Colds are a fact of like and there's not much that you can do about them once that your child comes down with one, except to wait it out. Thankfully, there are some things that you can do to help prevent the common cold and there are also some natural cold remedy ideas that will make your child more comfortable when he does come down with the cold.  You may even be able to shorten the cold or reduce the severity of the symptoms.

Prevention is Best

~ Teach your kids about the importance of washing their hands. Use anti-bacterial soap.  If you have school-aged children, send them to school with a small bottle of anti-bacterial hand cleanser so they can keep their hands clean when they aren't near water. 

~ The common cold is caused by a virus, so it's important that you keep your home clean, especially when a cold is going around.  You can easily disinfect with a bleach/water solution, Lysol, or dininfectant wipes.  Keep them handy so you can use them often throughout the day. Pay special attention to things that are used often, such as remote controls, toilets, counter tops, sinks, etc. 

~ Help your kids to stay healthy by making sure that they get enough sleep.  School-aged kids need between 10 and 11 hours of sleep a night, so make sure that they are getting to bed on time. 

~ If one of your children has a cold, make sure that you take the time to wash all of their toys, especially if you have other children in the house. Again, a bleach/water solution will work and is economical.  

~ If someone in your home has a cold, make sure that all tissues are thrown away immediately after use. 

Dealing with a Cold when it Strikes

Sometimes, no matter what you do, your child will come down with a cold.  It's your job to make them as comfortable as possible during the cold.  Try some of these natural cold remedies to make your child feel better during the cold.

~ If your child is over one, honey can really help to relieve the misery that comes with the common cold. Give your child 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of honey. For the best results, use dark honey as it's higher in anti-oxidants. 

~ Hot Tea and Hot Soup - they really work! Go back to the things that worked for our mothers and grandmothers.  Studies actually show that chicken noodle soup acts as an anit-inflammatory.  Hot drinks help to clear the system and can also help to soothe a sore throat. 

~  Use a cool mist humidifier to help your child deal with a stuffed up or runny nose.  

~ Hot baths can make your child feel much better.  When my daughter isn't feeling well, I have her sit in the bathroom while I take a long, hot shower. The steam helps to clear her sinuses and makes her feel much better - at least for a little while. 

~ For a child who has a fever or is really miserable, use medications carefully, Make sure that you follow the dosage instructions exactly and wait the required amount of time in between giving them medication.  

~ Baby your babies when they don't feel good.  There's nothing that can make a child feel better faster than lots of TLC from mom! 

**Be careful when using Zicam. Recent studies show that Zinc doesn't necesarily shorten a cold or even stop you from getting one in the first place. They also recently settled a lawsuit with some people that claimed they lost their scent of taste and smell after using the product.