Posted by Blooms The Chemist on 6 Jun 2025

Spotting the signs of cold and flu in your child

When your little one is sick, it can be hard to know what’s going on, especially during cold and flu season.

Here are some signs to keep an eye on if you’re worried your child has the cold or flu this Winter.

The cold is very common as healthy preschool children can catch at least six colds a year¹.

Children are also more likely to catch a cold as their immune systems are still developing, but most children catch fewer colds as they get older.

Some symptoms of the cold include a blocked or runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat.

The symptoms of the cold and flu can crossover, but tiredness, low energy and high fevers are more common in cases of the flu in children.

The flu also tends to last longer than the cold, especially in children who may not have full immunity from the virus.

Some common cold symptoms are¹:

Some common flu symptoms in children are²:

If you’re not sure whether it’s a cold or the flu in your child, please check HealthDirect’s Cold or Flu inforgraphic.

Most children can safely recover from the flu at home within a week.

You can help your child recover by making sure they’re well-rested and drinking lots of fluids.

There are also some at home remedies that can help with the symptoms of the cold and flu, but they depend on the age of your child.

If your child is under 12 months old, you can use a saline nose spray to loosen up the dried mucus in their nose⁴

If your child is over 12 months old, you can use honey as a short-term solution as it may reduce the severity and duration of a cough³

If your child is over the age of six, you can take cough medicine or syrup on the advice of your healthcare professional¹

Demazin Kids 6+ Cough & Cold Relief Syrup can relieve the symptoms of a cold, such as coughs, blocked nose, runny nose, sneezing and watery itchy eyes.

The triple action formula combines a cough suppressant, a decongestant and an antihistamine to tackle of your child’s cough and cold symptoms.

It’s free of sugar, gluten and lactose and includes no artificial colours.

If you’re looking for cold and flu relief for your child this Winter, visit your local Blooms The Chemist pharmacy today. Our expert team are here to help.

This article was written in partnership with Demazin. Explore their full product range here.

Always read the label and follow all manufacturers instructions and directions.

References:

¹Healthdirect, Coughs and colds in children, accessed 24 April 2025

²Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Flu (influenza), accessed 24 April 2025

³Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Cough, accessed 24 April 2025

⁴Mayo Clinic, Common cold in babies, accessed 24 April 2025