In the United States, children get an average of 1 to 3 colds per year, resulting in more than 20 million missed school days. Although there’s no definite cure for the common cold, there are some proven ways to treat your child’s symptoms.
DO: Keep Your Child Hydrated
Warm drinks like herbal tea, water with lemon is a soothing option. It helps prevents dehydration and eases congestion. Ice chips also help in staying hydrated while calming a scratchy throat. Avoid salty foods, ice tea, soft drinks, caffeinated and sugary drinks, which can be dehydrating
DON’T: Keep Your Child Around a Smoker
Passive smoking is dangerous for your child. The exposure to smoke can increases the risk of them falling sick. If your child has already caught a cold, cigarette smoke can trigger even worse and prolonged symptoms. Smoke can likewise increase the opportunity of your child developing severe diseases such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
DO: A Salt Water Gargle
Add 1/2 a teaspoon of table salt with 8 ounces of warm water. Stir until the salt dissolves. Then make your child gargle with it for several seconds and then spit it out.
Gargling with warm salt water can help reduce the pain and swelling of a scratchy throat. The salt draws the mucus out of the inflamed tissues and helps relieve irritation.
DON’T: Request Antibiotics
Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viruses like the common cold. Over and improper use of antibiotic treatment can lead to antibiotic resistance. This implies, that if your kid ever really needs anti-infection agents because of bacterial contamination, antibiotics may not work.
DO: Humidify the Air
Children tend to catch colds more often in winter due to the dry air that holds less moisture. This dryness may likewise aggravate congestion, and sore throats and dry nostrils are more inclined to infections.
A humidifier will help increase the moisture in the room. If you don’t own one, you can leave a shallow bowl of water out near a heat source. As the water evaporates, it’ll gradually humidify the room.
DO: Call a Pediatrician
If your child shows no improvement after trying the above steps, it’s best to consult a pediatrician to help give your child quick relief. Symptoms like 100.4°F, breathing difficulty, vomiting, swollen glands, pain in the chest, stomach or ears, minimized fluid intake, increased headaches, facial or face difficultly in swallowing are warning signs.
In this case, a pediatrician can help devise the root of the problem and provide effective medications suitable for your child. Delaying a doctor’s visit can lead to worsened symptoms.
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