[Supervised by Pediatricians] If Your Child is Suffering from Runny Nose, Ear Infections, or Throat Issues

*This article is an excerpt from the lecture "Ask Wahaha Sensei: Thoughts and Approaches to Children's Illnesses" held in 2018.

　This is the edited version.

※ Available in English and Chinese versions

 

It's normal for children to have a runny nose.

 

The only medication for a runny nose is antihistamines.

Antihistamines have long been known to affect the brain, but this has become increasingly emphasized over time.

This is because, especially with older antihistamines, they tend to make you drowsy.

Feeling sleepy means that your brain is operating at a lower level.

Recently, there have been antihistamines that don't make you drowsy, but some people still feel sleepy after taking them.

 

For that reason, it is not advisable to prescribe antihistamines for something as minor as a child's runny nose.

Currently, the only medication available for children's runny noses, itching, and hives is a drug called Zyrtec.

However, I hardly ever use this medication either. Essentially, it suggests to just leave the runny nose alone.

 

In the past, mothers would suck the mucus from their babies' noses with their mouths.

There are many types of home nasal aspirators available now, but even after using them, mucus builds up again quickly, so it's okay if the nose gets congested.

"It's normal for children to have a runny nose when it's cold.I think so.

 

 

Otitis media can heal on its own.

 

In the United States, it has become common for doctors not to prescribe medication during the initial visit for ear infections, even when there is a fever and pain.

It is said that if you leave it as is for about three days, it will heal about 60%.

 

When I was a child, there were no antibiotics, and ear infections healed on their own.

 

In the past, it was said that you just had to endure the pain of otitis media for one night, and people would try to warm it up to make it rupture faster.

It hurts, but pus builds up behind the eardrum, and gradually that pus increases.

The skin becomes painful due to the pus that has accumulated deep inside, and when it finally ruptures the eardrum,

Thick pus comes out, which is referred to as ear discharge.

 

These days, there are instances where eardrum surgery is performed without medication, but in the past, it was rare to even visit an ENT specialist.

I was waiting for it to naturally tear apart.

I have never heard of anyone who became hard of hearing after being treated that way, so it's fine.

 

When the immune function of the Eustachian tube, which connects the throat and the ear, is weak, it becomes more susceptible to middle ear infections.

However, this tends to become less frequent and eventually stops recurring by the time a child is around 6 years old.

 

Heat from the throat

 

Tonsils,A sore throat and fever are about 90% likely to be caused by a virus, so they usually resolve on their own.It's something that...

10% is due to bacteria. This isStreptococcusIt is.

 

When I became a doctor, it started with strep throat, where the tonsils would swell, leading to scarlet fever.

Red rashes appeared all over my body, my tongue became strawberry-like, and after about two weeks, my kidneys started to fail.

About a month later, I experienced rheumatic fever, which affected my heart.

 

However, it has really become lighter now.

I have never seen scarlet fever where the entire body is bright red.

The rash is particularly pronounced in areas like the armpits and groin.

Originally, the term 'scarlet' in scarlet fever refers to a legendary monkey called 'shōjō,' which is why the face turns bright red.

Such scarlet fever is no longer seen today, and it does not lead to rheumatic fever afterwards either.

 

Streptococcus bacteria respond well to antibiotics, so you can expect improvement in about a day..

Since it is no longer contagious to others, it is generally okay to return to school or daycare around the second day of the illness.

 

There are times when you are more susceptible to illness.

 

Most of the bacteria that reside in the throat are streptococci, and streptococcus is one type of hemolytic streptococcus.

Since they are commensal bacteria, I believe that if you examine your throat closely, you will find some as well.

This happens to increase when our immunity is low.

 

The tonsils are a type of lymph node that originally serve to fight off viruses and bacteria,

Originally, this is where resistance occurs, but there are children with strong and weak tonsil power.

Children with weak tonsil immunity are more prone to throat illnesses.

 

In terms of timing, the highest incidence of streptococcal infections occurs in children aged 3 to 6 years.

 

Children under 3 years old do not typically develop fever-like symptoms from a streptococcal infection.

Therefore, it is said that children under the age of 3 do not need to worry about streptococcal infections.

Children between the ages of 3 and 6, and sometimes up to 10, may experience recurring throat illnesses.

 

The time it takes for immunity to develop varies from person to person.

Recurring throat illnesses and ear infections are similar to being slow to walk or slow to speak.

It's just a matter of saying that the completion is delayed..

 

Since daycare centers and kindergartens primarily use fever as the only criterion for determining whether a child should stay home, it may be challenging for children who are prone to getting fevers.

Over time, things will naturally improve and get better.

 

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Doctor: Shin Yamada (Wahaha Sensei)

Graduated from the University of Tokyo School of Medicine. Has been practicing as a pediatrician for about 50 years. Director of Hachioji Central Clinic.

Representative of the "National Pediatricians Network to Protect Children from Radiation"

Editorial collaborator for the childcare magazine "Small, Big, Weak, Strong."

With the motto of 'Living freely, living with a smile,' as a friendly neighborhood doctor,

A strong ally for parents raising children.

"A Pediatrician's Guide for First-Time Parents" "Pediatrics Book" "A Book to Read Before Giving Medicine to Children"

Numerous publications, including parenting books like 'Parenting Guide' and picture books such as 'First Body Picture Book.'