Question
How should I treat and prevent a cough? The child’s appetite has increased, they are sleeping less deeply, urination and defecation are normal, there’s no weight change, and they haven’t had a high fever. On January 2nd, they might have caught a cold. What has been the past treatment and its effectiveness?
Answer
Based on your description, the child may have an upper respiratory infection. Typically, as long as precautions against complications are taken, the illness will heal itself within 5-7 days. You can give the child antiviral medication, along with traditional Chinese medicine like Baofengning, and also add some vitamin C. If the inflammatory response is severe, a small amount of steroids can be used. If the child is breastfed, the mother should consume more light and vitamin-rich foods. In terms of daily care: 1. Keep the room well-ventilated and avoid large temperature differences. 2. Dress the child appropriately, pay attention to their needs such as feeding and urination. 3. Parents should be careful, change diapers in a timely manner, and try to breastfeed as much as possible. 4. Pay attention to the hygiene of feeding utensils; parents should not use their mouth to test the temperature of formula milk. 5. Regardless of whether they have a cold or not, family members should avoid close contact or face-to-face conversations with the child to reduce the risk of infection.