What to Do When It's a Common Cold
Children are especially vulnerable to illness because a child’s immune system is not as robust as an adult's. That means when your child develops a viral illness like a cold, the symptoms may be far more severe. Your pediatrician can help. Dr. Rachel Chatters at Chatters Pediatrics in Lake Charles, LA, provides comprehensive medical care for children, including treatment of viral illnesses like the common cold.
What You Need To Know About the Common Cold
So, how do you know if your child has a cold? Common signs and symptoms of a cold to watch out for include:
- Nasal and sinus congestion
- Sore throat and coughing
- Sneezing and wheezing
- Overall body aches
- Lack of energy
Common colds are contagious, so your child needs to stay away from others. Your child should stay home from school, and you may need to stay home from work to care for your child. There are several ways you can help your child recover quicker and feel better. You need to:
- Have your child rest as much as possible until your child is well
- Give your child plenty of fluids
- Give your child over-the-counter Tylenol
- Give your child over-the-counter decongestant and antihistamine medication
- Make sure your child washes his or her hands frequently to prevent bacteria spread
Colds can frequently develop into bacterial infections, which must be treated with antibiotics. Your child might develop:
- An ear infection, from bacteria entering the ear canal
- An eye infection, from bacteria entering the eyes
- Strep throat, from streptococcus bacteria entering the throat
- A sinus infection, from bacteria entering the sinuses
Your child should visit the pediatrician if cold symptoms don’t resolve or are getting worse, or if your child is:
- Under 4 months old and has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher
- Over 4 months old and has a temperature of 104 degrees or higher
- Still experiencing a fever after 2 to 3 days
When you bring your child to visit the pediatrician, your pediatrician will perform a comprehensive physical examination and may order laboratory testing and imaging studies to check for underlying medical conditions. In addition, your pediatrician can prescribe antiviral medications to reduce symptoms and help your child recover from the cold.
Want To Know More?
To find out more about the treatment of a common cold, talk with an expert. Call Dr. Chatters at Chatters Pediatrics in Lake Charles, LA. You can reach her in the office by calling (337) 475-9009, so call today.