Does your child frequently catch a cold? Read more to find out about causes of common cold, treatment for common cold, signs and symptoms of cold in children and precautions that can be taken to avoid common cold. Find out how you can help your child deal with common cold.

Common cold in children is something most parents have to deal with. Recurring colds in children can cause parents to be worried for their children. Common cold is the number one reason why most children frequently miss school. Common cold as the name suggests is one of the most common illnesses affecting children.

Causes of Cold

Colds are caused by rhinoviruses and there are more than 100 different rhinoviruses in the air. These viruses causing cold are extremely small infectious germs that cannot be seen with the naked eye. As the child grows older he will slowly begin to develop resistance to these viruses, but it takes time. Once you get a cold, you become immune to that virus and in this way the child slowly begins to develop resistance to these cold viruses. 

Cold is contagious and your child will catch cold more often if he is constantly in contact with other children infected with it. 

Sometimes when an older brother or sister or even a friend of the child has a cold, and your child comes to contact with them he may develop a cold. Through sneezing and coughing these viruses spread in the air and your child who might not be having a cold, might catch it. 

Thus if your child is in close contact with other children who have a cold, he has more chances of developing a cold. Colds are more common in joint families.

Signs and Symptoms of Cold in Children

Typical symptoms of a cold which can be seen in a child are runny nose, sneezing, coughing, congestion in the nose and a sore throat. Sometimes a mild fever may also develop in the child. Other symptoms may include the child having a headache, loss of appetite and a feeling of tiredness. 

Colds in children generally last longer than in adults.

Treatment for Cold in Children

Give your child a bath with hot water. The steam from the hot shower helps to clear the nose and gives the child relief by helping him to breathe more easily. 

Most probably your pediatrician will prescribe saline nose drops. These saline nose drops help to clear congestion in the nose. While using the nose drops see to it that the dropper is clean. 

Keep offering the child lots of fluids to drink like water or juice. Give small and nutritious meals to the child if he does not feel like eating much. 

Don't give the child OTC (over the counter) medicines even those which say that it does not need a doctor's prescription if your child is younger than 6 years. Preferably even children under twelve years of age should not be given those medicines which do not require prescription without asking the doctor. 

Colds in children do not get cured by antibiotics and the child must be given antibiotics only if he develops a bacterial infection. 

Children and teenagers under the age of nineteen should never be given aspirin during viral illnesses because it increases the risk of developing a very fatal disease called Reye syndrome which causes brain and liver damage. 

If your child is feeling well enough to go to school and if the symptoms have reduced considerably with the fever is gone, you can send him to school. Since colds are not serious and if the fever is cured parents can go to work and need not worry.

Prevention of Cold in Children

Colds in babies under three months can best be prevented by keeping them away from others who have a cold. This piece of advice is especially true for winter when there are more of these viruses circulating around in the air. 

If you child is old enough teach him to cover the mouth while sneezing and coughing using a handkerchief or tissue. It is better to use a handkerchief or tissue to cover the mouth rather than the hand. 

Also makes sure that your child washes hands regularly during the day as this keeps in check the spread of viruses. 

In houses where parents indulge in smoking, the child is more susceptible to catching colds, hence take necessary precautions. 

However, as commonly believed frequent colds in children is not due to a weak immune system. It just means that the child is exposed to more viruses. Mostly colds in children will go away by itself and generally does not lead to anything worse. So, parents need not worry as young children catching a cold is common in many households and will gradually reduce as the child grows.