Well at this time of year we are lucky if we are not suffering from the symptoms of cough and cold, keeping them at bay is not easy especially when you have to travel in close proximity to others on buses and trains.
Keeping the immune system strong by eating a well-balanced varied diet-'good food good health' gives our bodies the best chance at fighting viruses and infections.
Also keeping body fluid levels up is as always very important, and often gets overlooked during the winter month's when people often drink less, so make sure a drink is always at hand.
Children can go from one cold to another as nurseries and schools are often a haven for illness, in what seems a continuous period of illness and is very distressing for parents.
The most common illness is the common cold, which features - sore throat, runny nose, earache and a chesty cough, and generally lasts seven to ten days.
Sometimes fever is a feature too, which many parents find very worrying, generally only temperatures of 39C and above cause concern to health professionals, but nobody knows your child like you, and I believe we have a great instinct on these things and if in doubt should always consult medical advice.
Most of these symptoms can be alleviated with regular treatment of paracetamol or ibuprofen syrup that your pharmacist can assist you with.
Honey is excellent for coughs and sore throats, but is not recommended for children under the age of one.
Honey being natural and full of anti-oxidants and antimicrobial agents, tastes great and is relatively cheap compared to many cough syrups. Research has shown that honey has proven to be better in alleviating symptoms of colds and infections than over the counter products.
Mix honey with other ingredients such as ginger and lemon, just as my Nan used to many years ago, quick and easy and has a good shelf life.
Decongesting the nose often helps relieve stuffiness and earache. There are several nasal sprays on the market for adults that help, but for children are not advised, and I really think if I had tried to administer these to my children when they were young, would have been quite a fight and stressed myself and them more. Some cough medicines come as an all-in-one and include a decongestant.
Olbas oil and Karvol are recommended for children, and if you can create a steam as in the bathroom after a shower by adding to hot water works well.
Two variants of the common cold that are very distressing to the child and parent alike are croup and bronchitis.
Young children aged one and upwards often suffer from a cold called 'croup' that affects the upper airways and voice box. This produces a distinctive cough sounding a bit like a gruff dog or sea lion barking. This cough comes in spasms and can last for a few minutes, and is generally worse at night. Using steam can help break up the cough.
Bronchitis affects children under the age of one. It causes runny noses and a very chesty cough that often leaves the baby or child with breathing and feeding problems. It can be a virus called RSV -Respiratory Syncitial Virus.
Bronchitis can be serious especially in the very young and requires medical help. Those in most need show a very fast rate of breathing, look out for the spaces between the ribs being sucked inward and the windpipe appearing to be moved up and down the neck.
Earache is always nasty, and is often due to a catarrh build up in the nasal passages, blocking and pulling the eardrum inward and can be relieved by use of decongestants and pain relief.
Ear infections are rarely given anti-biotics nowadays, as many GP's say that recent research has shown that they make little difference to the length of illness, and often have side effects such as diarrhoea and sickness.
Make children's meal times fun, try introducing new foods often into their diets to keep a healthy well balanced diet, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, but while they are feeling poorly chicken soup is by far the best, it is easy to consume and very nourishing.
Chicken soup is a great way to build a child up as it has several ingredients that affect the immune system, and specifically anti-inflammatory properties that ease the discomfort of colds and flu and soothes sore throats.
Home made is the best but tinned varieties still have excellent medicinal properties.
Ice cream and ice lollies are also a good way of soothing a sore throat and help to keep the fluid level up, which is extremely important in times of illness, as children often go of their food when they are 'bunged up'.
Our children are important to us, so it is only fair to give them good food for good health.
