It’s normal for a child to have eight or more colds a year. This is because there are hundreds of different cold viruses and young children have no immunity to any of them as they've never had them before. Gradually they build up immunity and get fewer colds. Most colds get better in five to seven days. Here are some suggestions on how to ease the symptoms in your child: •Increase the amount of fluid your child normally drinks. •Saline nose drops can help loosen dried nasal secretions and relieve a stuffy nose. Ask your pharmacist, GP or health visitor about them. •If your child has a fever, pain or discomfort, paracetamol or ibuprofen can help. There are special products for children. It will state on the packet how much you should give children of different ages. •Encourage the whole family to wash their hands regularly to stop the cold spreading. •Nasal decongestants can make stuffiness worse. Never use them for more than two or three days.