Patient's question:
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose: Persistent nasal congestion for 4-5 days after a child's cold, with mouth breathing during the day and at night. What is the cause and how should it be treated.Doctor's answer:
Hello, colds are common in children and can occur all year round. There are many medications available for treating children's colds. Some families keep a "small medicine box" at home. When a child gets a cold, they may avoid going to the hospital and instead give them medicine stored at home or buy medicine for them at a pharmacy. However, this is very dangerous. Many adult cold medications can be harmful to children. Therefore, when giving medication to children with colds, caution must be exercised. Medications like "Fast-acting Cold Capsules," "Cold Relief," and "Anpain" contain ingredients such as paracetamol, phenacetin, aminopyrin, and caffeine. These ingredients can suppress the bone marrow's hematopoietic system, affecting the production and growth of children's blood cells, leading to leukopenia and granulocytopenia, reducing their immunity, and in some cases, causing toxic liver damage.So, how should children take cold medication correctly?
1. Do not rush to reduce fever when a child has a cold. Fever is a defensive response of the body, which is beneficial for eliminating invading bacteria and promoting normal growth and development in children. However, when the fever is high (above 39°C), fever reduction should be done under the guidance of a doctor. The best way to reduce fever is through physical methods, such as cold compresses or alcohol rubs. If physical methods do not lower the temperature, fever-reducing medication can be used. Common fever-reducing medications include:
- 10–20% Metamizole nasal drops, 1–3 drops each time;
- Chlorpheniramine tablets, 0.35 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, taken in 3–4 doses orally;
- Children's fever-reducing suppositories, half to one suppository each time, inserted into the rectum, not exceeding 3 times a day, and discontinued after fever reduction.
Do not use APC (Compound Aspirin) because APC has stimulating effects, and infants and young children have sensitive nervous systems.