Coughs and colds: What to do
when you're feeling blue
Coughs and colds are a rite of passage for most
children, with some getting up to seven colds
a year. Although the frequency and severity of
colds may diminish as we grow older, we unfortunately
have to accept that there is no cure for this
perennial ailment. So the best we can do is to
learn how to cope with the symptoms it brings
with it.
Symptoms of a common cold are recognisable to
most people, regardless of the time of year.
These usually include:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- A tickle in the back of the throat
- Watering eyes
- A cough
- Headache, which may be accompanied by a
slight fever.
Colds are caused by viruses, known as rhinoviruses,
and they tend to last from around three to ten
days. Occasionally the cold may allow bacteria
to start up a secondary infection, which can
take the form of inflammation of the airways
(bronchitis), sinuses (sinusitis) or middle ear
(otitis media).
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Spring Fever
In the spring and summer a cold can sometimes be mistaken for hay fever
- and vice versa. However, hay fever is an allergic reaction that only
occurs when there is pollen in the air. Some people suffer from a runny
nose all the year round. Known as perennial rhinitis, this can also
be mistaken for a cold but, like hay fever, it is also caused by an
allergy.
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Treatment
As the common cold is caused by a virus and not bacteria, there are no antibiotics
that can cure it. However, symptom relief is readily available in the form
of tablets, capsules, hot drinks and syrups.
Aches and pains, fever and high temperatures
can be relieved with products such as paracetamol,
ibuprofen or aspirin.
Caution:
Aspirin, and to a lesser extent ibuprofen, can cause wheeziness in some asthma
sufferers. If you have asthma, use with caution if taking for the first time.
If you know that these medicines cause a problem for you, avoid them altogether
and take paracetamol.
Many cold/flu relief products contain paracetamol,
therefore care must be taken so that not more
than one paracetamol-containing product is taken
at any time. And remember that aspirin should
not be given to children under 16. There are
several flavoured pain relief products on the
market containing ibuprofen or paracetamol that
are made especially for children. These are often
provided as a suspension and as 'meltlets' tablets
for easy swallowing. Examples include Calpol
and Medinol (paracetamol) and Cuprofen and Nurofen
(ibuprofen). Remember to always read the label.
If you have a blocked nose, use a product containing
a decongestant. Some decongestants may raise
blood pressure, and you should not use these
if you have high blood pressure, heart disease,
diabetes or an overactive thyroid gland. If you
are taking other medicines prescribed by your
doctor, check with your pharmacist or doctor
before taking any cold treatments as the two
medicines may interact. Do not give your child
decongestants unless you are told to do so by
your GP.
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Oils such as eucalyptus,
menthol, camphor and clove can be inhaled
to help relieve a blocked nose. Put a few
drops on your handkerchief or add to a
bowl of hot (not boiling) water and inhale
the steam. Alternatively, you can use these
products as a vapour rub and apply to the
chest or back. This is a particularly useful
method for children, and will help them
to sleep. Breathing in steam from a hot
shower or bath can also help ease a blocked
nose and sore throat.
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A cough can often be painful and irritating
and is disturbing at the best of times. Thankfully
there is a wide range of cough syrups available
ranging from traditional soothing linctuses to
those for dry coughs or chesty coughs that will
help to ease your discomfort. Syrups designed
for dry coughs will soothe the tickling feeling
and help reduce the number of times you cough,
in some instances stopping the cough altogether.
Syrups designed for chesty coughs contain ingredients
known as expectorants, which help loosen the
phlegm at the back of the throat so you can cough
it up and expel it easily and painlessly.
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Baby (3 months and above) |
Children (1yr and above) |
Adult (12yrs* and above) |
| Symptoms |
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Dry
Or
Chesty
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There are a few
cough syrups developed especially for babies > 3months.
These include traditional linctuses such
as Honey and Lemon or brands such as Tixylix
Baby Syrup and Baby Meltus |
There is a fairly wide range
of cough syrups specially developed for children > 1year
with children-friendly flavours or sugar
free variants available. As well as traditional
linctuses, common active ingredients include
Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide for dry coughs
or Guaifenesin for chesty coughs. Examples
include the Benylin children's cough range;
the Tixylix cough range. |
There is a wide
range of cough syrups available ranging from
traditional linctuses to those containing
Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide or Pholcodine
for dry coughs or Guafenesin for chesty coughs.
Examples include the Dry and Chesty variants
of Benylin, Vicks or Robitussin |
Blocked
nose
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There are a variety of products
containing aromatic oils (menthol, eucalyptus,
winter green oil, peppermint) available for
use with babies. However, make sure you check
the label as the lower age limit often varies
between 3-6 months. Examples include Olbas
oil, Karvol, Vaporub.
Saline nose drops can also be used for
young babies before feeds, to loosen
mucus and help them breathe more easily.
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Similarly, there
are a number of products containing aromatic
oils that cannot be used for babies but are
permitted for use in children, e.g. Happinose,
Vicks Inhaler.
Again, ensure you have read the label to look for specific lower ages on
these products.
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There are several
decongestants available beyond the traditional
aromatic oil based products. Decongestants
are generally taken orally as a tablet and
include ingredients such as pseudoephedrine
hydrochoride (e.g. Sudafed, Beechams Decongestant),
OR topically by spraying or inhaling the remedy into the nose. Common active
ingredients of these products include xylometazoline or oxymetazoline HCL
(e.g. Vicks Sinex, Otrivine).
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| Fevers & Headaches |
Look for products containing:
ibuprofen or paracetamol. These are often provided as a suspension for
easy swallowing; examples include Calpol Infant, Disprol for Children
or Nurofen for Children.
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As recommended
for babies look for products containing ibuprofen
or paracetamol* e.g. Calpol, Disprol, Nurofen
for Children, Anadin 6-12 yrs, Calpol 6+. |
There is a wide
range of fever and pain relief remedies that
will also reduce a temperature. The basic
ingredients are paracetamol, ibuprofen and
aspirin. Examples include Nurofen, Panadol,
Anadin. |
Sore
throat
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For babies the traditional
pain relief remedies containing paracetamol
or ibuprofen often provided as a suspension
such as Calpol Infant, Disprol for Children or Nurofen for Children are
recommended. A warm bottle of milk may also soothe the throat.
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Sore throat relief
comes in the form of lozenges & pastilles
as well as traditional pain relief remedies.
Examples include Strepsils, Lemsip sore throat
lozenges (>6 years), Merocets (>6 years).
Do not give lozenges to children under three,
or until they are able to suck them safely. |
Sore throat relief
comes in the form of lozenges, pastilles & sprays
(sometimes containing local anaesthetics
such as benzocaine) as well as traditional
pain relief remedies. Examples include Strepsils,
TCP Sore Throat Lozenges, Tyrozets, Dequacaine
or Ultra-Chloraseptic. |
| Runny nose |
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The most common therapies for
runny nose can be taken orally as a tablet
or as a liquid but are generally only for
use in older children (>6 years). Ingredients
include antihistamines doxylamine succinate,
diphenhydramine HCl, chlorphenamine maleate.
Examples Benylin 4Flu (> 6 years), Vicks
Medinite (>10 years), Tixylix cough & cold
(>1 year). |
The most common
therapies for runny nose can be taken orally
as a tablet or as a liquid. Ingredients include
antihistamines doxylamine succinate, diphenhydramine
HCl, chlorphenamine maleate. Examples are
usually in combination products such as Benylin
4 Flu, Vicks Medinite. |
What else can you do?
Ways to treat your cold/flu symptoms
- Stay home and rest, especially while you
have a fever.
- Stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke,
which can make cold symptoms worse.
- Drink plenty of fluids like water, fruit
juices and clear soups. Fluids help loosen
mucus and are also important if you have a
fever because fever can dry up your body's
fluids, which can lead to dehydration.
- Avoid alcohol where possible. (Alcohol should
be avoided with cold and flu remedies that
contain antihistamines.)
- Gargle with warm salt water a few times a
day to relieve a sore throat. Throat sprays
or lozenges may also help relieve the pain.
- Use saline (salt water) nose drops to help
loosen mucus and moisten the tender skin in
your nose.
There are a few, rare conditions that may at
first appear to be a cold but may be more serious.
Call your GP if you have:
- A cold that lasts for more than 10 days
- Earache or discharge from your ear
- Severe pain in your face or forehead
- Temperature above 102 degree F (38.8 degree
C)
- Shortness of breath
- Hoarseness, sore throat or a cough that won't
go away
- Wheezing
For information on coughs and cold, read our cold
and flu leaflet.
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