Yep. It's that time of the year. The holidays were fun--visiting family, staying up late, shopping at the mall, eating, eating, eating and in and out of the cold under or over-dressed for the weather. We've all mixed and mingled, kissed underneath the mistletoe, shared toys, sneezed over the cookie dough bowl, etc. So it's no surprise when one of the kids comes down with a cold, which is sure to spread like wildfire through your family...ugh!
Before running to the pharmacy, read these cold-managing tips:
- Skip the over-the-counter kid's cold remedies. Most of them contain ingredients that may harm your toddler or do little to relieve an older child's illness. Instead, treat both the symptoms of a cold (runny nose, congestion, sore throat) with store-bought or homemade chicken soup--an age-old and scientifically proven cold remedy that will not only relieve symptoms, but may actually help to cure your child's cold.
- Keep your sick child at home, preferably in bed. Not only will you avoid spreading the cold to others, the extra rest will give her cold-battling antibodies extra energy to fight off the illness.
- Allow a fever to burn. Unless your child is under three months old, in which case any fever is worth a call to the pediatrician, it is unlikely that running a temperature will harm him. As a matter of fact, running a temperature is his body's way of fighting off the cold germs. If your child is under two and has a temperature of 101 or higher, give his doctor a call. She may want to schedule a visit to ensure the fever isn't a symptom of an underlying bacterial infection. Kids over two can run a temperature as high as 104 or 105 degrees in the course of a cold. While you may be tempted to treat her discomfort with fever-reducing medication, never give a child aspirin, which can cause Reyes Syndrome--a rare, but potentially deadly reaction in kids under 18. Instead, skip the medication in favor of cool (not cold) rags across the forehead, blankets for the chills, light blankets when the fever makes your child feel hot. If your child is terribly uncomfortable due to a fever, give him children's brand Ibuprofin or Acetaminophen. (Click links for appropriate dosing instructions.) Most Ibuprofin products can be taken every six hours, as needed. Acetaminophen products can be taken every four hours. For a truly stubborn fever that causes pain or headache, speak to your pediatrician about alternating the two medications.
- Use a nasal bulb to remove mucous from a stuffy nose. Use saline drops as directed to help clear up and heal congested nasal passages.
- Treat sore throats with warm soup, tea or salt water gargles. Skip medicated lozenges unless your child's throat discomfort is keeping her from clearing her throat or swallowing liquids.
- Spread mentholated vapor gel on the soles of a congested child's feet before bed, and the vapors will help to clear his chest overnight without irritating his eyes or nasal membranes.
- Call the doctor if your child begins coughing up dark green or bright yellow mucous after the third or fourth day of an illness. While colds are caused by a virus, they can contribute to a bacterial infection, which will need to be treated with antibiotics.
- Keep vaporizers clean to avoid fungal infections that can exacerbate your child's illness. Use distilled water, and run the vaporizer through a bleach and water wash at least once or twice a week when in regular use.
- Isolate your sick child as much as possible from the well ones in the family, but don't avoid him while he is ill. More than anything else, your loving care and nurturing will contribute to his overall mood, which will help to heal him faster. Wash your hands after handling used tissues, bedding or your sick child's dishes and glassware. Be sure that you and the rest of your family get plenty of rest, healthy foods and ample fluids to help boost immunity. But don't panic if you start to sniffle...after all, it's only a common cold, and chances are if you get sick, you can expect to feel better in about 10 days.
For more helpful hints on treating a common cold, visit Cold Remedies--What Works, What Doesn't, What Can Hurt by the Mayo Clinic.
For more information on treating your child's cold, visit MayoClinic.com.
