If your child is prone to catching a cold, it might seem like he or she is sick all of the time. That's because the common cold affects children more often than adults. Children, especially those under age six, may experience six to 10 colds annually, each one lasting between two and 14 days. Unfortunately, there isn't a cure for the cold, and there aren't any home remedies that will make your child's cold symptoms disappear faster. However, there are a few things that you can do to help relieve some of your child's symptoms.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Have you ever wondered why people eat chicken noodle soup when they're sick? It's not just an old wives' tale, eating a bowl of chicken noodle soup when you have a cold does make you feel better. Not only does hot soup increase the movement of nasal mucus, but the soup also improves the function of the nose hairs, which prevent contagions from entering the body. Also, one study showed that eating chicken noodle soup kept the white blood cells from migrating. Experts don't know which ingredients kept the blood cells from moving, but the theory is that the ingredient slows down the number of blood cells accumulating in the lung area, which relieves cold symptoms. So, give your child chicken noodle soup for congestion relief.

Honey

When you take your child to the doctor in search of cold relief medication, there's a good chance that your child's doctor will give you a prescription for cough syrup. But, your child doesn't need prescription cough syrup to relieve cold symptoms. Instead, give your child a spoonful of buckwheat honey. In 2007, Ian Paul M.D. conducted a study comparing the effectiveness of prescription cough syrup and buckwheat honey. The study indicated that the honey actually worked better. However, you need to talk to your doctor before you give honey to a child less than 12 months old because babies have a slight risk of contracting botulism -- a rare, but serious form of food poisoning -- from the honey.

Fluids

It's important to encourage your child to drink water, fruit juice, broth, or herbal tea when fighting a cold. In addition to keeping your child hydrated, the fluids also help flush out germs and help keep your child from getting extremely congested. If your child refuses to drink a decent amount of fluids, try feeding him or her gelatin or popsicles.

Colds are common, so chances are, your child will experience at least one cold per year. While it's important to talk to your doctor or an urgent care clinic about proper treatment and prevention, these home remedies will help relieve some of your child's cold symptoms.