Tips to prevent seasonal cold and flu in children

Here is how you can help your child.

Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : April 13, 2018 5:05 PM IST

First, let s make it clear that there are no absolute or magical ways to prevent your child from getting a seasonal cold or a cough. But that doesn t mean you put no efforts to help your child avoid these episodes. A cough and cold is usually triggered due to a viral infection that attacks the child s weak immune system. These seasonal episodes of cold and cough in way strengthen the child s immunity too. One should also understand that a viral infection like cold and cough doesn t need medications. In fact, a viral infection goes away on its own. But parents can still take simple steps to prevent an episode of cold and save your child from its annoying symptoms. Here are 13 things to keep in mind when your child has a cold.

However, you must first know how your child gets a cold?

Now, cold viruses spread easily and they attack the inner lining of the nose and throat. Since children touch their nose, eyes and mouth often and put dirty things in their mouth, cold germs spread easily. The virus first lands on their hands when they touch other children who have the virus or objects where the virus might be found (like, a toy of an infected child, drinking from the same water bottle, etc). Once the virus settles on their hands in no time they can give them an infection if it enters their body through eyes, nose and mouth. Know when you should take your child s common cold seriously.

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Infected kids can pass on the virus to other kids when they touch them and pass the virus. Children with colds get viruses on their hands and then touch an object, such as a toy or furniture. Cold viruses can live on such objects for several hours and can be picked up at the hands of other children who touch the same object. These children then get infected when they touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Caregivers can get viruses on their hands and spread them between children by touch as well. Here are some natural remedies for cold and cough that work.

Some cold viruses may be spread through the air when a child with cold coughs or sneezes. Droplets from a cough or sneeze may reach another child s nose or mouth.

How to prevent cold and cough in babies and young children?

Here are few tips that can help you:

Keep babies under three months old away from people with colds, if possible. If the mother is having a cold infection, keep the baby away with another caregiver except for the time she needs to breastfeed.
Make sure your child has received all of the recommended immunizations. While they won t prevent colds, they will help prevent some of the complications, such as bacterial infections of the ears or lungs. Influenza vaccine protects against influenza but not against other respiratory viruses.
Ensure that your child is religiously washing hands to reduce the spread of colds: after coughing, sneezing or wiping the nose are necessary, after being in direct contact with someone who has a respiratory infection, wash yours and your child s hands after wiping your child s nose.
When water and soap are not available, use premoistened hand wipes or alcohol-based hand rinses. Keep hand rinses out of the reach of children because they may be harmful if swallowed.
Teach children to sneeze the right way. Tell your child to sneeze by covering the nose and mouth with tissues and dispose of them in the dustbin. Of course, ask your child to wash hands again.
Avoid sharing toys that young children place in their mouths until the toys have been cleaned.

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