11 myths about folk methods of treatment of SARS: how to help and not harm a child with a cold

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Parents are often interested in methods of treatment of ARVI in children, which would help to quickly overcome the disease and strengthen immunity.

Some during illness may resort to unproven remedies without a doctor’s prescription and folk medicine methods. However, for the sake of the safety of the child’s body, it is worth abandoning the treatment of colds in such ways.

“UP. Life” spoke with pediatrician Kateryna Pogorelova about ways to treat influenza and other SARS, which are ineffective and sometimes even dangerous for children.

Myths about folk methods of treating colds, antiviral pills and antibiotics

According to pediatrician Kateryna Pogorelova, with respiratory viral diseases in children, it is necessary to take proven drugs that help relieve symptoms, and a sufficient amount of liquid.

“There are proven means that are used for viral infections – this is symptomatic therapy, and for a confirmed bacterial infection – antibiotic“, – says Kateryna Pogorelova.

Fortunately, folk medicine methods are not so widespread now due to the large amount of information for parents, the pediatrician adds.

However, many people still believe in the miraculous effect of “antivirals”, mustards and inhalations over potatoes, which actually does not exist.

Myth: Onions and garlic will help fight infection

You can use garlic and onions if the child likes them, because they are additional vitamins of groups B and C. However, they definitely will not be able to fight viruses or bacteria.

There is a popular practice of rubbing grated garlic into the nose. But this not only does not help, it is also harmful.

If you eat a whole onion, it is very likely that heartburn or stomach discomfort will begin, because its juice irritates the mucous membrane.

In the nasal cavity, the mucous membrane can also be irritated by onion juice, which will lead to an increase in secretions. A burn of the nasal mucosa is also possible.

You can use garlic and onions if the child likes them, because they are additional vitamins of groups B and C. However, they will definitely not be able to fight viruses or bacteria. Photo: ratmaner/Depositphotos

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Myth: Breathing over steamed potatoes helps with a cold

When you have a cold, it is really recommended to breathe moist air, but it should be cool.

Pair of potatoes – hot. You can get burned, but such a procedure will not affect a harmful microorganism or the presence of a cough.

“Breathing over steam can cause a burn of the respiratory tract. That’s why it’s definitely not worth doing.” – warns the pediatrician.

Myth: You need to rub the baby with vinegar and “wrap” it to reduce the temperature

When there is a temperature, the body produces heat, and it must go somewhere. The expert adds that if the child is still wrapped, it will be worse.

“There is such a symptom – chills, it appears when the temperature starts to rise. Then you don’t need to undress the child, but on the contrary, try to warm him.

However, when the temperature reaches its peak, the child becomes hot, you can see how red the cheeks are. At this moment, it is absolutely impossible to hug her, because the heat must leave the body.” – advises pediatrician Kateryna Pogorelova.

The pediatrician notes: you can’t rub the baby with vinegar either, because it, like alcohol, is absorbed into the skin. This is dangerous, because acetic acid can get into the blood and cause poisoning.

There are physical methods of lowering the temperature: you can undress the child, wipe the whole body with room temperature water.

“A bath with cold water won’t help either, just undress and wipe the baby with room temperature water,” – adds the specialist.

When the temperature reaches its peak, the child becomes hot, you can see how red the cheeks are. At this moment, you definitely cannot wrap it, because the heat must leave the body. Photo: undrey/Depositphotos

Myth: Gargling with salt will help cure the pain

The pediatrician emphasizes: there is no point in gargling with a saline solution. Instead, it is better to use pharmaceutical products that contain pain-relieving components.

At the same time, pharmacy sprays, tablets and solutions for rinsing are symptomatic therapy and are most often prescribed for pain relief. The doctor emphasizes that these medicinal forms are available to children from the age of four.

“Saline gargles do not help with a sore throat, besides, children often do not know how to gargle properly. And salt itself can irritate the mucous membrane.” – explains Kateryna Pogorelova.

The pediatrician adds that with a runny nose, on the contrary, it is recommended to wash the nose with a saline solution. However, you should not prepare it yourself so as not to harm the child.

You can buy either a saline solution in the form of drops or a normal saline solution with a pipette for convenient use. This is a symptomatic therapy that will really alleviate the condition.

Gargling with a saline solution does not help with a sore throat, besides, children often do not know how to gargle properly. Photo: odua/Depositphotos

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Myth: Mustard seeds help “warm up” the body

Due to the burning properties of mustard, it is believed that mustard seeds can “warm up” the internal organs. Apparently, it helps to increase blood circulation and thereby reduce pain, inflammation or cure other unpleasant symptoms.

However, the reddening of the skin and the warmth that a person feels in those parts of the body where there was recently mustard does not mean that something is “warming up” there.

This is not enough to increase blood circulation or otherwise intervene in the work of internal organs. So skin irritation from mustard is just a sign of a burn.

“The cause of ARVI is a virus, and the symptoms the child has are the result of its effect on the body. Therefore, it is not clear what exactly the parents “warm up” and what is the meaning of this.

Here we can mention the placebo effect, but the possible ones are dangerous burns from mustard seeds. Mustard should not be given to children”the doctor warns.

Myth: Antibiotics, antivirals, and immunostimulants should be used for SARS

“There are several proven antivirus means that are prescribed for a certain types of flu and herpes infection, but they can be used only as prescribed by a doctor.

All the rest antiviral drugs with a cold do not work, can only work as a placebo effect. In fact, on the 5-6th day, the child begins to recover on his own.” – explains the pediatrician.

The immune system is very complex, the body produces certain cells to fight infection. The doctor emphasizes that unproven antiviral drugs (interferons, for example) do not help the body fight the disease at all.

Interferons are proteins that are released by the cells of most vertebrates when viruses, parasites, cancer proteins, etc. enter their bodies.

Interferons are administered intravenously for the treatment of very serious diseases – viral hepatitis, cancer, etc. and have many side effects.

And if we talk about drops with interferon, it is not only ineffective, but also associated with toxicity. The problem is that the interferon molecule is so large that it cannot penetrate our mucous membranes. Therefore, such means do not work for SARS.

Immunostimulants also will not raise immunity, which is a complex system.

The pediatrician explains that pharmaceutical products that supposedly increase immunity do not work and have unproven effectiveness.

This means that none of them have undergone enough clinical trials to prove either their effectiveness or, even worse, their safety.

“And here antibiotics are required only when there is a confirmed bacterial infection by clinical disease or laboratory tests.

The antibiotic will not help with viral diseases, because it fights with other pathogens – bacteria, and in the case of SARS – inappropriate”, – says Kateryna Pogorelova.

Unproven antiviral drugs (interferons, for example) do not help the body fight the disease at all. Photo: belchonock/Depositphotos

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Myth: Milk with honey and infusions of various herbs and berries bring down the temperature

The expert emphasizes that at a temperature, the child should be given plenty of fluids to drink so that the body is not dehydrated and can fight the irritant.

“Not all children love drink waterso it can be tea with raspberries or honey, compote or brew.

Do these products contain vitamins? So. Will they heal? No. However, it is a tasty drink for a child that she likes.” – says the pediatrician.

Kateryna Pogorelova says that it is not necessary to give a child only warm or hot tea when he is sick. The drink can be at room temperature.

The expert explains that the plus of honey and raspberries is also that they contain carbohydrates. When a child is sick, the body spends more energy. At the same time, a sick child often eats even worse and has no appetite.

“That’s why the body is looking for where else to get energy – fats start to break down.

There is an increase in the level of fat breakdown products – ketone bodies, namely acetone in the child’s blood. It is developing acetonemic syndrome“, – warns the pediatrician.

In order for this condition not to develop, the child needs to be given some easily digestible food, drink or eat something sweet and useful, such as honey or raspberries, which contain glucose.

It is not necessary to give the child only warm or hot tea when he is sick. The drink can be at room temperature. Photo: alexraths/Depositphotos

Read also: How to prepare for flu season: 5 simple recommendations

Myth: You need to take tablets vitamins for SARS

Regarding vitamins, the pediatrician mentions only the preventive use of vitamin D and the administration of vitamin K to newborns.

“I recommend taking a prophylactic dose vitamin D, having previously agreed with the doctor. Children who have a sufficient level of vitamin D are less likely to get respiratory viral infections.

Also, in the maternity ward, all children are given an injection of vitamin K, which is a prevention of hemorrhagic disease of newborns.” – says the pediatrician.

According to the pediatrician, there is no point in taking other vitamins, and the best option is a balanced diet.

Taking multivitamin pills every day has no long-term benefits for the body. Therefore, if possible, it is better to get vitamins from food. Unless your doctor has diagnosed a vitamin deficiency, you do not need to take daily supplements.

Myth: When you have a cold, you need to eat foods with a high content of vitamin C

“Specific recommendations to eat only a certain product, because it contains a lot vitamin Cthere is no

To get a sufficient amount of vitamins, you need to systematically consume various fruits and vegetables.” – says the pediatrician.

Even if you take vitamin C every day, it will not protect against colds. Prevention can slightly shorten the course of the disease. However, if you start taking vitamin C when symptoms of a cold have already appeared, it will not affect the course of the disease in any way.

It is known that vitamin C is found in high concentrations in immune cells, so its amount decreases during infection. Its deficiency weakens the immune system and increases the risk of infections.

There are no specific recommendations to eat only a certain product because it contains a lot of vitamin C. To get a sufficient amount of vitamins, you need to systematically consume various fruits and vegetables. Photo: elena.hramova/Depositphotos

Read also: Vitamins and biological supplements. How useful are they and what are manufacturers silent about?

Myth: For cold treatment it is worth steaming your feet in hot water

According to the specialist, this method will not cure the symptoms of a cold, but there is a high risk of burns if you do not monitor the water temperature.

“If the child likes to keep his feet in warm water for fun, then you can try, but this method will not have any therapeutic effect.” – adds the pediatrician.

Myth: Absorption of medication will help a baby with SARS

Dripping of chlorophyllipt on the chest or rump (“fool”) to be absorbed by the child is supposed to help with a cold.

However, the pediatrician warns that this method is not only ineffective, but also quite dangerous.

“First of all, this is the risk of developing an allergic reaction, we don’t know how the child will react to it.

Second: what is the purpose of this absorption? Chlorophyllipt does not relieve a sore throat. And the only allowed method of pain relief in babies is the use of ibuprofen or paracetamol.” – emphasizes the pediatrician.

Anna Bay, UP. Life.

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