A cold is a viral infection of the nose and throat. It usually brings a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, sore throat and cough, and gets better on its own in 7 to 10 days. Children may get six or more colds a year, especially in their first years at school.

Home care that helps

  • Plenty of warm fluids and rest
  • Saline nose drops for a blocked nose, especially in babies
  • Half to one teaspoon of honey for cough in children over 1 year and adults
  • Steam inhalation for adults; keep hot water away from children

Medicines to be careful with

Antibiotics don't work against colds, which are caused by viruses. Don't give over-the-counter cough and cold syrups to children under 4 unless a doctor prescribes them.

See a doctor if

  • breathing is fast or noisy, or the ribs pull in with each breath
  • fever lasts more than 3 days, or a baby under 3 months has any fever
  • there is ear pain or discharge
  • a child stops drinking or is unusually drowsy
  • the cough lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks

When colds keep coming back

Children who catch one cold after another, snore, breathe through the mouth or get frequent chest colds may have allergies, enlarged adenoids or early asthma. Dr Amit Kumar sees many such children. He looks at how often the colds come, what triggers them and the family history before prescribing homeopathic medicine. Read more about childhood asthma.

Dr Amit Kumar (BHMS, Delhi Homoeopathic Board Reg. No. 2350) has practised in Sector 4, Vaishali, Ghaziabad since 1994. The clinic is at B-3, Basement, Mini Reliance Plaza, near Sarvodaya Hospital, open Monday to Saturday, 11 AM to 1 PM and 6 PM to 8 PM. A consultation costs ₹500.

See clinic timings and book a consultation