during viral illnesses, because such use may increase the risk of developing Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious
Condition that can be fatal.
Although you may be tempted to your child over-the-counter (OTC) to give decongestants and antihistamines to try to facilitate the
Cold symptoms, there is little or no evidence to support that they actually work. In fact, decongestants can cause
Hallucinations, irritability, and irregular heartbeats, especially in young children, and should not be used in children younger
than 4 years old without consulting your doctor first. And many experts now believe that there is usually no reason to use
these drugs in each child younger than 6
Some ways you can relieve cold symptoms include
Salt water falls into the nostrils to relieve nasal congestion (you can buy these - also saline nose drops - at any
Pharmacy)
into the air to raise a cool-mist humidifier humidity
Vaseline on the skin under the nose to soothe rawness
Candy or cough drops to relieve sore throat (for kids older than 3)
relieve a warm bath or heating pad for aches and pains
To help steam from a hot shower, your child breathe easier
But what about chicken soup? There is no real evidence that it can eat to cure a cold, but sick people do swear
it for more than 800 years. Why? Chicken soup contains a mucus-thinning amino acid called cysteine, and some research
shows that chicken soup control congestion-causing white blood cell that helps so-called neutrophils.
The best plan, however, is not to consider whether to "feed a cold" or worry "starve a fever." So make sure that your child eats
when hungry and drink to help much liquid as water or juice to replace fluids lost during fever or mucus
Production. Avoid caffeinated beverages served, though, what can frequent urination (peeing) and thus cause,
increase the risk of dehydration.
When to call the doctor
Your doctor will not be able to identify the specific virus causes cold symptoms, but can examine your child's throat and
Ears and a throat culture to make sure that the symptoms do not require specific treatment of another disease.
If your symptoms get worse instead of better after 3 days or so, the problem might be strep throat, sinusitis, pneumonia or
Bronchitis, especially if your son or daughter smokes.
A throat culture is a simple, painless procedure that involves brushing the inside of the neck with a long
Cotton swab. The study of bacteria, which helps with the swab stick the doctor determine whether your child has strep throat
Throat and needs treatment with antibiotics.
If the symptoms last longer than a week, every year appear at the same time or occur when your child is exposed to pollen,
Dust, animals or other substance, an allergy could be to blame. Children who have difficulty breathing, wheezing, when they
could catch a cold asthma.
Always call your doctor if you could have more than a cold to think of your child, your child gets worse instead of better, or
if any of these symptoms:
Coughing up a lot of phlegm
Shortness of breath
unusual lethargy / fatigue
Keep inability food or liquids down or poor fluid intake
increasing headache or facial or neck pain
very painful sore throat with difficulty in swallowing, which disrupts
Fever of 103 ° F (39.3 ° C) or higher, or a fever of 101 ° F (38.0 ° C) or higher that lasts for more than a day
Chest or stomach pain
swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck
Earache
Like most viral infections, colds just have to run its course. Getting plenty of rest, avoid vigorous activity and
Drink plenty of fluids - juice, water and noncaffeinated drinks - anything can help your child feel better while on the
mend.
Keeping up regular activities like going to school probably will not make a cold worse. But it increases the
Probability that the cold to classmates or friends to spread. So you might want to put some life aside until
Your child will feel better.