Seek medical attention in time for four situations of children's colds. Improper treatment of children's colds can easily lead to five complications.

Because children are young and have weak body resistance, they are prone to catching colds. We must pay attention to this and provide effective treatment and conditioning in the early stages of the baby's cold to prevent the situation from becoming serious.

Causes of colds in children

1. Infection by pathogens. Most of the infections in the upper respiratory tract of infants are caused by viruses. The nasal cavity of babies under one year old is very narrow and they don’t have much nasal hair. In addition, the nasal mucosa of babies is very tender, which leads to insufficient secretion of their mucosal glands and inability to resist viral infection.

2. The baby's immune function is not well developed. Relevant research has pointed out that babies under 1 year old have the least immunoglobulin IgM and the worst ability to resist infection. By the age of 3, it can reach the adult level, which is one of the reasons why children's colds gradually decrease in school-age children.

3. The indoor environment is relatively poor. When the room is dark and damp, the air circulation is poor, or the indoor temperature is too high or too low, it will cause great harm to the baby's respiratory tract, and it is very easy to induce a cold in children.

4. The environment is hot and cold. The hot and cold weather always catches mothers off guard. The temperature difference is too big. If mothers don't have time to add or remove clothes for their babies, the babies will be stimulated by the cold air and it is very easy to catch a cold.

5. It is related to the baby’s diet. A survey shows that if the baby grows too fast, the mother’s breast milk is insufficient, and the baby drinks milk powder, or the baby’s diet is not balanced and nutritious due to partial eclipse, anorexia, etc., it will easily lead to different degrees of lack of trace elements, thus greatly increasing the chance of catching a cold.

Complications of colds in children

1. Laryngitis: The larynx is adjacent to the pharynx and is the narrowest part of the upper respiratory tract. Once inflammation occurs, the entire respiratory tract cavity can easily become narrower, which can cause airway obstruction. Children aged 2 to 3 are prone to this disease. Those who come to the clinic are all in emergency. The children experience difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, hoarseness, loss of voice, irritability, sweating on the head, and cold limbs. In severe cases, airway obstruction causes tissue hypoxia, resulting in damage to the brain, heart, and kidneys.

2. Tonsillitis: Tonsillitis is a common disease in children, and most of them also have pharyngitis. The tonsils in infants are not yet developed. They reach their peak development from 4 to 12 years old, and are located on the back sides of the mouth. There are many crypts on the surface of the tonsils. Once infected, the child will complain of sore throat, swallowing water, swallowing pain, sometimes involving pain at the base of the ear, dry cough, fever, chills in severe cases. Since the tonsils are the largest glands in the human body, they have a defensive function for the human body. If they are not often inflamed, surgical removal is not recommended. When they are inflamed, they can be cured with anti-inflammatory drugs.

3. Rhinitis: The nasal mucosa of a normal baby is rich in blood vessels and is particularly soft and delicate. The nasal cavity is the first barrier for air to enter the lungs. When stimulated by the cold winter air and invaded by external bacteria and viruses, the nasal mucosa can become inflamed. The damaged nasal mucosa becomes edematous and thickened, making the already narrow nasal cavity appear even narrower. Difficulty breathing, nasal congestion, poor ventilation, mouth breathing, dry throat, easy coughing, and sometimes low fever may occur, while others may not. These are manifestations of rhinitis.

4. Eustachian tube inflammation: There is a channel between the pharynx and the ear, called the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube of infants and young children is horizontal, with the two ends of the tube located in the pharynx and the ear respectively. Therefore, when the pharynx is inflamed, it is easy for the inflammation to flow along the tube to the ear. When suffering from pharyngitis, the child will complain of ear pain. Using an otoscope, it can be seen that the ear canal is red, with secretions, and even pus and fever. This is an ear disease caused by pharyngitis, and you should go to the ear department for treatment in time.

5. Nasolacrimal duct inflammation: It is more common in infants under 1 year old. This duct is a passage between the inner canthus of the eye and the nasal cavity. When rhinitis occurs, the inflammation can easily spread to the root of the nose and even to the eyes. The conjunctiva of both eyes becomes red, congested, tearful, and runny. There is secretion in the eyes. The skin between the eyes and the nose becomes red and slightly swollen. This area is particularly rich in blood vessels and the tissue is particularly soft. The inflammation can continue to spread to the brain and should be taken seriously by parents.

Children with colds need medical attention

1. Poor mental state, abnormal mood, drowsiness, poor diet and abnormal sleep, etc., especially after taking antipyretic drugs to reduce the body temperature, the mental state is still not good;

2. The high fever is over 38.5 degrees Celsius, antipyretics are ineffective, and the fever has lasted for two to three days;

3. Worsening cough, rapid breathing (more than 35 times a minute), and wheezing indicate that the child's cold has caused a respiratory infection.

4. If the child has a headache, vomiting, obvious abdominal pain, or shaking limbs, startle, or rash when having a fever, seek medical attention immediately.