Coughs, Colds & Pneumonia
Coughs, colds and pneumonia affect billions of people worldwide and can even kill.
Older children can learn how to avoid coughs or colds, stop them spreading and prevent them developing. They can learn about good hygiene practices. They can learn to recognize rapid breathing and the importance of getting an infant with rapid breathing to a health worker for urgent life-saving treatment.
Read our Top Ten Messages on Coughs, Colds and Pneumonia for children to learn and share. Scroll down to see ideas on what children can do to understand, find out more, take action and reflect on this topic.
Use the links below to browse our FREE resources to help children learn more, share their knowledge and become agents of change.
10 Messages on Coughs,
Colds, and Pneumonia
- Lungs help us breathe. Coughs and colds can weaken them. Pneumonia is an illness caused by bacteria germs that can make weak lungs very ill.
- Everyone gets coughs and colds. Most get better quickly with good food and rest. If coughs or colds last more than two weeks, visit a health centre.
- Handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at 5 critical times prevents the spread of germs and illnesses like pneumonia.
- Keep babies and children away from cooking smoke to help prevent illnesses like pneumonia.
- Smoking tobacco and breathing smoke from other people’s cigarettes is harmful. Keep children away from cigarette smoke.
- Pneumonia is a serious illness and can cause young children to breathe fast. Other signs are fever, vomiting and chest pain.
- If an infant or young child is breathing more quickly than usual, take them to a health centre as they may need medicine fast.
- A good diet, breastfeeding for babies, a smoke-free home and immunisation all help prevent coughs, colds and serious illnesses like pneumonia.
- Treat a cough or cold by keeping warm, giving tasty drinks often (like soup and juice), eating nutritious food, resting and keeping the nose clean.
- Stop coughs, colds and pneumonia spreading from one to another. Avoid close contact, keep hands and utensils clean and cough into a bent arm or paper.
Children can learn, collect & share these messages!
While teaching these messages, encourage children to…
MAKE their own Coughs, Colds & Pheumonia Messages using their own words in their own language!
LEARN these messages so they never forget them!
ADD these messages to their collection!
SHARE these messages with other children and their families!
If your class or group is struggling to stay connected and engaged, we have loads of ideas for ideas to help them! Have a look at Closing Games & Activities.
Use the questions/discussion topics below to help children to memorise the messages and really understand them.
What can children make?
DRAW a plan of their own house. Where is it smoky and where is not? Where is safe for young children to play away from smoke?
MAKE a poster that encourages parents to take their children for immunisation against dangerous diseases like measles and whooping cough.
MAKE up a song about pneumonia and share it with their family and friends!
MAKE a pendulum to help them learn when breathing is fast and when breathing is normal and show what they have learnt to their families.
MAKE a play about breastfeeding babies.
MAKE a play about keeping cool with a fever and warm with a cold.
MAKE a Tippy Tap for home and school to help them wash their hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet.
What can children do?
LEARN how to wash their hands with soap and water to stop germs spreading and protect themself and others against coughs and colds.
TEST their knowledge of pneumonia by acting out different scenarios that could be pneumonia or could be a cold.
READ the story about Meena and Rani’s four visits for her immunisations.
LOOK up local immunisation schedules and ask parents or teachers to help get all the eligible children vaccinated.
What can children ask?
WHAT are the danger signs for pneumonia? Children should share what they learn with their families.
EVERYONE has a right to breathe clean, smoke free air. Where is smoking banned? Is their school smoke free?
WHAT makes us breathe fast? We can measure our breathing to learn to identify fast breathing when someone is in danger from pneumonia.
WHAT are new and old ways to treat coughs and colds?
HOW are germs spread? Learn by playing the Handshaking Game.
HOW can they stop illnesses spreading?
Download these free materials now to help children learn and share these
essential health messages. See our free resource section for more!
