Treatment of the common cold in infants

If the baby got sick, the parent is always stressful, even if the disease - the common cold, because it can always be continued in a variety of complications. Not to be scared a cold, parents should as much as possible to know about children's diseases and first aid for them.

What is a runny nose, and where does it come

Rhinitis - is one of the symptoms of acute respiratory disease (ARD), which can cause both viruses and bacteria, of which there are a plurality. OCR can become infected on contact with the patient through the air, hands, toys and so on, as infectious agents and tenacious enough outside the organism can live a few hours. Can ARI occur after exposure to cold, even if grudnichok no contact with patients? Yes maybe. The fact that our nasopharyngeal mucosa permanently live bacteria and viruses, and for supercooling decreased immunity and these pathogens enter the body.

Have you ever thought about why one grudnichok often more cold, and the other is an almost never? It all depends on the body's ability to defend itself from external influences (immunity). Immunity will be reduced if the child is rarely outdoors (the norm - at least 3 hours a day in any weather), if it is too warm, unseasonable, dress.

Grudnichok infected - what happens?

If the body is unable to fight the infection, the bacteria begin to multiply - in the warm and moist nasal mucosa for it is always a good conditions. The body is trying to deal with this aggression: the mucous membrane swells from a rush of blood to appear runny nose, along with them part of the microorganisms is removed. With sufficient immunity ends up a runny nose, if the immune system is lowered or infection is very aggressive, the disease moves further: the bronchi, lungs, maxillary sinuses, in the ears.

Now you know what happens in the body of the child with a cold. Based on this knowledge, and it should be treated.

How does a runny nose in infants

Runny nose begins nasal congestion (swelling of the mucous membrane - the first day), and then there are abundant clear liquid discharge from the nose (about 2 days), after which the discharge becomes thick, mucopurulent. If there are no complications, the runny ends in a week.

The temperature can be different: often occurs without a runny nose or a slight temperature increase it. If a high temperature with a cold lasts more than five days, or if the temperature in the first few days was not, then she has appeared - a sign of some complications, it is necessary to call a doctor.

What complications can give the common cold

Runny nose can give complications, so the baby at this time requires careful maintenance. The infection can come down from the upper and lower respiratory tract cause bronchitis or pneumonia. Complication can go on the ears (otitis), on the maxillary sinus (sinusitis). Very unpleasant complication - laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx and vocal cords) - the child may begin to suffocate.

Treatment

If there is no temperature, and child worries only a runny nose, it is necessary not to interfere with the body cope with the cold itself, but only to help him:

• leave a child at home (do not show for a walk, especially during the cold season);
• give plenty of warm drinks (tea for babies, warm boiled water, heated juice);
• remove mucus from nasal washes using a soda solution (one teaspoon per cup of warm water) or over the counter nasal drops Aqua Maris (sea water of the Adriatic Sea); 5-6 drops of solution instilled into both nostrils of the child;
• if the child is not too worried about nasal congestion, it is best not to use vasoconstrictor drops, since they reduce blood flow to the nasal mucosa - a protective reaction of the body that helps fight infection; If severe nasal congestion, you can use the special children vasoconstrictor drops (for example, children naftizina), but not more than 3 times a day and no more than five days; the danger of these drops is that if they have to use a long time, the body gets used to them and stop responding, as a result, instead of narrowing of blood vessels and the removal of edema, comes their expansion rack, then remove that is not easy; bury vasoconstrictor drops needed after soda washes;
• instilled into the nose of interferon in accordance with the instruction (interferon kills viruses and raises immunity, so it is also useful in bacterial infection); viferonom can be used as an ointment or rectal suppositories.

If your child has a fever above 38º:

• First of all, you need to call a doctor, he will understand that it is - a protective reaction in the ARD or have already developed complications;
• before the arrival of the doctor can give antipyretic such as paracetamol, the dosage of the drug depends on the age and weight of the child, so you should check with her pediatrician during their first visit, even if the child has no temperature; moreover, do not need to wear baby heat at high temperature - it is from this will be even higher.

Normally babies do an excellent job with a runny nose, but let it not be left to chance, since infants are not yet fully formed immunity and runny nose can always give a complication.

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