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The information provided by The Pediatric Group, PLLC website is information of a general nature and is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be relied on for personal medical reasons and should not be relied upon as providing specific medical advice or for diagnosis or treatment. All information contained on this website is presented as is, without any warranties of any kind, express or implied.

Please note that visiting this website alone does not establish a physician-patient relationship with any physician engaged by The Pediatric Group, PLLC. You should consult your own physician for specific advice for your own personal situation.

Colds

Definition:  A cold is a viral illness which is very common in children.  Healthy children average six colds a year.  As children grow, they develop more resistance to the viruses that cause colds, which is helpful since we have no cure for cold viruses.  Antibiotics or cold medications will not stop or cure a cold

Symptoms:  Runny or stuffy nose.  Nasal discharge that is clear, cloudy, yellow or green.  Usually associated with fever and sore throat.  Sometimes associated with a cough, hoarseness, red eyes, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

What to Expect:  Fever may last 2-3 days, nasal discharge 7-10 days, cough 2-3 weeks.

Call our office urgently if:

1. Your child has difficulty breathing not improved by cleaning out the nose;
2. The child is younger than 12 weeks and fever is higher than 100.4°F rectally;
3. Fever is higher than 105°F in any age child.

Call us during routine office hours if:

1. Your child has an earache (pulling at ears and fussy);
2. There is cloudy discharge from the ear canal;
3. Sinus pain or pressure (around the cheekbone of eye) is present more than 24 hours after using nasal washes and pain medicine;
4. Severe sore throat is present for more than 24 hours.

Home Care:

1. For a runny nose with profuse discharge, blow or suction the nose.  Apply saline nasal gel to the nasal openings to protect them from irritation (cleanse the skin first).
2. For a blocked nose, use nasal washes.  Most stuffy noses are blocked by dried sticky mucus. Suction alone or blowing the nose cannot remove it.  A young infant can’t nurse or drink from a bottle unless the nose is open.
   
   Nasal Wash Procedure:  Use warm water or saline nose drops to loosen up the dried mucus, followed by blowing or suctioning.  Place 2-3 drops in each nostril, one nostril at a time.  Caution: If the child is less than 12 months old, use one drop at a time.  Repeat until nose is clear.  Do nasal washings at least four times a day whenever your child can’t breathe through the nose.
   
   
3. If the air in your home is dry, use a humidifier.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends cool mist units because they are safe with no risk of hot water or steam injuries.
4. Most cold medicines are not helpful.  They can’t remove dried mucus from the nose.  Antihistamines are only helpful if your child also has nasal allergies.  Antibiotics are not helpful unless your child develops an ear or sinus infections.

Call us back if:

1. Fever returns after going away for more than 24 hours;
2. Fever is present for more than three days;
3. Blocked nose interferes with sleep after using nasal washes several times;
4. There are yellow scabs around the nasal openings;
5. Nasal discharge is present more than 10 days; or
6. Your child becomes worse.