If the word "winter" seems synonymous with the word "stuffy nose," odds are good that you're a parent (or perhaps a teacher). Indeed, the average child has eight to 10 colds annually, many of them during the chilly winter months, says Dr. Robert A.L. Blake, pediatric hospitalist/neonatologist at St. Joseph Medical Center.
Last fall, the Food and Drug Administration safety experts recommended a ban on over-the-counter, multisymptom cold medicines for children ages 6 years or younger.
Today, the FDA plans to announce the government's first official ruling on the issue: Don't give the drugs to children younger than 2. And it comes now because the FDA is worried that parents haven't gotten that message despite all the publicity last fall.
What are the symptoms of a cold?
A child with a common cold might have low-grade fever, a cough, stuffy nose - usually a runny nose - and is generally feeling miserable.
How do you tell the difference between a cold and the flu - or other illness?
Fever is the big indicator. It comes with muscle aches, chills, real loss of appetite, refusal to take fluids. These are clues that there might be something else going on. Or if the illness persists for more than a few days, it may be something other than a cold. If these things happen, then go to a doctor or call the doctor.
How do you treat a cold?
A common cold is a virus and cannot be cured, therefore you are treating the symptoms not the cold.
Keep the child hydrated, force fluids. If your child aged 2 months or older has a low-grade fever, use acetaminophen or ibuprofen to keep the fever down. [Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are medicines found in Children's Tylenol and Children's Motrin. They were excluded from the safety experts' recommendations because they are considered safe and effective in treating fevers and aches in children and infants older than 2 months.]
There are basic things you can do to make a child or infant more comfortable: Put a vaporizer in the bedroom to help keep the air moist. At night, the symptoms may get worse. Elevate the child's head a little bit more than usual, this will help him breathe. There also are nasal saline drops that can help with congestion - especially for younger kids.
What about the over-the-counter medications that the safety experts were urging the FDA to consider banning for children under 6 years of age?
