When your child is sick, you want to help him or her feel better — fast. You don't have time to research which cold medication you should use to treat your child. This guide will help you match the right over-the-counter cold remedy with your child's symptoms.

• If your child's symptoms are: an itchy, runny nose and eyes.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains antihistamines. Antihistamines decrease mucus production in the eyes and nose. Medicines with antihistamines can make your child drowsy. If your child takes these kinds of medications, it might be difficult to stay awake in class. These medicines are best used at night.
• If your child's symptom is: a stuffy nose that makes it hard to breathe.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains a decongestant. This type of drug will clear mucus or congestion from the nose, making it easier to breathe. Medicines with decongestants can make it difficult for your child to sleep, so they are best used during the day.
• If your child's symptom is: a stuffy, runny nose.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains an antihistamine and a decongestant.
• If your child's symptom is: a dry cough (or, a cough that doesn't produce mucus).
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains a cough suppressant. This type of drug helps your child stop coughing by suppressing the cough reflex in the throat and lungs.
• If your child's symptom is: a mild cough that produces mucus but doesn't interfere with sleep.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains an expectorant. This type of drug helps thin the mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough up.
• If your child's symptom is: a cough that produces mucus and interferes with sleep or daily activity.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains both an expectorant and a cough suppressant. These ingredients help stop the symptoms of a cough.
• If your child's symptoms are: a nighttime cough with a stuffy nose, chest, and nasal congestion.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains an antihistamine, a decongestant, and a cough suppressant. This type of medication should be used at night, because the antihistamine will make your child drowsy.
• If your child's symptoms are: a cough that produces mucus, chest congestion, and nasal congestion - but not a runny nose.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication that contains a cough suppressant, decongestant, and expectorant. Use this type of medication during the day, because the decongestant might prevent your child from sleeping.
• If your child's symptoms are: a low-grade fever or muscle aches.
  
  Give your child: a cold medication containing ingredients that lower fever and reduce pain. Cold medications that lower fever and reduce pain contain acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Children 6 months of age and younger should not be given ibuprofen.

Children under the age of 18 should not use products containing aspirin because of the risk of developing a rare, but potentially fatal condition called Reye's syndrome. Reye's syndrome can cause brain damage, liver problems, and death.

Remember: The brand of the cold medicine is not important, and neither are the long, scientific names of the ingredients. Choose the medication that best fits your child's symptoms, and your child should feel better soon.

Always read medication labels for dosing instructions, and call your child's doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov)
National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov)