How many days will it take for a child to recover from a cold?

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on September 17, 2024
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How long it takes for a child to recover from a cold depends on the specific circumstances. If it's just a minor cold, like a common viral cold with symptoms such as a runny nose and sneezing, the symptoms can generally be controlled within about 3 to 5 days. However, if the child's cold symptoms are more severe, including high fever, coughing, and a runny nose, it could take longer, possibly 5 to 7 days or more. This is because some colds can lead to bronchitis or even develop into pneumonia. It is difficult to specify an exact duration in such cases. For instance, bronchitis generally requires about 5 to 7 days of treatment to control the symptoms. If pneumonia is involved, the recovery might take even longer, around 7 to 10 days or up to 2 weeks. Therefore, an assessment based on the child's specific condition is needed to estimate how long it might take to recover. A typical mild cold can usually have its symptoms controlled within about 3 to 5 days.

Other Voices

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What should I do if a child has a stuffy nose at night due to a cold?

When a child catches a cold due to the invasion of pathogens, it can cause symptoms such as fever, runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, sore throat, headache, abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Some children may experience severe nasal congestion, especially at night during sleep, which can lead to snoring and mouth breathing. At this time, we recommend using a warm towel to apply heat to the root of the child's nose, which can improve the child's nasal airway ventilation. Adjusting the child's sleeping position to lie on one side instead of on the back can also help relieve nasal congestion. Of course, if the child indeed has a cold, giving appropriate cold medicine during the day can provide symptomatic relief, which makes it easier to alleviate nasal congestion.

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Why do children have stomachaches when they catch a cold?

Colds are usually caused by viral infections, and may be accompanied by swelling of the lymph nodes. Abdominal pain caused by colds in children is often considered to be mesenteric lymphadenitis. This means that the virus causing the cold leads to the swelling of the lymph nodes around the intestines, which in turn can cause abdominal pain. There are generally two ways to alleviate this condition. One is to use oral pain relief medications, where children typically use traditional Chinese medicine orally, and do not take Western medicine, such as Yuanhu Zhitong Drops. Another method is to apply heat. At the same time, it is essential to ensure that the gastrointestinal tract is functioning well during a cold. Gastrointestinal dysfunction during a cold can also cause abdominal pain. Therefore, the diet should consist of warm, liquid, and easily digestible foods. (Note: The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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What is the reason for a child's cold and persistent low fever?

During a cold, children may experience a low fever or even persistently high fever. A persistent low fever indicates that the child has not fully recovered from the illness, reflecting the recovery phase, or that the fever-reducing method being used may be inappropriate. In addition to administering oral cold medications based on the child's symptoms during a cold, oral antiviral medications can also be given to treat the illness jointly. Simultaneously, timely fever reduction measures should be implemented for children. A low fever, typically defined as a body temperature below 38.1°C, does not require oral fever-reducing medications. One can encourage the child to drink more water, frequently feed warm water, or repeatedly wipe the body with warm water, all of which can effectively reduce fever. If the low fever persists, it may be necessary to take the child to the hospital for a blood test to determine the appropriate medication for treatment based on the actual situation.

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What to do if a child has a cold and ear pain?

Children catching a cold indicates that they have an acute upper respiratory tract infection, which is mostly caused by viral infections, while others are caused by bacteria or mycoplasma infections. If a child experiences ear pain after catching a cold, we must be highly vigilant about whether the cold has caused otitis media. It is essential to take the child to an otolaryngology clinic promptly, allowing the doctor to examine the painful ear with an otoscope. If it is confirmed that the child has otitis media, treatment should be administered based on the type of otitis media, such as serous otitis media or bacterial otitis media. With active treatment, the problem of ear pain can be quickly alleviated and cured.

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The Difference between a Cold and the Flu in Children

Epidemic influenza and the common cold have different pathogens for children. The main cause of epidemic influenza is the influenza virus or parainfluenza virus, meaning that the cold is caused by one or both of these viruses. This condition is called influenza. On the other hand, the common cold can be caused by many viruses, such as rhinovirus or coronavirus, and includes the influenza virus among others. Therefore, the pathogens are different; about 90% of common colds are caused by viruses.