“The kid’s nose has been running today.” A phrase you often hear when picking up your child from the daycare. You could say that the children's noses start running in August, and continue to run until Midsummer. Daycare centres almost triple the infection rate in small children, particularly during the first six months. How do you know if your child is fine to go to daycare, and when you should take them to see a doctor?

A good rule of thumb with colds is to let the child stay home when they have a fever or don't have their regular energy for play. However, it is necessary to distinguish between an absence required for the child's own wellbeing, and the risk of infection. Many people with a respiratory tract infection are often asymptomatic, and isolation is usually not needed. Infectiousness can be high, even before symptoms occur, which reduces the impact of isolation. The exceptions are the whooping cough and strep throat. Whooping coughs require a five-day isolation period after starting to take the antibiotic, but if the symptoms have already lasted three weeks at the time of diagnosis, isolation is not required. Strep throat requires a 24-hour isolation period after the treatment has begun. Conjunctivitis, which is an eye infection, is often caused by the same viruses and bacteria as respiratory tract infections, which is why isolation is not necessary. Whether isolation is needed depends on the intensity of the symptoms. In ear infection cases, isolation is not useful. Even if isolation is not needed, the child must be given adequate time to recover before returning to early childhood education and care.

Coughing and snottiness are the most common symptoms of a common cold. If the cold symptoms last for over 10 days without any sign of recovery, you should take the child to see a doctor. If the cold seems to get better at first, but then starts getting worse, it’s also good to get checked up.

Ear pain is common with a common cold, and does not always indicate an infection that requires antibiotics. If your child has ear pain but otherwise feels fine, and the ear pain lets up with regular pain medication, you should keep monitoring the situation at home. If the pain does not let up in a few days, the pain medication does not help, or the child’s general condition gets worse, we recommend seeing a doctor.

Common colds can also come with a fever or elevated body heat. A fever begins at a body heat of 38 degrees. If a fever medication does not help within a couple of hours of taking it, you should have a professional examine the child. If a feverish child seems particularly ill and in pain, there are haematomas or significant blushing on their skin, the child needs to be seen by a doctor. If the fever lasts for over three days or the child’s body heat is elevated for over a week, it is worth taking the child to see a doctor. The old requirement for one feverless day before returning to day care has stuck, but there is no evidence of a benefit from staying home for one additional day, making it unnecessary. What’s most important is the child's general condition.

Sometimes, cold symptoms may get worse and make it more difficult for the child to breathe. Difficulties with breathing can be identified by the child not being able to talk, sit or walk, with panting, superficial, very fast or whiny breath. Their lips and face might begin to turn bluish. If you suspect that your child has difficulty breathing, depending on the severity of the situation, call the emergency number 112 or the emergency help line 116117.

If the child’s cheeks or eyes show swelling with a common cold, seek treatment immediately.

Acute pharyngitis is an often mild viral illness that heals by itself. As it is a viral illness, antibiotics are of no help. Strep throat, which is caused by group A streptococcus, is something you should suspect when a child with throat pain has a fever, swelling or exudation in the throat, and the lymph nodes in the front of the neck are sore and swollen. Strep throat is also common for not inducing a cough. If you suspect your child has strep throat, call the emergency helpline at 116117 to assess the need for a check-up.

Parents often know their children best, and it is worth trusting your intuition. Professional opinions are readily available, if you are unsure of how severe your child’s symptoms are.