A cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract that may be caused by any one of more than 200 viruses. Your child may have symptoms such as a runny nose, a sore throat and a cough, watery eyes, sneezing or congestion. The flu (or influenza), on the other hand, is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system, including the nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs. Your child is also likely to have a high fever, chills and body aches - signs that your child won't normally have with a cold.
Preventing colds and flu
There's no way to prevent colds and flu altogether, however there are some ways to make them less frequent:
• Breastfeeding is an excellent way of helping your baby ward off illness, because the mother's immunity is passed through the breast milk directly to the baby.
For older children, a well-balanced diet provides necessary vitamins and minerals to keep the body healthy and more resistant to illness. Don't feed your children junk food, and offer them lots of fruits and vegetables.
• Passive smoking causes babies and children to have far more ear, nose and throat illnesses. If you or your husband haven't already stopped smoking, try again!
• Keep the temperature in your home at a reasonable level. Rooms that are too hot or stuffy can irritate the nose and throat and lower the body's resistance to illness.
• Sudden changes in temperature may make the body more susceptible to colds, so dress your child immediately after a bath, and make sure he or she puts on warm, dry clothes after playing sports.
• Washing your child's hands frequently, particularly after he or she has played with other children's toys, can help prevent the spread of germs.
• It makes sense to avoid contact with anyone who is already ill. Be particularly careful with newborns, it is best not to allow anyone to kiss the baby.
• Your home and your child's nursery or school should be well ventilated. Germs spread more easily in closed spaces. Open some windows to let in fresh air.
If your child gets sick
Cold and flu symptoms can include a runny or stuffy nose, a scratchy throat, a cough, sneezing, headache, decreased appetite and sometimes a fever and red or runny eyes. If your child does have symptoms, it's a good idea to contact your doctor, who can determine whether your child has a cold or the flu.
Never give your child medicine without asking your doctor first. Prescribing unnecessary medication by yourself, or even with the help of a pharmacist, may make your child worse instead of better. A cold will go away by itself, and so will the flu in many cases. In the meantime, there are certain things you can do to make your child more comfortable:
• Make sure your child gets lots of rest. Don't send your child to nursery or school, so he doesn't catch something else, and also so he doesn't spread the illness to other children.
• Increase the amount of fluid your child drinks, because it is very easy to become dehydrated during an illness. For babies, offer cool water as well as regular feeds. For older children, try giving orange or lemon juice, unless they irritate your child's cough. Herbal drinks like anise, cinnamon and caraway are also good.
• If your child has a low-grade fever, call your doctor to see if you should give a medicine like paracetamol.
• While your child is sick, give him the food or formula that he is used to - he won't want to try anything new while he is fighting off illness.
• A raised head can help mucus drain properly and ease your child's breathing. Try elevating the head of the bed or crib slightly by putting one or more folded towels underneath the mattress for a child younger than one year or under the pillow for an older child.
• Comfort your child. Babies and children often want to be held more than usual during an illness.
