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

Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
Updated on November 03, 2024
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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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Written by Feng Hai Tao
Pediatrics
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What fruits are good for children to eat when they have a cold?

During a cold, babies generally have reduced appetite. At this time, it is appropriate to supplement some fruits for the baby, which can enhance the baby's appetite, aid in digestion, and provide a significant amount of vitamin C and calories. It can also enhance the baby's resistance and immunity, promoting recovery from the illness. For example, eating more apples, pears, bananas, grapefruits, oranges, and other fruits that are rich in vitamin C and are bright in color and sweet in taste, which are favored by babies. However, during the process of feeding fruits to a baby, it is essential to adopt a method of eating small meals frequently. Try to avoid giving the baby raw, cold food and do not overfeed as it might lead to poor digestion. Furthermore, it is best not to feed the baby foods that are likely to cause allergies, as this can affect the baby's digestive absorption functions.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What to do for quick relief of nasal congestion in children with a cold?

A minor cold with nasal congestion is likely caused by a viral infection leading to swelling of the nasal mucosa, and thus, blocking the nasal passages. For quick relief, we can initially take oral medications such as children's acetaminophen-diphenhydramine granules, etc., which can promote the contraction of the nasal mucosa. Additionally, antiviral oral solutions can be taken for antiviral treatment. Locally, a 3% sodium chloride solution can be used for nasal drops to promote the contraction of the nasal mucosa, or physiological seawater nasal drops can also be used for the same purpose. Furthermore, physiological saline can be used to wash the nasal cavity, and then a nasal aspirator can be used to clean the secretions inside the nasal cavity, which also helps to clear the nasal passages.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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Will children with colds have recurrent low-grade fever?

Children with a cold may experience recurrent low fevers. In children, colds are generally caused by viral infections, such as rhinoviruses, common coronaviruses, etc. The symptoms include fever, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, etc., and the duration of the illness is mostly three to five days, usually not exceeding a week. Therefore, during the course of the illness, the symptoms of a cold may recur. During the illness, fever-reducing measures are taken, such as physical cooling and medication. However, after the fever subsides, it may recur, which is a normal phenomenon.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What should I do if a child has a cold and fever?

Children's colds and fevers are caused by viral or bacterial infections, with the vast majority being viral infections. First, we need to ensure that the child is well-hydrated and also manage the symptoms. When the body temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius, administer antipyretic medication to the child, such as ibuprofen suspension or acetaminophen. The interval between doses of these medications should be at least six hours. Additionally, give the child cold relief granules to alleviate the symptoms of the cold. When the body temperature is below 38.5 degrees Celsius, physical cooling methods can be applied, such as using fever-reducing patches, taking lukewarm baths, or wiping the forehead, neck, armpits, and groin—areas where large blood vessels are located—with a warm towel. Throughout the process, it is very important to keep the child hydrated. If the child's cold and fever persist, a complete blood count should be performed to check for a bacterial infection. If a bacterial infection is present, treatment with antibiotics should be administered under the guidance of a hospital doctor, based on the child’s condition. Controlling the infection is essential for reducing the fever and bringing the child's temperature down, ultimately helping the child return to normal.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What foods are good for children with a cold?

Children's colds are acute upper respiratory infections, and children can have rhinitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, etc. Most are caused by viral infections and are self-limiting. Therefore, during a cold, it is important to ensure that the child drinks plenty of water, rests a lot, eats more green vegetables, and supplements some vitamins. The diet should be light and easy to digest, avoiding heavy meals with large fish and meat, as well as snacks, sweets, and even puffed food. It is very helpful for the recovery from a cold to eat more fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin C. Also, drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of rest are very important.