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What Causes Cold Followed By High Fever In A Child?
Question: My son is 3 year 10 months old. Since he has joined school last year he has been getting ill quite frequently. Earlier his symptoms used to be bit of cold followed by high fever (103-104). We have consulted a number of pediatricians and most of them has suggested that this happens usually when kids join school. And at last most of them suggest Antibiotics to treat. Over last few months situation has improved a bit in the sense that now he doesn't necessarily get fever after catching cold.
Now from around 1 month or so he is suffering from cold and cough. He shows sign of improvement with off the shelf medicines like Timnic and Honeytous but again after a week or so he will again catch the same.
I am a little worried now and following are my queries.
1) Does prolong cold and cough can have some other serious implications?
2) For how long should we treat common cold and cough with OTS medicines?
3) Should we accept this as a fact that when kids start going to school they can get ill frequently and it will improve with age.
Now from around 1 month or so he is suffering from cold and cough. He shows sign of improvement with off the shelf medicines like Timnic and Honeytous but again after a week or so he will again catch the same.
I am a little worried now and following are my queries.
1) Does prolong cold and cough can have some other serious implications?
2) For how long should we treat common cold and cough with OTS medicines?
3) Should we accept this as a fact that when kids start going to school they can get ill frequently and it will improve with age.
Brief Answer:
Not a problem
Detailed Answer:
Hello, Thanks for posting. I am a consultant pediatrician and neonatologist and I shall try to give you relief from the anxieties you are facing.
Cold and associated fever are mostly due to viral infections commonly flu virus. There is no specific antiviral drugs available which kills the virus in the body. Once a virus enters into the body through respiration from a contact ( any person with cold particularly any of the children sitting and playing with in classroom which is a closed environment) it causes cold and sometimes fever. The virus is taken care by the body's immune system. Adults suffer less both in duration and severity as they have a strong immunity which has become sharp and trained to fight against virus. But a child's immune system is growing and at present getting trained by facing the viruses which enters the body. Thus as age will increase the immune system will become stronger and the child will suffer less.
Thus
1. No, repeated cold does not have any bad implication. On the contrary the immune system is becoming stronger. If there is a family history of allergy the chances of cold increases more.
2. If the child is not having fever continue to treat with timinic and honeytus, or home available tulsi etc. If fever is present give Crocin. If fever stays more than 3 days you can consult a doctor.
3. As school is an environment with crowded classrooms transmission of virus in class is more easy. Thus more infection and more illness.
Lastly I want to say there are methods to protect your child from repeated flu infection. Giving Influenza vaccines yearly can cut down the number of flu infection the child is acquiring. This may be helpful for your child. Dont use repeated courses of Antibiotics in cold as they have no role in simple viral infection.
Hope this helps.
Not a problem
Detailed Answer:
Hello, Thanks for posting. I am a consultant pediatrician and neonatologist and I shall try to give you relief from the anxieties you are facing.
Cold and associated fever are mostly due to viral infections commonly flu virus. There is no specific antiviral drugs available which kills the virus in the body. Once a virus enters into the body through respiration from a contact ( any person with cold particularly any of the children sitting and playing with in classroom which is a closed environment) it causes cold and sometimes fever. The virus is taken care by the body's immune system. Adults suffer less both in duration and severity as they have a strong immunity which has become sharp and trained to fight against virus. But a child's immune system is growing and at present getting trained by facing the viruses which enters the body. Thus as age will increase the immune system will become stronger and the child will suffer less.
Thus
1. No, repeated cold does not have any bad implication. On the contrary the immune system is becoming stronger. If there is a family history of allergy the chances of cold increases more.
2. If the child is not having fever continue to treat with timinic and honeytus, or home available tulsi etc. If fever is present give Crocin. If fever stays more than 3 days you can consult a doctor.
3. As school is an environment with crowded classrooms transmission of virus in class is more easy. Thus more infection and more illness.
Lastly I want to say there are methods to protect your child from repeated flu infection. Giving Influenza vaccines yearly can cut down the number of flu infection the child is acquiring. This may be helpful for your child. Dont use repeated courses of Antibiotics in cold as they have no role in simple viral infection.
Hope this helps.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
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