Cough and fever in a child

A child's body has quite definite differences from an adult, so you should not be surprised that a child can get sick with a disease that many do not even remember (or do not know at all) in adulthood. Yes, and "adult" diseases in a child proceed differently: more acutely, with pronounced symptoms, although outwardly it may seem that the baby is not worried about much.

Acute viral infections occur with a rapid and severe fever. The mechanism of thermoregulation in a child is still imperfect, so the appearance of fever with colds and some other diseases should not surprise parents. You just need to make sure that the thermometer does not rise too high. Temperatures up to 38 degrees with viral infections, doctors generally do not recommend knocking down. But with its further increase, you need to focus on the condition of the child.

In the usual symptoms of colds (cough, runny nose, sneezing, high fever, weakness, redness and sore throat) in children, non-specific ones often join. These include nausea, vomiting, and sometimes even diarrhea. This greatly confuses parents and makes them think about all sorts of terrible diagnoses. In fact, we are usually talking about a stronger intoxication than in adults (both in the case of a respiratory and in the case of a food infection).

But you should not relax, because a high fever and cough in a child can be associated with quite dangerous childhood diseases. It is also important to understand that in some cases, coughing is a symptom of the disease itself, while in others it may indicate the development of dangerous bacterial complications.

Whooping cough is an incredibly contagious infectious disease that affects children from birth to 14 years of age. Vaccinations, of course, reduce the likelihood of infection, but cannot completely eliminate it. In adolescents and adults, the disease usually does not cause pronounced acute symptoms, which cannot be said about children, who may even die.

Cough and fever in a child may well be the first signs of whooping cough, because they are characteristic of the catarrhal period, although sometimes there is no rise in temperature. But a cough (very characteristic: dry, obsessive, which is difficult to appease even with medicines) is almost always detected in children. The symptom worsens as the disease develops, exhausting the sick child. Previously, this symptom was considered the most specific: coughing fits occur on exhalation, followed by a "whistling" breath. Today, with whooping cough, such a cough is also diagnosed, when a cough attack occurs immediately after inhalation.

Whooping cough is paroxysmal. One attack may consist of 3-10 coughing shocks or more. Sputum is difficult to excrete because it has a high viscosity. When coughing, the child's face begins to turn blue, the blood vessels in the neck swell, there is a risk of respiratory arrest. Relief occurs when the sputum leaves or after the act of vomiting.

A high temperature with whooping cough lasts only in the first days, and a cough can torment a baby even for more than 1.5 months. True, gradually the frequency of attacks becomes less, and the cough itself no longer differs from the usual cold. But at the same time, a residual cough in a child can remind of itself for another six months. [1]

The diagnosis of "croup" means widespread inflammation of both the upper and lower respiratory tract, the causative agent of which is considered to be the parainfluenza virus. The disease involves the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles, the inner tissues of the lung. A lot of inflammatory exudate accumulates in the airways and severe edema appears, which leads to a phenomenon called obstruction, i.e. To airway obstruction.

Such widespread inflammation is typical for young children under 3 years old, whose immune system is not yet able to fight the infection. The onset of the disease resembles an infection of the upper respiratory system, then the voice becomes hoarse and a spasmodic barking cough appears, which intensifies at night. Parents also note the noisy, wheezing breath of the child. Auscultation reveals bilateral rales.

Due to respiratory failure, the child's skin may become bluish, the pulse quickens, short-term breath holdings are possible. In half of the babies, the disease proceeds with an increase in temperature.

Measles is not necessarily a childhood disease, but it is much more severe in young children than in schoolchildren and adults. The onset of the acute period of the disease generally resembles a cold with a high fever and a cough that gradually worsens. After 2-3 days from the appearance of the first signs of a cold, there is a significant increase in temperature to 39-40 degrees, and a specific small-papular rash appears on the skin, prone to merging into larger foci (first on the neck, then spreads to the body and limbs). Cold symptoms, including cough and fever, subside 4-5 days after the rash appears. Until this time, the child feels unwell, suffers from fever and an excruciating cough. [2]

Scarlet fever is a disease that is usually diagnosed in children 2-8 years old. It is provoked by group A streptococcus. Just like many other diseases of an infectious and inflammatory plan, it often begins with a temperature increase of up to 39 degrees, a headache, nausea (sometimes vomiting), weakness, the throat becomes very red, swells and hurts, the tongue becomes bright crimson. The temperature stays for about a week. Almost immediately, a small red rash appears all over the body (with the exception of the nasolabial triangle), which is concentrated in the area of \u200b\u200bthe folds in the form of pigmented stripes. [3]

Cough with scarlet fever appears very rarely. Usually this symptom appears in the severe course of the disease or its complications, for example, pneumonia.

Chickenpox is a childhood disease that can affect adults, while in the latter it is more severe and prone to various complications. Most often, the disease is diagnosed in children under 8 years of age who do not yet have developed immunity to the pathogen (zoster virus). [4]

This pathology begins immediately with a rash that quickly spreads throughout the body, looking like pimples and yellow vesicles. Most children tolerate the disease easily, but in some cases it can proceed with a noticeable increase in temperature during the entire period while the bubbles appear.

Usually, a blistering rash resolves without complications: the elements of the rash burst and dry out. If the rash spreads to the mucous membrane of the throat or to the face of a bacterial complication (the rash in this case begins to suppurate), a cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and other unpleasant symptoms appear.

If there is no cough and runny nose, but the temperature is high, it is unlikely that we are talking about diseases of the respiratory system. If this is not overheating or cutting teeth, then an increase in temperature will be an indicator of ill health. It is likely that we are talking about the inflammatory process, but its localization may be different. Here you need to take into account other emerging symptoms, the condition of the baby, his behavior.

As you can see, the diagnosis of diseases accompanied by cough and fever is not an easy task. It is very difficult for a non-specialist to figure out when it comes to a common cold, and in what cases a child has a life-threatening disease. And is it worth the risk, trying to make a diagnosis on your own and risky prescribing dubious treatment?