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 Catching a cold can leave you and your kids feeling unwell and miserable for days. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the common cold, which is caused by a virus. In many situations, you just need to rest it out until you feel better – which could be several days or up to two weeks. However, there are some things you CAN do to speed up recovery – check out these tips below.
1. Guzzle down the H20
Drinking lots of fluids, especially plain water, will help to loosen congestion and prevent dehydration. If your child dislikes plain water, try clear chicken broth or add a tiny spoonful of honey to warm water. Alcohol, caffeinated soft drinks and coffee are definitely no-nos. Warm tea may have a soothing effect but it can make you more dehydrated, and so should be taken in moderation.
2. Gargle away with salt water
This age-old remedy does wonders to ease throat discomfort during a cold. Use a quarter of a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. If you child doesn’t like to gargle, make a fun game out of it – gargle together with him or her, or tap out a short rhythm and count down which your child gargles.
3. Slurp up the (chicken) soup
But why has chicken soup ‘worked so well’ as a cold-reliever for generations of families? According to the Mayo Clinic, scientific studies have found that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory effects - by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils (immune system cells that participate in the body's inflammatory response). In addition, chicken soup temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus, which may relieve congestion and reduce the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.
4. Humidity WORKS
When you’re having a cold, do you wonder why you cough more and your nose gets blocked when you’re in an air-conditioned environment? The drier air dries outs the mucous membranes in the nose. Humifiers that introduce moisture into the air can bring relief at home when you use it and maintain it properly. Poorly maintained humidifiers can breed mold, fungi and bacteria!
5. Try saline nasal drops and sprays
In infants and small children, the inability to ‘blow’ their nose thoroughly to expel mucus often causes much distress This is where nasal drops and sprays can provide relief by helping to ‘decongest’ the nose, so that loosened mucus can then be sucked out with a bulb syringe. Check carefully on the dosage you need to use, and get advice from a doctor if you’re not sure how to use a bulb syringe.
6. Take medication – with care
Many over-the-counter cold and cough medications and antihistamines can ease the symptoms of a bad cold. However, most have some side effects and need to be used very carefully. If your ill child is under two years old, do consult a doctor. Medications intended for older children and adults are dangerous for very young children.
So is chicken soup the best cold remedy? Some would say that this plus rest are all the need, while others would stick to doctor-prescribed medicines. One thing for sure - if your child dislikes medicine but doesn’t mind slurping a bowl of warm chicken soup, it is probably the easiest ‘medicine’ to get him or her to take 
 This week (2 July - 8 July), 3 lucky persons will stand to win a pack of High Q+ Mix Multivitamin Chewables worth $35! To enter, answer these two simple questions:
1. The common cold is caused by bacteria. True or False?
2. Name one remedy that can help to ease cold symptoms.
Email your answers to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
with 'Herbal Pharm - Contest 9' in the subject header, and include your name, IC No, contact number and address. Closing date for this promotion is 8 July 2010; the FINAL Herbal Pharm weekly contest will begin on 10 July. All winners will be contacted by email.
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Family Focus 
