"Cough, cough, cough..." "Cough, cough, cough..." In the spring and autumn, when the pediatric clinic arrives, it turns into a "cough show" and the ears are filled with the coughs and coughs of the children. All the parents are so worried that their brows are knitted into knots.
Why do children have a higher incidence of colds in spring and autumn?
In this regard, Zheng Lianyu, deputy chief physician of pediatrics at the Second People's Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, interpreted it from both Chinese and Western medicine.
From the perspective of Western medicine, the temperature fluctuates frequently in spring and autumn, the air is dry, and viruses (rhinovirus, influenza virus, adenovirus, etc.) are highly active and easy to spread; children's immune systems are immature, their respiratory mucosa is delicate, and their defense capabilities are weak, making it difficult to resist virus invasion; In addition, kindergartens, schools, and certain public places (supermarkets, playgrounds, etc.) are densely populated, and viruses are prone to cross-infection, so the probability of catching a cold is much higher than that of adults.
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, spring and autumn are the seasons when "wind evil" is in season. Wind is the root cause of all diseases. In spring, there are many wind evils combined with cold and heat, while in autumn, there are many wind evils combined with dryness, which can easily invade children's skin. Children have a special constitution, which is characterized by "childish yin and childish yang". Their organs are delicate, their Qi is not inflated, their lungs are deficient, their skin is loose and unstructured, and their ability to resist external evils is weak. Wind evils can easily take advantage of the deficiency and cause colds.
Children's colds have three major characteristics
Compared with adults, children have three major characteristics of colds:
First, the onset and change are fast, and it is easy to develop from a common cold to tracheitis, pneumonia, otitis media, sinusitis, etc.; second, the condition is easy to relapse, and children with weak constitutions will catch colds at the slightest chance of wind and cold, and the recovery speed is slower; third, they are prone to phlegm and convulsions, and children have a weak spleen and stomach. Colds are often accompanied by loss of appetite, abdominal distension and food accumulation, and they are prone to irritability and even convulsions during high fever.
How to quickly distinguish between common cold, flu, and allergic rhinitis?
Many parents cannot tell whether their children have a common cold, flu, or allergic rhinitis, and blindly taking medication can delay the condition. You can accurately identify it at a glance through the following performance.
Brief summary
Severe fever and body aches are most likely the flu;
Sneezing, runny nose, and itchy nose are most likely rhinitis;
Slightly stuffy nose and cough, moderate fever, and good mental state may be a common cold.
On May 7, Zheng Lianyu, deputy chief physician of pediatrics at the Second People's Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was seeing children and analyzing the test report values to their parents. Photo by China News Service reporter Ye Qiuyun
How to protect children's health? Remember 3 core habits
1. Avoid wind and cold, and add or remove clothes in time: There is a big temperature difference between morning and evening in spring and autumn. Follow the principle of "covering the spring and autumn freezing, and being moderate". Wear clothes that are easy to put on and take off for your children. After sweating, dry them in time and change clothes to avoid being caught by the wind. Traditional Chinese medicine says that "sheltering from the wind is like avoiding arrows" to prevent the direct invasion of wind evil.
2. Wash your hands frequently and avoid going to crowded places: Wash your hands with running water before meals, after going to the toilet, and when going home, and avoid rubbing your eyes and picking your nose with your hands to reduce virus contact; during high-influenza periods, try to avoid going to shopping malls, amusement parks and other closed crowded places to cut off virus transmission routes.
3. Ventilate regularly and keep the air warm: Open windows for ventilation 2-3 times a day, 30 minutes each time, to maintain indoor air circulation; in dry autumn, use a humidifier to keep the indoor humidity at 50%-60% to avoid drying of respiratory mucosa and reduce the risk of virus invasion. Drink more water, wash your nose, and soak your feet, it really helps! ! !
Dietary care: Eat the right foods to replenish righteousness and enhance resistance.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "good qi is stored in the body and evil cannot be interfered with." The spleen and stomach are the foundation of acquired diseases. Only by strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi and replenishing righteousness through diet can the resistance be fundamentally enhanced.
Eat more of these foods
1. Foods that strengthen the spleen and stomach: yam, millet, pumpkin, lotus seeds, and gorgon seeds can regulate the spleen and stomach and enhance physical fitness;
2. Moisten the lungs and promote fluid production: lily, snow pear, white radish, and white fungus, which can relieve dryness in spring and autumn and protect the respiratory tract;
3. Warming and replenishing qi: lean meat, eggs, milk, supplement nutrition and improve righteousness.
Eat less of these foods
1. Raw and cold foods: ice cream, cold drinks, raw and cold fruits and vegetables can damage the spleen and stomach yang energy, resulting in insufficient righteousness;
2. Spicy, greasy, and sweet snacks: fried chicken, cakes, and candies can easily breed internal heat, cause food accumulation, and reduce resistance; 3. Overly salty foods: High-salt foods can damage the respiratory mucosa, aggravate dryness, and make it easier for viruses to invade.
When a cold starts, treat it at home with traditional Chinese medicine + western medicine to avoid worsening of the condition
When a child first develops symptoms of a cold such as sneezing, stuffy nose, slight runny nose, etc., there is no need to rush to take medication. Home conditioning can effectively relieve the cold: 1. The initial onset of cold and cold (clear runny nose, cold sensitivity, no sweating): drink a small amount of warm ginger and brown sugar water, soak your feet in warm water (add a small amount of ginger), and sweat slightly. , help dispel wind and cold; 2. At the beginning of wind-heat cold (yellow runny nose, slight throat discomfort): drink a small amount of warm pear water and white radish water to clear away heat and moisturize the lungs; 3. General care: rest more and exercise less to avoid catching cold again, eat a light diet, and do not overfeed the child to prevent accumulation of food from aggravating the cold.
If any of these situations occur, seek medical attention immediately and do not force yourself to do anything.
If a child's cold condition changes rapidly and the following symptoms appear, it indicates that the condition is serious and requires timely medical treatment.
1. The high fever persists for more than 3 days, or the body temperature exceeds 40°C, or the body temperature does not decrease 1.5-2 hours after taking antipyretic drugs;
2. Poor mental state, lethargy, irritability, and crying;
3. Shortness of breath, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and severe coughing affect sleep;
4. Vomiting, diarrhea, refusal to eat, or purple lips and pale face;
5. If the cold lasts for more than 1 week, the symptoms will worsen instead of being relieved.
On May 7, Zheng Lianyu, deputy chief physician of pediatrics at the Second People's Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was doing rounds to check the health of children. Photo by China News Service reporter Ye Qiuyun
Tips for learning traditional Chinese medicine
The core of colds in children is "prevention first, care first". Pay attention to regulating the spleen and stomach and replenishing righteousness at ordinary times. When the seasons change, you can prevent colds, avoid dryness, and take dietary care, which can greatly reduce the chance of catching a cold.
Parents should not be overly anxious when their child catches a cold. Only by distinguishing symptoms, providing scientific care, and seeking medical attention promptly when necessary can children suffer less and recover quickly.
Author: Ye Qiuyun
