Mild colds and coughs often start off with similar symptoms, but when it transitions into whooping cough, it can be a constant concern for parents. Colds and other coughing conditions begin the same, but some coughing conditions are contagious diseases that get worse within a matter of weeks. Uncontrollable coughing fits can make it hard to breathe, and for babies, it can be fatal. Keeping your child healthy in these cases can be especially challenging, but our team at Rose Creek Pediatrics is here to help.
Is It The Cold Or A More Serious Cough?
In early childhood, multiple colds per year are quite common, and they’re often considered a fact of life for parents. Throughout those first few years of your child’s life, children can have between seven to ten colds a year. Colds most often spread from children in daycare and preschool. Luckily, these colds are rarely harmful and most often resolve themselves within two weeks.
Colds typically start with a fever and sore throat that lasts for the first few days and afterward is followed by a runny nose, congestion, and coughing. While these symptoms worsen within these few weeks, they gradually improve by the second week. However, some symptoms warrant a call or a trip to your doctor or pediatrician, especially if these symptoms do not go away within two weeks:
- Returning Fever: Some signs of fevers or returning fevers can indicate a secondary bacterial infection, such as an ear infection or pneumonia.
- Difficulty Breathing: Flaring nostrils, faster breathing, grunting, and head bobbing are signs of difficulty breathing, and this symptom needs to be looked at by a pediatrician.
- Decreased Urination: Decreased urination can be a sign of dehydration and present further problems that require pediatric care.
Signs of persistent, worsening coughs can indicate a number of other serious conditions. Whooping cough begins the same as colds but causes uncontrollable coughing fits that are rapid and violent. During these severe coughing fits, a child can pass out from the struggle to breathe and fracture ribs due to its severity. In other cases, conditions like croup can cause a barking-like cough that causes severe inflammation throughout the lungs and throat. In other cases, asthma and allergies can also worsen coughing fits and make it harder for your child overall.
Our Treatment Plan For Respiratory Diseases and Infections
At Rose Creek Pediatrics, our team works to diagnose and treat various respiratory diseases and infections in children throughout our local area. Our team of pediatricians will work with you to further diagnose and treat your child’s cough through a variety of recommendations, including vaccinations, medications, and antibiotics. We can also provide long-term treatment plans for conditions such as asthma and allergies and help reduce the number of colds each year by providing you with the support you need to keep them healthy.
If your child has a persistent, worsening cough and needs treatment, then our team can help you. Contact us today by calling 801-446-0102 or visit our clinic located in Riverton, UT, to learn more about our pediatric team and quality of care.
