Caring for Kids - CHILDREN AND FEVER

Young children get a lot of colds because they haven’t had a chance to build up immunity to the many viruses that cause colds. As your child grows older, he’ll gradually build up immunity and get fewer colds. Colds are also called upper respiratory tract infections.The common cold (upper respiratory infection) is one of the most common illnesses in children. Each year it leads to more healthcare provider visits and missed days from school and work than any other illness. A cold is caused by a virus. There are many—more than 200­—different types of viruses that can cause a cold. The most common one is called the rhinovirus, but others include the coronavirus, parainfluenza, adenovirus, enterovirus and respiratory syncytial viruses.

Once a virus enters your child's body, it causes a reaction — the body's immune system begins to react to and fight off the virus. This, in turn, causes:

• an increase in mucus production (a runny nose)
• swelling of the lining of the nose (making it hard to breath and congestion)
• sneezing (from the irritation in the nose)
• cough (from the increased mucus dripping down the throat)

Here are a few facts:

1. Most children will have at least 6 to 8 colds a year. Children who attend daycare will have more.

2.    Colds may occur less often after age 6.

3. Children are more likely to have colds during fall and winter.

How did my child catch a cold?

Most colds are caused by viruses. In fact, there are over 200 types of virus that can cause colds. Cold weather doesn’t cause colds, but colds are more common in the every  months. This is because:

To catch a cold, your child must come in contact with one of the viruses that cause a cold, from someone else who is affected. The cold virus can be transmitted in the following ways:

• Through the air - If a person with a cold sneezes or coughs, small amounts of the virus can be released into the air. Then, if your child breathes in that air, the virus will adhere to the membrane inside your child's nose.
• Direct contact - This means that your child has directly touched a person who was infected. It is easy for children to spread a cold, because they touch their nose, mouth and eyes often and then touch other people or objects. It’s important to remember that viruses can be spread not just from person-to-person but from object-to-person through objects like toys that have been touched by someone with a cold.
• people are in closer contact with each other because they stay indoors
• cold viruses stay in the air and on surfaces longer in cold, dry environments
• your body’s ability to fight cold viruses is reduced at lower temperatures.

Cold symptoms

Symptoms vary from child to child, and from illness to illness. Often, your child will lose her appetite, and she might even feel sick or vomit. She might be miserable or irritable. Very occasionally there are complications like ear infection, laryngitis or croup, or lower respiratory tract infections like bronchiolitis or pneumonia. These are relatively uncommon illnesses compared to the uncomplicated cold. While each child may experience symptoms of a cold differently, some of the most common include:

Infants:

• unable to sleep
• fussiness
• congestion in the nose
• sometimes vomiting and diarrhea
• fever

Older children:

• stuffy, runny nose
• scratchy, tickly throat
• watery eyes
• sneezing
• mild hacking cough
• congestion
• sore throat
• achy muscles and bones
• headaches
• low grade fever
• chills
• watery discharge from the nose that thickens and turns yellow or green
• mild fatigue
• a stuffy or runny nose
• sneezing
• sore throat and ears
• cough
• headache
• red eyes
• swollen lymph glands
• Occasionally fever.

Always consult your child's specialist for a diagnosis.

Does your child need to see a doctor about colds?

You should take your child to see the Pediatrician if your child has one or more of the following symptoms. Your child:

• won’t drink fluids
• vomits frequently
• is unusually tired or sleepy
• has a fever that doesn’t improve in 48 hours
• has a cough that lasts more than two weeks
• has noisy breathing or wheezing.

You should call an ambulance or go to a hospital if your child:

• complains of an intense headache
• is pale and sleepy
• is having increasing difficulty breathing, or is breathing faster or harder than normal
• is younger than three months old and has a fever
• has a rash that doesn’t disappear when you hold a glass pressed against the rash.

What are possible complications of the common cold in a child?

Some of the complications that might occur if your child gets a cold include:

·         Ear infections

·         Sinus infections

·         Pneumonia

·         Throat infections

 How is a cold different from the flu?

A cold and the flu (influenza) are two different illnesses:

• A cold is relatively harmless and usually clears up by itself after a period of time, although sometimes it may lead to a secondary infection, such as an ear infection.
• The flu, on the other hand, can lead to complications, such as pneumonia.

What may seem like a cold, could, in fact, be the flu. Be aware of these differences:

Cold symptoms	Flu symptoms
Low or no fever	High fever
Sometimes a headache	Always a headache
Stuffy, runny nose	Clear nose or stuffy nose
Sneezing	Sometimes sneezing
Mild, hacking cough	Cough, often becoming severe
Slight aches and pains	Often severe aches and pains
Mild fatigue	Several weeks of fatigue
Sore throat	Sometimes a sore throat
Normal energy level	Extreme exhaustion

Preventing colds

You can’t stop children from getting colds. But there are some simple things you and your child can do to reduce your child’s chances of getting a cold or passing a cold on:

• Wash your hands with warm soapy water after sneezing, coughing and blowing noses, and before eating.
• Cough into your elbow to avoid getting germs on your hands.
• Don’t share drink bottles, cups and utensils with people who have colds.
• Keep children away from people with a cold.
• Teach children to wash their hands often. Have them wash their hands before eating, and after using the bathroom, playing with animals, or coughing or sneezing. Carry an alcohol-based hand gel for times when soap and water aren’t available. The gel should be at least 60% alcohol.
• Remind children not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Make sure toys and play areas are correctly cleaned, especially if several children are playing together.

Key points about the common cold in children

·         The common cold is one of the most common illnesses. Most children will have at least 6 to 8 colds a year.

·         Most colds are caused by rhinoviruses.

·         Your child can catch a cold through airborne droplets from or through direct contact with a sick person.

·      Sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose are common symptoms. Symptoms often last about 1 week.

·         There is no cure for the common cold. The goal of treatment is to ease symptoms until your child feels better.

·         Colds can be prevented by washing hands often.   

                             See your child’s doctor

  Sometimes even the best at-home care isn’t enough to help your little one make a full recovery. Call your doctor right away if your child:

• has a fever greater than 101°F (38°C) for more than two days, or a fever of 104°F (40°C) or higher for any amount of time
• has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher and is under 3 months old
• has a fever that doesn’t get better after taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• seems unusually drowsy or lethargic
• won’t eat or drink
• is wheezing or is short of breath

You should always call your child’s pediatrician if you have any concerns or questions about their health.

DR NITIN GUPTA

Child Care Clinic and Vaccination Centre

( Best pediatrician in gaur city,greater Noida West , Noida extension)

BEST PEDIATRICIAN IN GAUR CITY, 

GREATER NOIDA WEST

    http://drnitin.drsuchiguptagynaeclinic.com/