Accurate, balanced evidence-based information about medicines
Common colds: Information for children's services Common colds: Information for children's services
Antibiotics are completely ineffective against common colds, which are caused by viruses not bacteria.
Common colds usually get better on their own in 7–10 days.
Help children with colds take it easy, relieve their symptoms and refer parents to take their children to their doctor if symptoms get worse.
Free resources
Here are some ways you can help support parents manage their children's colds:
Staff update 2008
Staff update presenter's guide
This update is to help staff:
- refresh their knowledge about common colds and infection control
- review the service's infection control and exclusion policies
- become familiar with our resources so that you can support parents through the common colds season.
Please note: PDF is 63 pages long and may take time to download.
For those who have registered and confirmed staff updates with the NPS, a hardcopy of the kit will arrive in the mail. Registrations were in February and confirmed in April. If you missed registering or confirming your staff update you can still download and use this guide. This includes an activity sheet, timeline, staff attendance list and evaluation form. You can download newsletter articles below.
Staff update presentation
Download this presentation for use in staff updates in conjunction with the Staff update presenter's guide.
Newsletter articles
Use our free short articles in your newsletters to parents. Choose from:
- Know the evidence before you buy — important advice on specific medicines for kids.
- 10 plus 10 equals ... less colds — promoting handwashing.
- Green snot is good! The body is beating the cold — myth busting.
- Stay or go — advice about when children should stay at home.
Get to know Harvey the wombat
Colouring-in sheets of Harvey
Children will love colouring in the 2 line drawings of Harvey the wombat. Common colds messages are at the bottom of the sheets.
Brochure
Common colds need common sense, not antibiotics
Display brochures on your noticeboards and in sign-in areas. (Updated May 2008)
This brochure explains the limited role of antibiotics for treating colds, provides common sense and evidence-based advice on treating symptoms and alerts parents to symptoms that should be seen by a doctor.
Screensaver
Commons colds screensaver
Download our fun screensaver (for PC and Mac) to see Harvey practise managing his cold. Send a get well email message with the screensaver, to a friend with a cold.
Interactive story books
Enjoy reading these interactive online books with your child on the computer.
Note: You will need the free Macromedia Flash Player to read these online books. If you don't have this, you can download it here.
Don't spread it!
Congratulations to Litchfield Christian School. Read their book, Don't spread it!, judged the winner of the NPS Common colds need common sense, not antibiotics schools competition 2007.
Harvey catches a cold and visits the doctor
Parents can read our interactive online version with your children at home or borrow the book from your public library. Harvey visits Dr Steve with his mother and father.
Harvey catches a cold
Parents and young children will enjoy this online children's book released in 2005, Harvey catches a cold, introducing Harvey the wombat who beats his cold without antibiotics.
links to other websites
Staying Healthy in Child Care — Preventing infectious diseases in child care — Fourth Edition (published by the National Health and Medical Research Council).
