Patient's question:
A 20-month-old child has a slight cold, with symptoms including runny nose, severe nasal congestion, and noticeable breathing sounds. Could you please advise any effective methods to alleviate these symptoms? If medication is needed, what should be taken?Doctor's answer:
1. Nasal congestion caused by a cold: It is characterized by nasal congestion and runny nose, sometimes accompanied by fever. For such cases, it is important to keep warm first. Additionally, you can use a warm, damp towel to apply heat to the baby's nose (not too hot), twice a day for about 15 minutes each time.2. Nasal congestion caused by acute sinusitis: Repeated upper respiratory infections can affect the nasal mucosa, causing it to become congested, swollen, and produce more secretions, leading to acute sinusitis. Symptoms include nasal congestion, runny thick nose discharge, mouth breathing, and in more severe cases, fever, headache, sore throat, and restlessness.
If the baby has an upper respiratory infection, parents should first actively treat it. Take the baby to an otolaryngology department promptly and use antibiotics under the guidance of a doctor to cure it completely and prevent recurrence.