• Breathing is difficult and no better after clearing the nose
• Your child acts or looks very sick

Call your pediatrician within 24 hours if:

• Child is under 3 months and develops a fever
• Earache forms
• Skin under nose is raw and scabbed over - signs of Impetigo
• Nasal discharge contains blood that is not from a nosebleed
• Eyes have a yellow discharge (not just red watery)
• Throat is very sore

In addition, call your pediatrician if:

• Fever lasts more than three days
• Nasal discharge is yellow (pus) for more than 24 hours
• Discharge has been present for more than 10 days
• A fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit has been present for more than 72 hours

Fever

We all have experienced the inevitable fever when our child becomes ill.  You should keep in mind that fever is a symptoms of illness, not a condition.  While most bacteria and viruses are heat intolerant, the fever is our body's way of creating a hostile environment in which the bacteria and viruses are unable to survive.  A fever should be treated if it passes the 102 F mark.

Increased urination and/or diarrhea

Urination and diarrhea is a common symptom of a common cold.  It is important to keep your child very well hydrated.

Viral rash

A viral rash is typically not raised or itchy.  It will tend to be wrose with an elevated temperature or after a bath.

Suggestions for keeping your child comfortable

• Warm water nasal drops and suctioning. Most stuffy noses are from dried mucus - just blowing or suctioning the nose will not remove most dried secretions.  So try this:

       Place 3 drops of warm tap water in each nostril and wait 1 minute

Possible errors

• Not using enough water
• Not waiting long enough
• Not repeating procedure until breathing is easy
• For a child who cannot blow their nose, use a rubber suction bulb to remove the dried secretions
• For the child who can blos their nose, after waiting 1 minute, have the child blow their nose. This can be repeated several times.

Possible therapies

Fluids at room temperature - ie. water, ginger tea with honey.  Please note that children under the age of 2 should not use honey and try to buy honey indigenous to your area.  Continue daily.  Avoid medicinal use without supervision of qualified health personnel.

Garlic is an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory.  Available forms - bulbs, extracts, fresh, oil, powder, syrup, tablets and tea - (use extra when cooking).

Safe adult dosage:

• Aged extract - 4 ml 1 x/day
• Fresh 4 grams 1 x/day
• Oil 10 mg 1 x/day

Safe child dosage:

• Fresh 1/2 - 3 cloves 1 x/day
• Syrup 1-2 tsp/day

Interactions:

• Avoid garlic B-4 and immediately after surgical procedure
• Anti coagulants - garlic should not be taken concurrently with anticoagulants as it may increase bleeding
• Insulin - garlic has hypoglycemia affects.  Please contact physician
• Acidophilus may decreas the absorption

Possible side effects with overdose or allergy:

• Dizziness/headache/irritability
• Nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite
• Contact dermatitis
• Bad breath, garlic odor, mouth irritation, decreased red blood cells
• hyperthyroidism
• If pregnant, avoid large amount garlic.  May stimulate labor and breast feeding can cause colic

Ginger is used as an antioxidant to prevent/relieve motion and morning sickness! It can als relieve sore throat, nausea and vomiting and migraine headache.

Available forms:

• Capsules, dried root, extract, fresh root, powder, tablets, tea, tincture

Adult dosage:

• Dried ginger capsule - 1 g/day
• Dried root equivalent - 500 mg 2-4 x/day
• Fluid extract - 0.7-2 ml/day - 1:2 dilution
• Fresh root - 500-1000 mg 3 x/day
• Tablets 500 mg 2-4 x/day
• Tincture - 1.7-5 ml/day - 1:5 dilution

Child dosage

• Ginger root tea 1/4 - 1 cup as needed
• Tincture 5-25 drops in water as needed

WARNING - Ginger should not be used in large amounts during pregnancy or lactation.  People with cholelithiasis should not use ginger.

Possible side effects: with overdose or allergies

• Hypersensitivity reactions
• Nausea/vomiting

DRUG INTERACTIONS 

• All oral medications - Ginger may increase absorption of all medications taken orally.
• Anti-coagulants - Ginger may increase the risk of bleeding when used concurrently with anticoagulants
• Antiplatelets - Ginger may increase the risk of bleeding when used concurrently with anti-coagulant