Taking care of her child with pneumonia at the hospital, Ms. H. in Ha Dong could not help but blame herself for being subjective. She thought her child had a common cold and would recover, so when her child had a fever, a bad cough, and difficulty breathing, she rushed her child to the hospital, where the doctors concluded that the child had pneumonia.

In recent days, the erratic weather along with the habit of overusing air conditioning has created conditions for many ear, nose and throat diseases to develop such as flu, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, etc.

Fortunately, the child's condition is not serious and has not led to any dangerous complications, but it is also a lesson for the young mother's subjectivity.

Sharing about child care, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hoai An, former Head of Pediatric ENT Department of Central ENT Hospital and currently Director of An Viet Hospital, said that many parents also make mistakes like Ms. H.

Associate Professor Hoai An said that in recent days, the erratic weather along with the habit of overusing air conditioning has created conditions for many ear, nose and throat diseases to develop such as flu, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, etc.

Among them, many children are infected with influenza viruses that cause complications of pneumonia, leading to death. This means that the mortality rate due to pneumonia caused by influenza viruses is quite high.

In children, when influenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus invades, it can easily cause pneumonia and if we do not treat it actively early, it can lead to the risk of death.

Therefore, parents must pay close attention to protecting their children's health. These viruses not only thrive in winter, but now in summer, this situation cannot be ignored.

Associate Professor Hoai An also gave useful advice to parents on how to take care of their children to avoid negative health effects.

When using air conditioning for children, it is necessary to set the appropriate temperature that is not too different from the outside temperature. Do not overuse air conditioning in the summer.

When going out, remember to wear a mask for your child. Wearing a mask helps protect your child's respiratory system as well as avoid attacks from certain bacteria, viruses or dust, helping your child avoid upper respiratory tract infections.

Parents should also pay close attention to nasal and throat hygiene, which is extremely important. It is necessary to spray the baby's nose with sea water in the morning and evening to clean out dust or allergens that enter the nose, avoiding the risk of upper respiratory tract infections for the child.

Children need to drink enough water, this helps the entire nasal mucus circulation system to function normally. It helps to push all bacteria and viruses out of the body's respiratory tract.

Another thing parents need to keep in mind is that the diet must be full of nutrients, trace elements and vitamins. Eat vegetables and fruits in addition to meat, fish… to prevent upper respiratory tract infections.

Signs that require hospitalization. The first and mildest sign is a runny nose. At that time, immediate medical intervention is needed. The medicine at that time is very simple, just common cold medicine. Cold syrups are sold everywhere. These medicines help children dry their noses and relieve nasal congestion.

When the child has a fever with flu, it is necessary to reduce the temperature, use antipyretics and cover with a towel. If the child has a cough, simple cough syrups can be used.

Associate Professor Hoai An said that if not treated early, children will cough a lot, have a runny nose, have a fever and rapid breathing, which are signs of pneumonia. Children need to be taken to good pediatric medical facilities for active treatment to avoid bad complications.