The child has a temperature of 38, cough, stuffy nose

Causes

If a child has snot and a fever, he most likely has an acute respiratory viral infection. This is the most common diagnosis recorded on the pages of children's medical records. The disease, hidden under the abbreviation ARVI, is caused by many different viruses - influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus, rhinovirus, etc.

There are some differences in the course, but the general clinical picture is similar, as are the treatment tactics, therefore respiratory infections of a viral nature are usually combined into one large group.

It will be possible to find out the specific type of pathogen only after laboratory diagnostics - such methods are used more often during periods of epidemics, if the number of cases of disease increases many times and specific therapy is used.

In childhood, it is more severe than in adults, and is associated with a risk of complications - for example, otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear). A runny nose and fever also appear with measles as part of the catarrhal syndrome that precedes the rash, and with nasal diphtheria.

The causative agents of ARVI are transmitted by airborne droplets - when sneezing and coughing, when the virus is released in an aerosol of nasal secretions or in sputum. The contact-household route is also often implemented. Viral particles persist for some time in the environment - on surfaces where particles of saliva and secretions of a sick person remain indistinguishable to the eye.

Symptomatic picture

For adequate treatment and timely prevention of complications, parents must be able to navigate the norms of body temperature and the characteristics of the cough reflex. Any irritation of the respiratory system causes a cough in the child, but if it is accompanied by fever, then an inflammatory process is taking place. There are acute and chronic forms, each of which is a consequence of a particular disease.

In the first case, the cough lasts up to 3 weeks. Attacks occur suddenly and are characterized by a sharp course, while the body temperature may either rise or be normal. When using the right treatment measures, negative symptoms quickly stop.

In the chronic form, the cough is protracted and painful. Diagnosed with a duration of 21 days or more with periodic exacerbations and increased temperature. Pathologies of the heart, respiratory system and neurological diseases can provoke attacks.

The pediatrician primarily associates an increase in temperature and cough in children with the development of respiratory viral infections and their bacterial complications.

Doctors do not recommend taking measures to lower the temperature at 38 degrees or less. The child’s body resists infection, and the use of medications reduces protective functions and slows down the healing process. In this case, taking only antitussives is indicated. Complex therapy is prescribed if hyperthermia is above 38 degrees and is accompanied by a significant deterioration in the baby’s well-being.

Symptoms

The incubation period, that is, the time required for the virus to enter the body and reproduce in cells, can last from several hours to several days.

For example, children infected with rhinovirus begin to experience malaise and headache 10 or 12 hours after the end of the incubation stage, and runny nose and fever with influenza appear 2–7 days after infection.

ARVI is characterized by symptoms such as:

1. Weakness, general malaise, apathy, lethargy.
2. Headache, pain in muscles, joints.
3. Decreased appetite or complete refusal of food.
4. Increased body temperature.

In a young child, the symptoms of intoxication are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and upset bowel movements due to fever.

Usually, in addition to snot and a temperature of 37–39°C, a dry or wet cough occurs, indicating damage to various parts of the respiratory tract.

Diseases of the “cold” group

The most common pathologies are the common cold and ARVI. In no case should you wait for the snot and fever to go away on their own - “minor” ailments tend to develop into chronic diseases that require long-term systematic treatment.

For newborns, it is not the disease itself that poses a particular danger, but its complications. For example, an acute viral infection can develop into pneumonia or bronchitis and contribute to the development of otitis media.

Sinusitis is an inflammation caused by pathogens that have entered the nasal passages. The disease clearly manifests itself after 3 years of age; in an earlier period, diagnosis cannot be made due to the underdevelopment of the nasal sinuses.

Sinusitis is especially insidious in the initial stage, masquerading as an ordinary cold. Only a doctor can recognize sinusitis in a child using an x-ray. A photograph confirms the diagnosis.

The nasopharyngeal variety of sore throat is rare, but the disease is a particularly insidious pathology - the child’s serious condition can develop quickly, and a high fever is added to a severe runny nose. If antipyretics do not work, urgent medical attention is needed.

Runny nose with flu

The flu begins acutely, intoxication syndrome comes to the fore - the child complains of weakness, sometimes so strong that it is difficult for him to leave bed. Body aches are joint and muscle pain without a clear localization.

Intense headache and pain when moving the eyeballs are also noted. Visible mucous membranes visually appear dry, and the conjunctiva turns red, and pinpoint hemorrhages can be seen. There are also hemorrhages on the nasal mucosa.

Flu-like runny nose in children is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• moderate nasal congestion, sneezing;
• moderate swelling of the nasal mucosa;
• discharge of a transparent secretion, which may be greenish or yellowish in color, and may also contain an admixture of blood.

The temperature during influenza is very high, profuse sweating is observed when the fever subsides and, as a result, loss of fluid, so nasal secretions can dry out and turn into crusts that interfere with breathing.

Small children become restless, refuse to feed, and cry.

Rhinovirus infection in children

Cases of ARVI due to infection with rhinovirus are observed much more often than influenza; the disease is characterized by a mild intoxication syndrome and a predominance of rhinitis symptoms. Snot and fever in a one-year-old child can be combined with loss of appetite. Refusal to eat is not due to fever, but to nasal congestion. Rhinoviral rhinitis is distinguished by the following symptoms:

• significant swelling of the nasal mucosa;
• cessation of nasal breathing - partial or complete;
• secretion of a large amount of mucous secretion;
• severe sneezing.

ARVI provoked by rhinovirus is almost not accompanied by the development of complications; its duration averages about a week.

What not to do

In the treatment of cough with a temperature of 38 and above in a child, doctors do not recommend:

• include heavy foods in your diet, including a lot of sweets, flour, salty, smoked foods, carbonated drinks, fast food;
• simultaneously give mucolytic and antitussive drugs;
• apply rubbing, inhalation;
• use mustard plasters, hot baths.

Any thermal procedures are considered safe if the cough reflex is not accompanied by an increase in hyperthermia. Exposure to hot air aggravates the clinical manifestations of the disease, thereby negatively affecting the heart, causing interruptions in its functioning due to increased stress.

It is contraindicated to combine medications that thin sputum and suppress cough in prescriptions. The secretion of mucus becomes difficult, and it accumulates in the respiratory tract.

As a result, a pathological process develops, which, when neglected, provokes pneumonia. That is why self-medication for a child’s cough and fever is unacceptable.

Treatment

Therapy for ARVI and rhinitis, in particular, does not begin with pharmaceutical drugs, especially since there are no etiotropic drugs - with the exception of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or rimantadine, used for influenza.

The long-term practice of pediatricians shows that the main thing in the treatment of viral rhinitis is time. Surely everyone knows the proverb that it takes 7 days to treat rhinitis, but without treatment it will go away in a week. Of course, inaction is unacceptable when a child is ill.

But this expression could not more clearly reflect the essence of inflammatory damage to the nose during ARVI, the stages of which change with a certain pattern.

Thus, parents and doctors have two main tasks:

• ease the period of a runny nose for a child;
• prevent the development of complications (sinusitis, otitis media, etc.).

A runny nose leads to difficulty breathing, which is caused by swelling of the mucous membrane, the presence of thick discharge and crusts. To make breathing easier, you need to remove the accumulated secretion and facilitate its release. The temperature in the children's room should not exceed 20 degrees with sufficiently humidified air, and the child should be dressed warmly if he is cold.

Or, conversely, do not overdo it with layers of clothing when the room is warm, especially in late spring and summer. You can drink water, compotes, fruit drinks, and rinse your nose and drip saline solution into your nostrils. It can be prepared at home using boiled water, or purchased at a pharmacy.

To prescribe vasoconstrictors, it is better to consult a doctor - especially if we are talking about a child under 2 years old - these medications are used only for clear indications, and improper use contributes to addiction, which becomes the cause of drug-induced rhinitis.

Antibacterial agents, both topically in the form of drops and in the form of injections and tablets for the treatment of a runny nose, are needed only in case of a bacterial infection, for example, sinusitis (inflammation of the paranasal sinuses). They are not used for viral diseases.

Snot and a temperature of 37°C can appear with pathologies of a viral and bacterial nature, and in order to prescribe pharmacological therapy, the child must be examined by a doctor.

If you have a fever, you need to drink plenty of fluids (not cold or scalding hot), and antipyretic (antipyretic) medications in case of a persistent increase in body temperature to 38–38.5 degrees. Fever performs a protective function, so if the child feels well against the background of hyperthermia, medications can be abandoned.

However, snot and a temperature of 39°C in a child are often accompanied by a significant deterioration in the condition. Paracetamol and ibuprofen in age-related doses are approved for use as antipyretics.

+ ACUTE RESPIRATORY VIRAL

"I look sad -

My head hurts

I'm sneezing, I'm hoarse.

ARVI - the most common human diseases

– up to 90% of all cases of infectious diseases. Everyone gets sick with them - some more often, others less often, but everyone. More often in winter (viruses are much more active at this time), less often in summer, but they still get sick.

Viruses that cause ARVI infect so-called epithelial cells

-cells that line the airways from the nose and throat to the lungs. There are a great many of these viruses, the most famous is influenza, but there are others - less famous, but no less nasty (parainfluenza, adenovirus, rhinovirus, reovirus, etc.). Particularly sad is the fact that each of these viruses has a certain number of variants (parainfluenza - only 4, influenza several dozen), so a person has a theoretical, and often real practical opportunity to get ARVI very often.

Any respiratory virus, as a rule, affects not all respiratory tracts, but a specific area. Even at this level, the selectivity of viruses can be traced. Rhinovirus – nasal mucosa, parainfluenza – larynx and trachea, influenza – trachea and bronchi, etc.

The symptoms of ARVI are well known to everyone, if only because a person who has never had ARVI simply does not exist. At first you feel unwell, but an increase in body temperature, runny nose and cough do not take long to appear.

But the specific, individual symptoms of ARVI in each case depend, first of all, on where, in what part of the respiratory tract the virus caused the most severe inflammatory process. There are many scary medical words to describe this place. RHINITIS - damage to the nasal mucosa, PHARINGITIS - damage to the mucous membrane of the pharynx, NASOPHARINGITIS (nose and pharynx at the same time), TONSILLITIS (tonsils), LARINGITIS (larynx), TRACHEITIS (trachea), BRONCHITIS (bronchi), BRONCHIOLITIS (the smallest bronchi - bronchioles) .

By combining these words (tonsilopharyngitis, laryngotracheitis, tracheobronchitis, etc.), readers may well not only become familiar with medical terminology, but also use the information received for personal gain. It’s one thing to tell your boss at work that your child had an acute respiratory viral infection, but quite another thing that the child suffered from nasopharyngotonsillitis. Taking into account the general belief that the severity of the disease is directly related to the incomprehensibility of the diagnosis, the sympathy of your superiors is guaranteed.

Profuse runny nose with a slightly disturbed general condition - rhinitis, most likely rhinovirus; hoarse or hoarse voice, rough painful cough – laryngitis, most likely parainfluenza; very high temperature, severe impairment of general condition, slight runny nose, frequent dry cough - bronchitis, most likely flu, etc.

The exception is, perhaps, FLU - perhaps the most well-known disease of all acute respiratory viral infections.

What are the characteristics of influenza?

Scientists distinguish three main types of influenza virus - A, B and C. The most fundamental differences lie in the ability to change.

Thus, the influenza C virus is practically stable. And, having been ill once, a person has immunity for almost his entire life, i.e. You can only get sick with influenza C the first time you encounter it. Well, since the virus is widespread, it becomes clear that adults almost never get sick with influenza C. This is the lot of children.

The influenza B virus changes, but only moderately. If influenza C is a disease exclusively of children, then influenza B is primarily a disease of children.

Influenza A is the most insidious; it is the one that, constantly changing, causes epidemics.

The symptoms of influenza are largely similar to the symptoms of other acute respiratory viral infections. But the tendency of the virus to preferentially affect the mucous membranes of the trachea and bronchi leads to the fact that the severity of the disease with influenza is usually higher than with other acute respiratory viral infections 1. But there is not a single symptom that is possible with the flu and impossible with another respiratory viral infection.

It is clear that it is possible to assume influenza based on an examination of the patient only with varying degrees of probability.

Now is the time to look at and try to understand the meaning of two more very common words.

So, let's look into the explanatory dictionary:

COLD
1. Cooling to which the body has been subjected.
2. Illness caused by such cooling (cold).

Main conclusion

from this definition is that
a cold, as a rule, has nothing to do with ARVI
. In the nose, in the throat, and in the bronchi there is a sufficient number of microbes (not viruses, but bacteria) that cause diseases (the same pharyngitis and tonsillitis), while the body’s defenses are weakened, which is facilitated by hypothermia, increased sweating, and walking barefoot, excessive physical activity, drafts, cold water. And getting sick with ARVI means getting infected from an already sick person.

Obviously, the third point of the principles of preventing viral infections described above (page) is closely related to colds. After all, colds can be avoided either radically (by adequate education), or by carefully protecting the child from normal life.

Another medical word that everyone hears is ARZ, which stands for acute respiratory disease.

Thus, acute respiratory infection is not a disease or a diagnosis, it is a special term that is used by medical workers in three cases:

1. When it is unclear.

2. When there is no time.

Having decided on the causes of acute respiratory viral infections, we will consider in more detail their main manifestations and the main methods of treatment, while focusing on the tactics of parents’ actions.

But first it is necessary to note the following.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, the body of a normal child, who is brought up normally (naturally), is quite capable of coping with an acute respiratory viral infection without any outside help.

And our main task is not to disturb the body!

3.5.3. INCREASED BODY TEMPERATURE

An increase in body temperature is the most typical manifestation of not only ARVI, but also any infectious disease. The body thus stimulates itself, producing substances that will fight the pathogen.

Each child is individual and tolerates fever differently. There are kids who calmly continue to play at 39 degrees, but sometimes it’s only 37.5, and he almost loses consciousness. Therefore, there cannot be universal recommendations regarding how long you should wait and after what number on the thermometer scale you should start saving.

The main thing for us is the following.

When body temperature rises, everything must be done to ensure that the body has the opportunity to lose heat. Heat is lost in two ways - by evaporation of sweat and by warming the inhaled air.

Two required actions:

1. Drink plenty of fluids so you have something to sweat.

2. Cool air in the room (optimally 16-18 degrees).

If these conditions are met, the likelihood is that the body itself will not cope with

temperature is very low.

When the body comes into contact with cold, skin vessels spasm. It slows down blood flow, reduces sweat formation and heat transfer. The skin temperature decreases, but the temperature of the internal organs increases. And this is extremely dangerous!

Particles of heat are carried away from the body when sweat evaporates and, thus, body temperature decreases. Several methods have been invented to speed up evaporation. For example, place a fan next to a naked child; rub it with alcohol or vinegar (after rubbing, the surface tension of sweat decreases and it evaporates faster).

People! You can’t even imagine how many children paid with their lives for these rubbings! If the child is already sweating, then the body temperature will drop on its own. And if you rub dry skin, this is madness, because through the delicate baby skin, what you rub with is absorbed into the blood. Rubbed with alcohol (vodka, moonshine) - alcohol poisoning was added to the disease. Rubbed with vinegar - added acid poisoning.

The conclusion is obvious - never rub anything. And you don't need fans either

- the flow of cool air, again, will cause a spasm of the skin blood vessels. Therefore, if you are sweating, change your clothes (change them) into something dry and warm, and then calm down.

The higher the body temperature, the more sweating, the warmer the room, the more actively you need to drink.

The optimal drink for a child of the first year of life

- raisin decoction. For older children - dried fruit compote. Tea with raspberries sharply increases the formation of sweat (For the curious, I note: not a single pharmacological agent can even approximately compare with raspberry decoction in its ability to activate sweating.). Therefore, you must be sure that you have something to sweat with, which means that before raspberries you should drink something else (the same compote). But in any case, raspberries should not be given to children under one year of age.

If he drinks too much, I will, and if I don’t, then he’d better drink whatever he wants.

(mineral water, herbal decoctions, viburnum, rose hips, currants, etc.),
rather than not drinking at all
.

Remember - fluid is needed to prevent blood from thickening. And any drink will get from the stomach into the blood only after the temperature of the liquid is equal to the temperature of the stomach: given cold, it will not be absorbed until it warms up, given warm, it will not be absorbed until it cools down.

Conclusion : it is necessary to strive to ensure that the temperature of the drink used for drinking is equal to body temperature

(plus minus 5 degrees does not count).

There are, and quite often, situations when an increase in body temperature is poorly tolerated by a child. Sometimes an increase in body temperature is dangerous for a child because he has some kind of disease of the nervous system, and high body temperature can trigger seizures. And, by and large, a temperature above 39 degrees, which lasts for more than an hour, has no less negative effects than positive ones

.

Thus, three situations can be identified when it makes sense to use medications:

. I repeat once again:

1. Poor temperature tolerance;

2. Concomitant diseases of the nervous system;

3. Body temperature is above 39 degrees.

Let us note right away: the effectiveness of any medicine decreases, and the likelihood

adverse reactions increase significantly if the above two main tasks are not solved - the proper drinking regime is not ensured and the air temperature in the room is not reduced.

For use at home, paracetamol is optimal (synonyms - dofalgan, panadol, calpol, mexalen, dolomol, efferalgan, Tylenol

, it is advisable to have at least some of the above in candles). Paracetamol is a unique medicine in its safety; even exceeding the dose by 2-3 times, as a rule, does not lead to any serious consequences, although this should not be done deliberately. There are few drugs comparable to it in terms of ease of use - tablets, chewable tablets, capsules, suppositories, soluble powders, syrups, drops - choose what your heart desires.

Some useful information about paracetamol.

1.

The most important thing: the effectiveness of paracetamol is very high specifically for acute respiratory viral infections.
In case of bacterial infections or complications of the same ARVI, paracetamol does not help for long or does not help at all.
In short, in case of any serious infection it is not possible to achieve a significant reduction in body temperature with its help. That is why paracetamol should always be in the house, because it helps parents correctly assess the severity of the disease: if after taking it the body temperature quickly drops, then with a high degree of probability we can conclude that the child has nothing bad (more terrible than ARVI). But if there is no effect from taking paracetamol, then it’s time to make a fuss and not put off seeing a doctor. 2. Paracetamol is produced by hundreds of companies under hundreds of different names in dozens of forms. The effectiveness of the drug is determined primarily by the dose, and not by the release form, the beauty of the packaging or the commercial name. The difference in price is often tenfold.

4. Paracetamol is not a treatment. Paracetamol reduces the severity of a specific symptom - elevated body temperature.

6. Paracetamol should not be given more than 4 times a day or for more than 3 days in a row.

In any case, parents must be aware that

self-use of paracetamol is only a temporary measure that allows you to calmly wait for the doctor

.

The use of other antipyretic drugs (aspirin, analgin, ibuprofen) should always be discussed with your doctor.

The main task of parents is to prevent the mucus from drying out.

This requires, again, clean cool air and a sufficient amount of liquid consumed internally. If the mucus dries, the child will breathe through the mouth and then the mucus in the lungs will begin to dry out, clogging the bronchi, and this is one of the main reasons for the development of inflammation (pneumonia) in them.

When the room temperature is above 22 degrees, the mucus dries out very quickly. The conclusions are obvious.

Never, under any circumstances, drip antibiotic solutions into your nose!

Any normal person should cough at least sometimes. The body thus cleanses the lungs of mucus that accumulates in them. It cannot be otherwise, because a person breathes not the cleanest air. In case of any diseases of the lungs and upper respiratory tract, the amount of mucus increases - it is necessary to clean the bronchi and neutralize viruses and bacteria. And the body removes accumulated mucus (called sputum) by coughing.

As with the nose, the main thing is to prevent the mucus from drying out - still the same cool air and drink. It is strictly unacceptable to give cough suppressants (glaucine, libexin, tusuprex, broncholitin) without a doctor’s instructions! These drugs are good for one single childhood infection - whooping cough - and even then under constant medical supervision. In all other cases, if it becomes unbearable, you should use medications that affect the sputum (making it less thick) and increasing the contraction of the bronchi. A cough, no matter what it is, always allows you to wait for the local pediatrician and consult. Mucaltin, ammonia-anise drops, potassium iodide, bromhexine, acetylcysteine, lazolvan are completely harmless and quite effective. It’s nice to have them in the house, but check the dosage and advisability of use in each specific case (not with your neighbor, of course, but with your doctor).

3.5.6. LABORED BREATHING

Let's start with the fact that in all cases when a child has difficulty breathing, it is necessary to respond immediately and with the obligatory (!) involvement of medical workers.

The most common cause of difficulty breathing in children is VIRAL CROUP (false croup). What is croup? In many infections, both viral (ARVI, measles, rubella, chickenpox) and bacterial (diphtheria, scarlet fever), the causative agent of the disease causes inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx and trachea. The lumen of the airways narrows and difficulty breathing occurs. This condition is called croup (inflammatory narrowing of the larynx and trachea due to infectious diseases). In more than 99.9% of all cases of croup, its cause is currently ARVI. But the very fact that in one child out of a thousand the cause of croup can be diphtheria, once again confirms the clear need to immediately involve a doctor to clarify the diagnosis.

The symptoms of croup are quite characteristic:

• Noisy breathing with difficulty inhaling

;

• Voice changes (hoarseness, hoarseness);

window, balcony). Warm drinks and warm clothes. The optimal medicine for emergency care is baralgin (substitutes are spasmalgin, maxigan, trigan, spazgan, renalgan) – 1/3

tablets for children up to one year, 1/2 tablet from 1 year to 5 years. The most dangerous thing for a child with croup is warm and dry air.

Difficulty exhaling

– occurs during spasm (contraction and, accordingly, narrowing) of the bronchi. The reason for this may be not only a viral infection, but also allergies (household chemicals, new furniture, cockroaches, painted floors, etc.). If there is difficulty in exhaling, and there are no other signs of infection (no fever, no red throat), the question of allergies is very relevant, and emergency help before the doctor arrives is to stop contact with the possible source of the allergy - again, outside, on the balcony.

3.5.7. BED REST

A really sick child will choose bed rest himself

. If a constant stay in bed is accompanied by constant screams and screams, due to the desire to get out of bed, then you should know that no less energy is spent on screams and screams than on walking.

3.5.8. DISTRACTION PROCEDURES

Every adult has at least once experienced distracting procedures on himself and his immediate relatives - after all, everyone knows the famous mustard plasters (cupping, poultices, hot foot baths, etc.).

It should be noted right away that the effectiveness of these procedures can neither be proven nor disproved.

Diseases for which mustard plasters supposedly help go away safely without mustard plasters. Serious diseases, again, cannot be cured with mustard plasters.

distracting procedures are needed to entertain parents.

I am convinced that entertainment by mocking a sick baby is not the best way of treatment.

How to lower the temperature, how to put drops in the nose and whether antibiotics are needed to treat a sore throat

If you can't cure it, at least try to help. As a rule, this phrase is used in a slightly different context, but in our conversation it will be quite appropriate. Indeed, if we cannot significantly reduce the duration of the disease with ARVI and influenza (it is determined by the program of the virus), let’s at least treat fever, runny nose, and sore throat. Is this what we can do well?

What temperature should I lower?

Fever is the first and main symptom of most infectious diseases. Any schoolchild always knew: if you have a temperature, you are sick; if you don’t have a temperature, you are healthy. And TV advertisements have always convinced us of the same thing: antipyretic powder instantly works a miracle! So does this mean that in order to recover, you just need to lower your temperature?

Of course no. An increase in temperature is a protective reaction of the body and the best inducer of its own interferons, therefore, reckless antipyretic therapy can even increase the duration of the disease.

Antipyretics should be taken only if fever is poorly tolerated, the temperature is very high (>38.5-39°C) or the threat of febrile convulsions in children.

What to take? After all, there are so many products on the shelves of pharmacies to reduce fever. In fact, the vast majority of medications contain the same drug - good old paracetamol, which is truly considered a first-line drug in the world. It is approved for use even in children from 6 months.

However, several years ago, the Swedes published the results of a large study, which showed that the more paracetamol a child was given in early childhood, the higher his risk of bronchial asthma became by the age of 6–7 years. So don't get carried away.

The use of analgin has practically been abandoned in the world, since in rare cases, however, it can cause very severe changes in the blood system (decrease in the level of leukocytes).

And one more important consideration. Try not to combine several antipyretic drugs: each of the listed (paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.) affects the gastric mucosa to one degree or another, and their combination significantly increases this risk.

Therapeutic measures

Drug therapy is prescribed on an individual basis, taking into account the complexity of the disease and age characteristics. A cough in a child with a fever can occur for many reasons, so the choice of medications should be approached with special care and caution.

Antipyretics

They are recommended only in cases where the baby has hyperthermia above 38. The exception is children who do not tolerate its increase even to 37.5. For children under 2 years old, candles help well. Syrups are used more often and are prescribed at any age, including up to 6 years. From 7 and older, the use of drugs in tablets is allowed.

The rating of children's medicines for fever is headed by:

1. "Paracetamol".
2. “Ibuprofen.”
3. "Nimesulide".

It is permissible to give newborn children antifever medications only after examination by a pediatrician.

Expectorants and mucolytics

The attending physician prescribes medications of this group to the child for a wet cough. The main goal of therapy is to liquefy mucus and activate its removal from the respiratory system. For children, they are available in the form of syrup and tablets.

The best expectorant drugs approved for childhood are:

1. "Doctor Mom"
2. "Gerbion".
3. “Bromhexine.”

Doctors emphasize that before using any medicines, you must carefully read the instructions and strictly follow the dosage in accordance with the age characteristics of the little patient.

Antitussives

When a dry, unproductive cough develops, which has a painful, barking character, medications are prescribed to relieve it.

The most effective drugs for reducing the cough reflex in children:

1. “ACC.”
2. “Stoptussin.”
3. Codelac Neo.

In most situations, doctors prescribe combination medications for children with antitussive and bronchodilator effects.

How to treat a runny nose

Here, it would seem, what could be simpler - I bought drops for a runny nose, and then drop it on yourself as much as you need. However, there is a catch in this matter too. The fact is that the nasal drops familiar to everyone have a pronounced vasoconstrictor effect. It is the narrowing of blood vessels in the mucous membrane that leads to a decrease in swelling and the amount of discharge from the nose, that is, simply, it reduces nasal congestion and the runny nose itself. However, these drugs are quite insidious with their side effects.

Let's start with the fact that almost no one knows how to put drops into the nose correctly. They believe that you need to throw your head back as far as possible so that the drop reaches the stomach. So there is absolutely no need to do this. Constriction of the vessels of the gastric mucosa under the influence of drops will lead to the appearance of erosion in this place, and with prolonged use - ulcers.

The correct instillation technique: turn your head to the side, drip and wait until the drop is absorbed into the mucous membrane (2-3 minutes), then repeat the procedure on the opposite side. However, new drug delivery systems (sprays) do not have these disadvantages.

Other problems associated with the abuse of drugs for the common cold: dryness of the nasal mucosa (this is a consequence of vasoconstriction), complications from the cardiovascular system (increased pressure, tachycardia, rhythm disturbances and even provocation of angina in older people) and, most importantly, the development of dependence and addiction.

Another very simple, and most importantly, reliable and absolutely safe method that can be used to treat a runny nose is rinsing the nose with saline solutions. You can buy ready-made medications at the pharmacy, which are easy to use but expensive, or you can use a cheap saline solution from a pharmacy or even lightly salted water prepared at home (2 g of salt per glass of water).

Causes of nasal congestion without a runny nose

Some people believe that if the nose is stuffy, but there is no snot flowing, then this condition will go away on its own, and they do not pay attention to it. But this attitude to the problem is not entirely correct, since there are quite a lot of reasons that cause congestion without snot in adults:

1. Vasomotor rhinitis is a condition in which a person feels nasal congestion - the nose does not allow air to pass through and does not breathe well enough, but there is no runny nose. It’s hard to breathe, but there’s nothing to blow your nose with. Often one or the other half of the nose opens periodically. We are forced to breathe through our mouths, which prevents us from living normally.
2. Allergic reactions to irritants that are in the air. In this case, the nose becomes blocked due to one-time or constant exposure to an allergen on the body. Usually no mucus is observed in this case, the cause is swelling of the tissues of the nasopharynx. An allergic reaction may be accompanied by coughing and minor swelling. At first, the symptoms are very similar to the onset of a cold, but there is no weakness or fever.
3. Foreign bodies. If a foreign body gets into the nose, then, as a rule, only one half suffers. But children often block both halves of the nose with foreign bodies.
4. Constant nasal congestion can occur due to the abuse of vasodilators and the body becoming accustomed to them.
5. The cause of constant nasal congestion without discharge can be polyps, as well as adenoids, but only in the stage of remission of the disease and attenuation of the main symptoms, which include runny nose, sneezing, etc.
6. Deviation of the nasal septum. Breathing may be difficult on both sides, for example, in the case of an S-shaped curvature. A deviated nasal septum is often complicated by vasomotor chronic rhinitis.
7. The most common reason for nasal congestion without snot is dry indoor air.
8. Unfavorable environmental conditions - increased air pollution when the nose cannot cope with its functions.

As can be seen from the listed reasons, such an ailment can be a symptom of a disease or a consequence of unfavorable conditions, so treatment is definitely necessary. It is no secret that prolonged nasal congestion without a runny nose can lead to the development of inflammation of the mucous membranes and even the sinuses (sinusitis, sinusitis).

If your throat hurts

The most common causes of sore throat are inflammation of the pharynx and tonsils. The first is called pharyngitis, the second is tonsillitis. If you look into your own or your neighbor’s mouth when you have a sore throat, then with pharyngitis we will see a red throat, and with tonsillitis - enlarged and also reddened tonsils. However, with ARVI, both signs are often present.

To treat a sore throat, antiseptics with pain-relieving additives are most often used, which, although they do not affect the duration of the disease, help to while away an unpleasant couple of days.

Colds

acute respiratory infections, ARVI, influenza. A spasmodic cough develops and the temperature rises to 38 degrees. Additional symptoms include nasal congestion, throat discomfort, and muscle discomfort.

Tracheitis. Among the main symptoms of the disease, doctors identify a strong cough reflex and fever. The child may complain of a burning sensation in the chest, difficulty breathing, or pain in the throat.

Angina. An irritating short-term cough develops and the temperature ranges from 38 to 39 degrees. The tonsils are enlarged, the child complains of a sore throat and refuses to eat. The inflammatory process affects the entire pharynx, causing weakness, and the baby becomes whiny and capricious. The use of antipyretics gives short-term results, the temperature rises again.

Bronchitis. The first signs of a negative process in the bronchi are an increase in temperature to 38 and a dry cough. After some time, the mucus begins to leave, the attacks can be prolonged, and the baby has difficulty clearing his throat for several minutes at a time.

Pneumonia. Indicators of hyperthermia during the disease exceed 38 degrees and above. Cough is characterized by severe, prolonged attacks, often accompanied by fever and rapid breathing. Pneumonia in children invariably occurs with shortness of breath, lethargy, and pale skin.

Treatment of cough and temperature above 38 degrees should be carried out only after consulting a pediatrician. Inadequate therapy can lead to deterioration of the respiratory system, swelling of the mucous membranes, and the development of abscesses.

If a persistent cough for a long time is accompanied by a temperature of 38.2 or higher, as well as other symptoms that do not go away, you need to call an ambulance. There are always risks of developing complications, among which are: pleurisy, meningitis, myocarditis, gangrene. Disturbances can affect the functioning of the heart, kidneys, and brain.