The hidden reason children struggle to recover from cold
Panado :
The hidden reason children struggle to recover from cold
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Colds and kids go together like crayons and walls. Most children clock up around six to eight colds a year, and if they’re in daycare, that number can climb even higher. While the sniffle phase usually clears within about a week, a few things can drag cold symptoms out.1 Here’s how colds progress, what can slow recovery, plus simple ways to help your child feel more comfortable while they get back on their feet.
What your child’s cold can look like day by day
A sore throat may be the first clue that your child is coming down with a cold. Then, over the next day or two, the sneezing, runny nose and congestion often join the party. A cough, hoarse voice, tiredness and a mild fever can follow.
The first few days are usually the roughest. After that, things should slowly start to improve. By around day five or six, many children are feeling more like themselves, even if the cough or blocked nose is still hanging around.2
The little things that can make a cold feel harder to shake
Sometimes it is not the cold itself making your child feel rough for days on end. Poor sleep can leave your child’s immune system running on empty yet coughing and congestion can make a good night’s rest hard to come by. Let your child slow down and sleep when they need to, rather than expecting them to bounce straight back to their busy selves. Dehydration can also make cold symptoms feel worse, especially when fever, frequent nose blowing or some cold medicines are part of the picture. Ensure they drink fluids regularly, as this helps prevent dehydration and can make thick mucus easier to clear. A cool-mist humidifier may make a stuffy nose more comfortable.
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While there is no medicine that cures the common cold, some over-the-counter medication can help reduce symptoms while your child’s body does the actual virus-fighting.3
The power to fight pain and fever
Panado®’s Paediatric Range deliver the trusted4 pain relief South African families have relied on for generations. The range includes Infant Drops,5 named Product of the Year 2025 in the Child – Health category following a Kantar survey of 2,000 South African consumers,6 as well as Peppermint Syrup7 with improved taste8 and Strawberry Syrup,9 which is also available in handy single-use 5 ml sachets9 for families on the go.
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Panado® products are available from Baby City, Pick n Pay, Checkers including Hypers, Shoprite, Clicks, Dis-Chem and independent pharmacies. For more information, visit: https://panado.co.za/ and join the conversations on Facebook and Instagram. For references and legal disclaimers, visit https://panado.co.za/references.
Approval ticket #11.08.20261000006178. August 2026.
