Healthy Kids
‘Tis the time of year for football games, soccer games, and brisk
temperatures which spark the beginning of the cold and flu season.
Where do colds come from and what can parents do to help their children
feel better when they have a case of the sniffles?
Colds are caused by viruses that thrive in cold, dry air. They
spread when people breathe, sneeze or cough and can last seven to ten
days for colds, and for the flu about seven to 21 days.
"There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about colds and
flu, " said Dr. Ken Wible, chief of general pediatrics at Children’s
Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. "The truth is, there are no magic cures
for the common cold."
The difference between a cold and the flu could be described as
one of degree. An infection of the upper respiratory tract is commonly
referred to as a cold; if the entire respiratory tract is inflamed and
the child has a fever chills and aches, the cause is likely an
influenza virus.
One of the most common myths around colds and flues is that they are
transmitted only by coughs and sneezes and by children breathing on one
another. While there is some truth to the "aerosols transmission
theory," the most common means of spreading the virus is through direct
contact with infected nasal secretions.
Here a few signs that your child may have a cold or the
flu:
- A stuffy, runny nose
- Cough
- Fussiness
- Fever
- Isn’t hungry
Following are a few tips to make your child more
comfortable:
- Give them plenty of fluids to drink (juice, Kool-Aid, formula
or milk).
- Put two drops of normal saline (salt water) in each side of his
nose. You can buy "saline nasal spray" at the drug store without a
prescription.
- Clear your infant’s nose by using a bulb syringe to gently remove
drainage, especially before he/she eats or goes to sleep. (Most drug
stores sell bulb syringes.) Do not blow your nose.
- Use a cool mist vaporizer to help your child breathe. Keep the
vaporizer out of reach. Empty the vaporizer each morning and put fresh
water in every day. Clean the vaporizer once a week (when you are using
it) and before you put it away. The best way to clean a vaporizer is to
run ½ strength vinegar water through it for two hours outside. Rinse
with clear water.
- Give your child a bath when he needs one.
- Watch for signs of infection:
- Fever of 102 degrees F that lasts more than two days.
- Earache
- Sore throat
- Trouble swallowing
- Vomiting
- Trouble breathing
- No smoking in your home or around your child.
- Wash your hands frequently.
