SALT LAKE CITY - With the cooler weather comes coughs and colds for kids, but there are things parents can do to help them feel better as the virus runs its course.
Cold and cough medicines are not recommended for children under two years old, and experts say that even for older children, they don't make the illness go away any faster.
Dr. Dyan Hes, a pediatrician at Gramercy Pediatrics, suggests a cool mist humidifier to keep nasal passages moist, and use saline drops for younger kids or nasal spray for older kids to loosen up mucus. Drinking plenty of liquids like water, juice and broth can also help loosen congestion.
"Because most of the coughs are usually post-nasal drip and that's why you get it worse at night. So when I lay back, post-nasal drip happens," Hes said.
If your child is coughing for several weeks, Dr. Hes says you should definitely see a doctor, because the common cold lasts between seven and 10 days at most. Parents should also call the doctor if they see a fever in an infant under two months old, a fever of 102 degrees or higher in any child, labored breathing or wheezing.
