Your child has a runny nose (with or without green-yellow thick mucus). Cold symptoms may last up to 3 weeks. Coughing, associated with sniffling or a post-nasal drip, should improve by 14 days. Here are some facts about colds and runny noses.
What Causes A Runny Nose During A Cold?
When germs (cold viruses) that cause colds first infect the nose and sinuses, the nose makes clear mucus. This helps wash the germs from the nose and sinuses. After two or three days, the body's immune cells fight back, changing the mucus to a white or yellow color. As the bacteria that live in the nose grow back, they may also be found in the mucus, which changes the mucus to a greenish color. This color change in the mucus is normal and does not mean your child needs an antibiotic.
When Are Antibiotics Needed?
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial complications of a runny nose. These include ear infections, sinusitis, Strep throat, and pneumonia. Persistent coughing lasting longer than 14 days may be a symptom of pneumonia or a sinus infection. Pneumonia and sinus infections require treatment with antibiotics.
Why Not Try Antibiotics Nowl?
Taking antibiotics when they are not needed can be harmful. Each time a child takes antibiotics, they are more likely to carry resistant germs in their noses and throats. These resistant germs cannot be killed by common antibiotics. Your child may need more costly antibiotics, or antibiotics given by needle, or may even need to be in the hospital to get antibiotics. Since a runny nose always gets better without specific treatment, it is better to wait and take antibiotics only when they are necessary.
What Should I Do?
The best treatment is to wait and watch your child. Nasal discharge, cough, and symptoms like fever, headache, and muscle aches may be bothersome, but antibiotics will not make them go away any faster. If your child is comfortable and sleeping well, no treatment with medicines is necessary.
Should Any Medicines Be Used For My Child's Runny Nose?
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