Below is a compilation of the most popular cold and flu posts from last couple of years. This project has been myth-busting and directing you to resources you can trust for 4 years… This is a compilation of the archived discussions on viral illness.  You can also search this Blog by keyword for other related topics, including RSV and this Winter’s Tripledemic , Asthma Mythbusting , “Creche-itis” , Vomiting Bug: No one wants it  ,  Best home remedy for cough?

“We have had a week of viral upper respiratory infection … My problem is I’m trying to figure out how long it’s contagious…. I have family over and we’ve not been able to see them and I’m devastated we might not get to but can’t risk meeting if we’re still very contagious…My question.. how long are cold or viral coughs contagious?!?! When is it safe-ish to re-enter general public….”

If we are talking about the #commoncold, there are no official rules about excluding children from childcare or school – or general public – if they are well enough to be out and about. There are several common sense reasons for this, including because they were probably most contagious the 4 – 5 days before the symptoms came on.  That said… let’s unpack that a little more.

Here are 7 things you should know about those common cold/winter viral respiratory bugs:

1. It’s not your imagination. Your young child is “always sick.” On average, your baby/child under the age of 6 will have six to eight colds per year – it can be up to 12!!   usually autumn through spring. It is usual for symptoms such as a runny nose or cough to last around 14 days each cold.

2. Which means it’s a balancing act: If you take your child out of circulation everytime they have any symptom, they will miss extraordinary amount of school/life outside the home and put a huge burden on child care. So we have to sensible here. Out of the 180 days from September to April, it is not unusual for a young child to have some sort of mild nose or cough symptom for anywhere from 60 – 120 of those days!

3. But it is NOT, NOT I repeat, an excuse to be irresponsible because “they just get sick anyway”! Your child should still be kept home if they don’t feel well enough to go to childcare/school/activity. You should still keep an unwell child away from vulnerable people. You still have a responsibility to ensure good hygiene practices: Wash hands, teach your child to cover cough/sneezes with their elbow, use and dispose of tissues properly, reduce the hugging/kissing of those not in the immediate family. Be a nice human, please.

4. Avoid circulating silliness peddled in some online/real life mammy groups. There is nothing wrong with your child’s “immune system” nor does it need boosting, from anything to probiotics to essential oils to salt caves to Echinacea to various chopped up veggies in socks to homeopathy to chiropractor/osteopath manipulations for immune boosts. None of it works. None of it (regular followers will have seen each of these #mythbusted before!) . Equally, this goes for pharmaceutical “cures” such as vitamin C supplements, cough syrups (Did you read the ingredients of children’s Bronchostop? It is honey. All of the cough bottles are mostly honey with added syrup.  It’s already in your cupboard.) and antibiotics for the common cold. The best treatments ARE mostly all-natural: Fluids, rest, honey for cough in those over 12 months, Vicks/Calpol inhalant agents, steam/cool mist vaporiser. But mostly just time. Anyone trying to sell you anything else is at best misguided and at worst seriously unethical.

5. What about the asthma? Some children are prone to complications from mild viral bugs, including worsening of asthma or ear infections. It’s okay if it’s “just a virus”. If you are worried about something, pop into your GP. Your GP can’t cure the common cold – but they can help you get control of your child’s asthma and that is MUCH more important! [pro-tip: that constant cough in your asthmatic child, especially at night or early morning, may be uncontrolled asthma. Asthma attacks aren’t always wheeze or short of breath.]

6. The flu is NOT the cold, but it sometimes starts out the same way. The flu is not harmless. Your child who is recovering from flu NEEDS to be kept home from 5 days from start of illness. Get your child over age 2 years the #flushot.  For children, it’s not even a shot – it’s actually a nasal spray, and it’s free from your GP.  It’s #yourbestshot every year. The flu hospitalises many children under age 5 annually. This winter will be a bad flu season, and numbers are already very high!

7. #Vaccinate! There is still, alas!, no vaccine against the common cold BUT many vaccine-preventable diseases (#measles, #mumps, #chickenpox, #rubella, #pertussis) start out with what seems like colds, allowing these diseases to be spread in the community to the vulnerable and immunosuppressed.

8. Covid is still a thing.  And some people are still vulnerable, and continue require healthcare for complications or long covid.   Continue to be responsible to help #protecteachother, including considering masks on public transport and complying with mask requirements in healthcare facilitiles.

Before we begin: people are still putting Vicks on feet (a practice that started out as an urban myth on social  media).  If your child is over 2, it is safe to use on their chest and works best there. If your child is under 2, Vicks should not be anywhere on their body, including feet. Vicks also makes a baby version.

So, based on paediatrician clinical trials, what helps little ones suffering with sniffles and coughs?

1. Using a steam or cool mist vaporizer in fantastic and safe way to ease symptoms of cough, mild croup, cold, and flu. If using steam, just be certain to be creative with the baby gates, barriers, cots, etc. to keep little ones away from the hot steam. Let child’s room fill shortly before bedtime and let it steam/mist away all night. Seriously, mammies, this one is a family investment item.  In a pinch, get bathroom hot and steamy and bring child in. Read or sing to get him/her calmly while s/he breathes in warm, steamy air.

2. Calpol plug-ins: Are safe from 3 months of age for nasal congestion, (smell great!) and can be used at the same time as steam vaporizer. Older Children from 2 years can use Vicks on their chest.  Children from 3 can use Vicks patches.

3. Stuffy, runny nose? Saline nasal sprays and nasal aspiration “snot sucker”. No, your baby/toddler will NOT enjoy the experience, but it is only way to clear their nose. Ask your GP practice nurse or an experienced mammy to show you how if you are uncertain, but there are some great You Tube videos.  Seriously, mammies, you can do this one.. and little one will feel better after. Decongestants are usually not recommended for children under 12. Warm drinks can also help in older children.

4. Sore throat? Children’s paracetamol/ibuprofen. Warm salt water gargle in children over six. Add 1/4 tsp salt to about 1/2 pint warm water. Gargling is tricky, and may require mammy demonstration. More likely to work if you make it a silly game, such as singing. Make sure they spit it out! Lozenges and sprays are not any more effective! (yes, it’s been studied!)

5. Calpol/Children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen may help any associated fever or discomfort. Always stay to the recommended dose.

6. Cough? Steam/cool mist. Honey has been shown in trials to be quite effective, more so than any “cough bottle”, which are not recommended in under 12’s. Give one teaspoon honey, straight or diluted in liquid, to children over age of 1. Any honey will work for this: manuka, local, etc. not necessary to get the benefit which is soothing, not antibacterial. Vicks claims that it can help; it does no harm in any case in children over 2.

7. Cracked and chapped lips: lip balm/vaseline. I’m sharing this one because my 3 y.o. recently had the worst, bleeding cracked lips with his cold and he wouldn’t let me near him with vaseline — or a toothbrush. I realised brute force was not going to win this, and he was miserable. So I convinced him that they could be tasty and took him with me to chemist to pick out flavoured lip balm (cheap own-brand strawberry). He was delighted as if it were his idea, he insisted on putting it on himself …but result. Lip balm on lips.

So, what doesn’t work for cold/flu? Antihistamines.  Do not use these unless directed to by your GP.  Unfortunately, no matter what we were told growing up, clinical trials have actually shown little benefit from any of those cough bottles (no matter which one, no matter what ingredient), use of cut onions, or vitamin C (If you have read Dr. Grimes book The Irrational Ape, he goes into the great story of how this became an urban myth.). Antibiotics have no role in most viral colds, coughs, or croup and are best reserved for treating any potential complications such as bronchitis or ear infection. No treatment has been shown to make the virus pass more quickly; all treatment just eases the symptoms while it runs its natural course.

And prevention? Sorry, mammies, no magic tonics, vitamins, pro/prebiotics, salt therapies, chiropractic….nothing beyond daily recommended doses of Vitamin C and Vitamin D have been clinically shown to make a difference. What did work?  Hand-washing/sanitizer. Start making hand-washing a healthy habit from age of weaning. Teach correct and frequent hand-washing and using their elbow to cover sneezes/coughs. Hard work, but 2 year old can (mostly) get it that will morph into habit by age 4.

And did we mention the flu vaccine?  #vaccineswork