The best things parents can do for a child with a cold is to treat their symptoms while their immune system fights the cold and to avoid exposing them to cigarette smoke, according to Karen Kaye of the National Prescribing Service.
The NPS recommends rest, but it may also help to drink something soothing, suck on ice or a throat lozenge to ease a cough or sore throat and use saline nasal sprays to help clear mucus.
“Antibiotics won’t help a cold get better faster or stop it spreading to others because they simply don’t work on the viruses which cause common colds,” Ms Kaye said.
The NPS is aiming to help parents and carers better understand and manage common colds with its “Common colds need common sense, not antibiotics” campaign, aimed at reducing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Ms Kaye said cold symptoms such as sneezing, a sniffle, headache or sore throat usually began one to two days after contact with a common colds virus. The next set of symptoms may include a thick, snotty nose and a cough.
“A snotty nose – particularly the onset of green and yellow mucus – is actually a sign that your child’s immune system is fighting the infection, but many parents believe it is a sign their child’s cold is getting worse,” she said.
“A cough is often the last symptom to improve and can last up to two weeks longer than the other symptoms.”
Ms Kaye said parents should take their children to the doctor if the symptoms come on suddenly, are severe or last longer than usual.

Stop colds spreading
Despite the frequency of common colds, good hygiene practices parents and carers can undertake to minimise the risk include:
• Ensure children wash their hands with soap, particularly before eating and after blowing their nose
• Encourage children to cover their nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing
• Keep their hands away from their eyes, nose and mouth
• Give them tissues to blow their nose and dispose of them after use
• Avoid sharing cups, glasses and cutlery between children

NPS is a non-profit organisation funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Visit http://www.nps.org.au/commoncolds for more information.
For independent information on prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines, call NPS Medicines Line on 1300 888 763 to talk to a pharmacist between 9am and 6pm (EST) Monday to Friday, for the cost of a local call (mobile calls may cost more).