Patient's question:
My baby is 9 months old. Lately, he has been having white nasal discharge, without a fever, and his condition is still relatively good. However, he is making a rattling sound in his throat while drinking milk and sleeping, as if there is phlegm blocking it. Starting from yesterday, he has also developed a slight cough. Could you please ask the expert what kind of medicine the child should take?Doctor's answer:
Hello: Based on the symptoms, it is considered a childhood cold. When a child has a cold, it is advisable to rest in bed, eat liquid or soft foods, and temporarily reduce milk intake for infants. The room temperature should be stable, avoiding extremes of high or low. The relative humidity in the room is best between 50% and 60%.In recent years, the use of 10% ribavirin (vira) for local nasal drops in the upper respiratory tract has been effective against viral colds. For children under 2 years old, 2 drops per nostril on each side are administered, and for those over 2 years old, 3 drops per nostril on each side. During periods of high fever, 1 drop should be administered every 15 minutes for a total of 4 times, followed by every 2 hours. The treatment should be discontinued at night, and after the fever subsides, it should be reduced to 4 times daily.
For nasal congestion, Neosynephrine mixture (10 mg neomycin, 5 mg hydrocortisone, 10 mg ephedrine, with normal saline added to 10 mL) can be used. Administer 2 drops per nostril on each side before meals or before bedtime, 4 to 6 times daily.
If the temperature exceeds 38.5°C, aspirin at a dose of 10 mg/kg can be given every 4 to 6 hours, or physical cooling measures can be taken.
If complications arise, antibiotics should be considered.