The common cold is an upper respiratory tract infection that is caused by one or more viruses. It involves inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat). Colds are extremely common and most children will have 8-10 colds in the first 2 years of life. If your child is in day care or has an older school-aged sibling, he/she may have even more colds since viruses spread easily among children. During the winter, the viruses that cause colds are circulating in large numbers, so your child may be more susceptible to catching a cold this time of year.
Despite many common myths, you cannot catch a cold from being in a drafty area or from not wearing a hat or jacket or going outside in cold weather. Colds are caused by viruses, and viruses are passed from one person to another through direct contact. If a person with a cold coughs, sneezes, or touches their nose, the contagious virus particles are transferred to their hand. If these moisture particles then touch the hand or mouth area of a healthy child, the virus can contaminate the healthy child’s nose or throat.
Many children and adults have a runny nose in the wintertime when they breathe cold air. This is called vasomotor rhinitis. The nose usually stops running within 15 minutes after a person comes indoors. It does not need treatment and has nothing to do with cold or an infection.
Signs that you may see if your child has a cold are that his/her nose may be runny or stuffy, they may sneeze, cough, have a fever, or may be tired or achy. Most colds last 7-10 days and fortunately, most will go away on their own. The virus will then multiply causing new cold symptoms. What often seems to be a month-long illness is usually a succession of multiple viral illnesses. Unfortunately, the best prevention against colds is to keep your child away from people who have cold symptoms. A virus that causes a mild cold in an adult may cause a more serious illness in an infant. Between 5% and 10% of children develop a bacterial infection such as earaches, yellow drainage from the eyes, sinus pressure or pain (often means a sinus infection), or rapid breathing (often a sign of pneumonia). Yellow or green nasal discharge is a normal part of the body’s reaction to a cold. As an isolated symptom, they do not mean your child has a sinus infection. Suspect a sinus infection only if your child complains of pressure, pain or swelling over a sinus and it doesn’t improve with a nasal washes.
If you have a young infant, make sure that she does not get dehydrated. A blocked nose can interfere so much with the ability to suck that dehydration can occur.
How can I take care of my child?
Not much can be done to affect how long a cold lasts. However, we can relieve many of the symptoms.
The best treatment is clearing the nose for a day or two. For younger babies, use a soft rubber suction bulb to remove the secretions gently.
Most Stuffy noses are blocked by dry mucus. Blowing the nose or suction alone cannot remove most dry secretions. Using nosedrops and then suctioning or blowing out the fluid in the nose can help. This is called a nasal wash.
Nosedrops of warm tap water or saline solution are better than any medicine you can buy for loosening up mucus. To make normal saline nosedrops, mix ½ teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water. Make up a fresh solution every few days and keep it in a clean bottle. Use a clean eyedropper to put drops into the nose. Water can also be dripped in using a wet cotton ball.
· For the younger child who cannot blow his nose:
Place 3 drops of warm water or saline in each nostril. (If your child is younger than1 year old, use only 2 drops at a time and do 1 nostril at a time). After 10 seconds, use a soft rubber suction bulb to suck out the loosened mucus gently. To remove secretions from the back of the nose, you will need to seal off both nasal openings completely with the tip of the suction bulb on one side and your finger closing the other side. If you cause a nosebleed, you are putting the tip of the suction bulb in too far. You can get a suction bulb at the drugstore for about $2. Try to buy a short, stubby one with clear plastic mucus trap.
· For the older child who can blow his nose:
Use 3 drops in each nostril while your child is lying on his back on a bed with his head hanging over the side. Wait 1 minute for the water to soften and loosen the dried mucus. Then have your child blow his nose. This can be repeated several times for complete clearing of the nasal passages.
· Mistakes in using warm-water or saline nosedrops:
The main errors are using only 1 drop of water or saline, not waiting long enough for secretions to loosen up before suctioning or blowing the nose, and not repeating the procedure until the breathing is easy. The front of the nose can look open while the back of the nose is all gummed up with dried mucus. Make sure that the nose is suctioned or blown after the warm-water nosedrops are put in.
Use the nasal wash as often as necessary whenever your child can’t breathe through the nose.
· The importance of clearing the nose of a young infant.
A child can’t breathe through the mouth and suck on something at the same time. If your child is breast-feeding or bottle-feeding, you must clear his nose out so he can breathe while he’s sucking. It is also important to clear your infant’s nose before you put him down to sleep.
There is no cure for the common cold.
Unlike bacteria, viruses do not respond to antibiotics and these should not be used to treat colds. The key to treating your child’s cold is to treat the symptoms and to keep your child as comfortable as possible while the body fights off the virus. Here are some tips:
· Be sure to give your child lots of fluids, such as juice or water to make sure she/he stays well hydrated.
· Your child’s appetite will probably decrease when she/he does not feel well. Make sure sick children eat nutritious meals, even if they are small meals.
· Using a humidifier or vaporizer may help ease stuffy noses.
· For fever, you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Always be sure to give the recommended dose for your child’s weight). Ibuprofen should not be used for children less than 6 months old or for children who are dehydrated or vomiting.
· Over the counter cold or cough medicines should not be used in infants unless recommended by your baby’s physician. Coughing is a natural defense and with infants or young children, often there is no need to suppress it.
Ordinarily, you won’t need to take your child to see the doctor when he/she has a cold.
Call your child’s physician if any of the following occur:
· Your child develops a persistent cough, sore throat, ear pain
· Fever lasts longer than 48 hours
· Trouble breathing
· Your infant loses his appetite and refuses several feedings
· Your infant doesn’t have a wet diaper in more than 8 hours
· Seems excessively irritable, is unusually sleepy or hard to awaken.
· If your baby is less than 3 months old, always contact your physician if he/she has a temperature equal to or greater than 101 degrees F.
Despite many common myths, you cannot catch a cold from being in a drafty area or from not wearing a hat or jacket or going outside in cold weather. Colds are caused by viruses, and viruses are passed from one person to another through direct contact. If a person with a cold coughs, sneezes, or touches their nose, the contagious virus particles are transferred to their hand. If these moisture particles then touch the hand or mouth area of a healthy child, the virus can contaminate the healthy child’s nose or throat.
Many children and adults have a runny nose in the wintertime when they breathe cold air. This is called vasomotor rhinitis. The nose usually stops running within 15 minutes after a person comes indoors. It does not need treatment and has nothing to do with cold or an infection.
Signs that you may see if your child has a cold are that his/her nose may be runny or stuffy, they may sneeze, cough, have a fever, or may be tired or achy. Most colds last 7-10 days and fortunately, most will go away on their own. The virus will then multiply causing new cold symptoms. What often seems to be a month-long illness is usually a succession of multiple viral illnesses. Unfortunately, the best prevention against colds is to keep your child away from people who have cold symptoms. A virus that causes a mild cold in an adult may cause a more serious illness in an infant. Between 5% and 10% of children develop a bacterial infection such as earaches, yellow drainage from the eyes, sinus pressure or pain (often means a sinus infection), or rapid breathing (often a sign of pneumonia). Yellow or green nasal discharge is a normal part of the body’s reaction to a cold. As an isolated symptom, they do not mean your child has a sinus infection. Suspect a sinus infection only if your child complains of pressure, pain or swelling over a sinus and it doesn’t improve with a nasal washes.
If you have a young infant, make sure that she does not get dehydrated. A blocked nose can interfere so much with the ability to suck that dehydration can occur.
How can I take care of my child?
Not much can be done to affect how long a cold lasts. However, we can relieve many of the symptoms.
The best treatment is clearing the nose for a day or two. For younger babies, use a soft rubber suction bulb to remove the secretions gently.
Most Stuffy noses are blocked by dry mucus. Blowing the nose or suction alone cannot remove most dry secretions. Using nosedrops and then suctioning or blowing out the fluid in the nose can help. This is called a nasal wash.
Nosedrops of warm tap water or saline solution are better than any medicine you can buy for loosening up mucus. To make normal saline nosedrops, mix ½ teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water. Make up a fresh solution every few days and keep it in a clean bottle. Use a clean eyedropper to put drops into the nose. Water can also be dripped in using a wet cotton ball.
· For the younger child who cannot blow his nose:
Place 3 drops of warm water or saline in each nostril. (If your child is younger than1 year old, use only 2 drops at a time and do 1 nostril at a time). After 10 seconds, use a soft rubber suction bulb to suck out the loosened mucus gently. To remove secretions from the back of the nose, you will need to seal off both nasal openings completely with the tip of the suction bulb on one side and your finger closing the other side. If you cause a nosebleed, you are putting the tip of the suction bulb in too far. You can get a suction bulb at the drugstore for about $2. Try to buy a short, stubby one with clear plastic mucus trap.
· For the older child who can blow his nose:
Use 3 drops in each nostril while your child is lying on his back on a bed with his head hanging over the side. Wait 1 minute for the water to soften and loosen the dried mucus. Then have your child blow his nose. This can be repeated several times for complete clearing of the nasal passages.
· Mistakes in using warm-water or saline nosedrops:
The main errors are using only 1 drop of water or saline, not waiting long enough for secretions to loosen up before suctioning or blowing the nose, and not repeating the procedure until the breathing is easy. The front of the nose can look open while the back of the nose is all gummed up with dried mucus. Make sure that the nose is suctioned or blown after the warm-water nosedrops are put in.
Use the nasal wash as often as necessary whenever your child can’t breathe through the nose.
· The importance of clearing the nose of a young infant.
A child can’t breathe through the mouth and suck on something at the same time. If your child is breast-feeding or bottle-feeding, you must clear his nose out so he can breathe while he’s sucking. It is also important to clear your infant’s nose before you put him down to sleep.
There is no cure for the common cold.
Unlike bacteria, viruses do not respond to antibiotics and these should not be used to treat colds. The key to treating your child’s cold is to treat the symptoms and to keep your child as comfortable as possible while the body fights off the virus. Here are some tips:
· Be sure to give your child lots of fluids, such as juice or water to make sure she/he stays well hydrated.
· Your child’s appetite will probably decrease when she/he does not feel well. Make sure sick children eat nutritious meals, even if they are small meals.
· Using a humidifier or vaporizer may help ease stuffy noses.
· For fever, you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Always be sure to give the recommended dose for your child’s weight). Ibuprofen should not be used for children less than 6 months old or for children who are dehydrated or vomiting.
· Over the counter cold or cough medicines should not be used in infants unless recommended by your baby’s physician. Coughing is a natural defense and with infants or young children, often there is no need to suppress it.
Ordinarily, you won’t need to take your child to see the doctor when he/she has a cold.
Call your child’s physician if any of the following occur:
· Your child develops a persistent cough, sore throat, ear pain
· Fever lasts longer than 48 hours
· Trouble breathing
· Your infant loses his appetite and refuses several feedings
· Your infant doesn’t have a wet diaper in more than 8 hours
· Seems excessively irritable, is unusually sleepy or hard to awaken.
· If your baby is less than 3 months old, always contact your physician if he/she has a temperature equal to or greater than 101 degrees F.