Coping With Children’s Coughs and Colds
Coughs and sniffles are a common part of childhood, but that doesn’t make the symptoms of viral infection in children any less miserable. As your children grow older and build up their immunity they will start to have fewer colds, but until then it is normal for a child to have eight or ten colds in a year.
Although there is not yet a cure for the common cold, there is a lot you can do to tackle the symptoms of viral infection in children. Knowing how to cope with these minor illnesses can make them a little easier for your child and it can help you to feel a lot less anxious about the latest cough.
1. Keep Hydrating:
It is important to make sure that your child is drinking enough, particularly if there has been any vomiting or diarrhea. Honey and lemon in hot water can be particularly soothing for coughs and sore throats, but remember not to give honey to under ones.
2. Relieve Pain and Fever:
If your child has a mild fever, some children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen can help. You can also use them for pain relief from headaches or sore throats. Make sure you use a product that is specially designed for children and that you follow the instructions for how much to give and how often. If your child is over six there are also some good cough medicines and other remedies that you can use to tackle other symptoms.
3. Plenty of Rest:
Other than this, all you can do is encourage your child to get plenty of rest and provide plenty of TLC until the cold is gone. Snuggling up to read a story or enjoy some comfort food together can make having a cold seem a little less miserable.
4. Know When to Seek Help:
You won’t usually need to see a doctor for a cold, but if the symptoms persist for more than a week or two or they are very severe it can be sensible to consult your GP. If your child has a high fever, isn’t taking in fluids, has difficulty breathing, or seems listless and unresponsive, you should go to the hospital immediately. It is also worth speaking to a doctor if a cough keeps coming back or seems to be brought on by exercise, as this could be a sign of asthma rather than of viral infection in children.
Although there is not yet a cure for the common cold, there is a lot you can do to tackle the symptoms of viral infection in children. Knowing how to cope with these minor illnesses can make them a little easier for your child and it can help you to feel a lot less anxious about the latest cough.
1. Keep Hydrating:
It is important to make sure that your child is drinking enough, particularly if there has been any vomiting or diarrhea. Honey and lemon in hot water can be particularly soothing for coughs and sore throats, but remember not to give honey to under ones.
2. Relieve Pain and Fever:
If your child has a mild fever, some children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen can help. You can also use them for pain relief from headaches or sore throats. Make sure you use a product that is specially designed for children and that you follow the instructions for how much to give and how often. If your child is over six there are also some good cough medicines and other remedies that you can use to tackle other symptoms.
3. Plenty of Rest:
Other than this, all you can do is encourage your child to get plenty of rest and provide plenty of TLC until the cold is gone. Snuggling up to read a story or enjoy some comfort food together can make having a cold seem a little less miserable.
4. Know When to Seek Help:
You won’t usually need to see a doctor for a cold, but if the symptoms persist for more than a week or two or they are very severe it can be sensible to consult your GP. If your child has a high fever, isn’t taking in fluids, has difficulty breathing, or seems listless and unresponsive, you should go to the hospital immediately. It is also worth speaking to a doctor if a cough keeps coming back or seems to be brought on by exercise, as this could be a sign of asthma rather than of viral infection in children.