Pakistan Review News and Reviews

COMMON COLD

The common cold, also known as acute coryza, is an inflammation
of upper respiratory tract. It is caused by infection with virus. It occurs in
children more often than all other diseases. A cold usually lasts from three to
seven days. The patient feels miserable forth first three days or so.
Children are especially susceptible to this disease when they start
attending playgroup or school and mix with large numbers of people in confined
spaces. On an average, each child develops five colds per year. This is an
essential part of growing -up. The child gains immunity to the common bacteria and
viruses only by meeting, and overcoming these infections.

Section of nose and mouth :

1. nasal cavity 2. palate 3. tongue 4. epiglottis; 5. esophagus;
6. respiratory passage (voice box and trachea).

Symptoms:

The first sign of a cold are a feeling of soreness of the throat and congestion
of the nasal passage. Although the disease normally begins in the nose
and throat, it affects all parts of the body. The usual symptoms of common
cold are a running nose, sneezing, a rise in temperature, headache, sore throat,
chill, aches and pains in the body and loss of appetite. The skin around the
nostrils may become sore.
In very young babies, if there is pronounced nasal congestion, the
infant may experience difficulty in breathing. Breast-fed babies have difficulty
in feeding due to the blockade and this may lead to vomiting. In older children,
there may be recurrent case of cold, which usually sets in after six months of
age and the child experiences feverish condition together with bouts of cold.
Allergic rhinitis, which usuaully sets in after the age of two or three
years, denotes a sufficient period of exposure to allergens. In this case, the
child has frequent bouts of sneezing and a profuse discharge of a rather
clear fluid from the nose. Allergic rhinitis can again be of perennial or
seasonable type.
The former former occurs to a slight degree throughout the year in the
child. It gets severe in the winter and arises on exposure to dust. Seasonal
allergic rhinitis is rampant only in certain adverse conditions of climate, like
winters of extreme cold or seasons when there is a surfeit of pollen and floral
odor in the child’s environment.

Causes:

Viral or bacterial infections no doubt make way for onsets of common cold. But
conditions like constipation and the resultant putrefaction together with the
accumulating toxins provide the germs a suitable atmosphere for their existence
and growth. Cold in children in reality is therefore, nature’s simples form of
eliminating waste matter from the system. Its main cause is virus infection
associated with wrong feeding of children, especially the use of excessive
quantities of starchy foods in their daily diet in the form of refined cereals,
white bread, pudding and cakes as well as sugary foods in the forms of
white sugar, jams and sweets.
Another important causative factor of cold in children is over
clothing. To clothe a child in large number of garments is bad for that child’s
health, as by this the skin is not allowed to function properly and natural
elimination is prevented, that gives rise to colds and bronchitis. The wearing of
woolen under-garments is especially bad for young children. They should not
wear wool next to the skin, but a porous cotton or linen material should be worn
for comfort sake.
* Fall: influenza virus

*Fall and spring: rhinovirus and parainfluenza virus

*Winter: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), coronaviruses, influenza
virus

*Winter and summer: adenovirus

*Summer: enter virus

Cold symptoms vary with the type of virus involved. For preschoolers,
typical symptoms can include sore throat, fever, irritability, restlessness,
sneezing, runny nose, cough, headache, aching muscles and reduced appetite.

These symptoms can hang on for different lengths of time. Fever usually
subsides in 1 to 3 days. The runny nose and so How to catch a cold.

Many myths still circulate about how children get colds — for example,
by standing out in the rain, breathing cold air or losing sleep.
Yet the old metaphor that speaks of "catching" a cold is surprisingly
accurate. Cold viruses can survive on hands for several hours, and hand-to-hand
contact is one way to spread infection. Sneezing and coughing are other ways.
Knowing this, you can take some common sense precautions to slow the
spread of cold viruses:

* Encourage your children to wash their hands frequently.

*Keep kitchen and bathroom countertops clean, especially when someone in
your
family has a cold.

*Teach children to discard used tissues right away.

*Look for a child-care setting with sound hygiene practices and clear
policies
about when to keep sick children at home.

*If you can afford it, look for a child-care center with a 5-to-1 or
lower ratio
of children to adults.
Treatment aims for comfort, not cure
There's still no cure for the common cold. No medication will speed up
your child's recovery. Over-the-counter cold preparations that combine
antihistamines with decongestants generally are ineffective for relief of cold
symptoms in preschool children — and they can have side effects. And antibiotics
don’t work against most viruses.
For the most part, all you can do is make your child more comfortable,
encourage him or her to rest and watch for complications. Here are some
suggestions:
*Let the immune system do its work. Don't be alarmed or immediately
reach for medication if a low-grade fever develops with your child's cold. Cold
viruses like cooler environments. By raising body temperature a couple of
degrees, your child's immune system helps create a hostile environment for the virus.
Unfortunately, high fevers can lead to dehydration and sometimes febrile
seizures. These conditions call for treatment.
*Don’t give aspirin to a child younger than 16 who has a viral
infection. In children, aspirin may trigger Reye's syndrome — a rare but potentially
fatal disease that affects the blood, liver and brain. Because of concern
about Reye's syndrome, aspirin is rarely used for fever relief in children.

*Use a suction bulb to remove mucus from your child's nose.

*Use saline nose drops for nasal hygiene and to relieve congestion.
These drops, available over-the-counter, can loosen mucus congestion from your
child's nose. Instill several drops into one nostril, then immediately bulb suction
that nostril. Repeat the process in the opposite nostril. Saline drops are a
safe, nonirritating solution, unlike some medicinal drops that may not be
appropriate for children. Ask your doctor for guidance.

* Clean out vaporizers frequently to avoid the growth of microorganisms.
Vaporizers may be soothing to your child's nose and throat, but they
will not speed your child's recovery.

* ext to the skin, but a porous cotton or linen material should
be worn for comfort sake.

Natural Treatment:

No drug has so far been invented to cure cold. To treat a cold by means
of customary suppressive drugs like aspirin and codeine will only pave the
way for further trouble of more serious nature. For such a treatment puts a
sudden stop to the eliminative processes then taking place and forces the toxic
matter back into the tissues again. Moreover, drugs have no effect on the duration
of the cold. It has been aptly said that a cold can be cured in a week by
taking medicines, otherwise it will subside in seven days.
Proper dietary control alone can prevent the appearance of cold in the
child. When a cold is already present, the child should be put on the fruit
juice, preferably orange or pineapple juice, for at least one day. Enema given
alongside helps considerably in cleansing the bowels during this
period. This may be followed by an exclusive fruit diet for a further day or two.
The child tends to loose appetite even when he has a mild cold. As such, he
should not be urged to eat more than what he needs. Milk and its derivaties should be
avoided.
Fluids like barley water, tender coconut water, sub-acid fruit juices
and plain water make very good food items for the child at this stage. A hot
water drink, mixed with honey is very soothing, if the child coughs or sneezes for
considerable periods. The child should avoid foods which form mucus in the system, as well as
tea and coffee. He should also avoid foods which induce cattarah such as cakes,
pastries, chocolates and other foods that are largely composed of white
flour or white sugar.
Lime is the most important among the many home remedies for common
cold. It is beneficial in all types of cold and fevers. Vitamin C-rich lime juice
increases resistance, decreases toxicity and reduces the duration of illness.
Half a lime should be squeezed in a glass of warm water, and a teaspoon of honey
should be added to it and given to the grown-up children daily. In case of
infants, half the quantities would suffice.
Garlic soup is an ancient remedy to reduce the severity of cold. Garlic
contains antiseptic and antispasmodic properties, besides several other medicinal
virtues. The volatile oil in this vegetable helps to open up the
respiratory passages. In soup form, it flushes out the system of all toxins and
thus helps bring down fever. This soup is prepared by boiling one or two cloves of
garlic in half a cup of water and it can be given to the child once daily.
Ginger is another excellent remedy for colds and coughs. About five
frames of this vegetable should be cut into small pieces and boiled in half a cup
of water. It should then be strained and half a teaspoon of honey added to
it. This mixture should be given to the child when hot.
Lady’s fingers are valuable in treating irritant conditions of the
throat and persistent dry coughs. This vegetable is rich in mucilage and acts as a
drug to allay irritation of the skin and alleviate swelling and pain. About 50
grams of lady’s fingers should be cut into pieces, and boiled in 250 ml. of water
to get a decoction. The steam issuing from this decoction should be inhaled to
relieve throat irritation and dry cough.
Turmeric with it antiseptic properties, is an effective remedy for
colds and throat irritations. A quarter teaspoon of fresh turmeric powder mixed
in 15 ml. of warm milk is a useful prescription for these conditions in children.
Turmeric powder should be put into a hot ladle. Milk should then be poured in it
and boiled over a slow fire. In case of a running cold, smoke from the
burning turmeric should be inhaled. It will increase the discharge from the
nose and will bring quick relief.
Fomentation of the sinuses of the nose with cloth dipped in warm water
for 10 to 15 minutes will relieve the inflammation of the sinuses. This treatment
is helpful in opening the blocked nasal passages. Stem inhalation , two or
three times every day, will reduce the irritating condition of the mucous
lining, facilitate the expulsion of mucus and keep the child’s nasal passages
clean. Hot foot bath is also beneficial. It reduces congestion by drawing blood
from the upper part of the body. The procedure for this bath has been explained
in the Appendix. Wet packs to the throat and chest, applied two or three times
a day, will relieve congestion in these areas and help in eliminating the
accumulated mucus.
The natural hydrotherapic treatments and dietary control will help the
child recover most naturally. Once this is achieved, he should be allowed to
build up slowly his powers of resistance by gradual exposure to cold weather and
allergens.

Call your child's doctor if the cold lasts more than 14 days. Monitor
for signs of infection in the ears or lungs. Tell your doctor if your child has
any of these symptoms: loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, persistent
irritability, unusual sleepiness, severe headache, persistent crying,
inability to swallow, sore throat, difficult breathing, ear pain or pain with
urination.

Generally a cold virus will survive until your child's immune system
makes enough antibodies to destroy it. That means time, patience and tender
loving care are your strongest allies in treatment.

By:

Dr. Nusrat Shafiq
nusrat@itborn.com