Whenever Sachiko Nakayama feels a cold coming on, she boils some sake with a little ginger and sugar, then adds a raw egg.

In Japan, this drink — called tamago sake — is a common way to combat the common cold.

"Everybody knows it," said Nakayama, a 30-year-old teacher at The Learning Center who moved to O'ahu from Kobe two years ago. "It's very traditional."

The idea that home remedies are effective — particularly for kids — in treating the symptoms of the common cold caught the attention of Bill Pfeiffer, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente, who recently saw his article on the subject published in the May 2005 issue of Pediatrics in Review.

Several years ago, Pfeiffer started collecting home remedies from around the world, mostly to gain a better understanding of his multicultural patients. And he found some interesting — and surprising — commonalities.

Tea with honey and lemon is used in the United States and Pakistan. Chicken soup is popular in Indonesia and Iran. And several countries swear by Vicks products, including Mexico, the Solomon Islands, Vietnam and Afghanistan.

"Every country uses some form of hot, steamy liquid, either a tea or soup or just a towel over a pot," Pfeiffer said. "If all these countries from around the globe, some with no contact with each other, all happen to come up with this same basic treatment, this must be something."

(The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, however, maintains that while inhaling steam may temporarily relieve symptoms of congestion, it's not an effective treatment.)

A cold is a virus-based illness with symptoms — all-too familiar sneezing, sniffling, runny nose, low-grade fever, scratchy throat — lasting one to two weeks. It's the leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from school and work.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 million school days are lost annually in the United States because of the common cold.

Health experts will attest: You don't need medicine to fight the common cold. Antibiotics don't work against viruses. Over-the-counter medicines may relieve symptoms but not end them.

Some research even concluded that over-the-counter cold meds don't work on children.

"This really isn't about whether ginger tea or chicken soup work," Pfeiffer said. "It's really about conveying to people that medicines (for colds) aren't necessary and could be potentially dangerous for kids."

Pfeiffer, who grew up in New Jersey, remembers drinking tea with honey and lemon when he was sick as a child.

Now a father of three, he puts his kids in hot showers, which promotes mucus flow and, more important, makes them feel good.

Because what we all really need, Pfeiffer said, is the comfort associated with these home remedies.

"Whatever that comfort was," he said, "that's what your children need."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.