Your Child Gets a Cold Often? It Could Be an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection!

An upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. These pathogens typically affect the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, and large nasal airways. The common cold is an economic and societal burden that infects young children more frequently than adults. This can be attributed to frequent close contact with other children who have a URTI at school or the playground. 

“In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it relates directly to a cold, fever and cough. Mild cases mainly have nasopharyngeal symptoms, such as nasal congestion, a runny nose and sneezing. It’s also accompanied by throat discomfort and mild coughing,” explains Tiang Sack Sing, a TCM physician for Eu Yan Sang. She adds that a child usually recovers within 5 to 7 days.

“In severe cases, fever, sore throat, headache, general aches, coughing with pus, thick sputum, or yellow thick nasal discharge, can be seen. If treatment is not provided promptly, the condition may last for 2 to 3 weeks. Moreover, if the immune system is weak, it is likely to face attacks or episodes of infections.” 

Here are a few URTI that affect children and the herbal remedies which can tackle each infection differently.

Common Cold

The rhinovirus (also known as the common cold) is responsible for up to 80% of all URTI. Symptoms of the common cold in children could reach peak intensity shortly after infection and may last for 7 to 10 days. In some instances, the duration of symptoms may range anywhere between 2 and 14 days. 

The most prevalent symptoms among children infected with the common cold include a runny nose, blocked nasal passages, a dry cough, sore or scratchy throat and sneezing. Some may also experience muscle aches and a fever, but to a lesser degree. 

To relieve the common cold in children, you may give them a herbal remedy that combines Echinacea, propolis and elderberry. This formulation can help decrease the number of cold episodes, the days your child is down with illness, and the days your child misses school.

Influenza

Children younger than 5 years old have a higher susceptibility to influenza than adults and older children. The symptoms of influenza include a fever, cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue. Some may also experience vomiting and diarrhoea. 

In recent times, the illness is purportedly making a comeback. Several countries, including Malaysia, have seen a spike in cases over the last few months. It’s a cause for concern, especially since countries are reopening their borders to travellers from abroad. The upcoming Hari Raya celebrations at the start of May can also contribute to the increased prevalence.

Determining whether a URTI like influenza is hot or cold in nature can help parents provide their children with the appropriate remedies. According to Physician Tiang, infections of a cold nature may present as fever, fear of cold and wind, clear or pale urine, and clear mucus and phlegm that are thin in consistency. Hot-natured infections, on the other hand, will present as symptoms like fever, irritability, red face, eyes or lips, dry and hard stools, and thick, yellow-coloured mucus and phlegm. 

For children with hot-natured influenza, Physician Tiang suggests consuming a herbal compound for heavy phlegm, night terrors, flu, or a cold. Children can also consume a tonic powder to lessen phlegm-heatiness and infantile convulsion. Drinking herbal tea or a dilution of pearl powder in water can also help to dispel heat from the body. Children suffering from acute, prolonged coughs can also consume a herbal syrup that combines various ingredients with propolis and pure honey. Though, people with allergies should be cautious when taking this syrup or refrain from consuming the formulation altogether. 

Meanwhile, for cold-natured influenza, parents can give their children warm ginger tea to induce sweating. Physician Tiang also suggests the use of ancient, powdered remedies to disperse ‘wind’ and cold, treat coughs or eliminate phlegm.

Alternatively, a child can consume elderberry juice to allay symptoms of the virus and soothe the inflamed nasal passages.

Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis

The characteristics of this URTI include several symptoms, including a persistent nasal discharge or cough that lasts for 10 days or more without improving. You should also monitor any worsening symptoms after early indications of improvement. A high fever accompanied by nasal discharge for 3 or more days is generally a cause for concern. 

To suppress acute rhinosinusitis, you can use a herbal remedy that combines gentian root, primrose flowers with calyx, common sorrel herb, elderflowers, and European vervain. This formulation, which children can consume in capsule or liquid form can clear nasal discharge and mitigate the symptoms of acute rhinosinusitis. For instance, blocked nasal breathing, a cough, headaches, and throat hoarseness.

Strep Throat

Streptococcal pharyngitis – popularly known as strep throat – is a common URTI. Shockingly, it accounts for more than 37% of children diagnosed with sore throat cases. A strep throat diagnosis involves the identification of a few different symptoms. Difficulty breathing and swallowing, blood in the saliva or phlegm, excessive drooling, dehydration, joint pain and swelling, and a rash are common amongst children with a strep throat infection. 

Numerous herbal remedies have demonstrated the ability to act as anti-bacterial agents against the bacteria that causes strep throat. These include barberry root, liquorice, oregano flowering shoots, and thyme. TCM recommends mixing these ingredients with hot water before consumption. Children can also consume Radix Isatidis to alleviate a sore throat, help remove toxicity, cool blood, and clear body heat. 

Whooping Cough

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the respiratory system that could spread very easily. This infection is initially diagnosed through a cold, which then develops into coughs that last for several minutes. It will also cause a child to make a “whoop” sound — a gasp for breath between coughs — and develop thick mucus. 

You can identify a whooping cough through 3 unique stages of illness — the catarrhal, paroxysmal and recovery stages. For this reason, using herbal remedies as a treatment should be based on the progress of the disorder in your child and not just treatment of the symptoms. You can give your child an infant-friendly, herbal formulation that is free of synthetic ingredients. It’s worth noting that this formulation has also been tested against heavy metals and chemicals. 

Prevention is better than cure. However, if your child does get an URTI, do not panic. Being able to differentiate between the symptoms of hot or cold-natured URTI can go a long way in helping to alleviate your child’s illness effectively.

Applying pressure to certain acupoints can also help to relieve a few upper respiratory tract infection symptoms. These include He Gu (LI 4) – located on the back of the hand, between the first and second metacarpal bones – and Qu Chi (LI 11) – located at the lateral end of the transverse elbow lines.

Similarly, the consumption of herbal remedies may also help ease the symptoms of a specific upper respiratory tract infection. Consult your paediatric-trained TCM practitioner about the best options for your child.