Rungnapha Kids Clinic

Many parents worry when their child seems to catch one cold after another, especially after starting daycare or school. In reality, children under 6 can have 6–8 colds a year. Their immune system is still developing and gradually learning to build protection against many different viruses.

Why children catch colds more often than adults

There are more than 200 viruses that cause the common cold. A child who has never met these viruses has no immunity yet. In a school or nursery full of other children, the chance of exposure is high — and each cold slowly helps train a stronger immune system.

Ordinary colds you can manage at home

Most colds bring a runny or blocked nose, coughing, sneezing and a mild fever, and clear up within 7–10 days. Plenty of rest, extra fluids, saline nose drops and gentle fever care are usually all that is needed.

Signs it's time to see a doctor

• Fever above 38.5°C for more than 2–3 days, or a fever that returns
• Fast or laboured breathing, or the chest sinking in with each breath
• Unusual drowsiness, refusing to drink, or passing little urine
• Coughing so hard it causes vomiting, or a cough lasting over 2 weeks
• No improvement after 10 days, or steadily getting worse

If your child catches colds far more often than usual, together with poor weight gain or repeated serious infections, see a pediatrician to look for an underlying cause such as allergy or an immune problem. Our clinic is glad to assess and advise in detail.

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory condition in children. The airways are inflamed and over-sensitive, so they tighten from time to time, making it hard to breathe and causing cough or wheeze. The good news: with the right care, most children can play, learn and live completely normally.

Common warning signs

• A lingering cough, especially at night or early morning
• A whistling sound when breathing (wheeze)
• Tiring quickly when running or exercising
• Chest tightness or shortness of breath
• Flare-ups with colds, dust, smoke or animal fur

Triggers worth avoiding

Frequent triggers include dust mites, cigarette and open-fire smoke, animal fur, pollen, weather changes and respiratory infections. Keeping the home clean and free of dust and smoke greatly reduces flare-ups — especially in areas with seasonal haze.

Care and medication

Asthma treatment has two main groups: quick-relief medicine (a bronchodilator) and long-term controllers (low-dose inhaled steroids) that calm the inflammation. Using controller inhalers regularly, as advised, is the key. Parents should learn the correct inhaler and spacer technique.

Dr. Rungnapha specialises in children's respiratory conditions and can help build a treatment plan, review how well symptoms are controlled, and teach your child the right inhaler technique.

Vaccines teach the body to recognise and fight germs before a real illness ever happens. They are among the safest and most effective ways to prevent disease, so keeping your child on schedule is one of the most valuable health gifts a parent can give.

Routine vaccines by age

In the first year your child receives several vaccines under the national immunisation programme — such as BCG (tuberculosis) and hepatitis B at birth, followed by the combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-polio-Hib shots, plus rotavirus and pneumococcal (IPD) vaccines around 2, 4 and 6 months.

• Birth: BCG, hepatitis B
• 2–6 months: DTP, polio, Hib, rotavirus, IPD
• 9–12 months: MMR (measles-mumps-rubella), Japanese encephalitis
• 18 months to school age: booster doses and recommended vaccines

Recommended optional vaccines

Beyond the routine schedule, optional vaccines add extra protection — for example influenza (yearly), chickenpox, hepatitis A, and HPV for older children. Your doctor will advise what suits each child's age and needs.

Caring for your child after a vaccine

After a vaccine there may be a mild fever or some redness and swelling at the injection site, usually settling within 1–2 days. A cool compress and fever medicine as advised can help. If there is a very high fever, unusual distress or a severe rash, see a doctor promptly. Our clinic offers a personalised vaccine schedule tailored to your child.

An allergy happens when the immune system overreacts to something normally harmless, such as dust mites or pollen. Allergies are common in children and often run in families. Knowing the signs and triggers helps you care for your child better.

Common childhood allergies

• Nasal allergy: sneezing, blocked nose, clear mucus, itchy nose and eyes
• Eczema: dry, itchy skin that comes and goes
• Food allergy: rash, lip swelling or vomiting after certain foods
• Allergic asthma: cough and wheeze

Triggers to watch for

Common household triggers are dust mites in bedding, soft toys, carpets, pet fur and mould. Outdoor triggers include pollen, dust, smoke and pollution. Noting when symptoms appear, or what your child touched beforehand, helps the doctor reach an accurate diagnosis.

Care and treatment

Care begins with avoiding triggers — washing bedding in hot water regularly, keeping the home dust-free — alongside symptom medicines such as antihistamines or nasal sprays. In some cases the doctor may suggest allergy testing. Steady, ongoing care greatly improves a child's quality of life.

Many children snore occasionally with a cold or a blocked nose, which is usually harmless. But if your child snores loudly most nights, together with laboured breathing or pauses in breathing during sleep, it may signal obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that deserves attention.

Why ongoing snoring matters

If the airway is blocked during sleep, a child gets too little oxygen and never rests deeply. Over time this can affect growth, concentration, learning and mood. Some children seem hyperactive or irritable during the day simply because they are not sleeping well.

Signs to watch for

• Loud snoring nearly every night
• Pauses in breathing, or gasping during sleep
• Sleeping with the mouth open, or in odd positions to breathe
• Bed-wetting, waking unrefreshed
• Unusual daytime sleepiness or irritability

What you can do

Common causes are enlarged tonsils or adenoids, nasal allergy, or excess weight. If you are concerned, bring your child in for assessment. The doctor may examine your child, ask about sleep habits, and plan the right care. As a respiratory specialist, Dr. Rungnapha can help evaluate and recommend the best path for your little one.

A fever is a body temperature above normal (from 37.5°C), usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Fever is a natural way the body fights germs, so the goal of care is to make your child comfortable — not simply to force the number down.

How to care for a feverish child

• Offer water or milk often to prevent dehydration
• Sponge with lukewarm — not cold — water
• Give paracetamol by weight, at the correct interval
• Dress in light, breathable clothing; don't over-wrap
• Allow plenty of rest in a well-ventilated room

What to avoid

Do not sponge with cold water or alcohol, which can cause shivering and raise the temperature. Never give aspirin to children, and do not give fever medicine more often than directed — an overdose can harm the liver.

When to seek a doctor promptly

Seek care quickly for any fever in a baby under 3 months, a fever above 39°C that won't come down, a febrile seizure, marked drowsiness or difficulty waking, trouble breathing, or a blotchy purple rash. These need urgent medical assessment.

Child development covers four main areas: gross motor, fine motor, language and communication, and social-emotional skills. Every child grows at their own pace, but knowing the milestones helps parents notice and support their child in good time.

A rough milestone guide

• 3–4 months: holds head up well, smiles back, coos
• 6–9 months: sits unsupported, passes objects hand to hand, plays peekaboo
• 12 months: pulls to stand, says first meaningful words, points to wants
• 2 years: runs, says two-word phrases, imitates adults
• 3–5 years: jumps, draws, plays with friends, tells stories

Easy ways to support development at home

Talking, reading stories, singing and playing with your child regularly is the best way to stimulate every area. Limit screen time for young children, and give plenty of chances to move, explore and play freely — the true foundation of learning.

When to see a doctor

If your child is clearly behind — for example, no meaningful words by 18 months, no eye contact, no response to sound, or loss of skills they once had — see a pediatrician for early assessment and support. The earlier it is found, the more can be done.

Good nutrition in childhood shapes growth, brain development and immunity. Building healthy eating habits early stays with your child for life and helps prevent future health problems.

Eating by age

• 0–6 months: exclusive breast milk is best
• From 6 months: begin age-appropriate foods alongside breast milk
• From 1 year: three meals plus healthy snacks
• School age: a varied, colourful, balanced diet

Nutrients children need

Children need protein from meat, eggs and beans for growth, iron and calcium for blood and bones, and colourful fruit and vegetables for vitamins and fibre. Cut back on sweet, oily and salty foods and sugary drinks, which cause tooth decay and excess weight.

Tips for picky eaters

Fussy eating is normal in toddlers. Offer variety without forcing, let your child try foods again and again, make meals colourful and appealing, model good eating yourself, and keep mealtimes relaxed. If your child isn't gaining weight or eats very little, see a doctor for further assessment.

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a common virus and a major cause of respiratory infections in young children, especially those under 2. Most cases look like an ordinary cold, but in some little ones it spreads to the small airways and lungs, making breathing difficult.

Symptoms to watch

• Starts with a runny nose, cough and fever
• Worsening cough, fast breathing or wheeze
• Hard breathing with the chest or ribs sinking in
• Feeding less, drowsy or fussy
• In very young babies, pauses in breathing

Care and prevention

Most RSV is managed by symptom care — saline nose drops, suctioning mucus, offering milk and fluids often, and watching the breathing. The best prevention is frequent handwashing, avoiding crowded places with a baby, keeping sick people away, and avoiding cigarette smoke, which raises the risk.

When to see a doctor

Seek care quickly if breathing is fast or laboured, the skin or lips look bluish, your child is very drowsy, refuses milk, or shows signs of dehydration. Premature babies or those with underlying conditions need especially close attention.

Most minor illnesses in children get better on their own and can be managed at home. But some symptoms are warning signs to see a doctor right away. Knowing the difference helps parents decide with confidence — neither panicking nor overlooking.

Signs to seek care immediately

• Difficulty breathing, fast breathing, chest sinking in, or bluish skin
• Very drowsy, hard to wake, or unresponsive
• A seizure or convulsion
• High fever in a baby under 3 months
• Severe vomiting or diarrhoea with signs of dehydration
• A purple/blotchy rash that doesn't fade under pressure

Symptoms to see a doctor soon

Non-emergency but worth a visit: a fever lasting more than 2–3 days, a lingering cough, eating clearly less, no weight gain, or anything that feels 'not like your child'. A parent's instinct is always valuable — when in doubt, it is better to check than to wait.

Getting ready for the visit

Note the symptoms, how long they've lasted, the temperature, medicines already given, and any allergies, so the doctor can diagnose quickly and accurately. At Rungnapha Kids Clinic, we are glad to advise and care closely for your little one at every age.