If you are a worrier, jump to the next paragraph, because I’m here to tell you there are more than 200 viruses which cause the common cold. Great! No wonder a child gets so many colds a year. The American Academy of Pediatrics states, “In the first two years of life alone, most youngsters have eight to ten colds.” You may recognize these…
Signs and Symptoms
- Sneezing
- Stuffy/runny nose
- Sore throat
- Coughing
- Watery eyes
- Mild headache
People generally contract a cold from a cough or sneeze or direct contact with an infected person. Colds resolve within one week, but can last up to two weeks. Symptoms appear two to three days after initial exposure.
Treatment There are no medications to cure the common cold. All a parent can do, according to Shahnaz Pedram, an Overland Park pharmacist, is let the cold “run its course. Just try to help the child be comfortable and hydrated.” Child Care Limited Pediatrics’ Dr. Megan Loeb, KCMO, says parents of infants need to “keep the head of the bed elevated if possible. Use saline drops and bulb to suction a baby’s nose as needed.” She also recommends a cool mist humidifier in the baby’s room.
For older kids, Loeb has parents instruct them to blow their nose and “use saline spray throughout the day.” She instructs the child to get plenty of rest. “(Having) the child slow down a bit so they can get and stay healthy” is key to a speedy recovery. Angie Roth, mother of a preschooler and a 17-month-old, says when her kids are sick, they “spend a lot of time in the rocking chair.” She is also “a fan of sterile saline nasal mist and the vapor plug-in unit(s).”
When to Call the Doctor
Loeb says that if your child experiences cold “symptoms lasting longer than two weeks, worsening respiratory symptoms (especially fast and heavy breathing), fever that is not improving after two to three days or signs of dehydration” you should call your child’s provider. “If the child is under 2 months of age, (she) would want to hear about a fever immediately.”
Prevention of Colds
Proper hand washing is the best way to prevent getting or spreading the common cold. Using warm, soapy water and rubbing hands briskly for 15 seconds is recommended –same amount of time to sing through the ABCs. Cover your mouth with the crook of your elbow, when coughing or sneezing. If you sneeze or cough into your hand or tissue, make sure to wash your hands with every instance. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are as effective as hand washing; liberally apply and rub until your hands are dry.
Rulings on Pediatric Cold & Cough Meds
In October of 2007, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported infant deaths linked to pediatric cold and cough medicines, 14 were pulled off the shelves by the drug-makers. The Food and Drug Administration and drug manufacturers are currently not recommending any over-the-counter cold medicines for children under 4 years.
Finally, the only way to catch the common cold is to contract the virus. Don’t let any wife tell you otherwise. So feel free to run outside without a coat in the freezing rain - just don’t let anyone sneeze or cough on you while you’re doing it!
Stacey Hatton is a KC nurse and mom of 2 girls, and after finishing this article will bathe in hand sanitizer and dump all her expired medications down the drain.