Coughs and Colds in Children

Children often have up to six colds per year. Colds, and most coughs, are caused by viruses (not bacteria), so antibiotics won’t help. If the cough is bad, and persists, your child may have a chest infection caused by bacteria – if so, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics.

Signs your child or baby has a cold

• Stuffy, runny nose.
• Sneezing.
• Fever.
• Headache.
• Noisy cough.

Children cough to get rid of the mucous from their chest, or when it runs from their nose down the back of their throat. For this reason, you don’t want to stop the cough completely, but you can help ease your child’s distress by soothing it. Offer them extra fluids. Encourage nose blowing if your child is old enough. It is advisable not to use any cough medicines, unless you seek the advice of your family doctor or pharmacist, especially in babies and young children.

Croup
This is a viral infection that causes swelling of the back of the throat, narrowing the airway and making breathing difficult. It may begin like a normal cold, with a runny nose and cough. Croup can last from several days up to a week, with the cough lasting longer.