For parents, the cycle of coughing and snot that affects young children can seem endless.
But simple saline nose drops can reduce the duration of the common cold in children by two days and reduce transmission to other family members, a study has found.
Saline drops, which can be bought over the counter in the UK for as little as £1.30, consist of a simple mixture of salt and water.
The researchers had observed that people in South Asia often use saltwater solutions (either in the nose or as a gargle) to treat colds, and they wanted to explore whether this benefit could be replicated in a large study.
Treatments such as paracetamol cannot speed up recovery from a cold, but experts have found that using nasal drops or sprays can.
Professor Steve Cunningham, one of the authors of the study from the University of Edinburgh, said: ‘Children have up to 10 to 12 upper respiratory tract infections, what we call colds, a year, which has a huge impact on them and their families.
‘There are medications to improve symptoms, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, but there are no treatments that can make a cold get better more quickly.’
The team recruited 407 children up to six years old for a study in which they were given either saline nose drops or usual care when they developed a cold.
In total, 301 children developed a cold; 150 of them had their parents give them sea salt and teach them how to prepare and apply saltwater nasal drops to their children’s noses.
They were instructed to administer three drops per nostril a minimum of four times a day until they recovered.
The other 151 children received standard cold treatments, including other medications.
“We found that children using saltwater nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, while those receiving usual care had symptoms for eight days,” Professor Cunningham said.
“We found that children who used saltwater nasal drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, while those who received usual care had symptoms for eight days,” the study’s author said.
‘Children who received saltwater nasal drops also needed less medication during their illness.
‘Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. The cells lining the nose and tracheas use chloride to produce hypochlorous acid inside the cells, which they use to defend against viral infections.
‘By administering additional chloride, we help cells produce more hypochlorous acid, which helps suppress viral replication, reducing the duration of viral infection and therefore the duration of symptoms.’
When children received saltwater nasal drops, fewer households reported that their family members had caught a cold: 46 percent, compared with 61 percent whose children received usual care.
Two-fifths of parents said the nose drops helped their child improve quickly and the same number said they would use them in the future.
Some saline drops and sprays can be found for as little as £1.30, while branded products such as Calpol are priced at around £4.70.
Professor Cunningham added: ‘Reducing the duration of colds in children means that fewer people in their household also catch a cold, with clear implications for how quickly a household feels better and can return to their usual activities, such as school and work etc.
‘Our study also showed that parents can safely prepare and administer nasal drops to their children and thus have some control over the common cold affecting their children.’
Commenting on the study, Professor Alexander Möeller, from the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, said: ‘This is an important study and the first of its kind to investigate the impact of salty nasal drops in children with colds.
‘Although most colds don’t usually lead to anything serious, we all know how miserable they can be, especially for young children and their families.
‘This extremely cheap and simple intervention has the potential to be applied globally; offering parents a safe and effective way to limit the impact of colds on their children and their family would represent a significant reduction in the health and economic burden of this very common disease.’
The findings were presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Vienna, Austria.
Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical director at Asthma + Lung UK, said: ‘Shortening the time a child has a cold, with a solution as easily available as saltwater nasal drops, will be a relief for parents and carers.
‘Saline drops can even be made at home, are very safe for children and are easy to administer.
‘While colds are common in children and rarely dangerous, in a recent survey we found that around 3 in 4 people found that colds and flu made the symptoms of their lung condition worse.
‘Therefore, reducing the time a person is sick and contagious will help stop the spread of these respiratory infections.’