Colds in children, what to do?

My child often has a cold

The common cold is not an illness, it is only a sign that your little one has just met a new aggressor (virus) that he is fighting. This is what allows him little by little to build his own defenses. Some children thus need to undergo a hundred nasopharyngitis to be immunized against the usual germs. Until their immune system matures, around the age of 7 or 8.

Should we consult the doctor?

When in doubt, it is always better to consult at least by teleconsultation, it is more prudent. But this is not essential if your child has a 38 ° C fever without any other worrying signs. Often the fever subsides on its own and the common cold is already on the mend. Discover it to lower its temperature, leave it for example in a bodysuit or even in a diaper, lie down in peace, in a room heated to 20 ° C maximum and give it often water to drink to prevent ‘it does not get dehydrated. On the other hand, see a doctor if your baby is less than 3 months old has a fever, if your child has unusual behavior (whiny or downcast) or other associated symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, rash?). Because the common cold can become superinfect and cause otitis, bronchitis or bronchiolitis.

What will the doctor do?

If your child has more than one cold per month throughout the year, he will look for a medical cause: a respiratory allergy or gastroesophageal reflux (acid reflux of the stomach), in particular. In the first case, sensitization tests to dust mites or pollens can be carried out by an allergist from the age of 2 years. In the second, an esophageal fibroscopy or a measurement of gastric acidity (pH-metry) will confirm the diagnosis and prescribe drug treatment.

How can I relieve my child?

Give him paracetamol if he has a lot of fever and especially teach him to blow his nose by blowing one nostril after the other. Put at his disposal paper tissues that he will throw away after each use and also explain to him that he must always wash his hands. As long as he doesn’t know how to blow his nose on his own, suck up the phlegm with a baby nose device.

Should we wash his nose?

Only if he has a stuffy nose. Do not make a gesture of daily hygiene otherwise these saline solutions may irritate the mucous membranes and send the mucus into the back of the throat, thus spreading the infection into the bronchi.

Homeopathy is it effective?

It seems that the granules make the body more resistant, limit the frequency of rhinos and thereby reduce the risk of superinfection. The main remedies are Thuja, Calcarea carbonica, Chamomilla or Nux vomica, depending on the symptoms and the “condition” of your child.

Does food play a role in prevention?

An iron deficiency makes it more fragile and therefore more prone to infections, especially ENT. A simple blood test to measure ferritin can confirm the diagnosis. In this case, infant milk, systematically fortified with iron, or 30 g of red meat two to three times a week is often sufficient as a treatment. Otherwise, the doctor may prescribe iron supplementation in the form of syrup.

Should he have his tonsils and adenoids removed?

Removal of the tonsils (tonsillectomy) can be useful and effective in children who have more than 6 tonsillitis per year, or when these repeated conditions cause breathing pauses or slowed growth. As for the removal of adenoids (adenoidectomy), it is recommended to treat children who have a permanently blocked nose, enormous adenoids or who have repeated ear infections.