Children with a cold may have a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, a cough, a sore throat, and a low fever. Colds are caused by viruses (types of germs). They clear up on their own within about 2 weeks. Antibiotics don't work against viruses, so they can't treat colds.

Here's how to help your child feel more comfortable while they get better.

• Give your child plenty of liquids. Warm liquids (such as chicken broth or herbal tea) can be soothing.
• To help with a runny or stuffy nose:
  • Run a cool-mist humidifier. Clean the humidifier every day to prevent mold growth.
  • For babies: Put a few drops of saline (saltwater) into the nose, then gently suction the mucus out with a bulb syringe.
  • For older kids: Give 2 sprays of saline nose spray 3 times a day for 4 days.
• If the skin under your child's nose is sore, put petroleum jelly (Vaseline^® or a store brand) on it.
• For children older than 12 months, you can give 1–2 teaspoons of honey at night to help with coughing. Do not give honey if your child is younger than 12 months.
• For children older than 6 years, try a hard candy or throat lozenge to help ease throat pain and coughing. Do not give to children younger than 6 years since it can cause choking.
• Do not give cough or cold medicines to your child unless the health care provider says it's OK, especially for kids under 6 years old. These medicines don't help kids' cold symptoms and can have serious side effects. Many cough and cold products for children have more than one ingredient, which might increase the chances of accidental overdose if taken with another medicine.
• If your child has a fever or seems uncomfortable and your health care provider says it's OK, you can give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol^® or a store brand) to children older than 3 months OR ibuprofen (such as Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand) to children older than 6 months. Follow the directions on the label exactly.
• Do not give aspirin to your child. It could lead to a rare but serious medical condition called Reye syndrome.
• Talk to your health care provider before giving your child any supplements or vitamins.

Your child:

• has a fever that lasts for more than 3–4 days or is getting higher
• won't drink
• seems dehydrated; signs include a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with few or no tears, or peeing less often (or having fewer wet diapers)
• has ear pain or fluid coming out of the ear
• has red eyes or yellow fluid coming from the eyes
• has a runny or stuffy nose for 2 weeks or longer
• has a bad cough or chest pain
• is getting sicker

• Your child has trouble breathing, is breathing fast, or looks blue around the lips.

How do colds spread to others? Colds can spread when:

• A person with a cold coughs and/or sneezes the virus into the air, and someone else breathes it in.
• A virus gets in the eyes, nose, or mouth. This can happen by touching someone who has a cold, or by touching a hard surface (like a doorknob) that has the virus on it, and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.

How can we prevent getting colds? Colds are contagious, especially during the first few days of symptoms. To protect your family from colds:

• Try to stay away from people who have colds.
• Teach everyone to wash their hands well and often using soap and water. They should wash for at least 20 seconds, then rinse and dry thoroughly. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing, and before and after eating. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Clean tabletops, doorknobs, and other hard surfaces with a cleaner that kills viruses.