While there isn't a sure-fire cure for the common cold, there are some home remedies that may help your sick child feel a lot better. Doctors agree that fluids, like chicken soup or fruit juices, help sick kids breathe easier by thinning the mucus in their airways and keeping it moving. That's what prevents bacteria from accumulating, and there's more than one way to do it. Keep those secretions thin and moving. Hose the little noses with saline nasal spray and a nasal aspirator.
Overuse can make some symptoms worse.
And there are other guidelines to keep in mind. Ask the pediatrician which one to use, when to give it and for how long. Don't let your child's cold escalate into a sinus infection, bronchitis or pneumonia. Call the doctor if a cold lingers more than a week or two, if nasal discharge turns thick and yellow, or if your child develops a fever, earache, cough, or discoloration under the eyes. All rights reserved.