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The common cold is a mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Most children average 4 – 8 cold per year. There are over 200 viruses that are capable of causing the common cold. A cold is a disease that can be seen as priming the young and immature immune system and many children suffer colds in the first few month after starting kindergarten and confronting viruses that are new for their system. Colds can be a reflection of a temporary dip in immunity that is most often caused by insufficient rest. Too many rich foods, stress or exposure to cold and damp conditions can also precipitate a cold by lowering resistance.

The so-called “old wives’ tale” that people can catch a cold by getting cold and wet in the rain is interesting. Scientific medicine ridiculed this suggestion when the responsible viruses that cause colds were identified. That really reflected the great arrogance of medicine in its belief that science in the hands of doctors would eradicate disease. We’re still waiting! I still regularly hear people ridicule the notion of a link between getting cold and catching colds. The truth is that both are correct.

Medical scientists would have us believe that viruses are well known and understood. That isn’t so. Although what has been learned amounts to a substantial body of knowledge, we really still know very little about viruses. We do know that some of them cause the common colds we all have experienced and it is assumed that no other causes exist. Even if that assumption is valid, we know that the causative viruses don’t always cause a cold in all people exposed to them. So why do some get sick, while others do not?

The answer comes from epidemiology, the science that studies the patterns of health and disease in whole populations, rather than just in individuals. We discover that any and all illness occurs with particular sets of conditions that can be described as part of the host, agent and environment. So before anyone catches, or more correctly comes down with, a cold, there has to be a suitable alignment of factors. The host is the person, the agent is the virus and the environment is where and how they meet.

So lets look at a child and the common cold. If the child (host) has strong resistance with a good immune system and the agent (virus) is weak and the environment doesn’t undermine the host or add power to the agent, then chances are good that the child will remain well, or perhaps have only a very brief and mild cold. How could the environment possibly change this? Well, let’s say the physical environment is harsh (perhaps cold and damp), this can lower resistance, rendering a weakened host who is much more likely to catch the cold or to have a worse cold. How could it change the agent? Possibly by providing a social environment of overcrowding, which would be a better living incubator, allowing the virus to rapidly become more virulent (stronger).

It turns out that neither the old wives nor the young doctors were onto the full story. So should you have listened to your mother when she said don’t go out and get cold and damp or you’d catch a cold? Yes indeed, for although there was never any guarantee that it would result in a cold, it could reduce resistance and if suitable viruses were around, could greatly increase the risk of becoming sick. The moral of this story is, listen to your mother!

The symptoms associated with colds are, of course, well known. They include:

• sore throat,
• sneezing,
• watery eyes,
• runny nose (clear, watery and copious at first and then becoming thick and white as the infection begins to resolve),
• irritating cough,
• slight temperature,
• loss of appetite and
• tiredness.

The child is most contagious when the nasal discharge is clear and watery. The complications that can occur following a viral cold include the development of a bacterial infection, pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis and ear infections. These complications will need more treatment than is covered in this article. You should seek professional attention if your child has a persistent or severe cough, especially if this is accompanied by breathing difficulty, increased breathing rate, blueness of the skin, blood in the mucus or loss of weight. Coughs and colds that last longer than two weeks also require professional attention.

What can you do about colds?

There are a number of things that you can do to prevent the development of colds, ease the discomfort of colds, assist the child’s body to cope with the infection and to strengthen the child’s immune system so that fighting other infections is enhanced. These include:

• Rest and relaxation for the child so that their energy is used for fighting the infection.
• Plenty of fresh air. Breathing fresh air is important for the health of the respiratory system. The air shouldn’t be cold but is important to avoid overheated and stuffy rooms.
• Avoid medications that dry the mucus or suppress the cough. It is much better for the body to be able to release the mucus.
• Restrict foods that do not support the immune system and are congesting. These foods include:
  • dairy products including goats milk and yoghurt,
  • eggs,
  • grains, (especially gluten rich grains such as wheat, rye, oats and barley)
  • sugar,
  • salt,
  • excessive animal fats, and
  • artificially coloured and preserved foods.
• The diet should be light and liquid foods are the most gentle. These can include, soups, casseroles and fresh juices that have been diluted. The juices can include, lemon, black currant, pineapple, elderberries (this is particularly good if there is bronchial congestion), carrot, beetroot and watercress. Garlic and onion can be added to the vegetable juices.
• Include garlic, onions, ginger, leeks and horseradish in the foods. These will all assist the immune and respiratory systems.
• Encourage drinking of a lot of water, especially if the child has a temperature. This moistening will help to keep the mucus thin and easily removed.
• Vitamin and mineral supplements A, C and zinc are important. Vitamin A is needed for the health of the mucus membranes that line the respiratory system as well as to strengthen the immune system. Vitamin C reduces the severity of the symptoms and removes toxins from the system. The zinc promotes healing and boosts the immune system.
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoid – choose a low acid, sugar free form and give small doses repeated throughout the day. The dosage:
  • 1-3 years, 50 mg 4 times per day
  • 4-6 years, 100 mg 4 times per day
  • 7-12 years, 100 mg 6 times per day
• Vitamin A 1000iu times the age of the child up to a maximum of 5000iu for a month.
• Zinc can be taken as a lozenge, chewable tablet or crushed tablet. The dosage:
  • 1-5 years, 10 mg daily
  • 5-12 years15 mg daily

  should be given for a month. Add plenty of zinc rich foods to the diet.

• Herbal remedies include: rosehip, golden seal, camomile, peppermint, lemon grass, catnip, slippery elm, ginger and sage. These can be made into a mild tea.
• Chamomile, lemon balm and catnip are most commonly used with children as they are the gentlest remedies and they reduce tension in the body, relieve headaches, stomach upsets and restlessness. In addition they are pleasant tasting and can be drunk freely. They can be drunk alone or in combination.
• Echinacea tincture given every 2 hours will help to bolster immunity and eliminate the infection. The dosage is 1 drop per 2 pounds (1 kg) of body weight for severe colds and 1 drop per 5 ponds (1 1/4 kg) of body weight for milder colds.
• Thyme tea is excellent for its antimicrobial activity. It can be used during the illness and for several days afterwards to prevent a recurrent or other infections. Prepare it placing 1 teaspoon of dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons if fresh thyme is used) in a cup of boiling water and allow it to stand for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten it slightly with honey. This should be drunk 2 to 3 times per day.
• For older children with sore and inflamed throats a gargle of sage and thyme can assist. Place 1 teaspoon of chopped sage and 1 teaspoon of dried or fresh thyme leaves into 150 ml of boiling water. Allow this to infuse for 10 minutes and then strain. The warm liquid can be used as a gargle. Gargle 2 to 3 times per day.

Conclusion

Coughs and colds are a common feature of growing up and very few children ever fully escape them. A mild cold should be observed and managed carefully to ensure any complications are avoided or promptly dealt with. However, mild coughs and colds that do not persist more than a couple of weeks may well do more good than harm. They facilitate some elimination and serve to condition the immune system.

There is no need to become unduly concerned by an occasional mild cold. However, it is good to know that there are plenty of health building remedies available, such as those above, to minimize discomfort and speed recovery.

References

Brewin, L. 2002, Natural Health for Children. ABC Books.

Hoffmann, D. 2000, The New Holistic Herbal. Element Pub.

Romm, A. 2000, Naturally Healthy Babies and Children. Storey Books. Smith, L., Walker, L. and Brown, E. 2002, Nature’s Pharmacy for Children. Three Rivers Press.