Why Sniffles Hit Hardest at Night

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When your child wakes up coughing or complaining of an earache, it is tough to know what to do. And many common ailments – from asthma to croup – worsen in the wee hours.

When your child wakes up coughing or complaining of an earache, it’s
tough to know what to do. And many common ailments — from asthma to
croup — worsen in the wee hours.

Lying down plays a role in most colds and sinus symptoms “because it
causes secretions to drain into the throat and may obstruct drainage
happening during the day,” says Dr. Michael Steiner, pediatrician and
director of the Child & Adolescent General Clinic at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Plus, any pain, discomfort or fever
will seem worse when children and parents are tired.”

Children may also feel more sick at night because they’re less
distracted by activities, adds Dr. Mobeen H. Rathore, chief of Pediatric
Infectious Diseases and Immunology at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and
the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville.

Learn how to help your little one feel better when he’s sick at night, no matter the ailment. Just remember, says Rathore: Call the pediatrician whenever you’re unsure or concerned, day or night.

EARACHES
This common childhood pain is usually
caused by a bacterial or viral infection in the ear (sometimes due to a
nasty cold or allergies). Fluid builds up behind the eardrum, and lying
down adds pressure to spots that are already sore and inflamed.

Treatment: According to the American Academy of
Pediatrics, approximately 80 percent of children with middle ear
infections recover without antibiotics. Shocking, since about 50 percent
of antibiotics for American preschoolers are prescribed for ear
infections! If the pain isn’t severe, help your child feel more
comfortable with a pain reliever such as acetaminophen, says Rathore.
(Don’t use aspirin, which has been associated with a rare but
potentially deadly condition called Reye’s syndrome.) A warm compress
may also help.

When to call the doc: If symptoms get worse or don’t
improve within 24 to 48 hours, you should consider calling your
pediatrician. Chronic ear infections can cause hearing problems, so it’s
important to monitor symptoms. Red-flag symptoms include severe ear
pain and discharge from the ear.

STUFFY NOSE OR SORE THROAT
Symptoms
from the common cold tend to flare up at night. “When you lie down, the
airways are more likely to become clogged with mucus,” says Dr. Neil
Schachter, author of The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds & Flu and the medical director of the respiratory care department at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Treatment: While there is no cure for the common
cold, moms can employ a few simple, reliable tactics to help kids feel
better. In addition to age-appropriate OTC remedies, a humidifier or
steam from a hot shower may also ease congestion so your child can
breathe easier. Rathore suggests using acetaminophen to relieve sore
throat. Schachter also suggests gargling with salt water before bed “to
remove virus-laden mucus from the throat, which relieves both sore
throat and coughing.”

When to call the doc: Routine colds don’t require a
doctor’s care, but watch out for any other unusual symptoms, including a
high fever, distressed breathing, or a sore throat that’s severe or
lasts longer than a week.

CROUP
Most
common in children 5 or under, croup causes swelling in the trachea and
larynx. It’s usually caused by a virus and characterized by a loud,
barking cough. “Croup symptoms seem to worsen at night, possibly because
the upper airway naturally relaxes during sleep, so it narrows,” says
Steiner. “It’s also possible that using a heater at night dries out the
air and makes symptoms worse.”

Treatment: Although mist treatment was long thought to manage croup, a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found
that high humidity didn’t seem to help moderate to severe cases. Still,
for mild bouts, a warm, steamy bathroom may soothe symptoms. A dose of
children’s ibuprofen or acetaminophen can bring down swelling of the
airways. More severe cases may require a prescription drug to open
airways.

When
to call the doc:
If your child makes noisy and high-pitched sounds when
inhaling, struggles to breathe, develops blue or grayish skin, or has a fever
of 103.5 F or higher, it’s time to see the doctor. Also get in touch if
symptoms last longer than a week or are reoccurring.

Richard JaramilloRichard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com,
a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children.
RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents
“Make Life Happen…Again!”

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Richard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com, a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children. RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents “Make Life Happen…Again!”