Most people recover within a week, but cough and a runny nose can last up to two weeks. High fever, ear pain, swollen glands, sinus pain, and serious mucus-producing cough may be signs of a bacterial infection that sometimes sets in while fighting a cold and should be seen by a physician. The average child has six to eight colds a year. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, colds cause more than 20 million lost days from school annually. Several different types and combinations of cold medications are available.
Antihistamines cause drowsiness.
At night, that may help the child sleep. But during the day, they can make the child sleepy in school. Decongestants can cause hyperactivity and irritability. Cough medicines containing dextromethorphan have not been tested in children. And cough that brings up mucus or phlegm shouldn't be suppressed.