On average, children suffer from six to eight colds every year. Colds are more common in rainy and cold weather when children are indoors and in closer contact with each other.
The ‘common cold’ is caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sinuses. A virus is a germ that makes people sick. It spreads through the air or when germs get on toys or other surfaces from dirty hands, coughs, or sneezes.
However, children are still likely to get sick because their immune systems aren’t as well developed as adults’ systems.
Generally speaking, children should not be using cough and cold medicines. Coughing is the body’s natural way of helping the body to get rid of the cold virus.
Most children get better on their own, and cough or cold medicines won’t change the natural course of a cold or make it go away faster.
Also, some cough and cold medicines can have serious side effects, such as slowed breathing, which can be life-threatening, especially in infants and young children, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned.
Adebola Orimadegun, a professor of paediatrics and child health at the Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, said that many children with colds will recover on their own without being given antiviral agents.
“When it is not necessary, you don’t need to prescribe drugs. It is better to avoid taking drugs when you can get well by mere rest. It is not in all cases of viral infection that you give drugs; the body is usually prepared and has sufficient immunity to tackle it,” he added.
Professor Orimadegun stated that coughing in a child helps to remove mucous, infection, and irritants from the airway and protect the lungs, adding that ingredients of some cold and cough medicines can be toxic to the child’s body system.
The FDA doesn’t recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for cough and cold symptoms in children younger than 2, and the products’ labels advise against giving them to children younger than 4.
These products can harm children if they get more than the recommended dose, take the medicine too often, or take more than one product that contains the same drug.
In Nigeria, studies find parents use cough medicines on under-2s even though it is not recommended nor proven effective for children in this age group.
The Statistics Portal, Statista, indicates that in Nigeria, the revenue generated in the Cold & Cough Remedies market in 2024 amounts to US$224.00m.
Nigeria’s Cold & Cough Remedies market has seen significant growth in recent years, driven by changing customer preferences, emerging trends in the market, and local special circumstances.
Manufacturers have responded to this trend by introducing a wide range of child-friendly products, with flavours and packaging designed to appeal to younger consumers.
With a growing young population, there is a higher incidence of cold and cough among children and young adults. This has led to an increased demand for paediatric cold and cough remedies, including syrups, lozenges, and nasal sprays specifically formulated for children.
Additionally, Nigeria experiences seasonal variations in temperature and humidity, which can exacerbate cold and cough symptoms. This has created a need for effective remedies that can provide relief in these conditions.
Common side effects of cold medicines in babies include hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, and fussiness; dilated pupils; fast heart rate; and drowsiness.
Also, these products can harm children if they get more than the recommended dose, take the medicine too often, or take more than one product that contains the same drug.
Many cough and cold medicines have multiple ingredients, which increases the chance of serious accidental overdose when combined with another product.
Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are intended to treat the symptoms of coughs and colds, not the underlying disease. Research suggests that these medicines haven’t been proven to work any better than inactive medicine (placebo).
Professor Orimadegun says when a child with a cold and cough is running a fever and has symptoms like blue lips, laboured breathing, including nostrils widening with each breath, wheezing, and fast breathing, it should be a major concern and reason for the child to be taken to the hospital.
Other symptoms, including a severe headache, not eating or drinking, excessive crankiness or sleepiness, and persistent ear pain, should be taken to the hospital for treatment.
Moreover, he stated that it is a misconception that antibiotics treat a cold, Vitamin C prevents colds, or that much cannot be done to prevent colds and medications can cure a cold.
The American Academy of Paediatrics has various suggestions for treating children with the cold or flu, including the use of over-the-counter medicines for pain or fever, honey to relieve cough in children over 1-year-old, and plenty of rest and hydration.
Other tips for relieving cough and cold symptoms in infants and children include the use of a cool mist humidifier to make breathing easier by decreasing congestion in nasal passages, and saline nose drops or sprays can keep nasal passages moist and help avoid stuffiness.
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