Four diseases similar to colds in babies

　　The initial symptoms of some diseases are very similar to those of a cold. Once treated as a cold, it may cause serious harm to your health. Therefore, when your baby develops symptoms such as sneezing or runny nose, be sure to see a professional doctor for a detailed diagnosis and do not easily conclude that it is a cold.

　　Common symptoms of colds

　　Once a baby catches a cold, he will usually have obvious symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and runny nose. He may also have a fever, decreased appetite, etc. However, his activity and sleep are usually not greatly affected.

　　When the virus invades the respiratory tract, it will multiply in the mucosal cells and then release inflammatory substances, causing mucosal edema and causing nasal congestion. In addition, increased mucus secretion can cause bronchoconstriction and cause coughing.

　　The following 4 diseases are not actually colds

　　1. Soft laryngitis

　　This is a common laryngeal abnormality in infants and young children. The main reason is that the epiglottis, arytenoid cartilage or cuneiform cartilage will be depressed during breathing, which affects the passage of airflow, causing a murmur similar to tracheitis, which often makes parents mistakenly think that the baby has a lot of phlegm.

　　2. Measles

　　It is mainly transmitted through droplets. Most sick children first have symptoms such as fever, runny nose, cough and conjunctivitis. Papules usually appear behind the ears in about three or four days, gradually spreading to the cheeks and trunk, and then gradually subside.

　　3. Diphtheria

　　The disease is caused by exotoxins produced by bacteria, leading to necrosis of the mucosal tissue in the nasopharynx. Because exotoxins can reach various parts of the body through the blood, and the heart and nervous tissue are most susceptible, common complications are myocarditis and neurological symptoms.

　　4. Allergy

　　Although some babies have runny nose or stuffy nose, it usually occurs in the morning and gradually gets better after noon. This happens every day, over and over again, often leaving parents at a loss. In fact, these are likely to be symptoms caused by allergies. If parents or other family members have allergies, there is a very high possibility that the baby will inherit allergies.

　　However, if your baby continues to have symptoms of runny nose or nasal congestion, and also has reduced appetite and activity, or even has a high fever, severe cough, etc., then please seek medical attention as soon as possible for detailed examination to avoid other complications.

　　Complications caused by colds

　　If your baby has a persistent runny nose or cough for more than a week, or if the secretions (snot, phlegm) turn yellow-green and thick, it means that the cold has caused some complications.

　　Since babies in the infant stage have very weak ability to take care of themselves and cannot discharge secretions from the mouth and nose on their own, such as coughing up phlegm or blowing their noses, secretions may flow back, causing bronchiolar inflammation or otitis media and other complications. Sinusitis is less likely to occur because most of the baby's sinuses are not fully developed.

　　Bronchiolitis

　　Once bronchiolitis develops, your baby will usually have a persistent cough. When they lie down, they sometimes notice a "whooshing" sound in their breathing. If you have a severe cough, you may also have cyanosis near your mouth and nose.

　　Otitis media

　　If your baby has a persistent runny nose or stuffy nose after catching a cold, or has a sudden fever when there was no fever before, or if there is purulent secretion near the ears, it may be a sign of otitis media.

　　Please pay attention to "three more" when you have a cold”

　　1. Let your baby drink more water

　　If your baby doesn't like to drink water, as long as he can maintain a good amount of milk (or appropriately mixed juice), don't force him to drink water.

　　2. Let your baby rest more

　　Sleep is very important for babies. If a cold causes discomfort, the baby will be more likely to cry. Parents should try to distract their attention, or use some soft music to soothe their emotions and help their babies fall asleep.

　　3. Pay more attention to your baby’s performance

　　Parents should always pay attention to whether the baby has any symptoms that are different from the usual cold, such as whether the eyes are flexible, whether there are abnormal sounds in the mouth and nose, whether the skin color and temperature are abnormal, etc. These are the focus of observation and are very important for the correct diagnosis of the disease.