About this topic
Germs cause this health problem. Your child has an infection in their nose, windpipe, voice box throat, or lungs. It spreads from a person who is sick to another person through close contact. Germs are often passed by sneezing or coughing. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
- The doctor may give your child drugs to help with the signs and treat the infection. Give your child all the drugs as ordered by the doctor.
- If your child is old enough, most often over 8, the doctor may have your child gargle with warm salt water to help a sore throat. Throat lozenges and ice chips may also help.
- Put a cool mist humidifier in your childs room. This will help ease congestion and coughing.
- You may use nose drops or a bulb suction to relieve nasal stuffiness and congestion.
- Offer lots of fluids. Water, watered down juice or broths, may help replace fluids.
- Ask the doctor before giving your child any over-the-counter drugs.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- It may take up to 1 to 2 weeks before your child's health returns to normal.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain from a sore throat or coughing
- Fight an infection
- Lessen swelling and dry up a stuffy or runny nose
- Stop wheezing and open up your childs lungs
- Control coughing
Will physical activity be limited?
Let your child rest for a few days. This will help your child recover from the infection. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
- Give your child liquids and soft foods like soup if swallowing is too painful for your child.
- If your child is still on formula or breast milk, continue to feed your child unless the doctor tells you otherwise.
- When you give your child soup, make sure that the soup is not too hot. Soups that are too hot may add to throat irritation.
- Do not give your child sweets and candies. These can add to throat itchiness and may encourage growth of germs in the back of the throat.
What problems could happen?
- Ear or sinus infection
- Asthma attack, flare up
- Too much fluid loss
- Very bad lung problems
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Have your child wash hands often with soap and water for at least 15 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers also work to kill germs.
- If your child is sick, have your child cover the mouth and nose with tissue when coughing or sneezing. Your child can also cough into the elbow. Have your child throw away tissues in the trash and wash hands after touching used tissues.
- Do not get too close (kissing, hugging) to people who are sick.
- Do not share towels or hankies with anyone who is sick.
- Stay away from crowded places.
- Give your child vitamin C to help build up your childs ability to fight disease.
- Have your child get a flu shot each year.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, change in the sound of your babys cry, crying too much, muscles become stiff, bulging or fullness of the soft spot on your baby's head, if you feel your child is lethargic, irritable, or confused, if your child has a faster or slower heart rate, or decreased amount of urine.
- Signs last more than 2 weeks
- Rash suddenly happens on your child's skin
- Trouble swallowing
- Throwing up and can't keep liquids down
- Trouble breathing
- Lots of drooling
- Fingertips or lips start turning blue
- Your child has heart problems
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my childs condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my child's breathing and sore throat.
- I can tell you what I can do to help my child avoid passing the infection to others.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has trouble breathing or swallowing or is vomiting and cannot keep liquids down.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/URI/colds.html ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/childs_cough.html ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/sheets/cough_sheet.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚