What to Do When Your Child Gets Sick

   There's a good chance that your child has already visited the nurse's office this year complaining of congestion, body aches, and/or a stomachache. The season for sickness is in full force and since the symptoms are often the same across the board, they can indicate a variety of illnesses. So how do you know if your child has just a cold or the H1N1 flu? We consulted some of the best doctors in the area to understand the most common sicknesses going around this season, when to seek medical attention, and how to get better, stat!

The Common Cold

Symptoms

   Colds or upper respiratory infections, as they are known, are situated in the nose and throat and are characterized by sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, low-grade fever, cough and sore throat. "The cold is extremely common, with children getting 6-10 colds each year. There are many types of viruses that cause the cold and children can get them over and over again," says Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, a pediatrician in Manhattan, author of Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge® Guide to Raising Healthy Children, and chief pediatric officer for RealAge.com.

When To Call The Doctor

   "Colds last seven to ten days and they get worse before they get better," according to Dr. Trachtenberg who says that congestion is usually worst on the second and third days. "If the cold isn't getting better after seven days, if your child has severe headaches or ear pain, or if the congestion is thick, green, or yellow, definitely see a doctor," she says. If your child has a fever above 100.8 F accompanied by a sore throat, she may also have strep throat. "Unlike a cold, which is caused by a virus, strep throat is a bacterial infection which should be treated with antibiotics," says Dr. Stuart Beeber, a pediatrician at Chappaqua Pediatrics and an attending pediatrician at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco. A cold can also progress to an ear or sinus infection and even pneumonia. "A cold that doesn't seem to be turning the corner or seems to be getting progressively worse, especially with a decreasing appetite and an increasing fever, is no longer a cold and needs a doctor's attention," says Dr. Gary S. Mirkin, a pediatrician in Great Neck and CEO of Allied Pediatrics of New York.

How to Treat It

   A cold must run its course, but there are ways to help ease the symptoms, such as drinking lots of fluids, resting, using saline nose drops or sitting in a steam-filled bathroom to ease congestion. In recent studies, honey in hot tea has also been shown to be an effective cough suppressant but it's important not to give honey to babies under age 1. "It's important not to treat children under the age of 4 with over-the-counter medications since they have not been shown to be effective and have side effects," says Dr. Joshua Chesir, a pediatrician in New City. Dr. Chesir also stresses that antibiotics are not appropriate for treating colds since they are viruses.

Pneumonia

Symptoms

   Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, can be bacterial or viral, with varying degrees of severity. Pneumonia is typically marked by high fever, cough, difficulty breathing, decreased appetite, fatigue, and occasional abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. "Children look sick," according to Daniel Rauch, M.D., F.A.A.P., F.H.M., Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and Associate Director of Pediatrics at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens. "Pneumonia can happen as a 'super-infection' where the child starts with a mild cold and then suddenly gets much sicker because the first mild illness allows a more severe bacterial infection to occur," he adds.

When To Call The Doctor

   "Your child should be evaluated if increased fever, progressive coughing or difficulty breathing develops," according to Leonard Krilov, M.D., F.A.A.P., Chief of the Division of Pediatrics and Vice Chair of the Children's Medical Center at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, who says that a chest x-ray may be ordered to confirm the diagnosis. "If your child continues to experience distress, you should see your doctor as soon as possible," says Dr. Norman Edelman, Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association in Hauppauge.

How to Treat It

   "Bacterial pneumonia treatment starts with being appropriately vaccinated," says Dr. Rauch who points to the Hib vaccine which has virtually eliminated the bacteria that causes pneumonia and is required in New York State and Connecticut for children under the age of 5 in school or day care. If your child has not received the vaccination, or the pneumonia is believed to be bacterial, antibiotics are usually administered. "It's sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the two but viral pneumonia will usually get better on its own," says Dr. Cecile Windels, a pediatrician at The Healthy Child, LLC in Darien, Connecticut.