Smart health: Relieve symptoms of the common cold

When your child has a cold, you want to help him or her feel better. Most colds are caused by viruses, which means that antibiotics will not relieve the symptoms. However, there are plenty of easy home remedies that can help your child recover.

Help your child take the following steps to recover from a cold:

• Make sure your child gets plenty of bed rest. Rest helps the body repair itself.
• Give your child lots of fluids. It is important for your child to drink water to help the body fight the cold.
• Your child can also drink hot liquids such as chicken broth, herbal tea, or cocoa to relieve cold symptoms like a stuffy nose or a cough.
• With your doctor's permission, give your child an over-the-counter cold remedy. Over-the-counter cold remedies can help relieve symptoms, such as runny nose, congestion, fever and aches, but they do not shorten the length of time you or your child is sick.
• Try an herbal remedy to help your child feel better. Some popular herbal remedies to treat the common cold include Vitamin C, zinc, and echinacea. Consult your doctor before giving an herbal remedy to your child.
• Learn which cold medications treat which symptoms, and learn what cold remedies are NOT recommended for children younger than four. Overuse and misuse of cough and cold medicines in young children can result in serious and potentially life-threatening side effects.
• Do not smoke around your child. Cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoke irritates the lungs and throat, and will make your child feel worse.

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