Question
An 18-month-old child with upper respiratory tract infection, accompanied by cough and fever below 39°C, what medications are more ideal?
Answer
It is recommended to take oral azithromycin for treatment, and use nimesulide for fever reduction. Drink plenty of water. Cold is caused by viral infection, and bacterial infection can occur directly or after viral infection. The main symptoms include fever, headache, dizziness, nasal congestion, runny nose, tears, general malaise, and some patients may experience loss of appetite. One approach is to use traditional Chinese medicine with antiviral and detoxifying effects, such as Shuanghuanglian Oral Liquid or Daqingye Mixture; Two is to carry out antibacterial treatment using penicillin (such as amoxicillin granules) or cephalosporin antibiotics, with a medication duration of about one week; Three is symptomatic treatment. Although theoretically medication is required when the child’s body temperature exceeds 38.3°C, in clinical practice, medication is generally given when the temperature reaches 38°C. You can use compound preparations containing ibuprofen or nimesulide for fever reduction. Also, keep a box of pediatric fever reducing suppositories on hand for rectal use before bedtime to prevent high fever seizures caused by the child’s body temperature rising at night. If the condition is not severe, it is recommended not to use cough suppressants and instead opt for medications with expectorant effects such as Chuanbei Xueli Syrup to promote expectoration. This helps alleviate cough symptoms; if coughing is severe, cough suppressants like benzoxybenzyl alcohol can be used for a short period of time.