A child's cold is a common and ubiquitous phenomenon. Some babies get colds up to 10 times a year. This problem is especially relevant during the off-season, as well as during the cold season. What is a cold in reality, how to treat it and what to do if a child is sick often, we will tell you in this material.
What it is?
Such a disease as a cold, in the medical sense, does not exist at all. What is popularly called a cold, from the point of view of doctors, may turn out to be ARVI, ARI, influenza, herpes virus, manifestation of an existing chronic respiratory disease. The well-known pediatrician of the highest category, Dr. Yevgeny Komarovsky, claims that approximately 95% of all childhood diseases, called "colds" by mothers and grandmothers, are of viral origin.
Then why the concept of "cold" has become established among the people? The answer to this question is quite simple: when a child is overcooled, gets caught in drafts, his immune defense decreases. We are surrounded by several hundred different viruses, which are just waiting for the immune system to "malfunction" in order to enter the body and begin to destroy healthy, full-fledged cells, adjusting them to their own needs.
If a child is cold during a walk, wet his feet, and the next day he has a runny nose, cough, fever, the parents immediately conclude - a cold. Indeed, thermal instability caused a decrease in local and general immunity, and viruses were able to start their destructive business.
Thus, speaking of a cold in a child, one can suspect that he has one of the acute respiratory viral infections - rhinovirus, adenovirus infections, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, parainfluenza and about three hundred different ailments that differ only in the name of the causative agent virus and have only minor differences in the clinical picture.
Sometimes a cough, a runny nose, red eyes, which parents take for a cold, are symptoms of an allergy. And rashes on the lip, in the nose, on the chin, which have characteristic watery blisters, which are also called a cold out of habit, are nothing more than a manifestation of herpesvirus infection - herpes simplex virus or herpes simplex.
All viruses, except herpes, use the upper respiratory tract to enter the child's body. They infect cells of the ciliated epithelium of the nose, nasopharynx, larynx. And then, when the protective epithelium is defeated, they penetrate the bloodstream, causing characteristic symptoms - intoxication, vomiting, fever, chills, muscle pain, headaches.
The herpes virus replicates locally, but it has an amazing ability to stay in the body forever. If a herpes virus infection occurs once, the pathogen will be in a dormant state in the body of its carrier for life, from time to time (for example, with hypothermia), letting you know about itself with characteristic rashes and itching.
In case of allergy, respiratory manifestations with a cold are usually not associated, unless, of course, the child is allergic to cold (this type of allergy is known to medicine, but it is rare). For the appearance of an allergic rhinitis and cough, as well as allergic conjunctivitis, an aggressive allergen is required. It is far from always possible to track it, and therefore at the time of the onset of symptoms, the reason is not obvious.
By themselves, viruses are not too dangerous for a child, they act at the cellular level and are active only until the patient's immunity is able to develop specific antibodies to the pathogen. This usually takes 3 to 7 days, after which the child recovers. Complications of viral infections are dangerous.
The younger the child, the weaker his immunity. Colds threaten newborns to a lesser extent, since babies up to six months are protected by passive immunity, which they inherited with their mother's blood in utero. The baby also receives antibodies to common viruses with breast milk. But such immunity does not always work.
Most often, colds (we will call them as it is more familiar to the reader) occur in children aged 6 months to 7-8 years. Then the immune system begins to grow stronger, "learns", accumulates information about the viruses transferred by the child, has a supply of antibodies. Diseases as a result can be latent and easier.
Children aged 6 months to 1 year and from 1 to 3 years old are most difficult to tolerate respiratory diseases. They have the highest percentage of deaths from influenza and complications from all other acute respiratory viral infections. A 2-3-year-old kid is sick more often than a one-year-old baby, since he is already attending kindergarten and is in contact with a large children's team.
Infection occurs through airborne droplets and contact, all respiratory viruses and herpesvirus are very infectious, and therefore easily cause epidemics and even pandemics.
Allergic manifestations, similar to a cold in the clinical picture, are not contagious and are not transmitted to other children, even with close contact, the exchange of toys, dishes, things.
Causes
A common cold, in its popular understanding, has only one reason - hypothermia. If you look at the issue more broadly, it becomes clear that the real reason lies in a decrease in immunity, because strong immunity may well resist viruses, and in childhood immunity is weak and not "trained".
The most susceptible to colds are children born prematurely, as well as babies who have diseases and anomalies of the respiratory, kidney, and cardiovascular systems since birth. The risk group also includes children with severe disorders of the immune system (HIV, AIDS, a number of rare genetic syndromes with congenital immunodeficiency).
Children under 3 years old, even healthy ones, are without exception all at risk due to age-related weakness of the immune system. The virus is more likely to cause illness if the child is underweight, does not eat fully and balanced, suffers from vitamin deficiencies, and leads an inactive, predominantly sedentary lifestyle.
A child is more likely to get sick if there are infected people in his family. Although if a nursing mother falls ill, then the child most likely will not have the disease, because with breast milk she will transfer antibodies to a specific virus developed in her body to him.
For children who have already grown out of infancy, contact with sick people is dangerous. It is important to be able not to infect a child if mom or dad is sick. Children are most susceptible to colds if their immunity has been weakened by a recent illness or surgery.
A drop in immunity occurs during periods of severe psychological experiences and severe stress, which is why children so often begin to get sick when their familiar world collapses - parents get divorced, they are sent to kindergarten, school starts, parents leave for a long time or the whole family moves to a new place residence.
Frequent illnesses are sometimes caused by improper care, or rather, gross mistakes on the part of the parents. In families where children are given “greenhouse” conditions from birth, they wrap up the child, try to protect them from the sun and wind, from any draft, wrap and overfeed, they get sick more often. Parents' attempts to protect their children from diseases by taking medications frequently for any reason also have a detrimental effect on the state of children's immunity.
In families of nomadic peoples, where there are many children and they run barefoot down the street all summer and autumn until the snow appears, swim in rivers, where they are not forced to eat soup or cutlet, where the child does not receive food when it’s time for dinner, and when he himself wants and asks for food, ARVI, flu and other colds are rare.
The mucous membranes of a child with normal immunity are a reliable barrier against viruses. If something is wrong in the child's condition or external conditions do not contribute to the health of the mucous membranes, then infection occurs.
We figured out the internal factors, but the external ones need clarification. The mucous membranes must be sufficiently hydrated to resist viruses.
If in the room where the child lives, they always keep the vents closed and the heaters turned on (so that the child does not catch a cold and does not freeze!), Then the likelihood of getting sick tenfold increases, since drier air dries up the mucous membranes, thinning this barrier.
Signs
Usually, a cold becomes noticeable with the first signs of illness. But the disease begins earlier, from the very moment of infection, just during the incubation period, the child may not feel anything unusual. The duration of the incubation period can be different - from several hours to several days, and here the specific pathogen and the patient's age play the main role. The younger the child, the shorter the incubation period. On average, the inconspicuous period for most colds lasts about 1-2 days.
At this stage, attentive parents may notice some oddities in the child's behavior. So, the baby can often scratch his nose or rub his ears. This is due to a feeling of dryness and itching in the nose, which may be mild after infection. Often during the incubation period, children become more lethargic, absent-minded, they get tired faster, and sleep longer. In the absence of other signs of the disease, few of the parents at the same time may suspect the beginning of the disease.
At the end of the incubation period, the virus enters the bloodstream and noticeable, obvious signs of the disease begin. As a rule, a viral infection starts with an increase in temperature.
The highest temperature is observed with influenza (up to 40.0 degrees), with adenovirus and rhinovirus infections, the thermometer can show from 37.5 to 39 degrees. The heat adds muscle pain, chills, joint aches, pain and pressure in the eyeballs, photophobia.
Parents can pay attention to the fact that the child's eyes are watery, the child may complain that his legs, arms, and back hurt. The temperature can last from 2-3 to 5-6 days. The length of the febrile period depends on the specific virus. With flu, it lasts about 4-5 days, with adenovirus infection - up to 6-7 days. The hardest part is for parents of babies, for whom it is important to distinguish such a fever from the temperature sometimes observed during teething.
With a viral infection, the temperature is always high and persistent, while during teething it is easy to reduce it with the help of antipyretic drugs.
High temperature can cause symptoms of intoxication - the child will have vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain. In this case, it is important to exclude intestinal infection, and without a doctor this task cannot be done. In young children, when the virus enters the bloodstream, a small rash associated with a violation of vascular permeability and integrity may appear. Babies may bleed from their nose.
Signs that are mandatory for most colds are a runny nose, cough. A runny nose with influenza is characterized by the absence of nasal discharge, but with most other acute respiratory viral infections, it is usually accompanied by rhinorrhea (leakage of transparent liquid nasal mucus). At first, a cough with a viral infection is always dry and frequent, gradually it becomes wet - with sputum, by the time of recovery, the body begins to get rid of the affected particles of ciliated epithelium and dead viruses.
Shortness of breath with colds most often develops in young children. It is considered a rather dangerous symptom.
With a mild course, all the symptoms, although they are acute and impetuous, are somewhat erased. Symptoms are more severe in severe infections. And with the most severe toxic form of a cold, convulsions, loss of consciousness, delirium can be observed.
Complications
As already mentioned, colds are dangerous precisely because of their complications. What can threaten a child and how to protect him from this? First of all, it should be understood that complications can develop both during the disease and after it.
In the first case, the most common threats are the development of febrile seizures against a background of high fever, dehydration against the background of intoxication, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as hemorrhagic syndrome associated with a violation of the integrity of blood vessels by the virus. High heat can cause disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system.
After suffering an illness, other complications may appear. Most often, respiratory symptoms become protracted and even chronic. So, often as a result of a viral illness, a child develops bronchitis. Pneumonia can be a dangerous consequence. Bacterial rhinitis, tonsillitis, tracheitis are unpleasant and difficult to treat.
It often happens that after suffering from influenza or SARS, the child began to hear poorly. You definitely need to visit a doctor, because hearing loss can be a sign of otitis media, which is successfully treated, and a sign of acoustic neuritis, in which the changes are almost irreversible. Ear complications are one of the most common. Pus in the eyes may indicate the development of bacterial conjunctivitis, pain in the legs and joints may be a sign of polyarthritis.
The younger the child, the higher the likelihood of complications. Also, negative consequences can occur with improper treatment of the primary disease.
According to experts, the probability of complications as a result of a viral infectious disease is on average about 15%. In infants, it is about three times higher.
Treatment
Correctly treating colds means maintaining immunity, creating conditions for the child in which his natural defense mechanisms can be mobilized as soon as possible and give a decent immune response to the invasion of the virus. The sooner parents pay attention to the "harbingers" of an impending disease, the more chances to minimize its consequences.
At a very early stage, the child will be helped by abundant irrigation of the nasal mucosa, gargling, steam inhalation and a large amount of warm drinks. Anything that can moisturize the mucous membranes and increase their resistance to the action of the virus will be beneficial... The disease will appear, but in a mild form and the child will quickly recover.
If symptoms have already appeared, treatment will also be aimed at supporting immunity, but in addition, the child will need symptomatic treatment. First of all, at the first signs of a cold, you need to measure the temperature, and if it is high, put the baby to bed and call a doctor. A pediatrician is necessary for all babies under 3 years old, even if the symptoms are not very pronounced, as well as for all older children with severe symptoms.
It is necessary to call not to the clinic, but immediately to the ambulance if the baby's fever does not subside after the use of antipyretics under 3 years of age, if vomiting opens and diarrhea appears, the first signs of dehydration appear. Loss of consciousness, confusion of speech, delirium, convulsions are also a reason for calling the emergency room.
Let's say right away that drugs that can quickly cure a viral infection have not yet been invented. The best drugs of targeted antiviral action are used in a hospital setting and mainly in injections, and everything advertised on TV has almost no relation to the treatment of a viral infection. Antiviral drugs have not been clinically proven to be effective.
The called doctor will, of course, give an appointment. Usually, such means as "Anaferon for children" in tablets, "Immunal" (drops), "Oscillococcinum" (dragees), "Viferon" (candles) are recommended. These drugs are homeopathy. In relation to them, not only the antiviral effect, but also the effect in general, has not been proven. The doctor was not mistaken, he just knows that these funds cannot harm the child, and only his own immunity can cure him. Therefore, parents can, with a clear conscience, refuse such drugs and focus on organizing proper care for a sick baby.
It is preferable to treat children under one year old in a hospital due to the high risk of complications. The rest of the children, if the disease is mild, can be treated at home. To mobilize immunity, a small patient should be in a well-ventilated area. The air temperature in the room should not exceed 21 degrees Celsius. Room humidity should be at least 50-70%.
If there is no special device - a humidifier, you can simply hang wet towels over the radiators and make sure that they do not dry out, wetting them in a timely manner. In such a microclimate, recovery will go much faster, since the mucous membranes will not dry out.
The second prerequisite is drinking plenty of fluids. It shouldn't be hot or cold. Give your child drinks at room temperature, so the liquid will be absorbed faster by the body. Carbonated drinks, juices, milk are not suitable for drinking. But rosehip broth, chamomile tea, homemade cranberry juice and dried fruit compote are perfect. If the baby cannot or does not want to drink, it is not possible to get him drunk due to his age, it is better to immediately go to the emergency room. Especially if the child has vomiting and diarrhea.
In case of severe intoxication, the baby should be given not just to drink, but to drink special solutions that will help to compensate for the loss of water and mineral salts in the body. Powder "Smekta", "Regidron" "Humana Electrolyte" is easy to dilute and apply. If it is not possible to water the child with such a solution, he should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible, where saline, vitamins and the necessary supplements to reimburse mineral metabolism will be injected intravenously.
Temperature for colds is important. It promotes the production of interferons, activating the immune response. Therefore, it is not worth fighting the heat without an urgent need. Only if the temperature has exceeded 38.0 degrees, should the child be given antipyretic drugs.
Avoid preparations based on acetylsalicylic acid, they are not suitable for children. It is best to give paracetamol or any drug based on it ("Nurofen" - syrup or "Tsefekon D" - candles). Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs such as “Ibuprofen” at an age-specific dosage can also help.
In case of nasal congestion, vasoconstrictor drops ("Nazol baby", "Nazivin Sensitiv", "Nazivin") can be used, but not more than five days in a row. Such funds facilitate nasal breathing, retain the effect for a rather long time, but cause rapid drug addiction. A sore throat can be gargled with saline or furacilin solution. In case of severe intoxication, the child can be given antihistamines, for example "Suprastin", they can reduce the sensitization of the body.
Any warming ointment that is not contraindicated at this age will help relieve muscle pain. It is possible to remove the manifestations of herpes infection on the lip or in the nose by local application of "Acyclovir", a drug developed specifically to combat herpes viruses. With a dry cough, mucolytic drugs are prescribed in syrup.
During treatment, it is often recommended to give the child "Calcium Gluconate", vitamins. For parents who are very fond of treating children with several drugs at once, the following information will be useful:
- if you give a child two drugs at the same time, there is a 10% chance that they will interact negatively with each other;
- if you treat a child with three drugs at once, the likelihood of side effects and allergic reactions increases to 50%;
- if you give your baby five medications in one course of treatment, the likelihood that they will enter into an inadequate response rises to 90%.
With proper treatment, the child will recover in 3-5 days without complications and negative consequences. Self-medication can end very sadly - at home, with an unprofessional look from a mother or grandmother, it is very difficult to consider the symptoms of incipient complications.
How the virus cannot be treated?
As mentioned, improper treatment increases the chances of a complication, and therefore parents should be aware of The most common mistakes that moms and dads tend to make if a child suddenly falls ill with colds:
- Inhalation should not be done at high temperatures.
- You can not rub the child with badger fat, lard, if he has a high body temperature.
- Attempts to rub the child with vodka or vinegar can lead to critical vasoconstriction.
- You cannot treat a child with antibiotics for a cold if he does not have bacterial complications. The use of antibacterial drugs increases the likelihood of severe complications, and viruses are completely insensitive to antibiotics.
- You cannot wrap up a child in heat, he must be stripped down to shorts and a T-shirt, you can only cover him with a thin sheet.
- It is strictly forbidden to independently prescribe certain drugs to a child, to give funds from the field of alternative medicine, without consulting a doctor.
- Do not apply ice to the temples of a child with a high temperature - this is fraught with spasm of the vessels of the head.
- Do not force your child to eat at any cost. It is easier for a hungry body to cope with the disease, because energy is not wasted on digesting food. That is why sick children refuse to eat. You need to feed on demand. But watering is a must.
- During a cold, you cannot feed a child with sweets and sweets - such products will clearly not benefit him.
Folk remedies
Traditional methods of treating colds are known to many, but not all of them are equally useful. Inhalation of vapors of boiled potatoes in their uniforms often causes burns of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, and instilling onion juice into the nose can cause the shells to die off. Therefore, in the treatment of children, you should not blindly trust all the funds that are positioned as effective for colds and flu.
Children from 6 years old, provided that there is no allergy, can be used in small amounts of essential oils - fir, pine, eucalyptus. They are added drop by drop to the inhaler and the vapors are inhaled if the baby does not have fever and complications. In case of fever and bronchitis, such "treatment" will only harm.
Care should be taken with herbs, referring to the instructions for the use of herbal remedies, because they are quite allergenic. Special care is required for the use of honey and bee products in the treatment of colds in a child; such recipes are not recommended at all for children under 3 years old. Propolis tincture for babies over 3 years old must be water-based, not alcohol-based. Honey for preparing warm drinks must be of high quality. But the main thing is that the child should not be allergic to all these foods.
Acupressure massage is good for relieving headaches, and massage of the chest at the stage of recovery, the so-called drainage massage, will help the earliest discharge of phlegm from the bronchi.
There are also recipes that do not stand up to criticism - for example, advice to instill breast milk in a baby's nose with a runny nose. Milk is a breeding ground for bacteria, and a viral rhinitis very quickly runs the risk of becoming severe bacterial rhinitis, which will require serious antibiotic treatment. Mustard, generously poured by a grandmother's hand into the socks of a beloved grandson, can only cause severe allergies, but will in no way bring recovery closer.
Prevention
Precautions and common sense will help keep your child safe from a wide variety of colds. The child should not be hypothermic. But when choosing winter clothes and shoes for him, remember that overheating is no less terrible than hypothermia. If the baby sweats during the entire walk, he is more susceptible to a decrease in immunity and the occurrence of viral and allergic diseases. A child should not walk in wet shoes. If the legs get wet, be sure to change it into a dry pair. In winter, you also need to make sure that the baby's hands and face do not freeze on the street.
If the baby walks around the house barefoot, there is nothing wrong with that. Many parents believe that walking with bare feet contributes to hypothermia. In fact, the vessels of the lower extremities can narrow without negative consequences for the body and not release internal heat. It is impossible to catch a cold from such walking. But if the baby sits on a cold surface, then hypothermia is very, very likely.
In the season of increased morbidity, you should not take your child to a place where there is a large crowd of people, if possible, it is better to refuse to travel by public transport.
There is a flu vaccination, and it should not be neglected. Vaccination will not only reduce the chances of contracting this dangerous infectious disease, but also allow the disease to proceed more easily if infection does occur.
There is no vaccination against other infections, but there is protection - strong and healthy immunity. Parents should strengthen it, preferably from the very birth of the baby.
How to increase the body's immune forces?
The process of working on strengthening the immune system should be systematic and long-term. After the appearance of the baby in the family, the parents need to make a decision on how exactly they intend to strengthen the health of the baby. Hardening can be practiced from 1 month. It should be gradual, step-by-step, so as not to catch a cold baby. Usually, dousing is used after normal bathing with water, the temperature of which is slightly lower. First one degree, then two, and so on. Dr. Komarovsky recommends gradually increasing the temperature of the water for evening bathing to 25 degrees Celsius.
When a child grows up, he does not need to be protected from walking barefoot on grass, sand, pebbles, on the floor in his own apartment. Useful for the immune system of swimming in open waters and swimming pools. Not only water, but also sun and air baths make children's immunity stronger and more enduring.
You should not give up the preventive vaccinations prescribed by age - they allow the baby to form protection against the most dangerous viruses and bacteria. Vaccinate your child annually against the flu, and in the summer, if you have a trip to the sea, against rotavirus infection. Failure to vaccinate does not make a child stronger; this is one of the common misconceptions about vaccination.
In infancy, you should not give up breastfeeding early - the child receives many antibodies with breast milk. Artificial milk formulas, even the most expensive and useful ones, will not provide such protection. When the son or daughter grows up, it is important to instill in the child the good habit of eating healthy and balanced as soon as possible. The child's diet should have enough meat and fish, dairy products, butter, and, of course, fresh vegetables and fruits. Babies who are "pampered" with pizza and burgers rarely grow up healthy and strong.
It is worth making sure that the child has an activity to his liking from an early age, preferably active and in the fresh air. Computers and tablets are not the best helpers in strengthening the immune system.
When choosing a sport for a child, you need to understand that a chess club, boxing, karate are sports in which training usually takes place indoors. But skiing, cycling, swimming, figure skating, hockey and football, equestrian sports are what you need for a child whose immunity needs to be hardened.
If the child does not have any inclination for sports and he demonstrates a natural inclination for drawing or playing music, you can start a good family tradition - in the evenings, everyone can walk together in a park or square, go outdoors on weekends, play badminton and volleyball, swim and sunbathe.
If the issue of improving immune protection has never been faced by the parents and the child has grown up often ill, there is no need to despair. It is not too late to start hardening, gymnastics, walks and sports at any age. True, a more reverent attitude to the correction of lifestyle will be required. Before starting hardening and choosing a section for a child, it is imperative to consult a doctor.
By the way, a pediatrician can also suggest some effective remedies - food supplements that activate immunity. These additives include echinacea and pharmacy rosehip syrup.
The correct approach to the recovery period of the child will help to strengthen the immune system with frequent colds. Parents just need to break the cycle of persistent illness. To do this, after another cold infection, you should not take your child to kindergarten or school immediately after recovery. Give him time to recover, walk more in the fresh air, even in winter, play active games outside.
You should not rely on medicines, which are positioned by manufacturers as a means of preventing diseases in the cold season. Usually they are homeopathic and have absolutely no effect on the immune system.
For a frequently ill child, it is important to observe the daily regimen, sleep enough at night (at least 9 hours), alternate activities more often - after the baby has painted a little, it is imperative to take a walk, and then you can plan a quiet reading or play. The baby should be protected from situations in which he will experience strong feelings. Monitor the psychological climate in the family, take an interest in the affairs of the kid in kindergarten or school. Teach him to calmly endure troubles and blows of fate, and then his immune defense will be stronger and more reliable.
Frequent illness at an early age is not a reason to believe that it will always be this way. In 90% of cases, respiratory problems and susceptibility to viruses "outgrow", and by adolescence the child begins to get sick less often.
For information on how to properly treat a cold in a child, see the next video.
