For about two months now, my three year old son has been suffering from a cold. I have tried all sorts of medication, recommended by doctors at a clinic near my home but nothing worked. I even resorted to homemade remedies like honey and lemon but the cold won’t go away. He sneezes all the time and coughs endlessly in the night. I took him to another clinic and he was tested for various things and it turns out it is just a cold! Why won’t it go away? Is there anything I haven’t tried that you recommend?

Alice 

Dear Alice

I understand your concern but there is no need to worry. The majority of the cold cases in children occur due to viral infections. There are about 200 viruses causing cold, most common being rhino virus, respiratory syncytial virus and others.   Thus, a child can get infected easily by a different strain each time. No real immunity builds up for these viruses in a child.

Cross infection in nursery classes or crèches is a fairly common cause for recurrent cold in such small children. Children of nursery classes are too young to maintain good hygiene by themselves.  Cleaning or wiping the nose with a hand and touching another child with the same hand, helps in transmitting the virus. 

Contaminated objects (which one touches with a hand contaminated by nasal secretions) are also instrumental in spreading infection, because the virus is capable of staying alive up to few hours outside the body. Such objects are mobile phones, pens, notebooks or anything of personal use. A child with a cold can wipe his nose; hold this object with same hand and then another child can hold it, thus spreading the virus.

Second hand exposure to smoke also causes recurrent cold.

One usually has a running or blocked nose, feels dull, or has a headache e.t.c., perhaps one or more of these symptoms, but if secondary bacterial infection occurs there can be cough and fever.

Usually cold subsides without treatment in a week or 10 days. But at times there may be congestion of air sinuses in the skull, which may get infected causing chronic sinusitis. Infection of ears is yet another possible complication.

Allergy is yet another cause due to which a child can have a recurrent cold. There can be an allergy to substances present in the environment, substances eaten or used over the body. Such allergy usually runs in the family. If a blood relative has asthma, allergic rhinitis or eczema, there are higher chances of the child having a recurrent cold due to allergy.

The best way to prevent colds is to maintain good hand hygiene in a child. Teach him to keep his hands very clean. Try to keep the house and all surfaces clean. Use disposable tissues for cleaning the nose and hands which should be thrown or burnt and never reused. Nobody should be allowed to smoke in the presence of a child because his exposure to cigarette smoke has multiple hazards including a recurrent cold

Inhalation of steam is useful in reducing the distressing symptoms of cold. Nasal sprays of anti allergy medications are also beneficial.

If symptoms are severe, over the counter anti allergy medications can be used for a short duration.  In case of associated fever, ear pain/discharge, or severe headache, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

Dr. Rachna is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hopsital