It may be ‘just a cold’, but it’s nothing to sneeze at. And flu makes you feel really ill. And heaven forbid if one day your child should wake up with man-flu :-). OK so maybe we’re just joking with that last one.

What’s not a joke is that the average child catches between 6 and 10 colds a year! Are you ready for them?

The fact is too many people leave themselves and their children unnecessarily exposed to prolonged suffering. Fortunately, fast action on your part can mitigate some of the misery. We’re going to show you the best cough, cold and flu remedies to turn to at the first sign of a sniffle to help keep your child in good health.

So how do you know if your child has cold or flu?

If the symptoms are above the neck – congestion, sore throat, sneezing, coughing etc – then they probably have a cold. Package all of those symptoms together and throw in a fever of 38.5C (102F) or more, a headache, muscle aches, extreme fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting – then you’re more likely looking at the flu.

Whatever the ailment the likelihood is that it is unpleasant – so why not try and prevent infection first and foremost by boosting your child’s immune system with KiddieBoost. KiddieBoost is a safe and effective herbal remedy that has been specifically formulated to optimize the functioning of the immune system in children from the age of 12 months.

Further cold and flu prevention actions include:

• Ensuring your child has sufficient vitamin c in their diet.
• Washing hands often – especially after use of any public facilities.
• In winter use a cool-mist humidifier to counteract the drying effect of central heating and keeping indoor air moist.
• Ensure plenty of rest. Research shows that even if marginal sleep deprivation means your resistance to viruses declines dramatically. If your child is having trouble sleeping then take a look at one of our child sleep remedies such as Serenite Jr. or Triple Complex Sleep Tonic.

OK so what if prevention doesn’t work?

Well then it’s important to act early if you want to reduce symptoms and have your child regain health quickly. At the first sign of a sniffle take action.

There is no cure for the common cold but you can go to work early on the symptoms.

Sniffly Sprinkles is a 100% natural, safe and effective herbal and homeopathic remedy that keeps noses clear, maintains easy breathing and maintains healthy, open chests in children. It’ll help to clear a runny nose and keep your children from getting restless and irritable.

Congestion in children is sure to make them miserable so try Congesto-K KiddieRub, a child chest massage oil. The oil can be rubbed into the chest to help keep the chest and nose clear, maintaining relaxed, easy breathing.

On a night or while they are sleeping use Congesto-K Pillow Spritzer, an aromatherapy pillow and space spray with wonderful properties for chest and respiratory tract health for both adults and children. It’ll ensure your child can breath freely and easily for a good nights sleep.

For child coughs try ComfiCoff to provide rapid and effective relief of congestion and phlegm. This tasty syrup is suitable for both children and adults, and contains no harmful ingredients such as stimulants or codeine found in many over the counter cough syrups.

If a fever develops then try and keep your child cool with the help of KiddieCool, an effective herbal remedy to cool your child and calm irritability. The herbal ingredients in KiddieCool assist the body’s natural cooling mechanisms, while soothing irritability and restlessness. This product is perfect for combating a fever and ensuring your child gets the rest they need.

Hopefully you’ve got the symptoms under wraps by this stage but if things get severe then your child might become nauseous. KiddieVom Sprinkles will help to settle small stomachs and relieve nausea and vomiting.

With all of this in your locker your child should be in good hands. Colds are miserable but generally will go away on their own so keeping your child comfortable is all you can really do. The same goes for less severe cases of flu.

In children always remember that a fever can quickly lead to dehydration so keep pushing fluids and don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor if you’re worried.