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With many products labelled 'Suitable for children over 12 years’, parents can be in a quandary when it comes to treating their children's winter ailments, reports Dawn Gay

According to the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University, children suffer from as many as seven to 10 colds per year and fever is far more common in children than in adults. The seasonal surge in germs means that concerned mums are on the lookout for sound advice. Cathy Ranson, editor-in-chief of the online parenting community Netmums says: “At this time of year the Netmums online drop-in clinic is busy with questions about how to get rid of persistent coughs, nasty colds and winter vomiting bugs. Many parents find it especially distressing at night hearing their children’s hacking coughs or noisy breathing through bunged up little noses.”

One of the issues discussed on the Netmums boards is the importance of buying a good quality thermometer to monitor colds and flu. New on the market is Omron Healthcare’s new Gentle Temp 521 ear thermometer. The makers claim that this is a good tool for parents as it is ergonomic and fast with infrared technology taking just one second to generate a reading on a clear LED screen. It also has a backlight for parents to take a sleeping child’s temperature.

Charlie Fox, UK marketing manager at Omron Healthcare, explains: “An essential element of any household medicine cabinet should be a thermometer, as monitoring for fever at an early stage, particularly with babies and children, will allow for a quick and active response. Using a fast, accurate and comfortable thermometer such as the Omron Gentle Temp 521 will give reassuring comfort when it is needed most.”

Patient experience network Monkey Wellbeing is addressing the surge in childhood vaccinations with its new storybook called 'Monkey has an injection’, launched in early July. The new book was trialled at The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton and joins a suite of resources aimed at creating an understanding of medical processes and treatments for kids. A 2014 survey by Monkey Wellbeing claims that over half of healthcare professionals do not provide healthcare information for children.

Flu jabs for juniors

Vaccine research nurse Donna Haskins explains: “In my experience of giving children's vaccinations, the children that have been prepared and have a good understanding of what is going to happen deal with it so much better. This booklet is a wonderful tool to help improve and prepare children and their families for having injections.”

In the 2014/2015 autumn and winter season the new nasal spray flu vaccine will be available for all children aged two, three and four years old as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme. Specially trained pharmacists are also able to administer the spray privately to certain age groups under a patient group direction.

The programme launched in September 2013, when children aged two or three years at that time became entitled to the vaccine, known as Fluenz, from a GP. Some primary school children aged four to 11 years were also offered the vaccine in seven pilot regions in England, including Cumbria, Bury, Gateshead, Leicester City and Rutland, Havering and Newham, and South East Essex. In Cumbria, community pharmacists were able to issue the vaccine as part of this pilot, delivering 11,113 in total.

Not to be sniffed at

Church & Dwight added a new junior product to its Stérimar purified seawater nasal spray range last month for treating colds, congestion, rhinitis, sinusitis, colds and flu in toddlers and children. Stérimar Kids nasal spray, for children between two and five years, keeps the nose clean, allows quick elimination of nasal secretions and restores the moisture of natural mucus.

Having an infant in distress can be very upsetting for parents. They want products that they can rely on and will work effectively first time

Mark Wright, group brand manager for health at Church & Dwight, explains that pharmacies are an important retail outlet for Stérimar and the first port of call for people looking for a remedy or natural treatment for cold symptoms. “Having an infant in distress can be very upsetting for parents. They want products that they can rely on and will work effectively first time.

Stérimar research over the years has shown that parents will always lean towards a natural option over a medicated option, so it is important for pharmacists to know what the effective natural options are,” he says. Stérimar Kids is being launched with a winter campaign, including online, press and in-store materials, explains Mr Wright. “With the cold and flu season coming up there is going to be a significant communications push from Stérimar. This will be supported by social activity, a PR campaign and trade advertising to educate both consumers and healthcare professionals on the benefits of Stérimar Kids nasal spray.”

Hot news

Vapour rubs are a hot topic in the Netmums website drop-in clinic. Another all-natural nasal congestion treatment, Vapour Stick for children, is described on the supplier’s website (www.naturallycoolkids.com) as “a new twist in an old favourite”. The petroleum-free stick, which can be applied to a child's chest or back, can be used on infants aged three months and over to clear blocked noses and airways. The Vapour Stick contains essential oils, including Helianthus annuus seed oil, Olea europaea fruit oil and Melaleuca cajaputi leaf oil, to name a few ingredients, and retails at £7.99.

NasalGuard Cold&FluBLOCK has been available to independent pharmacies since June. The gel can be dabbed around a child's nostrils to prevent germs entering the nasal cavity. Ashok Wahi, inventor of the gel, says: “Parents should be aware that there is now a drug-free topical gel available which is clinically proven and helps stop children from getting ill in the first instance. With over 200 different cold and flu viruses it’s no wonder that children – who are still developing their immune systems – get between seven to 10 colds a year. And for the 8.5 million children under the age of 12 who are restricted from taking many of the remedies on the market, options to treat symptoms are limited.’’ Each tube retails at £11.99 and can be used for up to 150 applications.

Winter skin flare-ups

Children suffering from eczema and dry skin may be more susceptible during winter months. Sufferers are more likely to experience an increase in frequency and severity of flare-ups as a result of the harsher elements, dry centrally heated air and less sunlight. “Cold, dry and windy weather tends to aggravate skin conditions such as eczema,” explains Annelies Smits, international brand manager for Dermalex skincare products.

“Pharmacy staff who are preparing to deal with winter ailments such as cold and flu should also be prepared for customers entering the pharmacy looking for advice on how they can manage symptoms of skin conditions,” she says.

Ms Smits says that pharmacists may want to consider recommending Dermalex Eczema for babies and children as a paraben-, steroid- and fragrance-free eczema treatment. She continues: “Dermalex Eczema for babies and children helps relieve the symptoms of eczema in children and babies as young as eight weeks with clinical trials reporting an 83 per cent average symptom improvement.”