In shortSix to ten colds a year is normal for young children. See a doctor for a cough lasting over 3 to 4 weeks, wheeze, fever beyond 3 days or breathing trouble.
"He just got better and now he is coughing again!" If you have a child who goes to school or play school, you may feel like the cold season never ends. Here is a reassuring fact from my clinic in HSR Layout: frequent colds are a normal part of growing up. Let me explain what is normal, and what is worth a closer look.
How many colds are normal?
Young children, especially those in daycare or with older siblings, can easily have six to ten colds a year, sometimes more. Each one can last up to 10 days, and the cough can linger for a couple of weeks. Added up, that can feel like a child who is sick all winter. Their immune system is simply meeting hundreds of new viruses for the first time.
What helps at home
- Fluids, rest and plenty of loving attention
- Saline nose drops or spray, with gentle suction for babies who cannot blow their nose
- Honey in warm water for a night cough in children over one year
- Raising the head end of the bed slightly for older children
Cough and cold syrups are generally not recommended for young children, as they can have side effects and do not shorten the illness. Please check with your doctor before giving any medicine.
Cut the chain: handwashing
When is it more than a cold?
Probably a cold
- Runny nose, mild cough
- Playing and eating reasonably
- Improves over a week
Come and see us
- Cough lasting more than 3 to 4 weeks
- Wheeze, or a cough with every cold
- Fever beyond 3 days
- Ear pain or a very sore throat
- Poor weight gain
Go to emergency
- Fast or difficult breathing
- Ribs pulling in with each breath
- Blue lips
- Very sleepy or hard to wake
If every cold becomes a wheeze, or the nose is blocked all year round, think allergy or asthma. Read our guide on telling a cold from an allergy.
See a doctor in HSR Layout, Bangalore
CARE Speciality Clinic offers pediatrician in HSR Layout, Bengaluru with Dr. Mahima Shetty KR, open Monday to Saturday. Patients come from Agara, Koramangala, BTM Layout, Sarjapur Road, Bellandur and Haralur. Book online or call 96320 71178.
Book appointment Learn more about our care
Consultant Pediatrician, MBBS, MD (Pediatrics). Sees patients Mon–Sat at CARE Speciality Clinic, HSR Layout.
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This article is for general information and does not replace a medical consultation.