Best OTC Medicines for Kids to Treat Common Colds Instantly and Effectively

A child-safe cold medicine is an act of defence when battling common colds. Want instant relief? Check out our top 5 product recos.

Cold medicine for kids is a common practice that parents usually do to keep their kids healthy. A cold sore medicine is not just limited to adults but also used by children. Cold medicine for kids is necessary in case of an infection or illness.

It is a known fact that cold medicines can be very helpful in treating kids who have a common cold and cough. Cold sore medicine is available in many different forms, such as cough drops, lozenges, and gels.

However, it is important to know that these medicines might not be the best option if your child has a serious condition like asthma or allergies.

 

Day one for treating colds

The first step in treating a cold is to determine whether it’s viral or bacterial. A viral cold will usually be treated with over-the-counter cold medicine, and a bacterial one requires prescriptions from your paediatrician.

 

Decongestants vs cough suppressants as cold medicine

If you’re looking for an over-the-counter treatment for kids, the most common cold medicines are decongestants and cough suppressants.

These medications help relieve symptoms by narrowing blood vessels in nasal passages and reducing mucus production.

Decongestants work by constricting blood vessels in nasal passages and temporarily narrowing them, so they can’t expand as much during a sneeze.

Cough suppressants work similarly to decongestants but also reduce inflammation in the lungs that cause coughing.

They may also decrease airway resistance and make breathing easier, making it easier to get rid of excess mucus and other fluids in the lungs.

The importance of cold medicine for kids

Cold medicines are fast-acting and provide relief from symptoms within a few hours. They are also effective in reducing fever and inflammation which can cause further complications.

Cold medicines help in treating sore throat, runny nose, and coughs by reducing inflammation and irritation caused by these conditions.

These medicines help in reducing the symptoms of the common cold like sneezing, coughing etc., which helps in improving your child’s overall health status.

 

Benefits of cold medicine for kids

Cold medicine for kids has many benefits that include:

  • Reduces the symptoms of the illness and helps heal faster.
  • Helps reduce coughing and sneezing.
  • Reduces fever and inflammation
  • Helps prevent the further spread of germs.

 

Best cold medicine for kids in Singapore

Product

Category

ZYRTEC Oral Solution Banana Flavour

Best 24-Hour Relief Cold Medicine

Hyland’s 4 Kids Cold ‘n Cough

Best for Daytime Cold Medicine

Squiggles Elderberry Gummies

Best Gummy Cold Medicine

Colief Breathe Easy Patch

Best Patch Cold Medicine

Vicks First Defence

Best Cold Medicine Nasal Spray

Best Cold Medicines for Kids in Singapore
ZYRTEC Oral Solution Banana Flavour
Best 24-Hour Relief Cold Medicine
Buy Now
Hyland's 4 Kids Cold 'n Cough
Best for Daytime Cold Medicine
Buy Now
Squiggles Elderberry Gummies
Best Gummy Cold Medicine
Buy Now
Colief Breathe Easy Patch
Best Patch Cold Medicine
Buy Now
Vicks First Defence
Best Cold Medicine Nasal Spray
Buy Now

 

ZYRTEC Oral Solution Banana Flavour

Best 24-Hour Relief Cold Medicine

With more than 100 outlets spread out across the island, Watsons is the top beauty and health retailer in Singapore.

Watsons encourages and gives every one of its customers the tools they need to look beautiful and feel wonderful so they may live life to the fullest, in keeping with its philosophy of adding “more" to customers’ lives.

Children who have a cold and desire relief in a single day, fortunately, have a solution!

An antihistamine, Zyrtec-R oral solution relieves the symptoms of allergies and colds, including runny, itchy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and itchy skin rash.

Children 2 years of age and older can take Zyrtec-R oral solution, which doesn’t make them drowsy. The oral solution of Zyrtec-R starts working after 60 minutes and lasts for 24 hours.

Features we love:

  • 24-hour relief of runny, itchy nose, sneezing, watery, itchy eyes, and itchy skin rash.
  • Banana flavour.
  • Works in 60 minutes.

 

Hyland’s 4 Kids Cold ‘n Cough

Best for Daytime Cold Medicine

Children can get off-balance due to annoying cold symptoms. Use this simple and efficient remedy to ease their suffering so that your child can resume being a joyful child.

With their solution, which so many parents have grown to rely on, you may relieve sneezing, sore throat, and congestion. Hyland’s 4 Kids Cold ‘n Cough relieves the signs of nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, and cough.

Features we love:

  • Made in the USA.
  • Vegetarian.
  • Cruelty and allergen-free.

 

Squiggles Elderberry Gummies

Best Gummy Cold Medicine

Let’s face it, getting youngsters to like sugar-free candy is difficult. Kids anticipate gummy vitamins to taste like sweets even though they aren’t actually candies.

In order to combat colds, Squiggles concentrated on superb flavour and low natural sugar.

Even picky children will adore this all-natural, cold-fighting, immune-boosting trio because of how delicious it tastes.

When parents are ill, they should take their medication and stay away from the kids, as directed on the bottle!

You can’t beat Elderberry, Bee Propolis, Echinacea, and good ‘ole Vitamin C, though, for rounding up immune defences and cold and flu battling for our little ones. Double the amount while actively treating a cold, or take a regular daily dose when attempting to prevent a cold.

Features we love:

  • Full doses in sambucus elderberry, bee propolis, echinacea, and added boost of vitamin C for a powerful cold-fighting antioxidant.
  • Binds with the bad germs and boosts immunity to fight off children’s colds.
  • Good for 50 or 100 days supply.

 

Colief Breathe Easy Patch

Best Patch Cold Medicine

Because of the immature state of their immune systems, children frequently catch colds. A special combination of all-natural substances found in the Colief Breathe Easy Patch provides a calming solution for simple breathing.

Body heat causes the patch to emit vital vapours, which has positive effects that persist for up to eight hours when it is fastened to sleepwear, particularly near the chest.

Each carton of Colief Breathe Easy Patch contains six individually packaged self-adhesive patches.

One of the greatest natural treatments for congestion is eucalyptus oil, which has an anti-inflammatory effect on the airways and relieves the blocked or runny noses that many kids encounter.

With peppermint, rosemary, and lemon oils, which also help to ease discomfort and give the product naturally antibacterial and antiseptic characteristics, the use of eucalyptus as an ingredient has been balanced.

Features we love:

  • Anti-inflammatory.
  • Contains natural ingredients.
  • Easily worn on clothing or bedding.

 

Vicks First Defence

Best Cold Medicine Nasal Spray

When taken at the early signs of a cold and to prevent it from becoming a full-blown cold, Vicks First Defence Nasal Spray is a medical device that has been clinically shown to help.

The cold virus is physically encapsulated (trapped) in the nose by the micro-gel formulation, which aids in halting its growth and dissemination.

The micro-gel traps and inactivates the cold viruses, which hinders their capacity to spread and grow. The virus is then naturally removed by blowing one’s nose or flushing one’s nose to help the stomach.

Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Features we love:

  • Clinically proven.
  • Helps to stop a cold.
  • Can be used within 36 hours of experiencing the first symptoms.

 

Price Comparison Table

Product

Price

ZYRTEC Oral Solution Banana Flavour

$16.65

Hyland’s 4 Kids Cold ‘n Cough

$15.92

Squiggles Elderberry Gummies

$49.81

Colief Breathe Easy Patch

$7.12

Vicks First Defence

$15.12

Note: Each item and price is up to date as of publication. However, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.

 

Side effects of cold medicine

The most common side effects of these cold sore medicine are headache, drowsiness and dry mouth (the result of not being able to produce enough saliva).

In addition, side effects may include an increased or uneven heart rate, sleeplessness, drowsiness, nausea, constipation and slow or shallow breathing.

Some children find these side effects intolerable; however, if your child seems to tolerate them well then you should continue using them unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

 

Home remedies for colds aside from cold medicine

There are numerous safe home cold remedies that are well considered instead of using every cough and cold medication from the drugstore.

Drugstore cough and cold medications aren’t always advised for children, but there are a lot of safe home treatments that are worthwhile considering in addition to medications:

  • A small amount of honey
  • Drink lots of water
  • Saline solution
  • Humidifier
  • Spa bath
  • Added pillows
  • VapoRub by Vicks

 

On kids with allergies and asthma

Cold medications are safe to use even if you have allergies or asthma. But generally, you should never give urgent medications to children who have an underlying medical condition like asthma or allergies. They may worsen their symptoms without any warning signs!

Basically, always consult your paediatrician before giving any medication to your child especially if he suffers from a chronic illness such as asthma.

 

When symptoms are worse

If your child has a fever or any other symptoms of a cold or flu, you should contact your paediatrician or local health department immediately.

If you feel your child is having difficulty breathing or has trouble swallowing, call 911 immediately.

In addition to these symptoms, there are also some warning signs that could indicate something more serious than just a cold or flu. These include:

  • Sneezing that does not stop when you blow your nose
  • Coughing without producing sputum (phlegm)
  • Discharge from the nose or throat that looks like mucus
  • Tiredness, exhaustion or irritability despite increased activity
  • Wheezing
  • Rapid or laboured breathing
  • Flaring nostrils
  • Skin around the ribs is tightly stretched
  • Inhaler prescribed by the doctor not working
  • Cough that causes choking, vomiting, or breathing difficulties
  • Having trouble waking up
  • Dehydration causing irregular urination

These symptoms may be warning signs that you have the flu or another severe infection. If your child’s fever persists for more than 72 hours, you should take them to the doctor.

 

If your child has a fever, check out this: OTC Fever Medicines for Kids that are Best For Treating Fever and Flu

Written by

Patricia Wang