It's Cold Season: What Do You Do?
This technically isn't mental health, but the physical and mental are still linked.
We’re a few weeks into the autumn now. Kids are back at school. It’s about that time of year when you spot runny noses, and hear a cough and a sore throat.
Nobody wants their kids to be ill. Knowing what to do can be a little tricky. Your first instinct might be to try and get a GP appointment. Multiply that first instinct by hundreds or thousands and you now know why nobody can be seen!
Here are some things you can try before you go to the GP, or some services you may not be aware of.
They have come to me with a cough or cold
This is maybe the most common one for your sickly little one. Here are some ideas:
Turn to cough and cold remedies: Often you can manage symptoms with medicines and remedies available over the counter. Pharmacies have a wide range of products to provide cough and cold relief, from tablets for grown-ups to syrups for little ones and vapour plug-ins to aid easy breathing for a restful night’s sleep.
Keep them hydrated: Staying hydrated helps maintain general wellness levels. Drinking plenty of water is particularly important when feeling unwell, because it tops up fluid levels.
Sanitise those hands: In a busy household, it’s important to do what you can to stop the spread. Applying hand sanitiser regularly—and especially after coughing or sneezing—can help reduce the risk of passing germs.
What about a sore throat?
When your child has a sore throat, it can make everyday life a bit worse. The most common symptoms include:
A dry, painful, scratchy sensation
Redness at the back of the throat
Mild cough
Swollen and red tonsils
Swollen glands in the neck
When they come to you with one or more of these symptoms, it could be a sign of an illness, such as cold, flu, tonsilitis or glandular fever. So, what should you do?
It could be something that needs a prescribed treatment. I see you reaching for your phone to call the GP surgery—stop! There’s a fairly new service you may be unaware of that is called Pharmacy First. For the first time on the NHS, many pharmacists are now able to prescribe a number of treatments that used to only be available from a doctor. They can prescribe for seven common conditions, including sore throats, sinusitis (in children), insect bites and stings, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (in women).
If they feel run-down?
This is always a tricky one. The causes of feeling run-down are always so complex. One important way of managing this is supporting your immune system. It’s possible to get all the nutrients you need from a healthy balanced diet, but for whatever reason that doesn’t always happen. Maybe your little one is a fussy eater or has a diet that is restrictive. Daily vitamins and supplements in their diet might be an idea to help with this. Alongside this, it’s important to always ensure that they are getting enough sleep. There’s some tips on my website for that.
There you go! A helpful guide to dealing with the most common health issues that might arise in your family.
And in summary?
Remember, even if they come to you with a problem not covered here, you can still go to a pharmacy, or call NHS 111. They will give you advice and signpost you as appropriate.
Can you help me?
With coughs and colds? Afraid not! For wider advice and support on lifestyle changes, such as sleep, then absolutely. Contact me to arrange a chemistry/discovery call with me—with no charge, and free from obligation.
As a qualified coach, a Trauma Informed Schools Practitioner-in-training and a trainee counsellor, I can help you think about strategies to manage.
Please get in touch:
Final thoughts
Staying well is important, but it’s even more important during cold season. As the weather cools, it’s easier to get sick compared to the rest of the year. With pressure on the NHS always increasing as the weather cools—and we know there’s too much pressure as there is—it’s important to be creative about where we seek help to get it fast and ensure that GPs don’t take the brunt.
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