Common Cold in Children: Here's How to Treat It at Home!

Does your little one get colds all the time? Oh yes, it's very common for children to get colds about eight times a year, maybe even more. In fact, it's the cold that most often takes young children to the doctor. So while you might think it's not a big deal, we still get worried when our little one is in trouble, right? Let's take a look at what a cold is, what you can do at home for it, and when you should see a doctor.

Colds are caused by small germs called viruses. These are airborne and on things we touch. So they can be spread very easily. The most important thing is that antibiotics, or as we all know, antibiotics, do not work against these viruses. Many mothers think that it is okay to give them antibiotics as soon as they have a cold. But that is not the case. Antibiotics are given for bacterial infections. Since colds are viruses, giving them antibiotics will not help, and it is not good to give your child medicine for nothing. However, until this illness is cured, you can help your baby feel a little more comfortable.

What are the symptoms of a cold? Check to see if your baby has these...

Now let's see what symptoms children show when they have a cold. They may have one or more of these:

• Does your nose feel stuffy? Or is it running? At first, the discharge will be watery, but after a day or two, it may thicken a bit and turn yellow or green. This is normal, and don't worry if the discharge changes color, as it doesn't necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection.
• Do you feel like your throat is itchy or sore? You may feel a slight tickle in your throat, or a slight pain when you speak or swallow food.
• Do you often have a runny nose? Having several runny noses in a row is also a symptom of a cold.
• Is there a cough? It may start as a dry cough at first, and then develop into a cough with phlegm.
• Do you say, "Mom, my head hurts?" You might get a slight headache.
• Do you feel hot or have a slight fever? It could be a slight fever, with a slight body heat, without a high fever.
• Does he seem very tired and lifeless? A child who is always running around might just be a little lethargic and not interested in playing.
• Have you reduced your food and drink intake? You may have a loss of appetite, either because your throat is sore or because your body is upset.

What can you do at home to treat a cold?

Okay, now that baby has a cold and is having a hard time, there are a few things we can do at home. These will give the baby some relief.

• Medicine for fever and body aches:If there is a slight fever or body ache, you can give Paracetamol or Ibuprofen as prescribed by the doctor. However, it is very important to follow the dosage on the medicine packet, according to the age and weight of the baby, and how often to give it. Do not increase or decrease the amount of medicine as you feel like.
• Steam inhalation: A small amount of steam in the room can help relieve nasal congestion and mucus. If you have a cool-mist humidifier, use it. If you don't have one, close the bathroom door, turn on the hot water tap for a while, and hold your baby in the steam for a while. But don't let your baby get too close to the hot water while you're inhaling the steam, as it can burn them. Keep a safe distance.
• Saline for a stuffy nose: If your nose is stuffy and you're having trouble breathing, you can use a saline solution available at the pharmacy, such as saline nasal drops or saline nasal spray. Put a few drops in each nostril, and after a while, the mucus will loosen and help to come out.
• Cleaning a baby's nose: Very young babies, like toddlers, cannot blow their noses. In such cases, you can use a rubber bulb syringe to gently remove any mucus from the nose. Ask your doctor or family health worker for instructions on how to use this.
• Practicing nose-blowing: If your child is a little older and of an understanding age, practice blowing their nose thoroughly, wiping it with a tissue, and then wiping it away.
• Drink plenty of fluids: This is very important. Drinking plenty of fluids helps prevent dehydration and thins mucus.
• If you are breastfeeding, give your baby breast milk frequently, or formula milk if you are giving it.
• For older children, water is best. Alternatively, you can give oral rehydration salts (ORS) dissolved in water. If giving fruit juice, dilute it with a little water.
• However, do not give drinks containing caffeine, such as tea, coffee, and chocolate drinks, at this time. It is also not good to give too many sweet drinks.
• Be careful with over-the-counter cough and cold medicines: Never give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to children under 6 years of age without medical advice . These medicines can cause side effects in young children. Even for children over 6 years of age , it is always safest to consult a doctor before giving such medicines.
• Never give aspirin!: Do not give aspirin to young children (under 18 years of age) for fever or for any other reason.It can cause Reye's syndrome, a very dangerous but rare disease that affects the brain and liver. Therefore, paracetamol or ibuprofen are suitable for fever and pain.
• Honey for cough: A teaspoon of honey can be given to a child over a year old for a cough or sore throat. It will provide some relief. However, it is not good to give honey to babies under a year old. This is because there is a very small risk of them developing a dangerous condition called `(Infant botulism)`.

If you have symptoms like these, you should definitely see a doctor!

Most of the time, a cold will go away in a few days or a week. But sometimes, minor problems can occur. So if your baby has any of these symptoms, don't wait any longer and go see a doctor right away.

• If the symptoms of a cold seem to be getting worse day by day, or if they have not subsided for more than a week.
• If you have a different type of cough (also called ``Croup'') that sounds like a dog barking or a group of people fighting, or if the cough is very severe, suffocating, and unstoppable.
• If you seem to be having difficulty breathing, are wheezing, feel your chest going in when you breathe, or your lips or tongue are turning blue (this is an emergency! Go to a hospital immediately).
• If your baby has a high fever (for example, over 102°F or 38.9°C), and seems very upset or unwell. Especially for babies under 3 months old, if you feel like they have a slight fever (over 100.4°F or 38°C), it can be serious, so take them to a doctor right away.
• If the fever persists for more than 5 days.
• The sore throat is so severe that the baby refuses to eat or drink, and it is so difficult to swallow anything.
• If the headache persists despite taking paracetamol or ibuprofen, or if the headache is very severe.
• If your neck is so stiff that you can't turn it to one side, if it hurts, if you have difficulty looking at the light, if you are vomiting, or if you are hurting yourself, these are also danger signs.
• If you're talking about an earache, or if you're crying while holding your ear.
• If the baby is sleepier than usual, or if it is difficult to wake him up.

If you see something like this, it's best to seek advice from a doctor rather than just saying, "Let's see tomorrow."

What can you do to reduce the risk of catching a cold? "Prevention is better than cure!"

It's better to reduce the chances of getting a cold than to suffer from it, right? So there are a few things we can do to protect our little ones from this pandemic. It's very important to teach these to our children and practice them.

• Teach them to stay away from people who are sick. If you see someone coughing or sneezing, tell them to stay away from them and not go near them.
• Keep them away from places where people smoke, that is, places with ``secondhand smoke.`` Cigarette smoke weakens the respiratory system of young children, greatly increasing their risk of illness.
• Teach them to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water regularly. This is very important! They should lather their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice). Especially:
• Before eating.
• After going to the bathroom.
• After scratching and wiping the nose.
• After playing with the other children.
• After going out and coming home.

When soap and water are not available, you can also use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Teach your child to cough or sneeze into their elbow or a tissue instead of covering their mouth with their hand. When they cover their mouth with their hand, the germs get on their hands and then spread to everything they touch. If they use a tissue, teach them to throw it in the trash immediately.
• Give your child a good, nutritious meal and make sure they get enough sleep. A balanced diet (with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and greens) and adequate sleep will increase your child's immunity, which is the body's ability to fight off illness.
• Clean your baby's toys and things he touches frequently (like doorknobs, tables) regularly.
• Reduce the number of times you take your child to crowded places, especially during times of illness like the common cold.

Finally, the most important things you need to remember are these...

So, now you know that it's very common for little ones to catch a cold. So don't worry unnecessarily.

In most cases, a cold is not a dangerous illness, and it will resolve itself in a few days with home care.

The most important thing is to treat your baby with love, give him the rest he needs, and give him plenty of fluids. If he has a fever or body aches, give him something like paracetamol. However, if he has any of the risk signs we talked about earlier, don't waste time and see a doctor.

Remember, antibiotics do not cure colds. Also, do not give honey to babies under one year old.

Think about prevention methods too. Never skip hand washing.

If you are aware of these things and act accordingly, even if your little one catches a cold, he will recover quickly and start running and playing again. I wish you and your family good health!

` Cold, Small Children, Common Cold, Fever, Cough, Treatment, Medical Advice