Students are back to school and the autumn months are approaching, which means the cough and cold season will shortly follow. However, recent research has suggested a simple step that could reduce the duration of a cold in children. Saltwater nasal drops (also known as saline) have been shown to reduce the duration of a cold in children by two days and to reduce its spreading to other family members.
Studies have shown that cold symptoms typically last for around a week. Children can have numerous colds throughout the year, which can impact their school attendance and enjoyment of activities outside of school. Also, other family members will often catch the same cold, and as teachers know, a cold can rapidly pass around a class. While there are treatments, such as paracetamol/ibuprofen and throat sweets, etc., that can help relieve the symptoms of a cold, there are no treatments that can ‘cure’ a cold or make it get better quickly.
Results from a recent study, the ELVIS-Kids (Edinburgh and Lothian Virus Intervention Study in Kids) randomised controlled trial, followed 407 children aged up to 6 years old. During the study, a total of 301 children developed a cold, and the parents of 150 children were shown how to make up saltwater nasal drops using sea salt and were told to administer the saltwater as nasal drops, with three drops per nostril a minimum of four times per day until the child was well again.
The other group of children were treated with conventional remedies for a cold. The study reported that children using saltwater nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, while those with usual care had symptoms for eight days. In addition, children receiving saltwater nose drops also needed fewer medicines during their illness, and 82 percent of parents said the nose drops helped their child get better quickly. In children given the drops, fewer households (46 percent) reported family members catching a cold versus families who used conventional remedies (61 percent).
It is thought that saltwater may help in reducing the length of a cold by supplying the cells lining the nose with chloride (salt is made up of sodium chloride). The chloride is used by cells lining the nasal passages and windpipe to produce a substance called hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is produced by cells as a defence mechanism against viruses; it reduces viral replication within cells and thus helps to reduce infection. By providing the cells with chloride, they can produce more hypochlorous acid, which in turn reduces viral replication and the duration of symptoms.
Professor Steve Cunningham, from the University of Edinburgh, who worked on the ELVIS-Kids randomised controlled trial, said, “Reducing the duration of colds in children means that fewer people in their house also get a cold, with clear implications for how quickly a household feels better and can return to their usual activities like school and work.”
Prof. Cunningham also said that the 2.6% saltwater concentration cannot be purchased over the counter and must be made up by parents. His team will help by releasing “simple instructions” and a video to explain how to make up and use the nasal drops.
Studies in adults have also shown a similar effect, and researchers say future studies are needed to help design sprays that can more effectively suppress symptoms and the spread.
(Illustration: AI/Commons)
Rachel Kayani
