Suggest Treatment For Nasal Congestion, Cough And Disturbed Sleep In A Child

Posted on Wed, 7 Oct 2015

Question: Goodmorning Doctor,

How are you doing? I hope all is going well with you.

As I had contacted you before with regards to my daughter's blocked nose, cough and disturbed sleep...it seems to be like an on-going problem for her. As long as she is at home, she seems to be fine without any blocked nose, coughing and disturbed sleep. However, she has started going to her nursery again. I find that first her nose started getting blocked and now she has developed a cough. She is also having disturbed sleep as well. The cough sounds like there is lot of phlegm. I am really unable to understand what is the problem. It seems like her nursery is clean enough and nothing apparently wrong. But I am not able to pin point the reason for this frequent problem.

I am regularly putting saline water in her nose. Last night I also started giving her 2.5 ml of Ventulin because her sleep was really getting disturbed.

I have taken an appointment with a pediatrician however I need to wait till next week. It would be relieving to hear some thoughts and inputs from your side.

Is this an allergy, or tonsils or adenoids?....I am concerned and confused.

Thanks in advance,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Looks like cross infectoins from other kids - do not worry

Detailed Answer:
Hi...Thank you for consulting in Health Care magic.

Cough and cold are viral 95% of the times in children. This occurs frequently after going to nursery or school. This happens due to cross infections from other kids. This a normal phenomenon when the kids get exposed to other kids (other than home environment).

For cold you can use anti-allergics like cetirizine and for nose block, saline nasal decongestants will do.

Paracetamol can be given in the dose of 15mg/kg/dose (max ceiling dose 500mg) every 4-6th hourly, that too only if fever is more than 100F. I suggest not using combination medicines for fever, especially with Paracetamol.

For cold you can use Cetrizine at 0.25mg/kg/dose every 12 hourly for 3 days.

For nasal block, plain saline nasal drops will do, every 4-6th hourly to relive nasal congestion.

Hope my answer was helpful for you. I am happy to help any time. Further clarifications and consultations on Health care magic are welcome. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish your kid good health.
Dr. Sumanth MBBS., DCH., DNB (Paed).,

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar