Folk remedies for viruses in children. What folk antiviral remedies exist for children? Basic principles of ARVI treatment

Viruses are inevitable companions of humans. They are everywhere. While the immune system is strong, it is difficult for them to break a person, but as soon as it is weakened, they immediately become more active. Prevention of most human diseases is strengthening the immune system. But if it malfunctions, then you need to be treated. Therefore, today the editors of the website gomer.info and I will talk about viral infections in children and adults using folk remedies.

Rotavirus infection
Gastroerteritis

The main form of infection manifests itself in the form of dehydration and diarrhea. This causes dehydration of the body. The infection spreads through food, dirty hands, and inhalation.

Breastfed children are much more susceptible to rotavirus infection. When the symptoms of rhinitis and gastroenteritis are combined with intoxication (gastric a), it is necessary, first of all, to replenish the child’s water balance. At the same time, exclude dairy products from the baby’s diet - during illness he is lactose intolerant. This does not apply to breastfeeding. Remember: food should not burden you with additional work! Give your baby a grated or baked apple (pieces are difficult for a child to swallow), fermented baked milk, kefir, muesli.
folk remedies

Slippery elm (powder) – 5 g, cinnamon – 5 g. Stir and pour onto the back of the tongue. Drink with water. The disease will subside after the second dose. For older children, it is advisable to add 5 g of red pepper to the mixture.
The saline solution will prevent dehydration. Take salts - 5 g and 20 g per liter of drinking or non-carbonated mineral water. Drink instead of regular water.
Folk remedy instead of rehydron: boil 100 g of raisins for half an hour in a liter of water. To saturate the solution, grind the raisins. Add salt - 5 g, soda - 5 g and 20 g. Boil and drink often in small sips.
St. John's wort - brew 10 g in 250 ml of boiling water. Take a third of a glass for children over three years old.
Blueberry. Take only dried berries, because... fresh ones loosen the stool. Make compote from berries, drink instead of water.
Oslinnik is two years old. For severe diarrhea, make a decoction (10 g per 300 ml). Drink 10 g 5 times a day.
Potato starch also helps. Diluted starch (5 g) in 100 g of cold boiling water is drunk in one gulp. When the vomiting stops, you should give the child hard-boiled rice porridge in water without salt, a mixture of apples and carrots, and rice water instead of water.

Acute respiratory viral infections
Flu

During treatment, it is necessary to block the effect of virus toxins on.
* Rosehip infusion perfectly removes toxins. Pour the crushed berries into a liter of water, boil and let the rose hips brew in a warm place for 5 hours. Drink with honey, jam (if there is no diathesis). Rinse your mouth after each dose, because... acid eats away teeth.

Common raspberries are the most common remedy. for a viral infection, treat with infusion. Pour 10 g of dry raspberries into 200 ml of boiling water. Drink like tea.
As a diaphoretic, use raspberry fruits and leaves in a 1:2 ratio as an infusion. Then pour their mixture (10 g) with a glass of boiling water.
Collection from high temperature. Take equally: raspberries (fruits and leaves); coltsfoot (leaves) – expectorant, antiseptic; oregano (herb) – diaphoretic. Mix 10 g of the resulting mixture and pour boiling water (250 ml). Drink instead of tea. When the temperature on the thermometer shows more than 38, start lowering it to prevent heart complications.
The main thing is not to overwrap the child.
Wipe with water and vinegar (20 g of six percent per liter of water) your back, chest, arms and lower body. Place a compress on your forehead. Repeat every two hours. At very high temperatures, rub the solution into the skin and place the child under a fan for two minutes.
Mix orange, lemon, apple, tomato and beet juices. Take when temperature begins to rise.
Mix pine buds and young fir branches with raspberry roots and chop. Place 500 g of the mixture in an enamel pan, pour in honey (500 g), add 200 g of hot water. Infuse for a week. A bright crimson juice should form. Drain it and drink 100 g before meals.

Adenovirus infection

With adenovirus infection, the conjunctivae of the eyes and tonsils become inflamed, and watery and profuse discharge from the nose appears. To cure a child’s mucous membrane affected by conjunctivitis, it is enough to just wipe it two or three times with cotton wool moistened with his urine.

Respiratory syncytial virus infection

With this viral infection, catarrh is observed: copious secretion of viscous mucus, swelling of the nasopharynx, and obsessive coughing attacks. The sputum is thick and difficult to clear.
Inhalations for cough

Brew a handful of eucalyptus leaves in boiling water. Inhale the vapor through the nose, then through the mouth. Place the heated broth near the child’s bed.
Add a pinch of thyme, eucalyptus and 3 drops of fir oil to the boiled potato peelings. Breathe the steam for about five minutes.
Make a small pillow, fill it with lemon balm, drop in essential oil (pine, fir, cypress or incense) and place it at the head of the crib.

Folk remedies for runny nose

Place freshly prepared juices of white cabbage, aloe or Kalanchoe into the child’s nose.
Garlic oil. Pour sunflower oil into the grated garlic and give it to the child. After two doses

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Classmates

Frequent acute respiratory viral infections in children (up to 8 episodes per year) are regarded by the World Health Organization as a normal situation for a healthy child.

However, if the baby is sick for a long time or gets sick again after a short time, you should pay attention to the conditions that accompany the disease (for example, whether bed rest, diet, drinking and temperature conditions, room humidity are observed).

In this article we will talk about existing approaches to treating and caring for a sick baby. What is the treatment regimen for ARVI and how to help your child cope with the disease more easily, read below.

ARVI includes a fairly large list of diseases (more than 200), each of which has its own distinctive features. Children also differ: in age, health status, standard of living, etc. Therefore, it is definitely impossible to say exactly how long the illness will last in each individual child and what its clinical manifestations will be.

The standard of care is symptomatic treatment signs that appear: cough, runny nose, sore throat, headaches, hoarseness, etc.

If you are interested in how to quickly cure a respiratory viral infection, then the standard of treatment here is the same - provide the child with maximum rest for up to a week, drink a lot and promptly respond to new symptoms with medications and “grandmother’s” remedies.

The norm is when the illness in babies lasts from 5 to 7 days. However, there are situations when after 10 days the following remain:

• high temperature up to 39 and above,
• severe runny nose,

In this case, mandatory intervention by a doctor (for example, ENT, pulmonologist) is required. As a rule, the persistence of symptoms for a long time indicates either the addition of a bacterial infection or another infection against the background of an acute respiratory viral infection, or of immune disorders in the child.

Treatment of ARVI is not considered particularly difficult, but it is must be correct and must be timely.

Otherwise, children may experience complications, which can sometimes develop into chronic diseases. Therefore, when the first signs of illness appear, you should consult a doctor.

First aid at home

As soon as the child’s symptoms become noticeable and before the first visit to the pediatrician, parents can begin to perform preliminary procedures that will help the child more easily endure and recover from the illness.

The first thing you need is to arrange bed rest. This is the best remedy that will help you recover faster and minimize the burden on the sick body. Some particularly restless children do not give this opportunity, in which case it is necessary to at least reduce their activity. In diseases of the ARVI group, intoxication of the body occurs, and active games can contribute to:

• temperature rise,
• have a bad effect on your overall well-being,
• lead to headaches and muscle pain.

In the room where the sick child is, you need to regularly ventilate and carry out wet cleaning (best twice a day). This will reduce the accumulation of viruses in the air and will not only help the sick child recover faster, but will also reduce the risk of infecting other family members.

Help with folk remedies

In addition to traditional medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a number of folk remedies. The onset of ARVI is usually acute, so before starting drug treatment, you can alleviate the child’s condition using traditional medicine.

Homeopathy can also cope with this task. A pharmacist can tell you what to give at the first signs of illness (from homeopathic remedies).

One of the most common means is rosehip decoction with honey and lemon. The drink is very easy to prepare, and it combines several important properties. Rose hips and lemon are rich sources of vitamin C, which has powerful antioxidant effects and is an important tool in improving well-being.

On a note! For older children, you can offer weak, sweetened tea; for younger children, children's herbal teas with raspberries, black currants, and rose hips. These drinks are not only pleasant to drink, they will also help strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Honey is known for a number of healing properties, including a soothing effect on the throat and a disinfectant effect. The drink with honey and lemon tastes good - many children drink it with pleasure.

Carefully! It should be remembered that the lemon-copper drink should not be given too often and in large doses (it is better to use ordinary still water as a drink), since honey and rose hips are allergens and can cause stomach upset.

You can calm a cough with an infusion from sage and milk. As you know, sage is included in many breast preparations used specifically for this purpose.

An excellent folk remedy that can be used to treat diseases of this type is sea ​​​​buckthorn. Its berries, among other things, contain vitamins C and E (both are powerful antioxidants), as well as some B vitamins (B1, B2, B9).

Important! Vitamins of this group are needed to restore the activity of the central nervous system. In addition, they have a beneficial effect on the functions of cell growth and reproduction (therefore they should be avoided if there are benign or malignant tumors in the body).

Various vitamin teas will also be useful. For example, a collection made from chamomile, linden and lemongrass. This decoction will help cope with intoxication and, as a result, avoid its unpleasant and dangerous consequences.

There are also many other folk remedies, but preference should be given to those that are agreed with your doctor and do not cause allergies.

What to feed

Treatment of ARVI in children also requires adherence to diet. There is no need to be afraid that your child will become weak without the usual food. It is much more dangerous to put a digestive load on the body fighting infection.

Therefore, if a child does not want to eat (even his favorite dishes), you should listen and not insist. Especially if the baby has a high temperature.

The process of digesting food requires a lot of energy. It is difficult for the body to cope with both this task and recovery at the same time. During illness, it is wiser to give priority to fighting infection.

Quite often, children refuse solid and heavy foods. Therefore, nutrition during illness should differ from the traditional one. Animal products should be avoided in the diet. It is better and healthier to offer your child low-fat foods that are easily digestible.. The diet for ARVI should include:

• vegetable broths and decoctions,
• fruit purees,
• fruit drinks and compotes,
• lean fish,
• low-fat yoghurts and other fermented milk products (best with bifidobacteria).

Nursing care

Equally important, if key in treatment, is adherence to the principles of proper care of the baby during treatment. If the child is sick, then in addition to the mentioned bed rest, ventilation and wet cleaning, you need to provide:

• calm environment. In the room you should refrain from watching TV, loud conversations and similar irritants;
• drinking plenty of fluids. Doctors recommend drinking every 20-30 minutes;
• regular change of clothes and bed linen. As soon as the temperature begins to subside, children begin to sweat profusely. During this period, it is very important to change their clothes on time and quickly enough and, if necessary, remake the bed;
• it is recommended that the person caring for the child wear a medical mask. All other contacts should be kept to the necessary minimum.

How to treat: drugs

The best drugs against viral infections are those whose clinical effectiveness has been proven and meets international GCP rules. There are only a few such drugs today.

Antiviral drugs are divided into several groups:

• having direct effect in relation to the virus,
• stimulating the production of interferon and interferons themselves (effectiveness has been proven by in vitro studies, but do not have evidence of effectiveness recognized by the medical community),
• homeopathic(not recognized as effective by scientific medicine).

As a homeopathic support Oscillococcinum or Aflubin may be prescribed. They are suitable even for very young children. However, the decision whether to give an antiviral drug to a baby remains at the discretion of the parents, since their effectiveness has not been proven.

Typically, the basis of treatment offered by doctors is antiviral drugs:

• Viferon,
• Isoprinosine,
• Citrosept,
• Remantadine.

All these drugs are suitable for children from one year old.

“Targeted” antiviral drugs exist for several diseases, for example, mononucleosis. Anti-influenza drugs officially registered today are oseltamivir and zanamivir (neurominidase inhibitors). Their appointment is preceded by a test for the presence of the virus - a throat swab.

The baby may also be prescribed immunomodulatory(for example, Kipferon (its analogues) or Cycloferon) or immunostimulating drugs(for example, Glutoxim or Poludan).

Their purpose is to activate internal defense mechanisms. They are strong biologically active agents and are not completely harmless (no standardized clinical trials have been conducted on these drugs).

Important! They are used only when indicated and as prescribed by a doctor (for example, if a child gets sick more than 5 times a year or there is no fever, which is one of the signs of a “lazy” immune system).

Additional signs of the need to prescribe such drugs may include the following:

• dull split hair,
• brittle, constantly peeling nails,
• flaky skin.

You should definitely inform your doctor about the presence of such manifestations in your child. The dosage regimen is determined by the doctor depending on the goals and age. For example, For prevention, pediatricians may prescribe cycloferon to be taken once a day, half an hour before meals.:

• 4-6 years old take one tablet per dose (150 mg/day),
• 7-11 years old take 2 tablets per dose (up to 450 mg/day),
• from 12 years and adults, 4 tablets per dose (up to 600 mg/day).

Also prescribed antihistamines:

• Suprastin,
• Zyrtec,
• Zodak,
• Ghismanal (the last three are newer).

This is done in order to relieve swelling of the nose, which often occurs with viral infections. Suitable for children up to one year old. Since a single cure for ARVI has not been synthesized, a complex of drugs that relieve its symptoms is usually offered for the treatment of children.

On a note! If the prescribed drugs have a form of release such as suppositories, then in agreement with the pediatrician you can use it (this is especially true for young children who, due to their age, cannot swallow a pill).

What to take additionally

Some doctors prescribe the drug "Polysorb". This remedy has a special therapeutic effect; it removes toxins of various origins from the body. Suitable for children up to one year and older.

The list of drugs may also include:

• Umlakor is a new generation antimicrobial drug. Suitable for children from one year old;
• "Miramistin" - a local antiseptic can be prescribed both for treatment and for (it is recommended to give it to children from three years old);
• "Polyoxidonium" is another drug that is used to prevent diseases. This drug can be used in children over 6 months of age;
• “Acyclovir” is prescribed to children over 2 years of age when a Herpes simplex type virus is detected as an infectious agent. The tablets are also active against Varicella zoster and Epstein-Barr viruses;
• "Bronchomunal" - has an immunomodulatory effect and is prescribed for relapses of bronchitis, otitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis;
• "Aminocaproic acid" orally (intravenously) is prescribed for hospital treatment of a child. Indications for use are bleeding and organ diseases with hemorrhagic syndrome. It is used as a prophylactic agent during blood transfusions.

Antibiotics

Since this group of diseases is a viral infection, antibiotics do not act on it (they are used in some cases, as a rule, this is associated with complications that arise). An antibiotic also cannot prevent bacterial complications.

The doctor agrees with these statements. In his speeches, the doctor emphasizes that antibiotics are designed to suppress the activity of pathogenic bacteria. The need for them may arise if a complication begins. In this case, microbial activity increases rapidly. Sometimes this can also occur during the primary illness due to decreased immunity.

To find out which antibiotic is best to give your baby, It is necessary to culture sputum or nasal discharge child and laboratory tests to determine the sensitivity of bacteria to certain drugs.

List

Can be used in children:

• Amoxiclav,
• Augmentin,
• Oscacillin.

These three drugs belong to the penicillin group. They are very easily and quickly absorbed by the body and therefore begin to act almost immediately after administration. These medications work most effectively for treatment.

The following drugs are from the group of cephalosporins. This group is known for its ability to reduce the activity of the most persistent bacteria:

• Cefazolin,
• Cefatrexil.

The following drugs belong to the tetracycline group. Drugs in this group act on protein cells inside bacteria and, as a result, prevent them from multiplying:

• Doxycycline,
• Morphocycline.

Only the attending physician or supervising therapist can determine when to give antibiotics. All these drugs have one common contraindication – age under three years.. Severe renal failure and liver disease are also contraindications for a child to take these medications.

How to treat correctly

Is it possible to speed up the process of a child’s recovery from ARVI? It all depends on each specific situation, but there are several universal rules that will help ease it and prevent complications from arising:

1. Peace and comfort for the baby. Fighting infection is a serious challenge that takes a lot of energy from the body. Therefore, it is important to remove all unnecessary stress, both physical and mental.

   Of course, a sick child should not be bedridden and deprived of all communication. The point is to refrain from active games, educational activities and other pastimes of this kind.

2. Nasal rinsing. Today it is not difficult to find nasal drops for children in any pharmacy or to prepare a rinse solution for your child using soda and salt. Mix a quarter teaspoon of baking soda with the same amount of salt in a glass of warm water and your home remedy for a runny nose is ready.
3. Drink plenty of fluids. You can drink anything: water, compotes, jelly, juices, teas. The only general rule for any drink is that it should be warm (not cold and not too hot). Warm liquid will warm the baby and help remove toxins.
4. Inhalation. An excellent means of cleaning the respiratory tract. One of the most important advantages of this method is that warm steam dilutes mucus in the lungs and bronchi. A contraindication for using this method is elevated temperature. For laryngitis and croup, inhalations with warm alkaline water or saline are indicated (hot inhalations, on the contrary, are prohibited, as they can burn the mucous membrane and provoke a coughing attack).
5. Don't let your temperature drop too early. An increase in temperature is the body's way of fighting an infection. This is a signal to doctors that the immune system is functioning correctly.

   However, you need to remember that an increase in temperature to 39 and above can cause convulsions in a child. To alleviate the baby’s condition and prevent the temperature from rising too high, it is recommended to make compresses and rub the baby’s body with cool water (using vodka or vinegar for this purpose is unacceptable).

What to give to relieve cough

There is no need to treat the cough as such. Coughing is a protective reaction by which the body gets rid of phlegm.. On the other hand, it is necessary to monitor his character very carefully. It comes in three types:

• dry,
• wet,
• barking.

Facilities

A dry or unproductive cough appears at the beginning of the disease, when sputum does not have time to form in the bronchi or lungs. Sometimes for this type of cough, doctors prescribe:

• Bronholitin,
• Tussin plus,
• Libexin.

This is done to alleviate the condition of a sick baby. The drugs are suitable for children over 6 years of age. They can also prescribe Erespal. This syrup not only softens coughs, but also has an antiviral effect. Suitable for children from 2 years old.

Once the cough becomes wet and the baby can clear his throat, the main goal is to keep him at this stage. To do this, use various types of inhalations and drink plenty of fluids.

Children from 6-7 years old are prescribed softening lozenges:

• Faringosept,
• Septifril,
• Inhalipt,
• Orasept,
• Faringospray (the last three are for younger children).

If it is not possible to avoid a barking cough, which is a sure sign of laryngitis, the child is prescribed:

• Stoptussin,
• Libexin,
• Glauvent.

Suitable for children from 4 years old.

How is a runny nose treated?

One of the important problems in the treatment of ARVI is a runny nose. The most common method of treatment in children is nasal rinsing.

To do this, you can purchase regular saline solution or rinsing drops based on sea water. These include:

• Aquamaris,
• Salin,
• Physiomer,
• Aqualor et al.

Suitable for children of any age. As for vasoconstrictors, it is better if they are drops based on oxymetazoline (its analogues). For children, it is better to use a pipette, and practice the instillation itself for no more than 5 days to avoid addiction.

On a note! How to treat a runny nose if a child is intolerant to the active substance of vasoconstrictor drops, the pediatrician will tell you. In this case, he may recommend using folk remedies, for example, beet juice or Kalanchoe juice (for children over 6 years old).

In case of certain ENT diseases, your doctor may recommend Nasonex. Indications for its use are for children:

• allergic rhinitis (seasonal or year-round),
• acute rhinosinusitis,
• nasal polyps.

What to do if your baby has diarrhea

With acute respiratory viral infections, diarrhea may occur. This happens infrequently and only with certain infections. However, if this disease affects the baby, measures of assistance should be determined only by the attending physician.

Until the prescribed medications begin to take effect, you can alleviate the child’s condition in the following ways:

• drinking plenty of fluids. This is necessary to protect the baby from dehydration;
• use of sorbents. For kids it can be Smecta or Enterosgel. For older children and adults, Atoxil or activated carbon is suitable;
• at a temperature above 38.5, take an antipyretic;
• dieting. This simple rule helps the child’s body recover as quickly as possible. It is recommended to limit your diet to just a few foods:
  • chicken bouillon,
  • Rye bread,
  • crackers,
  • crackers without additives,
  • rice water,
  • mashed potatoes.

You should exclude all fermented milk products, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish from your diet.

Physiotherapy

Sometimes, for acute respiratory viral infections, physiotherapeutic procedures can be used. Many of them can be done by children at home. Among them:

• inhalation,
• massage,
• mustard plasters,
• hot foot baths (the last two remedies are distracting therapy and do not provide a therapeutic effect).

However, it should be remembered that these measures are not always suitable for everyone. A common contraindication for all of these procedures is high temperature. It is better to consult your pediatrician in advance whether it is possible to massage your child or use other physiotherapeutic means.

In addition, they cannot be used if the child suffers from:

• systemic blood diseases,
• stage 3 hypertension,
• has a tendency to bleed.

Common mistakes

Some parents make mistakes in treating ARVI. Among them there are 5 main ones, which are worth talking about separately.

1. Parents make a diagnosis instead of a doctor. It is the pediatrician who must determine what exactly the child is sick with, prescribe treatment and prescribe medications.
2. Premature drop in temperature. There must be serious reasons for taking antipyretics, since they prevent the child’s body from fighting infection. The most common of them is a temperature rise above 38.5.
3. Failure to comply with doctor's orders. Having received an appointment and a prescription from a doctor, it is better to stick to them. ARVI requires complex treatment, so the child is usually prescribed quite a few different drugs. You shouldn't be afraid of this.
4. Attempts to be cured exclusively with folk remedies. Folk remedies are certainly good, but if you do not take into account the recommendations of a specialist, you risk causing complications in your baby’s illness. And in this case, much more drugs will have to be used.
5. Treatment is not completed. If the main symptoms have passed, this does not mean that the disease is completely defeated. And the child’s body needs time to fully recover and return to normal functioning. The standard cycle of the inflammatory process is 21 days. It is during this time that children should adhere to a gentle regime of pastime and nutrition.

Useful video

Dr. Komarovsky talks about the treatment of ARVI in a child:

Conclusion

1. The approach to the treatment of diseases such as ARVI in children is systemic. It includes drug therapy, proper child care, bed rest and diet, as well as optional therapy with folk remedies.
2. In some cases, other diseases may develop against the background of ARVI, so it is important to treat the baby under the supervision of a local pediatrician (if home treatment is permissible), as well as follow doctor’s orders and not let the disease take its course.
3. If the child’s condition does not improve after 5-7 days, the cough has changed for the worse, or breathing problems have begun, you should immediately report the new symptoms to your doctor. It is also important to show the child to a specialist in time if there is evidence from the local pediatrician.

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In the modern world, many different troubles await us. But treating a viral infection with folk remedies at home can be done very easily. At home, you can stop the disease at the initial stage, when symptoms such as weakness, weakness, and unmotivated irritability are barely felt using medicinal methods.

Therapy begins with the patient being put to bed. For viral infections, sweet tea is regularly given. You can apply a heating pad to your feet at home. Before falling asleep, a patient suffering from a severe viral infection can rub his feet with crushed garlic (about 10 cloves). After this, you need to put on wool socks. You can pour dry mustard into them. It is necessary to ensure that the patient drinks enough during treatment. This helps remove harmful toxins and metabolic products, which intensifies when the temperature rises. The disease gradually recedes. Fruit and vegetable juices or fruit drinks are perfect. And traditional tea with raspberries and lemon.

Herbal treatment for viral infection

Mix the two tables. spoons of cognac with two identical spoons of milk. Give this mixture to drink 30 minutes before meals, three times a day. Soon, a patient with a severe viral infection will experience relief from symptoms.

This folk and simple remedy also has a good taste. One tablespoon of cognac (vodka) is mixed with the same amount of raspberry jam. Add half a lemon (squeeze) to the anti-infection mixture and pour the resulting mixture into a glass of hot water. The patient must drink this remedy, after two hours the procedure can be repeated. The viral disease will gradually recede.

Pass 50 grams of onions through a meat grinder. Add 20 grams of vinegar, squeeze through cheesecloth, add 60 grams of honey to the liquid and mix. For a viral infection, take a teaspoon every half hour. Traditional treatment can be combined with tablets only after consultation with your doctor!

To alleviate the condition of a patient with a viral disease with a sore throat and runny nose, take 400 grams of beets, pass through a grater, and drip the resulting juice into the nose. 2-3 drops, 2-3 times a day.

Honey with lemon and glycerin are suitable as an expectorant for home folk treatment. Boil the lemon for 10 minutes. Squeezing its juice provides an excellent method of treating a patient who has a viral infection. Add 2 tablespoons of glycerin to it, add honey to a full glass. Take one teaspoon at night at home. For severe cough - a teaspoon three times a day.

A mixture made from honey is also good for treatment - 2 tsp. , to which add 2 yolks of fresh eggs, spoons of flour and 100g of butter. Mix thoroughly and take 1 tsp for viral and even rotavirus infections several times a day.

Traditional treatment with honey is very effective: compositions of aloe cut into pieces mixed with Cahors and honey work well. Let it brew for two weeks, and then squeeze out the mixture; in case of a viral infection, give three times a day for 1 hour. l.

Another composition can also be used: 4 tablespoons of anise seeds must be mixed with honey and added a pinch of salt. Pour this mixture against a viral infection with warm water and bring to a boil, leaving it on low heat. We filter and take at home three times a day, the treatment will go very well.

Kalanchoe juice will work effectively for the onset of a runny nose, lubricating the nasal mucosa.

Japanese Kombucha - a proven remedy

Kombucha infusion has antiviral properties, so it is good for influenza and other complicated viral infections.

Kombucha infusion with honey and pepper

Required for treatment: 100 ml of 5-day infusion of kombucha, 1 teaspoon of honey, 0.5 teaspoon of ground red pepper. Preparation. Mix all ingredients and heat slightly. Take 1 tbsp during treatment for a complex viral infection every 2-3 hours. spoon.

Kombucha tincture

Required to create the composition at home: 2 parts of kombucha infusion, 8 parts of vodka. Preparation. Pour the infusion into a glass container and add vodka. Leave for 10 days in a cool, dark place. Strain the folk remedy and store the composition for the treatment of a viral disease in the refrigerator. Take 1 tbsp to treat infection. spoon 1 time per day.

Home therapy with Indian sea rice and chaga

A drink made from sea rice has a strong antiviral effect, so it is good not only for treatment, but also as a prophylactic against acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections.

Prophylactic infusion

Required: 100 ml of rice infusion. The use of folk remedies. For viral infections, take 0.5 cups 2 times a day before meals. Treatment will proceed quickly.

Infusion for treatment

Required: 150 ml of rice infusion. Application. For traditional treatment, drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day 10 minutes before meals.

Chaga decoction and infusion help ease the course of viral flu and infection. They are widely used in alternative medicine as an antipyretic.

Oil mixture

Required: 2 drops of chaga oil, 1 tbsp. spoon of jojoba oil. Preparation. Mix the oils. Use for viral influenza and similar infections. Apply the mixture to the forehead, sides of the nose, behind the ears and on the chest. Apply 3 times a day.

Aloe juice and chaga oil

Required: aloe juice, 1 teaspoon of chaga oil. Place 2 drops of juice into each nostril when treating a viral infection that does not go away for a long time, lubricate the wings of the nose with chaga oil. Massage with folk composition with natural remedies for 3 minutes.

Chaga oil infusion

Required: 3 drops of oil infusion of birch mushroom (mix 2.5 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of chaga infusion), 100 ml of water. Preparation for treatment. Combine ingredients and mix. Gargle for a patient with a viral infection that is very bothersome. The product alleviates muscle pain and helps lower temperature.

A mixture of echinacea and chaga infusions

Required for the composition according to the folk recipe: 100 ml of infusion of the herb Echinacea purpurea (1 tablespoon of dry herb per 1 liter of water, pour boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain), 50 ml of infusion of birch mushroom. Combine ingredients and mix. Use for infection and viral disease. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day 35 minutes before meals.

Tibetan milk mushroom

When infected with an infection transmitted by airborne droplets, kefir made from milk fermented with Tibetan mushrooms can provide invaluable help, since with timely treatment, you can not only speed up recovery, but also avoid complications. To do this, at the first signs of the disease, it is recommended not only to choose proven folk remedies, but also to eat exclusively kefir and drink boiled or mineral water without gas (up to 2.5-3 liters per day). If the temperature rises due to a viral complicated infection, you must overcome the desire to wrap yourself up and cover yourself with only a sheet. In this case, it is necessary to apply compresses from a mixture of water and serum (1: 1) to the forehead, wrists, and ankles. This will be facilitated at home by microenemas of water and whey, taken in the same proportion and administered every 2 hours.

As soon as the temperature drops to 37 C, a patient suffering from a viral infection can cover himself with a blanket. Treatment in a hospital or at home is accompanied by drinking plenty of fluids.

Tonic

Required: 100 ml of “mushroom” kefir. Preparation. Warm the kefir slightly. Application. Take 0.5 cups 2 times a day.

At home, treating a viral infection with folk remedies should not lead to illness in the caregiver. Wear a gauze bandage, rinse your nose with a weak solution of iodine (2 drops per cup of slightly salted water), eat more vitamins.

Acute respiratory viral infections are the most common childhood diseases. In some children they occur up to 8-10 times a year. It is precisely because of its prevalence that ARVI has become overgrown with a mass of prejudices and erroneous opinions. Some parents immediately run to the pharmacy for antibiotics, while others believe in the power of homeopathic antiviral drugs. Authoritative children's doctor Evgeny Komarovsky talks about respiratory viral infections and how to act correctly if a child gets sick.

About the disease

ARVI is not one specific disease, but a whole group of ailments similar to each other in general symptoms, in which the respiratory tract becomes inflamed. In all cases, viruses are “to blame” for this; they enter the child’s body through the nose, nasopharynx, and less often through the mucous membrane of the eyes. Most often, Russian children “catch” adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza, and reovirus. In total, there are about 300 agents that cause ARVI.

A viral infection is usually catarrhal in nature, but the most dangerous thing is not the infection itself, but its secondary bacterial complications.

Very rarely, ARVI is registered in children in the first months of their life. For this special “thank you” we should say to the innate maternal immunity, which protects the baby for the first six months from the moment of birth.

Most often, the disease affects children of nursery and kindergarten age and declines towards the end of primary school. It is by the age of 8-9 that a child develops a fairly strong immune defense against common viruses.

This does not mean that the child will stop getting ARVI, but viral illnesses will occur much less frequently, and their course will become milder and easier. The fact is that the child’s immunity is immature, but as he encounters viruses, over time he “learns” to recognize them and produce antibodies to foreign agents.

To date, doctors have reliably established that 99% of all diseases that are popularly called “colds” are of viral origin. ARVIs are transmitted by airborne droplets, less often - through saliva, toys, and household items shared with the sick person.

Symptoms

In the early stages of infection, the virus, which entered the body through the nasopharynx, causes inflammation of the nasal passages and larynx, a dry cough, sore throat, and runny nose appear. The temperature does not rise immediately, but only after the virus enters the blood. This stage is characterized by chills, fever, and a feeling of aching throughout the body, especially in the limbs.

High temperature helps the immune system give a “response” and send specific antibodies to fight the virus. They help cleanse the blood of foreign agents, and the temperature drops.

At the final stage of the acute respiratory viral infection, the affected airways are cleared, the cough becomes wet, and the cells of the epithelium affected by the viral agent are expelled with sputum. It is at this stage that secondary bacterial infection can begin, since the affected mucous membranes against the background of reduced immunity create very favorable conditions for the existence and reproduction of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. This can cause rhinitis, sinusitis, tracheitis, otitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, meningitis.

To reduce the risks of possible complications, you need to know exactly what pathogen is associated with the disease, and also be able to distinguish influenza from ARVI.

There is a special table of differences that will help parents at least approximately understand which agent they are dealing with.

Manifestations of the disease	Influenza virus (strains A and B)	Parainfluenza virus	Adenovirus	Respiratory syncytial virus
Beginning (first 36 hours)	Sharp, sharp and heavy	Acute	Gradual with transition to acute	Acute
Body temperature	39.0-40.0 and above	36,6 - 37,5	38,0-39,0	37,0-38,0
Duration of fever	3-6 days	2-4 days	Up to 10 days with alternating decrease and increase in fever	3-7 days
Intoxication	Strongly expressed	Absent	Smoothly increases, but overall quite moderate	Weak or absent at all
Cough	Unproductive dry, accompanied by chest pain	Dry, “barking” dry, hoarseness, hoarseness	Wet cough, the intensity of which increases gradually	Unproductive dry, breathing difficult
The lymph nodes	Increases with complications of influenza	Slightly increased	Noticeably enlarged, especially the cervical and submandibular	Virtually no increase
Airway condition	Runny nose, laryngitis	Severe rhinitis, difficulty breathing	Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, pharyngitis, severe runny nose	Bronchitis
Possible complications	Hemorrhagic pneumonia, hemorrhage into internal organs, myocarditis, damage to the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.	Strangulation due to croup development	Lymphadenitis	Bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, pneumonia, development of bronchial asthma

It is quite difficult to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one at home, so laboratory diagnostics will come to the aid of parents.

If in doubt, you need to take a blood test. In 90% of cases, children experience a viral infection. Bacterial infections are very severe and usually require hospital treatment. Fortunately, they happen quite rarely.

Traditional treatment prescribed to a child by a pediatrician is based on the use of antiviral drugs. Symptomatic treatment is also provided: for a runny nose - nasal drops, for a sore throat - rinses and sprays, for coughs - expectorants.

About ARVI

Some children get ARVI more often, others less often. However, everyone without exception suffers from such diseases, since there is no universal protection against viral infections transmitted and developed by the respiratory type. In winter, children get sick more often because viruses are most active at this time of year. Such diagnoses are also made in the summer. The frequency of diseases depends on the state of the immune system of each individual child.

It is a mistake to call ARVI a cold, says Evgeniy Komarovsky. A cold is hypothermia of the body. You can “catch” ARVI without hypothermia, although it certainly increases the chances of contracting viruses.

After contact with a sick person and the penetration of the virus, it may take several days for the first symptoms to appear. Typically, the incubation period for ARVI is 2-4 days. A sick child is contagious to others for 2-4 days from the moment the first signs of the disease appear.

Treatment according to Komarovsky

When asked how to treat ARVI, Evgeniy Komarovsky answers unequivocally: “Nothing!”

The child’s body is able to cope with the virus on its own in 3-5 days, during which time the baby’s immune system will be able to “learn” how to fight the pathogen and develop antibodies to it, which will come in handy more than once when the child encounters this pathogen again.

The same applies to homeopathic medicines (“Anaferon”, “Ocillococcinum” and others). These pills are “dummy,” says the doctor, and pediatricians prescribe them not so much for treatment as for moral reassurance. The doctor prescribed (even a obviously useless drug), he is calm (after all, homeopathic remedies are absolutely harmless), the parents are happy (they are treating the child, after all), the baby drinks pills consisting of water and glucose, and recovers calmly only with the help of her own immunity.

The most dangerous situation is when parents rush to give antibiotics to a child with ARVI. Evgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that this is a real crime against the baby’s health:

1. Antibiotics are completely powerless against viruses, since they are created to fight bacteria;
2. They do not reduce the risk of developing bacterial complications, as some people think, but increase it.

Komarovsky considers folk remedies for treating ARVI to be completely useless. Onions and garlic, as well as honey and raspberries, are useful in themselves, but in no case affect the ability of the virus to replicate.

Treatment of a child with ARVI should be based, according to Evgeniy Olegovich, on creating the “right” conditions and microclimate. Maximum fresh air, walks, frequent wet cleaning in the house where the child lives.

It is a mistake to wrap up the baby and close all the windows in the house. The air temperature in the apartment should not be higher than 18-20 degrees, and the air humidity should be at the level of 50-70%.

This factor is very important to prevent the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs from drying out in conditions of too dry air (especially if the baby has a runny nose and breathes through the mouth). Creating such conditions helps the body quickly cope with the infection, and this is what Evgeniy Komarovsky considers the most correct approach to therapy.

In case of a very severe viral infection, it is possible to prescribe the only drug that acts on viruses, Tamiflu. It is expensive and not everyone needs it, since this drug has a lot of side effects. Komarovsky warns parents against self-medication.

In most cases, it is not necessary to lower the temperature, because it fulfills an important mission - it promotes the production of natural interferons, which help fight viruses. An exception is infants under one year of age. If the baby is 1 year old and has a fever above 38.5, which has not subsided for about 3 days, this is a good reason to give an antipyretic. Komarovsky advises using Paracetamol or Ibuprofen for this.

Severe intoxication is also dangerous. For vomiting and diarrhea, which may accompany fever, you need to give the child plenty of water, sorbents and electrolytes. They will help restore the water-salt balance and prevent dehydration, which is extremely dangerous for children in the first year of life.

Vasoconstrictor nasal drops for a runny nose should be used as carefully as possible.. Young children should not take them for more than three days, since these drugs cause severe drug dependence. For coughs, Komarovsky advises not to give antitussives. They suppress the reflex by affecting the cough center in the child’s brain. A cough during ARVI is necessary and important, since this is the way the body gets rid of accumulated phlegm (bronchial secretions). Stagnation of this secretion can become the beginning of a strong inflammatory process.

Without a doctor's prescription, no cough remedies, including folk recipes, are needed for a respiratory viral infection. If the mother really wants to give the child at least something, let it be mucolytic agents that help thin and remove mucus.

Komarovsky does not recommend getting carried away with medications for ARVI, since he has long noticed a pattern: the more tablets and syrups a child drinks at the very beginning of a respiratory viral infection, the more drugs he will then have to buy to treat complications.

Moms and dads should not be tormented by their conscience for not treating the baby in any way. Grandmothers and girlfriends can appeal to their conscience and reproach their parents. They should be adamant. There is only one argument: ARVI does not need to be treated. Smart parents, if their child is sick, do not run to the pharmacy for a bunch of pills, but wash the floors and cook dried fruit compote for their beloved child.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to treat ARVI in children in the video below.

Do I need to call a doctor?

Evgeniy Komarovsky advises that if you have any signs of ARVI, be sure to call a doctor. Situations are different, and sometimes there is no such opportunity (or desire). Parents should memorize possible situations in which self-medication is deadly. A child needs medical attention if:

• There is no improvement in the condition on the fourth day after the onset of the disease.
• The temperature increased on the seventh day after the onset of the disease.
• After the improvement, there was a noticeable deterioration in the baby’s condition.
• Pain, purulent discharge (from the nose, ear), pathological pallor of the skin, excessive sweating and shortness of breath appeared.
• If the cough remains unproductive and its attacks have become more frequent and severe.
• Antipyretic drugs have a short-term effect or do not work at all.

Emergency medical care is required if the child has seizures, convulsions, if he loses consciousness, if he has respiratory failure (inhalation is very difficult, wheezing is observed when exhaling), if there is no runny nose, the nose is dry, and against this background a severe sore throat ( this may be one of the signs of developing sore throat). An ambulance should be called if the child starts vomiting due to fever, a rash appears, or the neck is noticeably swollen.

• If it is possible to get your child vaccinated against the flu, then it is better to do just that. However, parents should remember that it will only protect against the influenza virus. Vaccination is not a hindrance to the other viruses mentioned above, and therefore the risk of acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections remains high.
• According to Komarovsky, the prevention of ARVI and influenza with the help of antiviral drugs is a story invented specifically to increase sales of expensive antiviral drugs. To protect your child, you need to remember that the main source of infection is a sick person. During a period of mass morbidity, it is better to limit your child’s visits to places where large numbers of people gather. We need to walk more and take public transport less. It is much more difficult to become infected on the street (especially in the cold season) than in a bus or trolleybus.
• A healthy child does not need a gauze or disposable mask. The patient needs it. It cannot be said that it will completely protect others from infection, but to some extent it will reduce the spread of the virus from the patient to the environment.
• A child should absolutely not be forced to eat while ill. On an empty stomach, it is easier for the body to mobilize all its forces for an immune response. Drinking plenty of fluids is a must in the treatment of respiratory viral infections. The more the child drinks, the less likely it is that the mucous membranes will dry out and the bronchial secretions will become thick and difficult to separate. The risk of complications will be significantly reduced.
• Rinse your nose frequently with a saline solution that can be easily prepared at home. You can bury it as often as you want. You can use ready-made saline solution, which is sold at any pharmacy.
• At high temperatures, you should not rub your child with badger fat, make compresses, steam your feet in a basin, or bathe your baby in hot water. All this disrupts thermoregulation. It is better to leave swimming for later, when the fever subsides. Baths and saunas are also categorically not recommended - as are inhalations, cupping, and rubbing with alcohol-containing solutions.
• It is strictly forbidden to take a child with ARVI to kindergarten or school, so as not to contribute to the formation of the epidemic. It is also better not to go to the clinic, so as not to infect children who are sitting in line with their parents for an appointment. It is advisable to call a doctor at home.
• If the temperature is high, the child should be put to bed. Bed rest will reduce the stress on the body. During the recovery stage, when the airways begin to clear of mucus, it is better to provide more movement. This way the bronchial secretions will drain much faster.

Symptoms and treatment

Doctor Komarovsky

Difference from influenza

Duration of temperature