How to protect your newborn from colds and flu

How to treat colds and runny nose in an infant

Treatment of colds (colds) - acute respiratory infections, influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, sore throats - in children under one year of age has its own characteristics and subtleties.
Many medications are contraindicated for an infant; in addition, he does not know how to blow his nose, swallow pills or gargle. By cold we mean those diseases that occur when a child is hypothermic or has a weakened immune system.

Treatment of colds (acute colds) - acute respiratory infections, influenza, ARVI, runny nose, sore throat - in children under one year of age has its own characteristics and subtleties. Many medications are contraindicated for an infant; in addition, he does not know how to blow his nose, swallow pills or gargle.

What to do before the doctor arrives?

Only an experienced doctor should decide how to treat ARVI in a 7-month-old child. Many medications are contraindicated for children under one year of age, so it is better not to use new medications without the instructions of a specialist. It is possible to alleviate the patient’s condition without medications.

For the child’s well-being, it is necessary to maintain the air temperature to 23 degrees and humidity to about 60%. To keep the air from drying out, you can use a humidifier or simply place deep containers filled with water around the room.

To reduce the concentration of germs in the air and make breathing easier, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning and regularly ventilate the nursery.

If the baby refuses food, there is no need to strictly follow the feeding schedule. It is better to offer food more often, but in small portions. But it is imperative to monitor fluid intake: dehydration is dangerous for a 7-month-old child. You can give children not only boiled water, but also vitamin drinks, if they are not allergic to them:

• cranberry, lingonberry, currant fruit drinks,
• Rosehip decoction - it is recommended for use from 6 months of age.

How to treat a cold in a child under one year old?

The main thing for a child who is only a few months old is to notice the first signs of a cold in time:

• it may be lethargy or, conversely, increased excitability;
• the child is more capricious;
• there may be problems with sleep or, conversely, the child sleeps more often and longer;
• a runny nose appears, the child sneezes and occasionally coughs;
• the child develops wheezing in his voice;
• the child has a fever;
• the child cries while eating, when he sucks at the breast (if his nose is blocked, the child may refuse to breastfeed altogether due to the inability to breathe, or it may be painful for him to swallow when his throat is inflamed).

If you suspect a cold, you must call a doctor from your local clinic to establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment for the child, and before the doctor arrives, we begin to treat the child’s cold and runny nose on our own.

The first thing you need to do is boost your child’s immunity.

Interferon and influenza drugs increase immunity. Drop into the child's nose (can be in the mouth, but better in the nose) 1 drop 2 times a day up to 6 months, 2 drops 3 times a day for a child from 6 months to a year. Children older than six months can be given Anaferon for children for the treatment and prevention of colds and flu. Dissolve the anaferon tablet in a spoonful of warm water and give it to the child to drink. Typically, a doctor prescribes anaferon to treat colds 3 times a day.

Please note that the sooner you start treating a cold, the more effective these medications will be. They will help you during a flu epidemic, and if one of the adults in the same apartment with the child has already fallen ill.

Treatment of a runny nose (rhinitis) when a child has a cold.

For children under one year of age with a runny nose, Aquamaris or Solin (saline solutions, can be dropped into the nose frequently), herbal preparations, Isofra for a prolonged runny nose are recommended. If your child has severe nasal congestion or a runny nose, you can drip aloe extract (sold at the pharmacy), aloe juice diluted with water, or chamomile infusion into your child’s nose.

Garlic inhalation is good for colds in children under one year old: grate the garlic and let the child breathe. During sleep, place grated garlic next to the baby's crib.

It is not advisable to drop vasoconstrictors into the nose of an infant (up to one year old) with a runny nose.

Treatment of sore throat (if the child has a sore throat).

After six months, to treat a cold, you can give your child chamomile infusion 1 spoon 3 times a day after meals. Irrigate the throat with Tantum Verde spray 2 times a day. Mother's milk is a good disinfectant; give breastfeeding to a cold infant more often. In general, you need to give your child water more often during a cold.

For colds and sore throats, you can make a vodka compress on the child’s neck and chest: moisten cotton wool in warm vodka + water 1:1, apply to the throat and chest, cover with gauze folded in several layers or with a clean cloth, lay cellophane on top, tie with a warm scarf, but Apply the compress to infants with caution so as not to burn the baby’s delicate skin.

Use mustard plasters for colds with even greater caution; place them through a double or triple layer of gauze so as not to burn the child’s skin.

If a child coughs with a cold.

Of the cough medications for children under one to three years of age, only mucaltin has no contraindications, so try not to let the disease go that far. If a cold is not treated, serious complications are possible: from bronchitis to pneumonia. Active movements of the baby and changes in body position help drain the lungs, so if the child is able to jump or spin, do not interfere with him.

An increase in a child’s temperature above 38 degrees is a reason to urgently call a doctor.

Up to 38 degrees, if the child feels as normal as possible with a cold, there is no need to lower the temperature, this is also a kind of fight against germs and viruses, which die at elevated temperatures. If the temperature is above 38 degrees, it is brought down with paracetamol (suspension or rectal suppositories).

Any cold is caused by an infection - a virus or bacteria, so a cold, like any other disease, requires mandatory treatment under the supervision of a doctor.

Prevention of colds in children under one year of age

To prevent your child from getting sick, you need to strengthen his immune system. It is known that up to the age of one year, a baby’s immunity is not yet strong. As the year approaches, the body's protective function becomes stronger.

Mother's milk is the most valuable means of strengthening the baby's health. Try to breastfeed him. The baby should be hardened. Frequent walks in the fresh air, sun and air baths will help strengthen his immunity. You should not make a “greenhouse plant” out of your child; do not wrap him up or overheat him. This destroys the immune system. Water procedures and massage strengthen the body’s protective function well. These methods not only stimulate the immune system, but will also have a beneficial effect on the hematopoietic, vascular and nervous systems.

Strengthening a child’s immunity up to one year will become a solid foundation for the formation of his health for the rest of his life.

Especially for - Ksenia Manevich

Colds in newborns

The first illnesses of a newborn child are always accompanied by stress for young parents; even a common cold can become a cause for panic. Most medications are contraindicated for an infant; he is unable to blow his nose, cough up sputum, and does not know how to gargle. Today we will talk about how to protect your baby from a cold and what to do if he does get infected.

Causes of colds in newborns

The colloquial version of “cold” hides the medical term “acute respiratory disease.” Many people think that the culprits for sore throats and runny noses in children are the autumn wind and wet feet, but this is not entirely true. Colds are caused by viruses, which, under favorable but undesirable conditions for us (hypothermia, weakened immunity), begin to multiply rapidly, provoking the disease.

It is believed that colds in newborns are quite rare. This is actually true if parents follow the necessary rules for caring for the child. The youngest inhabitants of our planet are protected from many diseases by maternal antibodies - powerful anti-infective factors that are transmitted to the baby in the last weeks of gestation, and after birth enter his body along with breast milk. But if the mother refuses to breastfeed, allows the newborn to interact with people with acute respiratory infections, and does not dress the baby warm enough for walks, he can easily catch a cold.

Signs of a cold in newborns

Most often, the first signs of a cold in newborns are nasal congestion, runny nose and increased body temperature. Since infants cannot breathe through their mouths, difficulty in nasal breathing often leads to sleep disturbances and creates difficulties during feeding. Quite often, symptoms of intoxication appear: the baby becomes capricious and lethargic. With the development of inflammation of the larynx (laryngitis), hoarseness is noted. Coughing is rare because the cough reflex in the newborn has not yet formed. While decreased immunity in adults is sometimes accompanied by the appearance of herpetic rashes on the face, in infants the herpes virus more often affects the oral mucosa.

In children of the first year of life, a cold is often mistaken for the beginning of teething. Since the child is not able to talk about his feelings, parents should know that acute respiratory infections are not typical:

• Excessive salivation;
• The desire to put everything in the mouth;
• Swelling and soreness of the gums;
• Disturbance in night sleep, which is explained by more active growth of teeth in the dark (except in cases where the baby wakes up from nasal congestion or a sore throat).

At the slightest suspicion that your newborn has a cold, call a doctor at home. Due to the imperfection of the body's defense reactions and anatomical features, young children are more likely than adults to encounter complications of acute respiratory infections. The baby's immunity is not able to resist the disease. Moreover, a viral infection is often accompanied by a bacterial one, as a result of which inflammation can spread to the lower respiratory tract or spread to neighboring organs. The most serious complication of a cold in an infant is inflammation of the membranes or substance of the brain - meningitis, encephalitis or meningoencephalitis.

Colds or Teething: Key Differences

If a baby has a cold for the first time, it is difficult for parents to navigate in time. But there are some signs that will help distinguish ARVI from teething. With a viral infection, the following symptoms are observed:

• blurred eyes,
• mucous discharge from the nose,
• difficulty breathing when breastfeeding,
• frequent sneezing and coughing,
• hoarse crying,
• temperature increase,
• lethargy or increased excitability.

In infants 4-6 months old, a rise in temperature and tearfulness may be associated with the appearance of the first teeth. Wherein:

• babies constantly put their fingers in their mouths, try to chew various objects,
• gums become red and swollen,
• saliva production increases.

If you are sure that your baby has a cold, you need to consult a specialist as soon as possible. If you have a high temperature, you should immediately call a doctor at home and strictly follow his recommendations.

Treatment of colds in newborns

If a newborn has a cold, it is necessary to create a protective treatment regime, carry out wet cleaning in the children's room every day, and ventilate the room at least twice a day. It is better to hold off on walks until the main symptoms subside, and reduce water procedures to a minimum (wash the child in the shower as necessary). Infants, like adults, are advised to drink plenty of warm drinks when they have a cold. So, for children under 6 months of age, this is breast milk and warm boiled water in a volume of at least 100 ml per day.

If the body temperature rises to 38.5 °C or more, it is necessary to give the baby an antipyretic drug, but caution should be exercised with physical cooling methods. Rubbing with vodka, a solution of alcohol or vinegar is unacceptable; the vapors of these substances will only harm the baby. You can wipe the child’s body with napkins soaked in water heated to 36-37 °C; Liquids at a lower temperature may cause tremors, which will only make the situation worse.

It is recommended to rinse the nasal passages with saline solution at least twice a day. To do this, two or three drops of the product are instilled into each nostril, and after a few minutes the liquid is sucked out using a nasal aspirator. After such a procedure, you can drip the baby’s nose with antiseptic and/or vasoconstrictor drops, depending on the nature of the illness and the pediatrician’s recommendations.

Specific treatment for a cold in a newborn is not required if the disease is mild and accompanied by a slight runny nose and sore throat. In case of severe acute respiratory infections and the development of complications, expectorants and sputum thinners are prescribed in inhalation form, and if a bacterial infection is suspected, the baby may be prescribed a course of antibacterial therapy.

Contact with a sick person

Infants, unlike older children, for the most part have virtually no contact with strangers, because do not go to kindergarten (school). This reduces the risk of catching the disease. But you cannot protect your baby from contact with a sick family member. How to save your baby from a cold if someone in the house is sick?

First of all, all sick relatives (except the mother, of course) should minimize their interaction with the child. Sick grandparents should not come to visit, sick dad should “move out” to another room for a while (including during sleep, especially if you practice co-sleeping). It is very advisable to put on a gauze bandage and wear it, if not constantly, then at least during contact with the child. The latter is especially true for a sick mother who cannot be avoided from her infant child.

It is necessary to ventilate the room where the sick person was well. If your baby is over 6 months old, you can try aromatherapy with oils whose vapors have a detrimental effect on microbes (eucalyptus, tea tree, mint). You can light an aroma lamp, spray the oil diluted in water with a spray bottle, or add essential oil to the special compartment of the humidifier (the latter is more effective). You can also finely chop the garlic and place a plate with it in the patient’s room.

To prevent a cold, an infant can be given the homeopathic drug Aflubin after interacting with a sick person. Dosage: for children from 6 months – 1 drop, for children from 1 year – 5 drops, diluted in a small amount of water, 3-8 times a day.

Health to you and your children, and may the trouble of seasonal colds bypass your families!

Prevention of colds in newborns

The main method of preventing colds in newborns and children of the first year of life is to limit contact, since it is adults who are carriers of microorganisms that pose a potential threat to the child’s health. It is equally important to follow the rules of hygiene: wet cleaning in the apartment where the baby lives should be carried out daily, and before interacting with the baby you should wash your hands with soap.

If your mother has a cold, you must wear a mask when caring for and feeding her. However, there is no need to give up breastfeeding during this period; on the contrary, now the baby needs it more than ever, because along with mother’s milk he receives important antibodies.

Prevention of ARVI in a newborn

Colds in children are associated with a weakening of the body's defenses against infection. Therefore, a mother should know how to protect her newborn from flu and colds. It is important to follow the following recommendations:

• Breastfeed.
• Go for walks with your child every day.
• Daily wet cleaning of rooms.
• Careful processing of newborn dishes.
• Give multivitamin complexes.
• Limit contact with strangers.
• Carry out hardening procedures daily.

Breast milk is considered the best preventive measure to protect a child from infections . Therefore, even if the mother has cold symptoms, this is not a reason to stop feeding. Together with milk, the child receives the hormones, vitamins, enzymes and minerals necessary for his body, which are difficult to introduce into an artificial mixture. When it enters the child’s body, antibodies begin to be intensively formed, which help to transfer the disease in a mild form. It is recommended to breastfeed for as long as possible until milk is produced. If he is given only artificial mixtures, then all dishes must undergo careful processing.

Every day a child needs fresh air and therefore walks, especially in autumn and winter, should be at least 1 hour. Children can get sick without leaving home if the room is rarely ventilated, where a large amount of viral infection accumulates. To avoid this, you need to open the window at least 3-4 times a day for 15-20 minutes. The environment for the spread of microorganisms is dust, which settles on surfaces in the apartment. Regular wet cleaning will reduce the risk of getting the flu and ARVI. The optimal temperature for a child to stay indoors is 20-22˚C.

Depending on the age of the baby, taking multivitamin complexes is allowed, but only after consulting a doctor. The drugs not only stimulate the immune system, but also contain the necessary amount of microelements needed by the child’s body.

During an epidemic of influenza and ARVI, if possible, the child is limited from contact with other people. If medical advice is required, it is better to call a pediatrician at home. Any stranger must put on a mask before approaching the baby. Before picking up a child, you need to wash your hands with soap.

We also recommend: How to protect your child from the flu

From an early age, to strengthen the immune system, parents should carry out hardening procedures for their baby. The most common methods are air and water. Before walking or feeding, you need to remove all his clothes for a few minutes. The temperature in the room should not be below 20-22˚C. The duration of the procedure increases daily.

Water hardening helps strengthen the child’s body

Water hardening is carried out by lowering the temperature when washing or pouring over the newborn’s feet. It is reduced by 1°C over several days, gradually reaching 25°C.

How to recognize in a newborn

During the off-season periods, the child's risk of hypothermia increases : the parents did not choose the right clothes for a walk, opened the balcony for ventilation longer than expected, and created a draft in the apartment, which exposed the infant.

It is for these reasons that a newborn may catch a cold.

A cold in an infant has the following symptoms :

• general lethargy of the child or increased excitability;
• frequent whims;
• significant increase in sleep duration;
• mucus discharge from the nose, coughing, sneezing;
• changes in the child’s voice, the appearance of hoarseness;
• increased body temperature;
• refusal to eat.

Proper daily child care

Maintaining the correct temperature and humidity level in the apartment, infant massage, swimming (including swimming in the pool), air baths, daily walks in the fresh air (in any weather!), hardening in the summer and more - all this plays a role an important role in the formation of the infant’s body’s resistance to various infections. Ideally, all these procedures should be components of daily baby care, and hardening should become the norm for the whole family.

Dress your child according to the weather - this is especially important in the cold season, when many mothers tend to wrap their baby in a large amount of clothing. As a result, the child sweats and catches a cold - but this is not at all what caring mothers wanted to achieve. For information on how to properly dress a child in winter, read a detailed article on our website.

Drops of Aquamaris, Salina or a regular solution of sea salt into the nose as a preventive measure for colds in infants will never be superfluous, normalizing the nasal mucosa, preventing the formation of dry crusts in it.

First aid

During illness, the child’s health condition deteriorates significantly . And in order not to aggravate it, it is better not to irritate the baby again - you should not shout at him, just as you should not force him to eat. The child will eat as much as he can. It makes sense to reduce the amount of food, but increase the number of feedings.

Harmful for babies and overheating. When you have a cold, it is better to wear it according to the temperature regime . But if the child is hot, you should choose lighter clothes.

Signs of an increase in temperature are:

• redness of the skin;
• hot body;
• the desire to constantly throw off the blanket in a dream.

It is better to reduce the temperature with the help of medications.

Rubbing is possible only with ordinary water heated to 35 degrees . First, the abdomen is blotted with a dampened towel, then the neck, groin and armpit areas.

Is it possible to do a massage if the baby has a cold? Massage for colds is contraindicated as it will make it difficult for the child to breathe.

Since the impact will be on the chest, the available lung volume will decrease . And with a cold, the baby’s breathing can be difficult due to the large amount of mucus secreted from the nose and mouth, so massage will become even more difficult.

You can walk with your baby, but only if the weather is favorable - without piercing wind, rain and sleet.

Can a baby get infected from his mother?

Hypothermia is not a contagious disease. Another thing is that against the background of weakening, various viruses and bacteria can become attached , which can “run” to the child from the mother or other close relatives.

When feeding

Is it possible to breastfeed a child if he or his mother has a cold? If the mother has a cold, it is strictly not recommended to wean the child from the breast . Breast milk contains fragments of inactive bacteria and antibodies that help the baby strengthen its own immunity to the disease .

In the only case it is worth stopping breastfeeding - if the mother switched to treatment with strong antibiotics . Then, even after the end of treatment, you will have to not give the baby mother’s milk for some time - until the bactericidal drugs leave the body. However, it is possible and necessary for a mother to maintain lactation , even during her own treatment.

How not to infect

If your mother has a cold, you can take some simple steps to protect your child from an accidental illness:

• ask relatives to stay with the baby while the mother receives medical procedures or rests a little;
• wash nipples with soap before feeding, change underwear more often - this will remove accumulated bacteria;
• wash floors daily and wipe door handles, telephones, television remotes - objects that “collect” bacteria;
• get yourself separate dishes for eating so as not to spread bacteria among your family;
• wear a medical mask and change it after 3 hours;
• use disposable tissues when sneezing and blowing your nose;
• transfer the child to a freshly ventilated room while sleeping, and the mother can rest in her own.

It is important not to limit the baby’s communication with his mother so that he does not feel abandoned - stroke him more often, talk, sing, read.

How to treat

You should not cope with the manifestations of the disease on your own - without the advice of a pediatrician, medications can harm the baby . His condition will worsen or a complication will appear in the form of an allergy, which will have to be eliminated additionally. Medicine for cold symptoms should only be recommended by a pediatrician.

Treatment of a baby begins with regulating the conditions in which the baby lives. The room where the child spends more time must be ventilated . In winter, three times a day is enough, and in summer, it is necessary to ensure a constant flow of fresh air .

It is not recommended to lower the temperature if the child is feeling well, so as not to overload the body with medications.

If there is no temperature, you can go out with your baby for a walk . Fresh air will “drive” harmful bacteria out of the body, and, accordingly, speed up recovery.

Antibiotics for the treatment of colds in infants are contraindicated . If they are taken uncontrolled, the child’s body may react unpredictably to them.

It is also unacceptable to use vasoconstrictor drugs to eliminate a runny nose in a newborn. nasal discharge using a mechanical aspirator . This procedure can be preceded by instilling a few drops of boiled water into each nostril.

How can I help you

The list of approved drugs for the treatment of infants is limited . What medications can be given to a newborn for a cold? The main remedies that a doctor can recommend belong to the following groups :

• Immunostimulating . These are synthetic substances that are used to weaken the immune system. Interferon and its derivatives are most in demand. Suppositories are optimal for infants - they do not cause complications in the body.
• For sore throat . The cause of the symptom is damage to the mucous membrane. Drugs in this group have a complex effect. They restore the mucous membrane, rid the mouth of germs and soften the throat.
• Antipyretics . These drugs, as a rule, only bring down the temperature without affecting the inflammatory process itself. Therefore, you should not get carried away with them.
• From a runny nose . Such remedies can also be prescribed to a baby. Usually the most gentle drugs are offered - Aquamaris, Miramistin in sprays.

For children under one year of age, medications are selected individually . As a rule, these are herbal medicines, sprays and drops with sea water, antipyretics based on paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Therapy at 1 month

Newborns with a cold can be given medications only on the recommendation of a doctor . Immunostimulants - Viferon or Ruferon - can be used in treatment. There are no universal remedies for sore throat and cough - everything is prescribed individually.

Procedures to lower the temperature can be started only when it reaches 38 degrees or higher . In this case, rub the tummy, neck, and limbs with warm water every 3 hours.

For a runny nose, use weak saline solutions at intervals of no more than 5 times a day. Mucus is removed using cotton swabs, mechanical aspirators or a medical syringe.

At 2 months

Babies of this age are treated similarly to 1-month-old infants with a slight expansion of the list of drugs. The appointment is made by the attending pediatrician. Immunostimulants - Viferon or analogues - are used in the form of rectal suppositories.

An increase in temperature is best eliminated by wiping with warm water . You can use children's Paracetamol, Ibuprofen in the form of syrup, as well as rectal suppositories (Efferalgan and analogues), observing the dosage according to age .

To cleanse the nasal passages, you can use saline solution , which is instilled with an aspirator or syringe. Vasoconstrictor drugs are not used.

At 3 months

At this age, cold treatment follows a scenario similar to 1 and 2 months. First, call the attending physician , who will prescribe the necessary medications.

Immunostimulants are still indicated for use. To reduce the temperature, rubbing with cool water, rectal suppositories (with Paracetamol), and Ibuprofen in the form of syrup are suitable.

To eliminate a runny nose, you can use saline solution or Aquamaris .

At 6-10 months

The start of treatment is standard - calling a pediatrician at home or visiting him at the clinic. Standard immunostimulating agents are used - interferon rectal suppositories .

A temperature above 38 degrees is an additional reason to see a doctor. Ibuprofen syrups and Paracetamol-based suppositories are used as antipyretics.

Mucus from the nasal passages is removed with special saline solutions - Aquamaris, Miramistin. Mechanical means are also used - aspirators, medical syringes.

If a runny nose does not go away but leads to complications, then the doctor may prescribe vasoconstrictor medications. They are used for a limited period of time - 3-4 days.

Redness of the throat can also be treated with herbal infusions and antiseptics . There are no universal remedies - everything is prescribed taking into account the individual characteristics of the course of the disease.

Prevention of ARVI for a child if the mother is ill

Treatment of breastfeeding women has some peculiarities. Most drugs are contraindicated during lactation. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to protect a nursing mother from the flu during the epidemic season. During this period, the correct selection of funds is important so as not to harm both the woman and the child. The treatment regimen includes:

• antiviral agents;
• antipyretics;
• saline solutions;
• drinking plenty of water;
• foot baths;
• mouth rinse;
• vaccination.

Antiviral drugs for breastfeeding mothers include Grippferon and Viferon . They are used not only for treatment during a flu epidemic, but also as a means of prevention. To stimulate the immune system, you can take a plant-based drug - Aflubin .

Paracetamol will help bring down a high fever

It is possible to reduce elevated body temperature using physical methods of cooling the body. Rubbing with cool water and compresses on the forehead are used. If there is no effectiveness, taking Paracetamol or Ibuprofen is allowed.

Another way to protect your baby from flu and colds is to rinse the mother’s nasal cavity with saline solutions. If you are worried about a severe runny nose, then you are allowed to use vasoconstrictors only before bed. The duration of treatment should not exceed more than 3 days.

During seasonal exacerbation of influenza and ARVI, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids with the addition of honey, lemon, currants, and raspberries. Vitamin C, which many berries are rich in, improves immunity. If you have a dry cough, a mixture of milk and honey with butter is effective. It is consumed warm.

Warm milk with honey helps relieve cough

In the absence of fever, foot baths with the addition of mustard powder are recommended as a means of prevention. For a sore throat, use a mouth rinse solution with the addition of sea salt and soda.

Healing herbs such as chamomile and calendula can be used as a replacement. A few drops of essential oils with bactericidal properties (eucalyptus) are added to the solutions. You need to rinse your mouth 3-5 times during the day.

We also recommend: Prevention of influenza in preschool children

Vaccination

One of the main ways to protect an infant from influenza and ARVI is to vaccinate the mother. Breastfeeding after the injection does not affect the immune system's response. After it, antibodies are formed that protect the woman’s body. They pass through breast milk to the baby and provide additional protection during the flu period.

There are certain restrictions when vaccination is contraindicated for a woman. These include:

• Allergy to chicken protein (included in the injection).
• Severe allergic reactions that occurred previously after vaccination.
• Illness with high body temperature.

Another way to protect your infant from the flu is to give him an injection. Vaccination is allowed for children over 6 months of age.

Live vaccines are most often used to combat seasonal infections. The most famous of them is the “Live Allantoic Influenza Vaccine”. It is allowed for children only after 3 years of age. The advantage of vaccination is the presence of 3 types of influenza pathogens. Younger children can be injected with Vaxigrip, Fluarix, Grippol.

The vaccine is the most effective prevention of influenza

The most effective way to protect an infant from the flu is an integrated approach to the problem . Protecting the nursing mother and newborn will strengthen the immune system and fight seasonal infections. In childhood, the baby’s body is poorly formed. Therefore, the risk of complications is high. To avoid this, in the absence of contraindications for the mother, it is necessary to carry out vaccine prophylaxis for her and her child. Disease prevention is best done all year round - hardening, taking vitamins in the form of fruits and vegetables.

Colds in children - infants, treatment of colds in children

Colds in children - infants, treatment of colds in children

Colds are the most common illness among children, so mothers should always be prepared. They must clearly know what needs to be done in a given situation. So, what should you do if you suddenly notice signs of a cold in your baby? Do not console yourself with the fact that, most likely, the cause of the ailment is “teething.” Always take the disease seriously, because in 99% of cases it is a viral infection, and teething reduces the child’s immunity. Therefore, the baby must be TREATED immediately, and not wait for complications.

1) Call a doctor. Consultation is necessary no matter how serious the illness. You must understand that for a baby, even a runny nose can be a dangerous disease.

2) Immediately place the child on a higher pillow; if the head is positioned low, there is a risk of suffocation. The air in the room should be moderately HUMID and warm.

3) At a body temperature of 38°C and above, you can rub the baby with a light solution of vinegar (1 tablespoon per liter of water), give an enema

4) When you have a cough or runny nose, it is good to rub your chest, back, neck, legs, and feet with balms containing eucalyptus oil.

5) Take medicinal baths with herbal preparations for 10-15 minutes. Recommended water temperature is 38°C. After the bath, wrap the child up and put him to bed.

6) It’s good to make compresses with any heated oil. Soak the fabric in oil, put polyethylene on top, wrap it with a woolen scarf (for 2 hours), 2-3 times a day.

7) Cough syrups are usually prescribed to children from 6 months and older (doctor's recommendations are required). Mom needs to know that there are two types of cough - wet and dry, so medications must be used in accordance with the disease.

"Doctor Theiss" - syrup with plantain for coughs with difficult sputum production.

“Bronchicum” – contains rose hips, thyme, honey and other herbs.

“Doctor Mom” – used for sore throat, irritable, convulsive cough; contains basil, licorice, saffron

"Tussamag" - used for dry cough. Contains thyme extract.

Inhalations are also good. Place a pan of hot water in a closed room next to the crib and pour the inhalation solution into it. It is necessary for the child to inhale the vapor for 1-1.5 hours. Or at least place a clove of garlic at the baby’s head.

9) Let your child drink more: compotes, tea with lemon, rose hips.

Warming procedures with mustard help very well. If a child has a runny nose and cough, put on cotton socks, pour mustard powder into other socks and put them on top of the first. On top are wool socks. Also consult with your doctor about what vitamins or strengthening agents to give your baby.

Runny nose

At the beginning of a cold, the baby develops a runny nose. In this case, before each feeding, you need to clean the baby's nose. It is better to do this with wicks with a soda solution (one teaspoon of soda per glass of water). Then place one or two drops of breast milk in each nostril. Breast milk contains all the protective substances. If the mother does not have milk, add one or two drops of warm vegetable oil. I want to warn you about the danger of introducing soda solution and other liquids into the baby’s nose through a bulb. In children, fluid passes very easily from the nose into the Eustachian tube, which connects the nose and ear. This can cause inflammation in the middle ear (otitis media). To avoid complications, it is better to rinse your nose with wicks soaked in a soda solution.

A child has a runny nose: secrets of an experienced mother

Treating a runny nose in children requires patience. Be sure to give your sick child a massage of the wings of the nose, forehead, and ears several times a day. The following simple recipes will also help treat a runny nose:

Place 4-5 drops of aloe juice into your nose two to three times a day. This is a simple and effective treatment.

Pour one teaspoon of elecampane into one glass of boiling water. Leave in a water bath for half an hour. Give your child a quarter glass to drink warm before meals.

Light the cotton wool, knock down the flame so that the cotton wool smolders. Let the child inhale the smoke alternately, first with one nostril, then with the other. (He must first blow his nose.) Thanks to this procedure, a runny nose goes away quickly.

Mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with honey, 1:1. Place 1-2 drops into your nose. It is also good to keep cotton swabs soaked in this solution in your nose.

If you have a severe runny nose, let your child chew honey in a comb (if there is no allergy to bee products).

Pour 10 g of crushed wild rosemary herb into 100 g of linseed or sunflower oil, leave in a warm place for several hours, strain. Give your child 1 drop twice a day

How to hover legs

For children over nine months old, when they have a runny nose, it is very good to steam their feet. This procedure is done only when there is a slight rise in body temperature (up to 38°C). First you need to immerse the legs in warm, pleasant water, and then gradually add hot water, bringing the water temperature to 40-4°C. As soon as your feet turn red, pour cold water over them and then put them back in hot water. Repeat this three times, after the third dousing with cold water, put woolen socks on the baby and put him to bed. You can also hover handles.

"Boots"

They are most often given to young children (up to nine months). Put cotton socks or rompers on the child’s feet, apply half a mustard plaster soaked in warm water to the feet, and put a woolen sock on top. The wearing time of such “boots” is 45-50 minutes once a day.

Cough

If your baby has a cough, it would be a good idea to put mustard plasters on. But it is important to take into account that mustard plasters are completely contraindicated for any allergic manifestations in children. Children with a tendency to allergies are generally contraindicated in procedures that use

Odorous substances (for example, camphor alcohol, mustard, turpentine). They can cause bronchospasm and difficulty breathing.

But oil compresses for bronchitis are useful for everyone: both allergy sufferers and non-allergy sufferers. They should be done when the body temperature has dropped at least temporarily. Heat the vegetable oil to a temperature of 40-45°C, soak a canvas rag in it, quickly wrap it around the chest, then another cloth on top, then a towel, a woolen scarf and leave for two hours. After the oil wrap, the child must be washed so that the oil does not clog the skin pores through which harmful metabolic products are released. In general, to better cleanse the body during an illness, a child should be bathed more often, without fear that this will worsen his condition.

Factors that aggravate the serious condition of a child during illness

Overwrapping, contaminated skin, unclean intestines and rich food are factors that aggravate the child’s serious condition during illness and high body temperature. Sometimes, for their own peace of mind, mothers supplement treatment with large doses of medications. There is an apparent improvement, but very soon the child will get sick again. How many times in my medical practice have I encountered such situations! Sometimes you just had to cleanse the intestines, follow a diet, and wash the child, and the high temperature subsided, and the condition improved before our eyes.

Curd compresses

In addition to oil compresses, it is also good to make other compresses, for example, curd ones. Warm the curd, drain the whey, put the curd in gauze, and then tie it to the baby's chest for 30-40 minutes. The curd compress can also be applied at high temperatures.

Croup and the fight against it

With a dry barking cough, you must first ensure that it turns into a wet cough, since in such a condition the child may develop the so-called croup (narrowing of the larynx due to its inflammation and allergic swelling). A harbinger of croup is a hoarse voice. Treatment should be immediate to prevent difficulty breathing (breathing in). First of all, steam your child's feet. Try to ensure that the room has high humidity and warm air, which will facilitate the removal of dry crusts of mucus from the larynx. At this time, let the baby drink expectorant herbs (coltsfoot, violet, licorice root, etc.), any children's expectorant mixtures.

Cold in a baby

The most common illness in children is the cold, and it is important for young parents to be able to quickly recognize and prevent the first symptoms of the disease, as well as take effective methods of treating their baby. It is enough just to know what to do in a particular case. First of all, it is important to understand that the slightest signs of illness should be taken seriously. There is no need to attribute a child’s slight illness to “teething” or other characteristic problems. Any cold occurs due to a viral infection. And just cutting teeth greatly weakens the child’s immunity, thereby paving the way for viruses. There is no need to wait for complications - we need to treat!

First thing.

1. Always consult your doctor without delay. In young children, any illness is serious.

2. During illness, be sure to place the child’s pillow higher, as if the head is low, the child may experience suffocation. It is also important to keep the child indoors without drafts and to maintain warm and humid air in the room.

3. If the child’s body temperature rises above 38°C, you need to rub it with a weak solution of vinegar (1 tbsp per 1 liter of water).

4. If a child has a cough, rubbing with balms with eucalyptus oil helps. Short-term therapeutic baths with herbal preparations will also have a beneficial effect, after which the child should be wrapped up and put to sleep. You can make compresses with heated vegetable oil. Making a compress: soak a cloth in oil and place it on the baby’s chest, put polyethylene on top and wrap a scarf around the baby’s chest. The procedure time is 2 hours, frequency is 2-3 times a day.

5. It is better to coordinate the use of cough syrups in the treatment with a doctor, who will accurately prescribe the optimal drug. It is important to know that syrups are prescribed to children from 6 months.

The most commonly recommended syrups by doctors are:

"Doctor Theiss" - helps with coughs with difficulty producing sputum.

“Bronchicum” – contains natural herbs and honey.

"Doctor Mom" ​​- contains extracts of natural herbs. Recommended for use for sore throat and irritable cough.

"Tussamag" - used for dry cough. Contains thyme extract.

6. Inhalations will speed up recovery. Place a pan of hot water near the baby's crib and add an inhalation solution. It is important that the child inhales the vapor every 1.5 hours.

7. Make sure that the child drinks plenty of warm liquids at this time: tea, compote.

8. Methods using mustard are very effective. If you have a cough or runny nose, put mustard plaster or mustard powder in paper bags in your child’s socks at night.

9. Be sure to consult your doctor about the best vitamins to give your baby.

Runny nose.

The first sign of a child's cold is a runny nose. If you have a runny nose, it is very important to clean your baby’s nose before each feeding—it’s best to do this with cotton wicks soaked in a soda solution. You can put a couple of drops of breast milk or vegetable oil into your nose, which are rich in important protective elements.

Remember that introducing liquids into a baby's nose using a bulb is not recommended at all. In children, fluids can very easily pass from the nose into the so-called Eustachian tube, which connects the ear and nose. This is fraught with otitis media. Therefore, it is best to rinse your nose with cotton wicks soaked in soda solution.

Be patient - a runny nose in babies is quite difficult to treat. During illness, do not forget to regularly massage your child’s wings of the nose, forehead, and ears several times a day. Also take into account simple and effective tips:

- Instill aloe juice into your baby 2-3 times when you are lazy. This is a time-tested, effective method;

- Pour a teaspoon of elecampane with a glass of boiling water and let it brew for half an hour in steamed water. Application - a quarter glass before meals daily;

- Let your child blow his nose more often. After the baby has blown his nose, light the cotton wool so that it smolders and let the child inhale the smoke through his nose. This method will help to quickly cure your baby of a runny nose;

- mix lemon juice with honey in a 1:1 ratio, drop 1-2 drops into the baby’s nose. You can also soak cotton swabs in this solution and keep them in your nose;

— if the baby is not allergic to honey, then honey in a comb, which the child just needs to chew, will help a lot;

- a tincture of 10 g of bogulnik and 100 g of linseed oil is good for instillation into the nose

Soaring legs.

Older children (from 9 months) benefit from steaming their legs. However, this is possible only if the body temperature does not rise above 38°C. Immerse your baby's feet in warm water and gradually add hot water until the temperature reaches 40°C. Pour cold water over the reddened legs and put them back into hot water. After 2-3 dousings with cold water, put woolen socks on your baby and put him to bed.

Often done to children under 9 months. Put rompers or cotton socks on the child’s feet and apply mustard plasters soaked in warm water to the feet, and put a wool sock on top. The procedure time is up to 45 minutes once a day, preferably before bed or in the morning.

We are treating a child for a cough.

When you cough, don’t hesitate to put on a mustard plaster. However, if the baby has allergic reactions, mustard plasters are contraindicated. For children with allergic reactions, procedures using strong-smelling medications (for example, mustard, turpentine, camphor alcohol) are generally not recommended, since their odors can cause breathing difficulties.

What to do if your baby has allergies? Absolutely harmless oil compresses are no less effective. Compresses should be applied when the temperature can be brought down. Heat the vegetable oil to 45 °C, soak a canvas cloth in it and wrap it around the chest, wrap the child on top with a scarf or towel and put the child in bed for 2 hours, cover with a blanket. After oil wraps, it is important to wash the child. Oil can clog skin pores and prevent the release of harmful substances through sweat. In general, during illness, frequent bathing is recommended just to better cleanse the child’s body. Don't worry, contrary to popular belief, swimming will not cause complications.

What can actually make the disease worse?

A deterioration in the child’s condition and an increase in temperature can be triggered by excessively wrapping the baby - due to the fact that the baby constantly sweats, the skin becomes dirty, and due to lack of washing, in this case, harmful substances will not be removed from the body; plentiful nutrition and unclean intestines also slow down recovery . Also, in the hope of a speedy recovery, inexperienced mothers stuff their children with unnecessary medications. Medicines, of course, bring temporary relief, but then the condition becomes even worse than before. Practicing doctors confirm that, first of all, it is important to monitor the child’s hygiene, especially during illness.

Curd compresses.

In addition to oil compresses, other compresses also help. For example - cottage cheese. The cottage cheese is warmed, the whey is drained and placed on the baby’s chest, wrapped in gauze for 30-40 minutes. This compress is also good because it can be used even at high body temperature.

A dry cough must be cured as soon as possible, or at least ensure that the cough becomes wet.
Because for children, a dry cough is fraught with the development of croup - a narrowing of the larynx due to inflammation. The first prerequisite for the development of croup in a baby is a hoarse voice. Start treatment immediately, as advanced croup can cause breathing difficulties. First of all, start hovering your legs. Maintain humidity and warm air in the room - this “climate” promotes the rapid separation of dry crusts of mucus from the larynx. Regularly give your child expectorant infusions of coltsfoot and licorice root, and also use any children's expectorant mixtures. Author of the publication: Svyatoslav Sitnikov

What to do if a 2 month old baby has a cold

Article last updated: 05/11/2019

Colds are a collective term that is not related to a medical diagnosis. The concept includes a group of viral diseases that affect the upper respiratory tract of a person, regardless of age.

During the first year of life, the child has an imperfect immune system, which cannot independently repel attacks from viruses and bacteria. With the accumulation of predisposing factors, the newborn’s defenses weaken, viruses settle on the mucous membrane of the nose, pharynx, trachea, actively multiply, causing inflammation, cough, runny nose and other well-known symptoms of acute respiratory diseases (ARI).

Why did the baby get sick?

Viruses and bacteria surround us everywhere. It is known that at certain times of the year the risk of respiratory viral diseases increases. These are the periods of greatest activity of a particular virus. A 2-month-old baby can be infected with viruses from close relatives, when visiting crowded places, such as a clinic, or while walking.

A number of predisposing factors contribute to viral infection:

1. Hypothermia of a child. When a baby is hypothermic, a reflex spasm of blood vessels occurs; the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract become vulnerable to viruses and bacteria.
2. Reduced immunity in a newborn.
3. Drying of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Occurs during the heating season if the room is not humidified. To ensure local immunity, the mucous membranes must be moist!
4. Poor nutrition or food in insufficient quantities.
5. Concomitant diseases or congenital pathologies.

Symptoms of a cold in infants

With various acute respiratory viral diseases (ARVI), the symptoms are similar; usually it is not difficult for parents to suspect that their child has a cold.

The main symptoms that indicate acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections:

1. Increased body temperature.
2. Runny nose.
3. Cough.
4. Sneezing.
5. Weakness, poor appetite and sleep disturbance.

Let's look at each symptom in more detail.

At the very beginning of the disease, parents will notice that something is wrong with the child: the baby is lethargic, whiny, eats poorly, sleeps restlessly. These are symptoms of intoxication of the body with a viral infection. At the same time or a little later, an increase in body temperature is noted.

With a cold, the temperature increase can be insignificant or reach high values. If elevated body temperature is detected, it is necessary to monitor its readings every half hour. If the reading exceeds 38.5 degrees, the child must be given medications to reduce it.

If for an adult a runny nose is just an unpleasant occurrence, then for a baby a runny nose can be dangerous. The baby does not know how to independently free his nose from mucus, and he also does not know how to breathe through his mouth. With a stuffy nose, the baby cannot breastfeed, which further aggravates the condition. It is mandatory to treat a runny nose in a 2 month old child.

Coughing and sneezing often accompany a cold. These are the body's defense mechanisms aimed at clearing the airways of excess mucus.

How to treat a cold in a 7 month old child

Cold in a child (7 months): how to cure it?

How to determine that a 7-month-old child has a cold, and how a cold in a 7-month-old child is treated before the doctor arrives, you will learn from this article.
Treating infants for viral and bacterial diseases has its own difficulties. This is understandable: such children do not yet know how to swallow pills, blow their nose or gargle on their own. And the list of medications that can be given to a child is very limited.

But, nevertheless, it is necessary to treat a cold. What can mom do before the doctor comes?

Symptoms

If your baby has become more capricious, has become too lethargic or, conversely, too excitable, if he cries when he suckles, sleeps for a long time and often or cannot fall asleep at all, then this is a reason to worry.

A child is definitely sick if he has a runny nose, a cough, he sneezes, his voice is hoarse and his temperature rises.

To increase immunity, influenzaferon and anaferon are used, starting from 6 months of age.

Runny nose

If a 7-month-old child has a cold, you can use Nazivin drops and Salin-type saline solutions from birth. Regularly clear snot from your child’s nose with cotton swabs soaked in a weak soda solution (1 tsp per 1 tbsp) with very gentle movements.

You can also drop aloe juice into your nose (4-5 drops per nostril) and drop breast milk into each passage.

Mucus from the nose can be sucked out with a small rubber bulb, slightly lifting the child's head at an angle of 45 degrees.

Cough

A doctor can prescribe cough syrups to a child only from six months of age. The following syrups are allowed: Doctor Theiss, Doctor Mom, Tussamag, Bronchicum, Mucaltin.

Cough can be wet or dry, and each remedy is intended for one type of cough.

To prevent congestion in the lungs, the baby must change body position and make active movements.

Tantum verde is a good remedy for the throat if a 7-month-old child has a cold, but in addition to natural herbs, it contains alcohol.

You can easily cope with a cough with mustard. Put thin cotton socks on your feet, and thicker socks on them, into which pour dry mustard or a piece of mustard plaster soaked in water.

You can keep this compress on your feet for 45-50 minutes.

Heat

There is no need to lower the temperature to 38° C. But if it becomes higher, wipe the body with a weak solution of apple cider vinegar in water. Give your child the antipyretic Panadol or Nurofen or put a suppository for fever.

Give your child a warm drink at all times: compote, juice, tea, fruit drink.

If a child has not been washed for a long time, is wrapped up too tightly, is “stuffed” with medications and fed a lot during an illness, then this can prolong the illness or complicate its course.

So don’t be afraid to wash your child when he’s sick!

How to treat a cold in a child

Content:

In modern Russian pediatrics, 4-6 episodes of childhood colds per year are considered normal. Despite their apparent simplicity, acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections can cause serious complications.

Therefore, parents have a question: how and with what to treat a cold in a preschool child?

It is important not only to select effective drugs, but also to create comfortable conditions for the patient to recover.

Causes

As you know, children are several times more likely than adults to suffer from cold symptoms. This is due, first of all, to the ongoing formation of the immune system in the child’s body. At the same time, the baby comes into contact with a large number of viruses every day, which easily overcome protective barriers and infect the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. A child is constantly exploring the world around him, and therefore all he has to do is rub his nose or mouth with dirty hands, and the virus will enter the body. The peak of childhood colds usually occurs in the cold season - autumn or winter. Low temperatures and dry indoor air dry out the nasal mucosa, making it easier for pathogenic bacteria to establish themselves in the body. In addition, during the cold season, the child spends less time outside, and indoors the virus is easily transmitted from one child to another.

Symptoms

Before treating a cold in a child, you need to make sure your suspicions are correct. The symptoms of colds, flu and even allergies are somewhat similar, which makes it difficult to choose treatment. A runny nose, cough and elevated body temperature can signal the presence of almost any respiratory tract disease. However, a cold has its own characteristic course:

• Runny nose. At first, your baby's snot is clear, but over time it becomes gray or yellow in color and has a thicker consistency. Nasal congestion may also occur
• Body temperature. With a cold, it usually increases slightly - up to 37-37.5 degrees
• Cough. A slight cough is another symptom of a cold, and it occurs along with a runny nose even before the body temperature rises.

Accompanying symptoms of a cold in childhood can be lethargy, apathy and decreased appetite.

Precautionary measures

The most important mistake that parents make when asking how to treat a cold in a child is to start lowering the low temperature. 37-37.5 degrees are low-grade indicators, indicating that the body is fighting a viral infection and is actively producing antibodies to fight the disease. In such cases, you should not give your baby antipyretics: let the immune system cope with the cold on its own. It is also not recommended to use antibiotics for childhood colds. Broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs are effective against bacteria, but not viruses.

Therefore, taking such medications may not only be ineffective, but also dangerous for the child’s body. Another common mistake is the long-term use of vasoconstrictor drops. Undoubtedly, these drugs effectively eliminate nasal congestion in the baby, making breathing easier. However, with prolonged use they cause addiction and drying of the mucous membrane. When thinking about how to treat a cold in a child, remember that cough, fever and other symptoms of acute respiratory infections are, first of all, a protective reaction of the body, so try not to overdo it in your attempts to get rid of these unpleasant sensations.

Treatment

The most important thing in treating colds in children is to provide the patient with comfortable conditions. Regular ventilation of the room, a balanced diet, plenty of food and adherence to a daily routine will help significantly improve the child’s well-being and contribute to his speedy recovery. Also, when the first symptoms of a cold appear, you should seek help from a pediatrician. And although the cold is not a dangerous disease, in some children it can cause complications and the development of more dangerous respiratory diseases. How to treat a cold in a child to avoid negative consequences?

Antipyretics

If a high body temperature persists for a long time, the child should be given one of the following medications:

• Panadol (suspensions and suppositories)
• Nurofen
• Calpol
• Cefekon.

These medications contain paracetamol in a dosage that is safe for children, which helps reduce fever and eliminate pain.

Cough remedies

A prolonged dry cough prevents the baby from sleeping and eating normally. To thin mucus and improve its release from the lungs, the following cough syrups should be used:

• Lazolvan
• Sinekod
• Coldrex broncho.

Cold drops

A weakly concentrated solution of sea salt is the best remedy for a runny nose. It not only carefully cleanses the nasal mucosa from viruses, but also moisturizes it without causing side effects. Pharmacy analogues of sea water are dolphin, aqua maris and salin.

How to treat a cold in a child

There is no such disease as a cold in medical etymology.

In fact, this definition is either attributed to viral infections localized on the lips (herpes in children), or is considered a prerequisite for diseases such as acute respiratory infections, ARVI, influenza and others.

But doctors more often classify the subject of panic “the child has a cold, what to do” as a group of common respiratory diseases. And this, in our case, is connected with the ecology and local climate.

Cold symptoms appear when:

- laryngitis.

Diseases in this group occur as a result of hypothermia, infection with viruses, or when bacteria of staphylococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus and others enter the body.

The difference between influenza, ARVI and acute respiratory infections

The sad fact is that colds, at least once a year, overtake any person. Children get sick several times more often than their parents. This occurs due to weak immunity and seasonal outbreaks of influenza.

It happens that a child does not feel well, has a fever, runny nose, or cough. But you don’t know exactly what this “explosive cocktail” of symptoms is called and how to properly treat colds in children.

In short, one of the first and main differences between these diseases is that they are caused by different viruses: influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, adenoviral infections, rhinovirus infections and others. There are more than two hundred types of different viruses.

It is very important to understand in time what exactly your child is sick with. Since, for example, improperly treated influenza, acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections are dangerous with serious complications.

Treatment of colds in infants

Therapy for infectious diseases in children should be carried out directly as prescribed by the therapist. Self-medication is dangerous for your child's health.

Cold medicine for children today is not a complex set of medications, but one type of tablets, syrup or drops that contains a full range of necessary ingredients.

Popular cold remedies for children:

— Erespal syrup for children (for damage to the upper and lower respiratory tract)

These drugs are balanced in composition and are well tolerated by both adults and children. They also help to quickly relieve flu symptoms in children, stop the development of infection and prevent complications. In addition, complex medications can be given to children from an early age. The drugs are usually available without a prescription and can be found in any pharmacies.

The main advantages of complex preparations are that they not only stabilize body temperature, but also increase immunity due to the content of vitamins, and with the help of antiallergic components, they relieve nasal congestion, redness of the eyes, swelling of the mucous membranes, and sneezing.

If a child has a cold and the necessary measures were not taken on time, doctors will be forced to prescribe antibiotics to children for various infections.

Colds in infants are the most difficult to treat, so every young mother should know how to protect her baby from colds.

Prevention of colds in children

To prevent the flu or other viral and infectious diseases, doctors give parents some useful recommendations.

• Before going to kindergarten, school, or just before going for a walk, children need to lubricate the nasal mucosa with oxolinic ointment.
• Before going to bed, you can rinse your mouth with tincture of calendula or eucalyptus, which have a disinfecting effect.
• Avoid direct contact with infected people, and wear gauze bandages during the epidemic.
• To strengthen the body. It is necessary to exercise regularly and strengthen yourself.
• Teach your child to always wash his hands before eating and “not neglect” warm clothes.
• Make taking vitamins a fun game for your child.
• Newborns should not stop breastfeeding during a cold: for any illness this is the best medicine.
• Temperatures above 38°C must be brought down, otherwise metabolic disorders and even convulsions are possible.
• The heat should be reduced with cool rubdowns and air baths.
• You can give ginger for colds to children. Tea with ginger, lemon and honey is effective in combating coughs and reducing fever.
  Because all young children are at increased risk for influenza, they should be vaccinated annually starting at 6 months of age. And for this it is necessary to follow the vaccination schedule for children.

  How to treat a cold in a child?

  A cold in a child brings a lot of worry to parents, because it’s so hard to see a child suffering.

  Treatment of a cold in a child must begin when the first signs of the disease appear; with the right approach and timely assistance, the manifestations of a cold will subside within a few days.

  If left untreated, a cold in a child can cause serious complications, so it is very important to respond promptly and correctly.

  A competent mother should know how to treat a cold in a child, since absolutely all parents face this disease. If you notice the first symptoms of a cold in your child. your task is to create the necessary conditions in which the body can fight infection. Bed rest is mandatory.

  Drinking plenty of fluids when you have a cold

  It is very important to properly organize your drinking regime. The child should drink a lot of warm liquid (not hot!), this could be herbal tea, fruit drink, tea with lemon. Drinking plenty of fluids helps remove toxins from the child's body, which cause deterioration of the condition and interfere with the fight against infection.

  As you know, a cold in a child (or a respiratory viral disease - ARVI) is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, which cannot but affect the baby’s condition - he becomes lethargic, inactive, and capricious. A competent mother knows that it is not worth lowering the temperature below 38 degrees. An increase in temperature is a physiological process that is caused by the fight against viruses.

  If your child has a cold. It is necessary to improve immunity; in addition, the child must be given antiviral drugs.

  How to treat a cold with a runny nose in a child?

  The nostrils can be lubricated with antiviral ointment. If your baby is bothered by a runny nose, it is important to ensure trouble-free nasal discharge. To do this, you can rinse your nose with a saline solution (0.5 teaspoon of salt dissolved in 200 ml of warm water) or use ready-made products based on sea water, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. When rinsing the nasal passages, you should not tilt the baby’s head back; it is important to ensure normal flow of fluid back through the nose.

  As for vasoconstrictor drops, their help can be resorted to only in cases where there is a strong secretion of mucus, which makes nasal breathing difficult.

  A runny nose is an essential attribute of a cold. If the discharge turns yellow or green, a bacterial infection may be suspected.

  It's no secret that if a child has a cold. one of the symptoms is decreased appetite. You should not force your baby to feed. His body itself will require food when it gets stronger.

  A cough with a cold can be dry, which becomes wet over time. Often a cold in a child is accompanied by a sore throat and pain when swallowing.

  A competent mother knows how to treat a cold in a child; very often parents give preference to grandmother’s remedies, such as eating onions, garlic, honey, wiping with vinegar, and inhalation. All this, of course, can help the child’s body, however, if you notice a deterioration in the baby’s condition, urgently contact your pediatrician, since under the guise of a cold, terrible diseases can develop in the body, or the child’s cold could cause complications, which requires a mandatory examination and examination. tests, examinations and proper treatment. The doctor may prescribe antibiotic treatment.

  The most interesting news

  Sources: www.webkarapuz.ru, terapevtplus.ru, www.kinderhouse.ru, nmedicine.net

  Next articles:

• How to treat acute respiratory infections in children at home

Cough rubs for children over one year old

How to treat a cold in a newborn

In no case should you let the disease take its course, waiting for the cold to go away on its own. In an adult, self-healing is possible; the immune system of a healthy body can cope with viruses in a few days. A two-month-old baby’s immune system is not yet ready for such feats, so a common cold needs to be treated.

Treatment of colds in infants is symptomatic. In this case, the following recommendations must be observed:

1. The first thing you need to do is call a doctor! It is impossible to delay in providing medical care to a newborn. Complications can develop in just a few hours. Only a specialist in pediatric diseases can prescribe medications. Do not try to treat the baby yourself!
2. While waiting for the doctor, you must do everything possible to alleviate the baby's condition. If the baby has a high body temperature, it is necessary to undress him, remove the diaper, as it prevents evaporation, and wipe him with warm water using a soft cloth. If the temperature rises above 38.5 degrees, you need to give the child an antipyretic drug based on paracetamol. This can be syrup (Ibufen, Panadol) or rectal suppositories (Efferalgan, Tsefekon D). When using, strictly observe the age dosage!

Aspirin use in children can cause dangerous Reye's syndrome, which affects the brain and liver and can ultimately lead to death.

1. Place a pillow under the baby's head to prevent mucus from the nose from flowing into the respiratory tract and causing asphyxia.
2. Clear the nasal passages of mucus as needed. To do this, you need to drop one drop of saline into each nostril and carefully suck out the contents using a small bulb or a special aspirator. The use of vasoconstrictor drops at this age is contraindicated.
3. To remove viruses and their waste products from the body, as well as to replenish moisture lost through sweating, the baby must drink enough fluid. To this end, put your baby to your breast more often and give him water to drink.

Medicines can be used strictly as prescribed by a doctor! Treat a cold with traditional methods only with the consent of the doctor.

How to recognize the disease?

Usually the mother immediately senses that the child is sick. In babies under one year of age, ARVI often develops rapidly and is severe, which is why it is so important to notice the first signs of the disease in time. It is necessary to go to the clinic or call a doctor at home if your child has:

• runny nose,
• dry or wet cough,
• redness of the throat,
• temperature increase.

The approach of the disease is signaled by the child’s severe anxiety, refusal to eat and drink, and crying. In children of the first year of life, ARVI can also manifest itself as bowel disorders, abdominal pain, and increased gas formation.