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When Your Child is Sick

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When Your Child is Sick

Each year, the average child suffers from twice as many colds as the average adult. Since daycare centres, schools, and other places where little ones gather are breeding grounds for the germs that cause winter ills, this is hardly surprising. Cold and flu viruses spread fast between children, who frequently touch or wipe a runny nose with their hand. Any object they later touch is likely to be infected with the virus.

When a child contracts a cold virus, he or she is likely to appear more sick than an adult might for a day or so, then quickly bounces back. Most cold viruses do not cause extreme distress. It is therefore important to know when to call your doctor or pediatrician. You should always check with a medical professional if your child:

has a fever higher than 39°C (102°F)
complains of a bad headache
has a sore throat that persists for more than two days, or a severe earache
has difficulty breathing
is shivering badly
is continuously vomiting
appears excessively lethargic or weak
if, for any other reason, your child’s appearance or symptoms worry you.

There are many ways you can help your child feel better if he or she has a cold. First and foremost, make sure that you provide plenty of fluids (water or a pediatric electrolyte solution are best) to prevent dehydration. Avoid citrus juices, which can be irritating.

Depending on your child’s symptoms, you will find a variety of products formulated especially for children and babies in the London Drugs pharmacy. (If you are unsure of which product will best suit your child’s needs, please ask the pharmacist.)

A cool mist humidifier may make a child with a stuffy nose more comfortable and ease coughing, especially when run at night.

To ease aches and pains and/or reduce a fever, use acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol®, Tempra®). Ibuprofen (e.g. Motrin®, Advil®) may also be used for children over six months old. Be sure to use the dose and schedule recommended on the package or by your doctor or pharmacist. ASA (Aspirin®), or any cold medicine that contains ASA, should be avoided in children and teenagers with colds because it can lead to a condition called Reye’s syndrome. This condition can swiftly lead to brain and liver damage.

Finally, encourage your child to sleep. This may mean removing some of his or her bedding if a fever is present. Sleep helps the body to recover faster.