Autumn and winter are the seasons when children are prone to getting sick and catching colds, but it is also the time when children with allergies have constant runny noses. Especially now that many viruses and bacteria are still prevalent in the community, children may accidentally catch a cold. For sick children with signs of allergies, the symptoms may be easily confused. If parents and children are not clear about it, they may not be able to prescribe the right medicine during treatment. How to tell the difference between the two? Pediatricians say so.
The word cold is common, but what is its true definition? Is infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma and other bacteria also considered a “cold”? Li Minjun, Director of Pediatrics at Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, explained, “The common cold generally refers to diseases caused by viral infections that cause upper respiratory tract symptoms such as cough, runny nose, fever, etc.” For example, influenza viruses, new coronaviruses, rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, etc. Upper respiratory tract infection.
However, Li Minjun mentioned that children may also be infected by bacteria, such as Haemophilus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can also cause respiratory infections, but they cannot be called “colds.” Due to the popularization of vaccines in modern preventive medicine, the rate of respiratory tract infections caused by bacteria has been slightly decreasing. However, special attention should be paid to the fact that their contagiousness is not weaker than that of viruses, and the symptoms they bring are not necessarily lighter than viruses, so they must be strictly protected.
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Cold and allergy symptoms partially overlap and can be easily confused
Colds are sometimes easily confused with allergies. Ou Liangxiu, the attending physician at the Changgeng Children’s Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology Department in Linkou, mentioned that the main symptoms of allergies include atopic dermatitis, asthma or allergic rhinitis, which may include symptoms such as cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, etc. Therefore, allergic diseases in children are often mistaken for colds that have not yet recovered.
How to distinguish between the two? So as not to delay the child’s golden period of treatment? In summary, it can be determined from the length and frequency of symptoms, whether symptoms occur under special circumstances, and whether there are specific reasons for relief or worsening. For specific judgments, Ou Liangxiu proposed three major directions for parents’ reference, including:
Advertisement (Please continue reading this article) Disease process: Generally, a cold will recover in about 3 to 5 days, and the chance of recovery after more than 1 week is low. If symptoms such as cough and runny nose have lasted for more than 7 days, it may not necessarily be a cold but an allergy. Time point when symptoms appear: If it is an allergy, parents may find that their child “suddenly” develops obvious symptoms at a specific time point, such as in the middle of the night or early in the morning, when the season changes, or when the climate changes. But as long as this time point is passed, the child will It recovers naturally, and symptoms will reoccur again and again when encountering a specific time. Fever: Allergies usually do not cause fever. If combined with fever symptoms, it may be a viral infection.
There have been many viruses recently, and children are prone to colds. If they themselves have allergies, it is sometimes difficult for parents to distinguish whether they are an infection or an allergy. Therefore, we hope that the clinical experience of pediatricians can help parents determine the condition of their children at the first time. It is also reminded that as long as there is a problem related to the health of the child, it is recommended that parents seek professional help in a timely manner. In addition to more accurate diagnosis, they can also prescribe appropriate treatment so that the child can recover quickly.
Text/Photo by Chen Weitong/Yang Shaochu
Ask the Experts:Li Minjun, Director of Pediatrics, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital、Ou Liangxiu, attending physician at the Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Child Allergy, Asthma, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
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2023-10-30 12:08:29
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