With those wintry days (and long, cold nights) drawing ever closer, the annual cold and flu season will soon rear its ugly head. This year, of course, swine flu is in the air so the demand for treatment from sniffling and coughing locals could be higher than normal.
If your staff want to remind themselves of how to deal with these coughers and snifflers (such as knowing when to suggest an expectorant, when not to use a decongestant or when a coughing patient needs to be referred), these articles are a useful refresher.
PJ Online archives
Over-the-counter advice for coughs
Chest infections in the community
Ginseng effective in common cold, study suggests
Parents rate honey for children’s night-time cough
Doses of vitamin C do not protect against the common cold
Earlier this year, the MHRA issued advice that cough and cold remedies should not be given to children under six years old. So, just to recap what happened and why…
Cough and cold remedies no longer recommended for children under six years
What to advise for coughs and colds
Use paracetamol or ibuprofen to treat colds in children
Other resources
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Commercial websitesEver wondered how to tell the difference between a baby with a dry cough and baby with chesty cough? The website for Tixylix offers an audio recording of both. Other features include games for children and a tool to help decide which Tixylix product is most suitable. The website for Vicks has plenty of silliness, if that’s what you’re after, and a funky design, but offers little in the way of useful knowledge. Benylin’s website offer inspiration for how to tell your boss that you are sick (even differentiating the message according to the type of boss you have — formal, familiar or casual). Plus, while you’re waiting for the chicken soup to brew (recipe supplied), you can “zap some bugs” on the Germ Invaders game or send your colleagues an e-sick card to tell them of your woes. Examples of different types of cough are available on the website for Covonia, along with some “do’s and don’ts” for while you’re ill and advice on when a GP visit is required. Its “toughness test” might also lift (or dampen) your spirits. Karvol’s website contains advice on children’s sleeping issues and bedtime stories for sure to put a smile on any face — young and old. The website for Lemsip helps you select the most appropriate Lemsip product according to your symptoms. |
And for something a little different…
If you’re a man earning an honest crust in a workplace dominated by women, sympathy when you’re suffering with the sniffles is not often forthcoming. This video helps explain to your colleagues, the difference between a common cold and “man-cold”.
After all, a severe cough can be more risky than you think.
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