Treatment
General
Young children (<5 years) are not able to describe cold symptoms and may only show nasal discharge and cough. (67)
Preschool age children often have a fever (38 deg. C, 100.5 deg. F) in the first 3 or 4 days of a cold.
Colds in children tend to last longer (10-14 days) than in adults (7-10 days).
The value of commercial cold treatments has been difficult to evaluate in children.
Recommended Treatment
In children with early colds, begin acetaminophen or ibuprofen in an appropriate dose on a regular schedule (every 4 hours) during the waking hours.
Other symptomatic treatments may be used if they appear to be helpful. These include:
- Topical and systemic decongestants (neo-synephrine, pseudoephedrine); decongestants may cause excitability.
- Antihistamine (especially at bedtime). Antihistamine may cause drowsiness.
- Mucoevacuants (guafenesin)
Children should never be given aspirin because of the danger of it causing brain damage. (Reyes syndrome)
Antibiotics do not shorten a cold, reduce the severity of the illness, or prevent secondary bacterial complications.
Consider consulting your doctor (68):
- If the child develops a "second fever" later in the course of the cold.
- If the nasal symptoms and cough are no better or worsen after 10-14 days.
- If the child complains of ear pain (or the young child pulls at the ear).
