Children catch cold

It is very common for children to catch colds because their physical fitness is relatively low. If they do not pay attention to keeping warm, they are prone to catching colds. Parents do not need to be too anxious after it happens. Just pay more attention to letting your baby rest and do not let them go to places with large temperature differences. If necessary, you can give them some therapeutic medicines to relieve the symptoms.

1. Symptomatic treatment

(1) Rest: Those with serious illnesses or the elderly and frail should rest in bed, avoid smoking, drink plenty of water, and keep the room well ventilated.

(2) Antipyretic and analgesic drugs: If you have symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, etc., you can choose antipyretic and analgesic drugs such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc.

(3) Anti-nasal congestion: When there is nasal congestion and nasal mucosal congestion and edema, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride or 1% ephedrine nasal drops can be used.

(4) Anti-allergic colds often cause increased sensitivity of the nasal mucosa, frequent sneezing and runny nose. Antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine maleate or diphenhydramine can be used.

(5) Antitussives: For patients with more obvious cough symptoms, antitussives such as dextromethorphan and pentoxyverine can be given.

2. Treatment of the cause

(1) Antibacterial drugs are not required for the treatment of simple viral infections. When there is evidence of bacterial infection such as elevated white blood cell count, pharyngeal pus, and cough with yellow sputum, penicillin, cephalosporin, macrolide, or quinolone may be used as appropriate.

(2) Antiviral drug treatment has certain efficacy. Amantadine and its derivative methylamantadine can be used to prevent and treat influenza A virus; morpholinoguanidine has certain therapeutic effects on influenza virus, adenovirus and rhinovirus. The broad-spectrum antiviral drugs ribavirin and oseltamivir have a strong inhibitory effect on influenza virus, parainfluenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus, and can shorten the course of the disease.

3. Treatment with traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine with heat-clearing, detoxifying and antiviral effects can also be used to help improve symptoms and shorten the course of the disease. Xiao Chaihu Granules and Isatis Root Granules are widely used.

The disease is mild, short-term and self-limiting, and most patients have a good prognosis. However, a very small number of elderly, weak, and those with multiple underlying diseases, especially those with severe chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), may have a poor prognosis due to serious complications.