We give medicine immediately to our children as soon as we see any symptoms of cold, cough or fever. These three diseases are very common and most of the children get impacted with either cold and cough the every other month.
Are you also giving your baby syrup for fever and cold?
Are you one of those parents who get their babies injection for fever and cold?
Are you also giving medicine for baby cold?
Stop!
Don’t follow the crowd but use your own brain.
We must think whether we are supporting our kid’s immune system or making it more vulnerable to future diseases by over protecting our children from all the common diseases.
All the diseases are not that much harmful. Some can be a blessing in disguise.
You don’t have to trust me blindly. I am neither a medical practitioner nor a health advisor. But, I am a parent of a three-year-old child and I want to share all the things I have learned about common diseases.
When my child was born, I was also like any other parent, the over-worried one about the health of my child. If my child sneezes at 2:00 PM, I was there at the doctor’s clinic at 4:00 PM asking for medicine for my little one.
But then, I met one wise doctor who helped me out in understanding that what actually cold, cough and fever is. I realized that most of the common diseases happen for a reason, basically to build the immune system of the child at an early stage of life.
Have you heard the story of a caterpillar? which never became a beautiful butterfly. Let me tell you the story.
There was a caterpillar, trying to come out of the cocoon. The caterpillar was struggling very hard but the cocoon was difficult to break. He took his legs out of cocoon but failed to come out.
A generous child was looking at the scene very carefully. He thought of helping the caterpillar and taking it out of the cocoon. He helped caterpillar and progressed in taking the caterpillar out of the cocoon.
Can you guess, what happened next? Caterpillar did not survive for long. It did not turn into a beautiful butterfly. Its wings were weak because the struggle to come out of the cocoon actually gives strength to its wings and internal system.
And, as it did not happen the way it should have to because the boy has helped the caterpillar in coming out of the cocoon. The caterpillar did not use its wings and thus, they were not having the same strength they are supposed to have.
I’m pretty sure, that you have understood what I am trying to convey. I’m pointing my fingers towards the immune system of our children.
Let’s not get into the medical details of cold & cough but understand it at a very basic level.
Understanding, what is cold?
Cold is a body condition, in which symptoms like sneezing or mucus coming out of the nose are observed. Cold can be caused due to the change in the weather conditions, bacterial infection, viral infection or due to a side effect of an another disease.
There are more than 30 types of bacteria that can cause cold in infants. In most of the cases, the child develops immunity against the bacteria that has caused an infection. After that, particular bacteria will never be able to affect your child when its signature is recorded in the child’s immune system.
Most of the children are affected with cold every month after they start going to school or a creche. The primary reason for their cold is the infection from a different kind of cold every time. The environment is same for adults also, but they don’t catch cold easily. Children with weak immune system get impacted with cold.
What FDA has to say about common cold –
“A cold is self-limited, and patients will get better on their own in a week or two without any need for medications. For older children, some OTC medicines can help relieve the symptoms—but won’t change the natural course of the cold or make it go away faster,”
says Taylor, a medical officer in FDA’s Division of Pediatric and Maternal Health.
As per another research by University of Wisconsin-Madison, scientists have constructed a three-dimensional model of the pathogen that shows why there hasn’t been any cure yet for the common cold.
Let us talk about cough
In most of the cases, cough comes supplementing the cold. There could be some other reasons of cough as well – like some irritants, allergies, throat infection or the side effect of some other disease relating to throat & lungs.
In almost all the cases, cough serves as a valuable purpose – throwing out the mucus out of one’s lungs.
Then why does a cough is considered bad? Just because it’s irritating – Right?
If you want to cure cough, then cure the disease which is causing the cough. The baby cough will go away itself when the lungs are clear off from unwanted mucus & dust.
Sometimes your kid might have a dry cough; it means a cough without any mucus. A dry cough is caused because of some infection or irritation in the throat. Apply some home remedy to soothe the throat of your child.
“Coughs help the body in clearing off the mucus out of the airway and protecting the lungs; so you don’t have to suppress all coughs,”
We can say that cold and cough are very much related to each other and coughs are a normal symptom of cold.
Ask question about baby’s cold, cough and fever in the Babygogo Community on SHEROES. Download App
Understanding, what is fever?
Did you ever wonder why anyone has fever during a disease? Why body raises its temperature? Can there be any good purpose of fever?
Definitely, there it serves as a good purpose. There are certain bacteria & viruses which get killed by the high temperature of the body. The high temperature is a natural weapon for the body to fight against diseases caused by bacteria & viruses.
You can read our recent article to know more about How to Choose the Right Thermometer for your baby?
A fever is a symptom that something is not normal in your body. It serves as a signal like a fire alarm in your body.
So, what should you do in case of a fire alarm in your building? Break the irritating alarm or take action to control fire? Of course, you will do something to control the fire.
Peter Nalin, associate professor of clinical family medicine and director of the family practice residency program at Indiana University explained in an article on ScientificAmerican –
“Fever can support the immune system’s attempt to gain advantage over infectious agents, such as viruses and bacteria, and it makes the body less favourable as a host for replicating viruses and bacteria, which are temperature sensitive.”
You should cure the root cause of fever, not just the fever.
One more thing, the degree of temperature will not tell you about the seriousness of the illness. Your child may have a high temperature with a mild disease like the common cold. It can also happen that your child has a minor temperature even with a serious illness.
Let the immune system fight naturally with the infections by its weapon “fever” while you can help the body to cure the root cause of the fever. Remember that medicines like ibuprofen may reduce the fever but not the actual infection.
Understanding, what is the immune system?
We cannot see the immune system working on a daily basis but we can notice the immune system when it fails or stops working.
When any bacteria or virus enters into our body system, it may disrupt the normal functioning of the body. We inhale thousands of microorganisms daily through the air and our Immune System protects us from all the germs present in the air we breathe.
Our immune system knows well, which germs can do good to our body and which can make the situation worse. However, it goes with time and common diseases that help our immune system in the learning process.
Immune system keeps on killing all the harmful germs but in some rare cases, our system fails to identify the disease causing micro-organisms. So, we get infected with common diseases like cold & cough or serious diseases like Chickenpox, pneumonia & MMR.
Once our body is attacked by foreign germs, our immune system gets an alert and it starts working onto killing the disease causing germs.
How medicine works in body
Medicine is nothing but a chemical. A chemical that goes into our body and spread in the nerve system through blood.
Generally, we take medicines by mouth like tablets, capsules or syrup. Other methods of taking medicines are applying directly on the skin (ointment), drops into eyes/ears/nose or the injections into organs or veins.
Let’s discuss the most common way of taking medicines – that is through mouth (oral medicines). When anyone consumes medicine by mouth, it goes into the stomach and starts dissolving. Some medicines are absorbed by the stomach lining and some are passed to the small intestine.
At the end, medicine gets into the blood of the person. The medicine molecules are delivered to all organs throughout the body by circulation of blood. The heart pumps the whole blood circle in about a minute.
If you are taking a medicine for headache, then medicine is delivered to all organs of the body, not just the head.
The body cells start absorbing medicine molecules from the blood. The chemicals in medicine will start with the biochemical reaction and will fix the tissues that need to be repaired.
We see the impact of medicine only on the affected system (like headache) but actually, it impacts the whole body.
What is the role of antibiotic in the body?
Antibiotic medicines do fight with the bacterial infections in the body but antibiotics are useless for the infections caused by viruses.
As per Medical News Today,
“If antibiotics are overused or used incorrectly, there is a risk that the bacteria will become resistant – the antibiotic becomes less effective against that type of bacterium.”
Antibiotics should be taken only in case of bacterial infection. You must complete the course of giving antibiotics to your child, even though if you see some improvement in two days. All bacteria have to be killed otherwise they will multiply themselves again and the disease will gain strength.
When to call a doctor?
Try to give fruits & vegetables to your child that boosts immunity. But there might be situations when the immune system will not be able to heal the body by itself. It needs an external help from medicine and the doctor.
As per FDA, you should call a doctor if you see any of following symptoms in your child.
- Any kind of fever in an infant (up to 2 months)
- A fever of 102 or higher for children above 2 month
- Rapid breathing with sign of nostrils widening, wheezing, and the ribs being shown with each breath.
- If child has Blue lips.
- If the kid is refusing to eat or drink.
- Child is complaining about ear pain.
- Excessive crankiness or sleepiness.
- If the cough lasts for more than three weeks.
If you are giving any medicine to your child then remember to give the exact quantity as prescribed. Don’t use kitchen spoons for giving syrup because they vary in size.
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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are of the author alone and don’t reflect the views of Babygogo.
Your article is soo helpful for me… My child is three years old and and she is always having running nose and after birth she was having the prblm RDS I just want u suggest me regarding my child’s health issues
Thanks
Any home remdy for fever and dry cough.
Thanks.Any home remedy for mild fever and dry cough.
When can I start giving medicine to cough, cold and fever. My LO is 2 months now.
Very nice article….
What if the child has febrile seizure due to fever…u can’t avoid medication…this post is very good however parents who are aware of febrile seizure can play a risk for kids by not giving them medicine..so I think there should be a mention about this as well.
My 4 y.o. daughter also had a fever up to 102.5 for 4 days. I also have been giving her motrin. She was checked by a pediatrician for ear infection and strep as we had to fly. Per the pediatrician, she just had a virus. She vomitted three times last night and the fevers continues….I keep giving her motrin as it last longer.
More den useful I should say… But to add more seriousness plz refer a Doctors consent..!!!
Vry nice nd i wnted to know is there any home remedy to get rid of cough n cold for a 1 nd a half year old kid.
We are glad that you liked it. 🙂
Here’s the link to the article, some Home Remedies for Cold and Cough –
https://www.babygogo.in/home-remedies-babies/
Home remedy….coconut oil mixed wid camphor just one enough heat in pooja vilaku and then apply full body and make little massage especially chest palm hand nose and make ur baby to sleep well surely its work out try it thank you!
Hay my baby is 11 month old ar usey kal se shardi ho gai hai mujhey usko kon se medicine dayne chahey kyuki mai usko 1st time out of station lay kr aai hu on a vacation so plzz can suggest something for that plzzz
Hi I am a mother of 2 and 3.10 years old kids. They have allergy problem due to that they are mostly in flu condition. What u suggest about this. thank you
Nce article. Just wanted to know is there any home remedy to get rid of cough n cold for a 2 year old kid.
hey i can advice one home remedy ,which i use to give my child during cold and it 100% works in my son’s case. All you have to do is take one tea spoon of honey and one tea spoon of garlic juice. Mix them really well and give one teaspoon morning and evening to your child. Works better if immediately given ,when you see the first sign of cold in your child.
Mari bati 6 months ki hey osey ye dey saktey hain
Osey b congestion or flu hey mosam ki waja seu
U explain it very nicely…Ty 4 sharing it.
Actually my question is different from the topic but pz suggest me something if possible.
My kid is 3 years old. he is Hyper Aggressive & Hyper Active. I cunsult many Doctors But they prescribed Drowsy doses hence we don’t want to give him.
Can u pz suggest me something.
Hi Hemangi,
Can you please share the “drowsy doses” that have been prescribed? Accordingly treatment or thereof can be suggested. It is normal for children at this age to be hyperactive mainly because they are still exploring the world and their surroundings. Most parents find it hard to keep their kids under control. Thus it isn’t a reason for you to be concerned. However, do tell us about the medications. Also do mention why you feel your child is hyperactive and hyper aggressive and accordingly treatment can be suggested.
hello mera beta 5 sal ka hone ja Rha hai woh to Bahut bimar rehta hai. Cough cold to usko 12 Months hi rehta hai kya karu. PlZ tell me I m very 😟 worried
Hi Meenakshi,
The cough and cold could be due to multiple factors. The first thing you ought to do is consult with your paediatrician to rule out anything internal that could be causing it. You also need to keep your house clean and avoid the build up of dust which can cause the similar symptoms. You should also keep your child away from people who might be ill as this can also cause contraction of viral illnesses. Always consult with your paediatrician if there are any concerning symptoms.
how can we measure body body temperature in baby, information was really nice thanks for sharing??
My daughter is 2 years old she don’t like to eat anything, her immunity is also very low so she falls ill very soon, please advice any suggestion to improve her immunity. Thanks
Hi Deepa,
It is common for 2 year olds to be disinterested in eating. They would rather play and explore the world around them. You need to give your child at least 5 – 6 small meals in a day. This way your child will at least eat a little throughout the day. Include different dishes with each meal, try not to repeat ingredients as children tend to get bored easily.
Everyday give 10tulasi leaves which will build immune system of your baby
how?
Is homeopathy good option ?
If you want to be taken seriously, stop writing nonsense that cold is caused by bacteria. Understand the difference between a virus and a bacteria and what causes a cold.
You must be a Luddite to believe that all medicines are dangerous. Some medicines are used for symptom management. You should specifically state that antibiotics should not be used to treat a viral condition.
How about giving homeopathic medicines to cure cold and cough?
Homeopathy is a better option than antibiotics. I have personally tried and tested this process on my 3yr old and the results are fantastic. In Homeopathy also, try to go for immunity building medication with a long term course instead of short term treatment of a specific disease. This will help your child greatly over the years.
Hi can u pls provide name of homeopathy medicine for cold and cough my daughter is 3 yrs.
Thanks
Can i use homeopathy treatment for Asthma for my child
Tx for explaining so nicely in simple words
But if the bady is kept with such common probs i have seen cases when it turns to brochities heavy caugh etc which could have been prevented by early medication we dont know which infection will become serious. . in short time
Lovely article. Even i haven’t given any medicines to my child till date. She is 9 months old. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful article.
Hello, Smita, keep up with this practice for the betterment of your little one. Happy Parenting. 🙂
Am having doubts if fever is normal then why sometimes high fever cause fits upto which temperature we should believe this please clarify everything clearly because every parent is confusing need more clarification
Cold become wheezing PBM am the one of affected mon by listening these and follow these
My only suggestion is to with ur instincts and believe God give u correct path
Wonderfully explained… A must read for every mother…
Thanks for your feedback Neha. Do share it with other mommies you know. Happy Parenting. 🙂
Though this article is very good and right most of the times…but how do we diagnose wats viral infection and wats bacterial?
Most of the times prolonged viral infection turns into secondary bacterial infection.
And not all kids necessarily fall in this category of treatment..my kid for e.g whenever gets cough it affects her lungs directly and she gets cough with vomit which is not good for a kid also temperature comes as a second stage when her body already weakens to a greater degree..I don’t let her suffer just thinking it’s viral infection..in these cases the cough needs to Dry up asap which happens with an antibiotic and this can relieve the child.
Same condition is of my child..she is 3 years now.. But whenever cough problem starts, it accompanies vomiting with it.. And this affects her diet badly.. I too have to think about giving medical treatment at that very time… So its really hard to believe that no medication should be given respite of the fact that it can hamper the health other way..
As per ur article, children don’t need any vaccines too since diseases help in building up the natural immune system of the body and vaccine may hamper that process by protecting the body from contracting that particular disease!!!
Yes, that’s the main essence of this article Prachi. 🙂
Please donot don’t do that. Vaccines have its own importance. Just because of these vaccines today the child mortality rate is low.
I was too trapped in doctor’s money making game when my child was between 7 months to 12 months of stage… What i learnt from my exp is identify any disease at its initial stage and start giving homemade remedies like homemade kada or cough and cold, tulsi water for mild fever, some homemade liquids for stomach issues!!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS ARTICLE SIR,SO HELPFUL SPECIALLY TO A NEW PARENTS LIKE ME I HAVE 5MONTHS OLD DAUGHTER EVERY MONTH SHE HAD COLD AND COUGH I DID NOT GO TO HER PEDIA,WHAT SHOULD I DO TO HEAL HER COLD? TY
Thanks so much sir my is son is 5 now and my daughter is 10 months old they both get offended cold , this information it as been useful to me and my daughter she is underweight, she is around 6.5 kg what should I do for that..
Hi Ranjitha,
Her current weight depends on her birth weight and thus you must not worry unnecessarily. While the weight may seem less to you, she might actually be gaining weight steadily. Make sure you feed her at regular intervals. Also give her breast milk at regular intervals throughout the day. And do consult with a paediatrician to ensure that she doesn’t have any deficiencies that might require supplementation.
Wonderful article. Must reas by akl parents. What’s your opinion about vacconstion. I havecreas it actusllureduce the immunity. Your guidance plz
Honestly, we vaccinated our son as per schedule because we did not want to take the risk at that time.
We missed optional vaccinations.
Some people believe that vaccinations invite more diseases in future but the topic is debatable.
What’s you take?
I think just because of these vaccinations the child mortality rate has come down today.
Quite an informative article. Very well explained. Thanks!!
Glad you found it helpful 🙂
THANKS FOR SHARING THIS USEFUL INFORMATION. GOD BLESS 🙂
Thanks Minaxi
Very useful information for today’s parents
Thanks Bincy. Glad you found it helpful.
Hi, very thoughtful article.
I said no to medicate my then-20-month old who suffered from wheezing, because the doctor prescribed steroids. My courage was tested for a whole week. But, after that, my confidence increased.
Have you heard of anatomic therapy? Its more similar to your line of thought and extended too. I believe there are books/PDFs available free of cost. Do take a look.
Thanks Lakshmi for sharing your experience.. and I appreciate your courage.
I will check out anatomic therapy. Thanks for the suggestion.
Nice article.. i too believe in this method of treatment. However my daughter is diagnosed with childhood asthma and she coughs rigorously n vomits too.. inhalers prescribed.. any suggestions for that?
Vibha, Since your daughter is diagnosed with asthma, I suggest you to follow the advice of doctor.
Don’t opt for any short term benefit but look for something that can help healing asthma permanently.
You can download Babygogo app and ask from community of doctors & parents.
Very useful and helpful article .
M facing the same problem which you discussed.
My son started his schooling from feb and every alternative week he is facing infection. Since feb till now so many antibiotics and medicines that we are fed up now.
I always try to first use all home remedies but at last i need to visit d doc and thn again starts d antibiotics . Its been 4 months now and still d same situation … every alternative week he is facing infection problem .
Vinita, I can understand your pain.
Unfortunately, some doctors prescribe antibiotics when these are not required at all.
I would suggest you to find a good doctor who first diagnose the problem then prescribe the right medicine (if at all required).
Give fruits & vegetables that help in boosting immunity of your child.
Thank you for sharing. My son is 3 and will go to kindergarten in September. I am worried since he gets febrile convulsions.
Take conscious decision when you give any medicine. Most of the early diseases will just help in building immune system.
Very nicely elaborated … thanks for a sharing
Neha, I am glad you liked it 🙂
What is brain anxiety in toddler
I have no idea about brain anxiety. A quick google search returned this article – http://childmind.org/article/behavioral-treatment-kids-anxiety/
I am surprised to see that a person from non-medical background have written so insightful article.
A must read for every parent.
Thanks Anju. Personal experiences are better than bookish knowledge 🙂