Does your child have a cold?

You’ve only just put away the tissues from last time, but it seems your child has yet another cold. What’s going on?

Kids can get 7-10 colds per year, making them a rather frequent occurrence for most families.

Main symptoms of a cold

Kids with colds will usually have a runny or blocked nose, sneeze a lot, and experience a sore or scratchy throat, or headaches.

At the beginning, your child will seem to need endless boxes of tissues and lots of extra love. After the first couple of days, their symptoms will usually start to ease before finally disappearing in a week to a fortnight. Remember though, if they persist or worsen, take them to your family GP for a proper check-up.

Why do kids get so many colds?

Young children get more colds than older kids and adults because they’re still building up their immunity to the many different cold viruses they encounter.

Children’s behaviour also helps colds to spread. Some cough and sneeze onto their hands and wipe snot away with their fingers. Then they touch things—a toy or another child—and pass on those germs. Lovely!

The good news is that once your child has had a cold, they can become immune to that particular virus, meaning they may get fewer colds as they get older.

What can you do about your child’s cold?

We now know that building up your child’s immune system can help to reduce the frequency of the common cold. But how exactly do we achieve this?

For one, ensure your child has a good diet packed with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and fibrous foods. Also ensure they maintain a consistent sleep routine, as sleep is an important factor in immune system health.

For those seeking additional support, why not consider a targeted probiotic with specific strains to help reduce the occurrence of common colds.

Life-Space Children Immune Support Probiotic is a premium, targeted probiotic formula containing three strains of beneficial bacteria, combined with Zinc and Vitamin D, to support the health and function of the immune system in children aged 3-12.

It contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which can help reduce the incidence of mild upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold. Start giving it to your child prior to the cold season to help make it less likely they’ll get a cold.

Once a cold appears, all you can really do is try to relieve the symptoms or, if symptoms persist, seek advice from your qualified health professional. Put simply, don’t watch the clock, go see your doc!

In most cases, your child will just need some rest and time for their immune system to help get over the cold. They’ll bounce back soon enough!

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Supplements should not replace a balanced diet.