”In the hot summer, when the temperature rises, many babies will have the symptoms of “cold” and sweat at the same time, which is often referred to as “heat stroke”, in fact, is also a “cold”, that is, upper respiratory tract infection. The cause of “heat stroke” is still cold, but heat is the prerequisite, and cold is the post-condition. When “heat typhoid”, due to the imbalance between the thermoregulatory center and the blood circulation center, the response to drugs is poor, coupled with the high ambient temperature, it is not easy to dissipate heat, so “heat typhoid” when the treatment is relatively difficult to reduce fever.
I. Causes
”Heat typhoid” is a disease transmitted through the respiratory tract, the baby in the hot summer cold, wind is the cause and conditions of the disease. In the hot summer, the baby’s capillaries are always open, the sweat pores are always open, open to heat dissipation, when stimulated by cold wind (such as through the wind, electric fans, air conditioning, atmospheric temperature dips, etc.), the baby’s power to resist viruses and bacteria is reduced, resulting in “heat typhoid”. The main reasons for the occurrence of “heat typhoid” in babies can be considered from the following aspects.
1.Pathogens
Viruses and bacteria are the pathogens that cause colds, and more than 90% of colds are caused by viruses and often lead to secondary bacterial infections.
2.Physiological reasons
The nasal and nasopharyngeal cavities of infants and young children are relatively short, the nasal tract is narrow, no nasal hair, the nasal mucosa is tender, rich in blood vessels, more mucosal secretions, and the metabolism is vigorous, high oxygen demand, fast respiratory rate, and the local immune function of the respiratory tract is lower than that of adults. When the summer day and night changes, the baby is cold, or excessive play, body resistance is reduced, the airborne pathogens with the baby’s breathing invasion to the upper respiratory tract mucosa and disease.
3.Living environment
Malnutrition caused by baby’s partial diet, outdoor activities, insufficient sunlight, air pollution, poor ventilation, living entertainment environment temperature changes, etc., is also one of the main reasons for the onset of heat typhoid.
4.Decreased resistance
Chinese medicine believes that the onset of heat typhoid is mainly the baby’s thin skin, resistance is not high, the internal organs are delicate, hot and cold can not be self-regulation, due to climate change, cold and warmth is not normal, the invasion of external evil, easy to cold and cause a decline in resistance, and finally brewed heat typhoid.
Second, the symptoms of the disease
Repeated fever, weakness, pale face, fear of wind and cold, runny nose, weak limbs, or cough, light red tongue, these are the signs that the baby has caught “heat typhoid”. If the symptoms are mild, there are only nasal symptoms, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and mild cough. If the pharynx is involved, there is mostly fever, sore throat, and swollen and painful tonsils. Fever mostly lasts 2 to 3 days.
If the symptoms are more severe, there is high fever, chills, headache, malaise, and loss of appetite. The baby may have a more frequent cough, possibly with pharyngeal congestion, herpes and ulcers, tonsillar exudation, and significant sore throat. Inflammation may also cause swollen and painful submandibular lymph nodes and complications in the sinuses, middle ear and trachea. In infants and children, high fever can easily cause convulsions.
Home care
”Heat typhoid occurs in the hot summer months, so special attention should be paid to the following aspects of child care.
1. Diet
In summer, the body evaporates more water from the body surface, while the child sweats more due to fever and antipyretic drugs, so it is important to ensure that the child takes in enough fluids. Many children with respiratory tract infections are often accompanied by gastrointestinal tract dysfunction and reduced digestive enzymes, so it is important to allow children to eat light, fresh and easily digestible food to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort.
2.Environment
In summer, the temperature is high, the body temperature is not easy to dissipate, you can turn on the air conditioning to cool down, the room temperature can be controlled at 26 ℃ ~ 28 ℃. Be careful to avoid the room temperature is too low, otherwise the child under the skin vasoconstriction is not conducive to heat dissipation. Air-conditioned rooms should also pay attention to frequent ventilation to keep the air fresh. Clothing should be loose, soft, comfortable, breathable, conducive to heat dissipation and sweat absorption, pay attention to the protection of the abdomen susceptible to cold, and avoid overly tight bundle wrapped baby.
3.Sleep
Ensure that the affected child has sufficient sleep and rest in order for the child to recover as soon as possible. If the child’s cough is more violent and affects sleep, you can give the child cough medicine under the guidance of the doctor to ensure sleep.
4.Cooling down
Due to the high temperature in summer, sometimes babies can suddenly develop high fever within a short period of time, and some small infants can also have febrile convulsions, which may cause adverse consequences and should cause parents to pay great attention to them. Generally, when the baby’s temperature exceeds 38.5°C, prompt heat treatment, such as oral acetaminophen, ibuprofen-type drugs. Aspirin should be avoided in children with viral infections, as it can cause Rey’s syndrome. At home, physical methods such as applying a cool towel to the forehead of the affected child or bathing with warm water can be used to assist in cooling.
IV. Prevention
Try to create a cool and comfortable living environment for your child, but pay attention to the difference between indoor and outdoor temperature less than about 5℃. Open windows regularly and let the natural wind in for a while every 2 or 3 hours to ensure indoor air circulation. Even if the air conditioner has an air purification device, through filters, molecular sieves, electrostatic dust collection and other methods, adsorption, filtration of airborne dirt, but no ability to remove carbon dioxide indoors, so it is necessary to open the windows to ventilate.
Take your child outdoors in the morning and evening to “blow the wind” and receive a little sunlight. If you stay in a constant temperature environment all summer, your body’s heat resistance will be reduced and you will not be able to adapt to the hot and cold climate of autumn.
Take your child’s temperature every day to detect the early symptoms of “heat stroke”. Regardless of the type of cold, it is contagious to a certain extent. Take your child to public places and other crowded places as little as possible, and wear a mask during the high season to reduce the chances of catching the flu. Weaker children need to take early precautions, such as drinking Pancreatin daily and getting vaccinated against influenza.
Pay attention to personal hygiene, wash hands, mouth and nose regularly. Children should be instructed not to be picky about food, not to be partial to food, and to eat more food rich in zinc and vitamin C to improve the immunity of the body.