What to do if your child has a fever and stuffy nose

Children's fever is accompanied by nasal congestion, which is usually closely related to colds, especially long-term colds. If they are not effectively treated and controlled, they may cause a series of chain symptoms such as fever and nasal congestion. Therefore, we must pay attention to scientific treatment and not use medication blindly, because sometimes the indiscriminate use of medication will lead to a decrease in the child's resistance. Especially for colds caused by viral infections, they should be treated with caution.

1. Taking medicine immediately after catching a cold will make your baby's resistance weaker

When a baby is just born, its immune system is vulnerable. The best way to strengthen its body is through actual combat: getting sick more often. Only by fighting against diseases again and again can it gain more antibodies and become stronger. If the baby is protected too strictly, the immune system will not have the opportunity to directly fight bacteria and viruses, which will be detrimental to the development of the immune system. Babies who always take medicine immediately after catching a cold are more likely to get sick after going to kindergarten, while babies who often catch colds as infancy will feel better after going to kindergarten. Therefore, when your baby catches a cold, parents don’t need to be too nervous. In the long run, catching a cold is better for your health.

2. Medicines have no therapeutic effect on colds

As mentioned earlier, more than 90% of colds are caused by viral infections. However, due to the high variability of viruses and the fact that the viruses that infect you may be different each time, no antiviral drug has been found to be the cure for colds. Although cold medicine has no therapeutic effect on colds, it can relieve symptoms, make the baby look less uncomfortable, and make the parents feel better. However, parents should be reminded that they must be cautious when choosing cold medicine for their babies. Because most cold medicines on the market are mixed preparations, their main ingredients are antiviral ingredients, which are not absolutely safe for babies with relatively weak liver and kidney function. Therefore, it is usually not recommended to use cold medicines to relieve nasal congestion and cough for babies under 4 years old. However, if your baby has symptoms such as fever or headache, you can use antipyretic and analgesic drugs such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc. to relieve the symptoms.

3. Dealing with baby's fever

Parents should first ensure that their children consume enough fluids. Breast milk, formula milk, and water-rich complementary foods are all acceptable, as they can help reduce fever. If the baby's urine volume is small and the urine color is yellow, you can give the baby a small amount of warm water as appropriate. If the child's temperature is higher than 38.5℃, or even if the temperature is lower than 38.5℃ but the child is in a bad mental state and shows symptoms such as crying and being restless, oral antipyretic drugs can be taken to reduce the fever. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be used as the first choice antipyretic drugs. If your baby's temperature is still above 38.5℃ after taking antipyretics and persists for more than 3 days, you should take him (her) to the hospital as soon as possible.