Further Reading

Doc, my child’s runny nose looks yellow. We need antibiotics!

by Tariq M. Khan, MD, FAAP

This is a common phrase doctors and healthcare providers taking care of children of all ages, especially during the fall and winter months, hear quite frequently. 

The most common cause of a visit to the doctor’s office during the fall and winter months is a runny nose, cough, and sore throat with or without fevers. Most of these symptoms are caused by viruses, which are organisms much smaller than bacteria and spread typically by coughing, sneezing, or direct transfer from the hands of an infected individual to others. A child will get at least a few common colds during the year, especially younger children. These usually present with a low-grade fever in the first couple of days accompanied by increasing nasal congestion and culminating into some coughing at nighttime and early morning that may last up to 10 to 12 days or longer. As the nasal congestion thickens, it can have color to it, such as yellow or green. This change in the color of the secretions and thickening gives the parents an impression that it is a bacterial infection and needs an antibiotic. 

But the fact of the matter is that all a cold needs is plenty of fluids, rest, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed in the first few days if there is a fever. If the child’s nose is quite stuffy and plugged, then spraying some saline a few times per day, and for the younger infants suctioning their nose after saline, is very helpful. Running a cool-mist humidifier and changing the water and filter frequently is beneficial as well. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are not found to be beneficial and actually can cause harmful side effects. 

Obviously, one should keep an eye on some signs and symptoms. These are persistent fevers, worsening cough, breathing difficulty, and ear pain, which may need evaluation with your healthcare provider, especially in a young infant or child. Even if the above signs may not be present, but parents see that their infant or child is acting differently from usual, it’s best to call your healthcare provider for advice. 

The easiest way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses is good hand washing and limiting exposure to others by covering your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and coughing away from the persons around you. 

To sum it up, it takes some time for respiratory virus infections to clear up. The first week is the toughest, and then things start to ease up in second week. By the time it’s all done, it’s almost two weeks at times. That’s why being patient and watching and treating symptoms as mentioned above is the key to relief.

As always, if in doubt or have questions, contact your child’s healthcare provider for advice and guidance.

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