What should I do if a child has an acute upper respiratory infection?

Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
Updated on September 06, 2024
00:00
00:00

When children develop acute upper respiratory infections, the main focuses are to ensure plenty of rest, clear the exterior and reduce heat, and prevent complications. During fever, it is advisable to give liquid or soft foods, encourage increased water intake, and for infants, feed small amounts frequently to avoid symptoms of digestive upset like vomiting and diarrhea. Maintain room temperature between 18 to 22 degrees Celsius, and keep a certain level of humidity. If there is excessive nasal and pharyngeal secretion, a prone position can be helpful. For high fevers, initially use a cold towel to moisten the forehead and the entire head, or use fever patches or a warm bath to alleviate discomfort and prevent febrile convulsions. It is beneficial for the baby to drink more water to replenish the bodily fluids lost due to fever and to facilitate the elimination of toxins. Adequate hydration can help thin the secretions in the nasal passages, making them easier to clear. Medication can also be used for treatment.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
1min 8sec home-news-image

Does acute upper respiratory infection require infusion?

Whether or not to use infusion therapy for acute upper respiratory infections mainly depends on the specific conditions of each patient with the infection. Generally, acute upper respiratory infections can usually be controlled within about a week with timely and effective treatment. However, a small number of patients may have persistent high fever or more severe clinical symptoms. In cases where oral medications are not effective, it is appropriate to use infusion therapy for symptomatic treatment. It is important to understand that the type of pathogens causing acute upper respiratory infections differs from patient to patient, as does each individual's immune function. Therefore, the clinical symptoms caused can also vary significantly. For cases of severe acute upper respiratory infections, or those with complications, it is sometimes necessary to use infusion therapy for treatment, as it can be more effective.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
1min 2sec home-news-image

What to do if an acute upper respiratory infection causes a headache?

Acute upper respiratory infection, commonly known as a cold, is usually just the common cold. Patients typically display various degrees of fever, along with nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and coughing as clinical symptoms. Therefore, when a patient has an upper respiratory infection and exhibits fever, they may experience varying levels of headache, dizziness, and general weakness. In such cases, upper respiratory infections are generally caused by viruses. Thus, it is necessary to administer antiviral and detoxifying medications, and if the patient has a high fever, antipyretics should be used. Once the body temperature returns to normal, it usually stabilizes quickly, and the headache caused by the upper respiratory infection will naturally subside. (Please take medication under the guidance of a physician.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
1min 8sec home-news-image

Why does acute upper respiratory infection cause recurrent fever?

Acute upper respiratory infections are very common in clinical practice, and most patients develop acute inflammatory lesions due to a viral entry into the respiratory tract. A small number of patients may also have combined bacterial or pathogenic microbial infections, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and recurrent fever of varying degrees. In the early stages of acute upper respiratory infections, if medications are not timely and symptomatically administered, and especially if patients have low immune function and do not receive timely medication management, some patients may repeatedly experience fever. The fever is typically high, commonly seen in infants and young children. Therefore, for such patients, it is crucial to provide symptomatic medication promptly and effectively, which usually can effectively control the symptoms of recurrent fever.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
58sec home-news-image

Can I eat beef with an acute upper respiratory infection?

Acute upper respiratory infections are usually caused by patients accidentally catching colds and contracting certain viruses or bacteria, leading to varying degrees of clinical symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, fever, and sore throat. For such patients, it is generally not recommended to eat beef. Although beef is highly nutritious, it tends to increase internal heat, especially in patients with heat-type colds. Eating beef at this time may cause the patient to experience increased fever, as well as worsening cough and sore throat symptoms. Therefore, it is suggested that patients with acute upper respiratory infections drink more water and consume more fresh vegetables and fruits to facilitate a quicker recovery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
1min 7sec home-news-image

The difference between acute upper respiratory tract infection and acute pharyngitis

The difference between acute upper respiratory infection and acute pharyngitis is actually a matter of the scope and extension of a concept. An upper respiratory infection refers to infections occurring in the nose, pharynx, and throat, collectively known as the upper respiratory tract. If this area is infected by some pathogenic microorganisms, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, and sore throat, we call it an acute upper respiratory infection. Acute pharyngitis specifically refers to the occurrence of inflammation in the pharynx following an infection, primarily presenting with sore throat or cough. This condition is called acute pharyngitis. From this perspective, acute pharyngitis is actually a specific type of acute upper respiratory infection. The main focus is still on distinguishing these diseases, giving special attention where necessary, such as providing specific treatment for pharyngitis, whereas a general cold medicine might suffice for an upper respiratory infection. Thus, there are certain distinctions between the two.