Common Cold (viral URTI, adult and child)

1 g 3 or 4 times daily (max. 4 g daily) for fever, sore throat, or body aches

10-15 mg/kg/dose [child max 500 mg]

(Child 1 month and over: 15 mg/kg 3 or 4 times daily (max. 60 mg/kg daily). Child under 1 month: 10 mg/kg 3 or 4 times daily (max. 40 mg/kg daily).)

MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)

First-line symptomatic antipyretic and analgesic for viral upper respiratory tract infection in adults and children

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections With Focus on The Common Cold - disease-level clinical article (common-cold-clinical.txt)

Carries the referral criteria and warning signs for this condition, which apply whichever treatment is chosen.

0.05% (0.5 mg/mL) nasal spray: 1-2 sprays into each nostril every 12 hours. No more than 8 sprays in any 24 hours. - Do not use for more than 5 consecutive days.

(Licensed from 6 years at this 0.05% strength - not from 12. Children 6-10 years: 1 spray into each nostril every 12 hours, maximum 4 sprays in 24 hours; over 10 years, as for adults. Contraindicated under 6 years - Egypt registers separate 0.025% paediatric preparations (Iliadin paediatric, Afrin pediatric, Oxymet paed) for that age group; dose those from their own carton, no figure for them is quoted here.)

Afrin 0.5 mg/ml nasal spray SmPC sections 4.1-4.3 - Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG-MEB), procedure NL/H/1971/001-004, Aug 2022 (afrin-oxymetazoline-smpc-cbg-nl-2022.txt): "Afrin 0,5 mg/ml neusspray, oplossing" and "Elke ml oplossing bevat 0,5 mg oxymetazolinehydrochloride", which is the 0.05% strength.

Adrenergic topical decongestant that constricts nasal venous sinuses to relieve nasal obstruction in viral upper respiratory tract infection. Two regulator documents were opened and they differ on the ceiling: the 2022 CBG SmPC caps the day at 8 sprays, while the SAHPRA Iliadin Professional Information allows two to three sprays two to three times a day. The tighter and newer figure is printed.

200-400 mg every 6-8 hours PRN with food for fever, myalgia, or headache (max 1200 mg/day OTC)

5-6.67 mg/kg/dose [child max 400 mg]

(Every 8 hours PRN with food in infants >3 months (5-10 mg/kg/dose 3 times daily. Daily ceiling: the suspension's own label caps pain-and-fever use at 20 mg/kg/day, while the reference literature allows up to 40. Stay near 20 unless there is a reason to climb, never exceed 400 mg in a single dose, and note that 30-40 mg/kg/day is the juvenile arthritis range rather than an analgesic one.)

Ibuprofen 100 mg/5 ml SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 4560)

Adjunct NSAID added to supportive care for fever, myalgia, or headache in a viral cold; it treats symptoms only and does not shorten the viral illness itself.

Squeeze bottle twice in each nostril, as often as needed, or as directed by doctor.

Squeeze bottle twice in each nostril, as often as needed, or as directed by doctor.

Saline Nasal Spray (sodium chloride 0.65%) US OTC Drug Facts (DailyMed SetID ed30a7f9-7132-42da-9bed-63a9b1c80ab2)

A drug-free saline that moistens the nasal passages instead of constricting them, so it carries none of the rebound risk that comes with a true decongestant. The label covers infants directly, giving a drop-based method for them, but it does not clear the product for pregnancy on its own authority - it tells the pregnant or breastfeeding user to check with a health professional first.