Patient's question:
What is the reason why my baby, who is 7 months old, always catches colds? Could you please recommend any foods that can boost their immunity? My baby is 7 months old and keeps catching colds. The last time they had a cold, it lasted only a week. Today, they have caught a cold again! It's just a runny nose and stuffy nose while sleeping! No fever!Doctor's answer:
Disease Analysis: Caused by external pathogenic wind-virus. Due to children's inability to regulate temperature and humidity, their skin is delicate and thin, and their defensive functions are not yet established, making them prone to infection. After contracting the disease, because their internal organs are weak, the condition tends to worsen rapidly and may be complicated by factors such as phlegm accumulation, food stagnation, or fright, making the symptoms more complex. Treatment is still divided into wind-cold and wind-heat as the main categories. Refer to the section on colds. However, for children, pungent-warm herbs should not be excessively used for damp-heat dispersion, and pungent-cool herbs should not be excessively used for bitter-cold treatment. If phlegm is present, add herbs to expel phlegm and resolve lung issues; if food stagnation is present, add herbs to digest food and remove stagnation; if fright is present, add herbs to calm the spirit, pacify fright, or subdue liver wind.Advice: There are no specific medications. Are you feeding the baby formula or breast milk?
1. Rest The younger the baby, the more rest and care they need. Do not resume activities until symptoms disappear to prevent recurrence due to unresolved lesions. Babies with fever should rest in bed to reduce stimulation to their central nervous system.
2. Balanced Diet Babies with colds and fever often experience reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Dietary care is crucial. The general principle is to choose easily digestible foods and eat small, frequent meals. Forcing the baby to eat will burden their gastrointestinal system, which is harmful to both their health and recovery. Offer small amounts of food but more frequently. Give the baby plenty of fruit juice, such as fresh orange juice. Once the fever subsides and digestion improves, the diet can be made slightly thicker. Gradually return to normal eating habits within about a week as the baby's condition improves.
3. Suitable Environment Ensure the baby's room is well-ventilated. Fresh air helps the baby sweat effectively to lower their temperature. Avoid blowing directly on the baby, as this can cause blood vessels to constrict, worsening the condition. Create a good resting environment for the baby: keep the room quiet, avoid loud noises, and maximize sleep time to reduce energy consumption. Let the baby lie in bed, tell them stories softly, or play music to help them relax, which will aid in recovery.
4. Effective Sweating Encourage the baby to drink plenty of fluids. Water increases cellular metabolism, promotes the excretion of toxins, and helps effective sweating, which is beneficial for lowering the temperature. The baby's clothes and bedding should not be too thick or excessive, and loose clothing should be worn to facilitate effective sweating and heat dissipation. Never overclothe or overbed the baby with fever, as this can lead to persistent high fever or even trigger febrile convulsions! After the baby takes fever-reducing medication, they will sweat profusely. Replace wet clothes and bedding promptly to prevent chills from worsening the condition.