Colds in children

Colds in healthy children are generally not a dangerous condition, but certainly annoying. Here’s what to do.

It is more annoying than what affects adults, gives more symptoms and generally lasts a little longer. It often resolves without special treatments.

Colds are the most common ailment in children of all ages and, except in infants, if the baby is healthy it is not a dangerous condition.

Given the wide variety of viruses that can trigger it, however, it is not unusual for the child to get sick several times (up to 9-10) during the same season.

The high incidence is due to the ease of transmission, which occurs both by air, inhaling the droplets that an infected person emits with coughing or sneezing, and by contact with contaminated surfaces.

The child, in fact, tends to often bring his hands to the face, transferring to the nose or eyes any viruses “collected” by touching games or other objects on which they had settled.

Symptoms

The symptoms are similar to those that appear in adults, but have some special features.

For example, they arise suddenly: the little one can go to bed at night completely healthy and get up the next morning with a cold.

The most frequent symptoms are:

  • stuffy or runny nose
  • frequent sneezing
  • lachrymation
  • fatigue
  • fever (not always)
  • cough (not always)
  • diarrhea and vomiting (not always)

At the beginning the child, especially if small, can also be very irritable and complain of headaches and congestion.

The fever generally drops within three days, while the cough, when it appears, can last for a long time, even for 15-20 days.

In infants, nasal obstruction can interfere with the ability to suck, which can create a momentary slowdown in growth.

Complications

The most frequent complications in children are bacterial superinfections, with the appearance of otitis, sinusitis, conjunctivitis and, more rarely, pneumonia.

They arise, both because the viral infection temporarily decreases the immune defenses, and because the latter, especially in the smallest, are not yet completely efficient.

When to call the pediatrician

It is advisable to consult the pediatrician if:

  • the baby is less than 3 months old and has a fever
  • the child after a few days does not improve
  • high fever, chills, vomiting, cough or severe fatigue are present
  • breathing is difficult and does not improve after cleaning the nose
  • The child seems very suffering.

Prevention and treatment

It is a good idea to wash children’s hands often with soap and water for about 20 seconds, so as to be sure to eliminate any viruses present. This makes contagion through objects less likely.

Children should also be taught the importance of covering their nose and mouth with their hands when sneezing and/or coughing, in order to limit the spread of the virus.

Usually the cold runs its course and disappears on its own. However, there are some behaviors that promote healing.

  • Clean the nose well. It is important at any age, to prevent the accumulation of infected mucus and, therefore, the development of complications. This is even more necessary in infants to help breathing: in fact, in the first 6 months of life babies are unable to breathe through the mouth.
  • Rest and hydration. It is good that the child rests as much as possible and drinks enough.
  • Humidify the air. Especially at night it is good to use a humidifier in the room where the baby sleeps: moist air helps keep the nose and lungs clean.
  • Keep children away from smoking environments.

As for medication, if the temperature is not too high and if the child is not prone to febrile seizures, it is not necessary to lower it with medication.

In the case, for fever and pain it is possible to use painkillers and antipyretics also available in formulations suitable for children, but always on the advice of the pediatrician.

Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.

The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.

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