1. The Common Cold.

All children catch 1... It's not unusual to them to have as many as eight a year and there is little you can do 2... them. But the good news is that by the time adulthood is reached, 3... people will have a certain 4... against them — which is why parents often 5... children through 6... colds with scarcely a sniffle themselves.

The 7... cold is 8... by a virus which enters the body through the nose. It is very 9... and can be passed by coughirtg or 10... . Symptoms start up to four days after catching the 11... and include a runny or blocked nose; sneezing and 12... throat. A cold is best 13... at home and there is some truth in the saying that if

you treat 14... it will 15... seven days and if you don't it will last a week (but feel like a fortnight!).

1. Common 2. Last 3, numerous 4. Colds 5. Sore 6. Virus

'7. to prevent 8. immunity 9. infectious 10. most 11. a cold 12. sneezing

13. Treated 14. Nurse 15. Caused

2. Sore Throat.

Seven out of ten sore throats are 1... by viruses which cannot be 2... with antibiotics. They are very 3... and can be a symptom of a bad cold or attack of flu. Your child's throat will be dry, 4... and itchy and she may find it hard 5... .The throat may look red and 6... and there may be white patches on the tonsils. Some children have a 7... temperature and the 8... in the neck can swell. The good news is that 9... sore throats will get 10... within a few days.

What can you do to help

—Give your child 11... soothing drinks, such as warm lemon and honey. Ice-cream is very soothing. 12... children may find sucking a boiled sweet or throat sweet helps.

— For children over three months you can give infant paracetamol 13... pain and 14... fever. Your pharmacist will 15... a suitable product. i

1. Common 2. To swallow 3. Recom- 4. Plenty of 5. Caused 6. To relieve

mend

7. Glands 8. Older 9. Treated 10. Sore 11. Swollen 12. Better

13. Reduce 14. High 15. Most

3. Croup.

Croup is the name given to the typical sound — a harsh barking 1... and a wheezy 2... — which results from a 3... of the larynx (vocal chprds). Croup often comes with a cold and usually 4... in children 5... the ages of one and five. Young children are more likely to get the 6... because their air passages are 7... .

What can you do to help?

— Croup can be helped by breathing moist 8... .Create a steamy atmosphere by boiling a kettle in the bedroom or take ,your child into the bathroom and run a 9.. bath. If you do this,

10... leave your child alone in the room.

• Reassure your child all the time and stay calm.

• Once things have settled down make breathing 11... by propping up your child in bed.

When to consult the doctor.

— IMMEDIATELY if the attack is 12..., your child is very 13... and distressed, struggling to breathe or turns 14... .

1. never 7. hot

2. narrower 8. between

3. severe 9. easier

4. cough 10. blue

5. air

6. occurs

11. breathing 12. swelling

13. condition 14. breath­less