant symptoms;
• Use ready-made cough syrups in minimal dosage;
• There are enough cough medications for children: Doctor Mom, Alteyka, Hexoral, Gerbion, Bear Bo, Prospan and others.

Medicines for high fever

• drugs marked “for children” are suitable;
• up to 38 degrees, use folk recipes to relieve fever. An increase in temperature is a sign of fighting infections, let the body overcome the pathogen;
• if the readings are above 38 degrees, give the children Efferalgan, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Nurofen in the correct dosage.

Aspirin is prohibited for children under 12 years of age: The use of these tablets for fever in young children provokes side effects.

Traditional medicine recipes

Timely treatment of acute respiratory infections with homemade formulations is often effective. Traditional recipes relieve symptoms, strengthen the immune system, and improve well-being.

Important! Choose your recipes carefully and take into account chronic diseases(if any), tendency to allergic reactions. If you are unsure whether a particular prescription is suitable for your child, consult your pediatrician.

Diaphoretic compositions with antipyretic effect

It is important to quickly remove toxins from the body and make the young patient sweat. Drinking plenty of healthy “fillers” will help. Natural tea not only cleanses the body. The preparations reduce the temperature well without the use of synthetic drugs.

Proven recipes:

• lime tea. For a glass of boiling water, just take a teaspoon of linden blossom. In a sealed container, the tea will infuse for 30 minutes. Give a healthy drink after meals three times a day, 100-150 ml, taking into account age. The product is suitable even for infants;
• chamomile tea. The proportions and method of application are similar to linden flower tea. Chamomile is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent with good cleansing properties;
• drink made from nettle leaves. Prepare a decoction: boil 1 tsp for 5 minutes. dry leaves (water - 250 ml), let it brew for 30-40 minutes. Give the decoction twice a day after meals, a third of a glass;
• tea with raspberries. Proven antipyretic agent. Fresh and dried berries are suitable. The proportions are the same as for linden blossom tea. If desired, add a slice of lemon or ½ tsp to the finished drink. honey. The child should drink some tea, go to bed, but not wrap himself up completely so that the fever does not intensify;
• milk plus honey. If there are no allergic reactions, give useful remedy. Boil a glass of milk, cool to 40 degrees, add a teaspoon of honey, and immediately give it to a cold child to drink. Let your baby lie under the blanket for at least half an hour to get a good sweat.

Cough recipes for children

Suitable recipes:

• chest collection Combine equal parts of licorice root, chamomile, coltsfoot, mint, and calendula. Take 2 dessert spoons of the expectorant mixture, pour 500 ml of boiling water, stir, let stand for an hour, filter. Give breast milk three times a day after meals, taking into account age (50 to 100 ml is enough). After drinking tea, bed rest is required;
• tea for dry cough. Pour a teaspoon of lemon balm and chamomile flowers into a thermos or jar, add half a liter of boiling water. After an hour, strain medicinal tea, cool. Give a warm drink to the little patient 4-5 times throughout the day, two dessert spoons;
• milk with butter and honey. An effective cough remedy for children of different ages. For 250 ml of milk, take ½ tsp. oils and honey. The liquid must be warm (hot milk is not suitable): honey will lose its beneficial properties and be harmful.

Gargles for redness, sore throat and sore throat

At 4–5 years old, teach children to rinse their mouths and throats. A simple procedure effectively eliminates problems.

Rinse compositions:

• propolis/eucalyptus tincture. For 200 ml of boiled water, take 1 tsp. healing liquid;
• sea/kitchen salt. Prepare a saline solution from 250 ml of warm water and a teaspoon of salt. To fight microbes, add 3 drops of iodine;
• herbal decoction Excellent product for gargling a sore throat - a collection of chamomile, sage, calendula. For a liter of boiling water - a tablespoon of each type of healing raw material. After 40 minutes, filter the infusion and use it up to five to six times throughout the day.

Inhalations for cough and red throat

For the procedure, boil water, cool slightly so that a cold child does not get burned by the steam, add active substance. The easiest way is to breathe hot, humid air over a pan of boiled potatoes. But this is not very convenient: the face is hot, wet, and it is easy to get burned.

More modern method- warming up using an inhaler. The device consists of a flask into which hot liquid is poured and a special nozzle. It is convenient for a child to breathe through his nose (for a runny nose) or his mouth (for a cough). The steam only enters the respiratory tract or nasal passages.

The steam inhaler is made of non-toxic plastic. Simple model costs from 1200 rubles. The device will last more than one year. More advanced models: compressor inhaler, nebulizers are more expensive - from 2800 rubles.

On the page, read about how to brew dill water for newborns.

The effectiveness of inhalations has been proven by pediatricians, ENT doctors and mothers. It’s worth spending once, and it will be much easier to fight colds in children.

Prepare compositions for inhalation based on the baby’s tolerance various means and products. If you are allergic to honey, avoid propolis.

For 500 ml of boiling water, add a couple of teaspoons of any of the useful components to the flask:

• tincture of eucalyptus, calendula or propolis;
• sea ​​salt plus 4 drops of eucalyptus, orange, mint essential oil;
• crushed pine buds.

Suitable options:

• a decoction of chamomile, coltsfoot, calendula, sage. A collection of two or three types of medicinal raw materials gives an excellent effect. You can add 3 drops of eucalyptus oil or a teaspoon of healthy tincture to the herbs;
• decoction in which peeled potatoes were boiled. To enhance the effect, you will need 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil per half liter of liquid.

Helpful recipes to combat cold symptoms

Supplement rinses, herbal teas, diaphoretics with other procedures and remedies:

• garlic beads. Peel a couple of heads of garlic, string them on a thread, make beads, and hang them around the child’s neck. Phytoncides and essential oils actively fight microbes and speed up recovery;
• onion and garlic paste. Grind several heads of garlic and 2 onions with a blender, place them on plates, and place them in the room closer to the place where the child has a cold. A good option: let the vapors released from the onion-garlic mass breathe.

Warming up your feet

After 2–3 years, carry out the procedure at initial signs colds, severe runny nose. Do not heat your feet at high temperatures.

How to proceed:

• Heat the water well, taking into account the volume of the basin, cool it to a temperature that is pleasant for the delicate baby skin. The water is hot, but not scalding;
• proportions: for 3 liters of liquid – a tablespoon of sea salt and mustard powder;
• ask the little patient to lower his legs into the basin, cover with a towel for the duration of the session;
• After 15 minutes, rinse your feet well clean water, wipe dry, rubbing the feet well, place the cold child under the blanket. Complete the procedure with raspberry, linden tea or milk-honey mixture.

Simple folk remedies

A couple more recipes:

• natural nasal drops. Squeeze the juice from the fleshy aloe leaf, combine with honey in equal proportions. Enough 3 drops for each nostril. The frequency of the procedure is 4 times a day;
• vitamin decoction. To prepare the healing liquid, use 2 tbsp. l. dry rose hips, half a liter of hot water. Boil the healing raw materials for 10 minutes, remove from the stove, cover with a lid. After 45 minutes, the beneficial remedy is ready. Strain the broth, give the children 100 ml instead of tea three times a day. Rosehip infusion strengthens the immune system and saturates the body with vitamin C.

Is your child sneezing or coughing? Is your baby's throat red or has a fever? Don’t panic, remember the recommendations of pediatricians, ENT doctors and herbalists. Use folk recipes and give an effective antipyretic in case of high fever. Be interested in methods of treating acute respiratory infections, study materials on the topic “how to treat colds in children,” and you will certainly help a child with a cold recover faster.

Medical video - reference book. Treatment of colds in children with folk remedies:

The baby's health is a concern for parents. The most difficult thing is to protect a child from a cold: he is easily infected, he has a hard time recovering, and complications often appear. It is important to know about the signs, course of the disease, how to treat a cold in an infant in order to provide him with timely help.

Features of occurrence in children

In medicine, a cold is called ARVI or ARI (acute respiratory viral infection or acute respiratory disease). The first spreads during viral epidemics: a baby can become infected from relatives if his immune system is weakened.

Acute respiratory infections often occur due to hypothermia in the infant, which causes a weakening of local immunity on the mucous membranes and the active proliferation of bacteria and viruses that are constantly present in humans in small quantities.

They try not to take babies under one year old into public places to prevent infection. If a close relative is sick, communication is limited so as not to infect the child.

The baby gets sick less often due to the immunity received from the mother at birth. It acts in a newborn baby up to 3-4 months, then the body independently forms protective system and additionally receives antibodies from mother's milk if the baby is on. Children on IV are more likely to become infected.

Infection from mother

Great difficulties are caused by the disease of a nursing mother, which can infect the baby. An infected person does not immediately learn about the disease: the first signs of a cold appear a few days after infection.

The virus from the mother can enter the baby’s body through the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and breast milk, but you cannot stop feeding: the baby will lose the main medicine.

Frequent hand washing with soap and a gauze mask that needs to be changed several times a day will help limit your exposure to pathogens.

Symptoms

The child is not yet able to explain that he has started to get sick, so parents often pay attention to obvious signs colds in infants:

1. Discharge of mucus from the nose;
2. The eyes become cloudy;
3. Difficulty breathing, the baby often opens his mouth or pacifier during feeding, cries and refuses to eat, although he is clearly hungry;
4. , may be accompanied by a feverish state, chills - the baby trembles at normal room temperature;
5. The voice becomes hoarse;
6. Frequent sneezing and coughing appears.

Before these symptoms, changes in the child’s behavior should alert you. He becomes lethargic or overly excitable. Infant sleeps poorly, on the contrary, sleeps often and for a long time, is capricious. Signs of a cold in a newborn are a reason to immediately consult a doctor.

A cough and runny nose may be the cause of an allergic reaction or individual feature course of the disease. Such cold symptoms in infants require clarification of the causes and treatment. Children infancy they do not know how to blow their nose or cough, mucus from the nose flows into the throat and gets into the ear canals. May occur. A more serious complication is inflammation of the brain.

Infants older than 6 months have a runny nose and fever. How can you tell when they have started to grow? In this case, in children:

1. Increases ;
2. There is a desire to put fingers and objects into the mouth and try to chew them;
3. The gums at the site where the tooth appears swell and turn red.

And with such symptoms, you need to consult a pediatrician: he will give recommendations on how to help the child with teething.

Treatment options

If a cold occurs in an infant, Komarovsky recommends an immediate visit to the doctor. Only he will decide correctly how to treat a cold. It is advisable to use less different medications; it is strictly prohibited self-treatment baby has a cold. Medicines that help adults with similar symptoms may be dangerous for him.

If a cold occurs virally, it is useless to use antibiotics, which are used for complications of an inflammatory nature.

If the pediatrician may prescribe nasal drops, vasoconstrictors or medicinal based saline solution, for inflammation - containing antibiotics. You can put two or three drops into each nostril. It thins mucus and has an antiseptic effect. To make breathing easier, you need to clean your nose with a blower, a nasal aspirator, or, in extreme cases, with your mouth.

Babies cannot swallow pills. To treat a viral disease, suppositories are prescribed for colds containing , which are inserted into the anus. The medicine is absorbed in the intestines, acts faster and does not harm the child’s digestion. You can replace suppositories with drops or syrup, but they can cause vomiting.

There are positive reviews about the use of Anaferon for colds in infants. But he refers to homeopathic medicines, to treat a viral disease, agents with a higher concentration of the active substance are needed.

Contraindicated for the treatment of colds in infants:

• Decoctions, tea with honey, raspberries, cough syrups can cause allergies;
• . It is not originally intended to treat a runny nose, it promotes the growth of bacteria, and accelerates inflammatory processes;
• Rubbing and with essential oils– can cause rashes and itching;
• Steam inhalation leads to burns of the nasopharyngeal mucosa;
• The use of mustard plasters is unacceptable for the skin of a baby;
• Enema without consultation with the doctor.

Folk remedies are effective for colds, but it is not recommended to use them to treat a newborn. Healing procedures prescribed by a doctor, self-medication can lead to complications that are life-threatening for the child.

If your child has a fever

A baby’s temperature up to 38° contributes to the body’s production of antiviral substances; it should not be brought down. If you lower it already at 37°, the baby will take longer to recover. At a temperature above 38° in children under 3 months, or 38.5° in older children, call an ambulance immediately; it is better to give medications under the supervision of a physician, as an allergic reaction is possible.

The ambulance does not always arrive quickly, and the rise in temperature threatens the child’s life. In such a situation, you can independently give him an antipyretic drug intended for infancy.

In the absence of children's medicines in in case of emergency You can use paracetamol, which will quickly reduce the temperature. Previously, it was often prescribed for the treatment of children under one year of age, but today its toxic effects on the kidneys and liver have been proven.

It is contraindicated if the baby is 1 month old or less. For a child 2 months and older, the single dose is 15 mg per 1 kg of weight, not more than 60 mg per kg of weight per day. The action begins after 30 minutes. and lasts 4 hours. The tablets need to be dissolved in water and given to the baby to drink. It should not be used for more than 3 days; it is better to replace paracetamol with antipyretic drugs adapted for infants.

It is forbidden to give aspirin or wipe the baby with a solution of water and vinegar, alcohol, or vodka. Chemical substances enter the child's body through the skin and cause poisoning. A one-month-old baby can get a burn to the mucous membranes when inhaling vapors.

Thermoregulation in the body has not yet been established, sharp changes dangerous and can cause seizures in a child. To alleviate the condition, wiping with a cloth soaked in warm water is allowed.

A dangerous condition is white fever, which manifests itself with high fever and pallor. skin, while the extremities are cold. You need to bring down the temperature slowly, only under the supervision of a doctor.

Rules of care

Komarovsky notes that the body is able to cope with a cold on its own if favorable conditions are created. Basic Rules:

1. Regular ventilation. Inflow fresh air allows you to get rid of viruses and bacteria in the room, oxygen makes the baby’s breathing easier;
2. Humidity level is within 70%. Dry air irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. You can use a humidifier, place a container of water near the battery, hang a damp cloth;
3. The temperature in the room should not be higher than 22°. There is no need to additionally turn on heating devices, wrap the child up, or cover him warmer than usual. A weakened body will be forced to spend energy fighting overheating and will be sick longer;
4. Carry out wet cleaning in the room 1 – 2 times a day, because microbes settle on surfaces, and dusty air irritates the baby’s mucous membranes and makes breathing difficult;
5. Clothing should be light and comfortable, made of breathable materials (cotton). Change your child's clothes immediately after sweating, wiping him dry. Wet bed linen also needs to be changed. During illness, it is better to refuse diapers - they contribute to overheating at high temperatures;
6. The child's head should be higher than the body; you can place a small pillow and monitor the baby’s posture when he is in his parents’ arms;
7. A calm environment in the home is important. You cannot be angry with a child because he is sick and capricious. The baby feels tension and begins to worry. Double stress aggravates the symptoms of the disease in infants.

Daily routine and feeding for colds

The painful condition leads to exhaustion and fatigue. You need to move away from your usual sleep schedule and let your child sleep more to regain strength. Avoid noise, bright light, active games– a sick baby gets tired quickly and needs rest.

If you have a minor cold, you should not give up daily walks if your child can breathe through his nose. They must be short-lived. High temperature is a contraindication, severe runny nose, cough, sore throat, weakness.

Nutrition is necessary for the baby to recover, contains useful material and vitamins. If nasal breathing is impossible, the newborn often refuses to eat, and with exacerbation of the disease and high temperature, vomiting may occur. You cannot force a child to eat; it is better to feed more often, but reduce the portion.

If you have already started introducing them into your baby’s diet, you need to give up new foods for the duration of your illness. When an appetite appears, you need to give those porridges or purees that his body digests well.

The baby needs to be fed with boiled water, even if he is breastfeeding. Increased sweating causes dehydration; the water-salt balance needs to be restored.

Bathing and massage

It is believed that children should not be washed if they have a cold. Contraindications include high fever and bad feeling. You should refrain from the procedure if the temperature has subsided less than 2 days ago. In other cases water procedures mandatory: they allow you to cleanse the skin of toxins that leave the body along with sweat, and allow the skin to breathe. The temperature should be a couple of degrees higher than usual - 37-38°. You can return to your normal temperature after full recovery child.

Whether it is possible to bathe a baby with a cold is decided by the attending physician. Pediatricians prohibit the procedure due to the risk of hypothermia. You can wipe it daily with a soft cloth soaked in warm water. You need to wipe and dry all parts of the body with a towel one by one. If you get your baby completely wet, he or she may freeze.

The doctor may prescribe baths with. This may have an antibacterial effect. prescribed to ease the baby's breathing. You should not bathe with the decoction without a doctor’s prescription, or use new plants to which the baby’s reaction is unknown.

Is it possible to get a massage if you have a cold? At the beginning and active phase of the disease, the procedure should be abandoned. It leads to vasodilation and a slight increase in body temperature, which is dangerous if the baby has a fever. Viral disease causes headaches, which are aggravated by increased pressure during massage. Impact on chest leads to increased sputum production. It makes it difficult for the baby to breathe, and he still doesn’t know how to cough properly. It is better to cure a cold in a baby, then resume the massage course.

A cold in an infant lasts from 4 days to a week. At the first signs of the disease, you should consult a doctor and follow his instructions for treatment. This will allow him to recover faster and avoid complications.