Therapy – What to do?
Depending on the cause of the sniffles, different treatment approaches can be useful. It is important to note that not all remedies that are used for adults are also suitable for small children. The classic cold can not be specifically combated by medication, but can at best be treated symptomatically.
It can usually be cured at home without further complications. General measures such as physical protection, sufficient sleep and appropriate room temperatures are always helpful. The use of various home remedies, such as drinking chamomile or elderflower tea or inhaling chamomile tea, among other things, can be supportive.
However, essential oils should not be inhaled by small children as this can cause breathing difficulties. Certain homeopathics or natural remedies can also alleviate symptoms and possibly have a positive effect on the course of the disease. In more persistent cases or more serious accompanying symptoms (e.g. fever), other medications may also prove useful.
Since small children can suffer particularly from symptoms such as a blocked nose, the administration of decongestant nasal sprays can also be helpful to ensure an improved sense of well-being in the short term. However, these should only be used for a few days, as otherwise a habituation effect is created which continues to lead to a blocked nose after the spray is discontinued. More gentle, but nevertheless helpful – and therefore more recommendable when the cold is not too severe – are simple saltwater sprays.
In the case of a sore nose, it is possible to use ointments or sprays containing dexpanthenol, among other things. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria and should therefore only be considered in cases of bacterial infection. Slight allergic or vasomotoric rhinitis can also be treated with general measures, home remedies and homeopathics.
It is particularly important to find the allergen or the trigger and to protect the child from contact with it. In more severe cases, the use of special anti-allergic agents (e.g. cortisone or antihistamines) may be necessary. From the age of five, specific immunotherapy may be possible and useful.
