The Common Cold Prevent It
Deal With It
Stop It From Coming Back
Does Your Child's Cold Need Professional Medical Attention?

Uh-oh. It's that season again. And now you have a drippy nose making your pregnancy uncomfortable just when all that nausea ended. It's the time when the appearance of that little cough leaves you wondering if your child should go to school or stay home. It's the dreaded season of ... The Common Cold.

Fortunately, we all make it through this trying time of year. With everlasting patience, a hefty supply of tissues, and some tricks of the trade that you'll find below, you and your family should make it through fall and winter almost unscathed. You may also be surprised to learn how these simple and commonsense tips can enable you to provide effective treatments at home, reduce the need for over-the-counter medicines, and eliminate unnecessary trips to your health care provider.

Prevent It

The most important thing to remember when preventing sickness is to wash your hands frequently and remind your children to wash theirs, especially before eating. Teach your child to sing "Row, row, row your boat" once through while washing, to prevent the famous "two second wash" that children are known for. Use a baby wipe on a young child's hands or, occasionally, an antibacterial hand wash (limit use, however, to the times when you really need it. Overuse of these hand washes, like the overuse of antibiotics in general, means killing off the "easy" bacteria, and leaving the more hardy ones, resulting in "super bacteria" that don't die when exposed to antibiotics).

If your child is still young enough to put toys in her mouth, ask about the other child's health status before going for a play date, and, if your child is in daycare, check on the toy washing policy. Some schools have a seasonal "Toy Wash" when each family takes home a bag of toys for a spin in the dishwasher or washing machine.

Teach your children to cover their mouths and noses when sneezing or coughing. "Catch that sneeze, catch that cough!" I tell little ones, as I demonstrate cupping my hand over my own nose and mouth. With practice (which they'll probably get plenty of this season), even many two-year-olds "get it."

Also, remember how important nutrition is during cold season. There are hundreds of viruses going around each winter, and good nutrition is vital in giving your and your child's immune systems a fighting chance against them. Make sure to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. The Clementine oranges that are available now are good for vitamin C and easy for kids to peel on their own. Whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat breads, are good for our bodies as well as being satisfying "heavier" foods that give lasting energy on colder days. If you're pregnant, don't forget to take your prenatal supplement, and if your child takes vitamins, be mindful not to forget her daily doses; that extra boost can be helpful now!

Deal With It

While you may find people a little short on sympathy while you cope with a cold while being pregnant, those of us who have been there know the psychic stress involved as you treat your symptoms in a way that's safe for your growing fetus. The good news is that there are many things you can do to keep yourself comfortable as your cold runs its course. A warm, steamy shower can do wonders to clear a congested chest, nose or throat. Extra rest and increasing your fluid intake really does work to help with a cold. And remedies you might remember from your youth -- such as hot water with honey (which should not be given to children under the age of one year due to the possibility of botulism) for a cough, a cool-mist vaporizer aimed at your face, and using a menthol-smelling chest rub -- can jumpstart you on the road back to good health.

If your symptoms aren't relieved by the above measures, speak with your healthcare provider. Most will say that over-the-counter remedies like Tylenol, Robitussin, and Sudafed are fine to use while pregnant, as long as you are past the first eight weeks of pregnancy.

There are also plenty of things you can do to help if your children get a cold (and you have my sympathy if you and your children are sick at the same time). It's good to know that it's perfectly fine to keep breastfeeding while you have a cold. The antibodies your body is producing to fight off your cold will be passed to your baby and help make his immune system stronger.

With older children, you may not be sure if your child should stay home. If so, it might help to ask yourself, "If another parent whose child looked/acted/sounded like this sent their child to school today, would I think that was appropriate?"

Fall colds are tough. Your child is too sick to go out and be with others, but not so sick that all he wants to do is lie in bed passively all day. This is where you, in your role as "Super Adult," come in. First, treat the whole thing as a special time. Don't let your child's whining about needing to stay home and (horrors) take a nap get to you. Remember, you are doing what's best for your child, and keeping her home one day now just may prevent her from staying home two days next week, after she's really run down. Snuggle up in bed or on the sofa and read a special book. Find some (quiet) toys your child hasn't played with in a while and put them out. Hope for the best!

Increasing your child's fluid intake is key during this phase. Drinking is vital to rehydrate a tired little body that is losing fluids to an ever-increasing mound of tissues next to the sofa. Stay on a good nutritional track, using water and juices (diluted if your child is drinking more than usual) as your main resources. You can even try warm tea with honey* in it if your child wants to feel "adult." Steer clear of milk and other dairy products, as they increase mucus production in most people. And don't let your kid con you that soda counts as a healthy drink!

Dress your child in layers in case she gets a fever, and remember that fever is a sign that your child's body is coping well with the illness. Dr. Andrew Baumel, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician with Framingham Pediatrics in Massachusetts, notes that "fever is not your enemy. Parents should remember that fever is not the disease; it's a symptom. Our immune systems work better at higher temperatures." Fever is your body's way of providing an unfriendly environment for the virus to be in. So, go fever, go! You should use fever-reducing medication only if your child is uncomfortable (or, of course, if your child has a medical condition, such as a history of febrile seizures, that occur with fever).

*"Because honey can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum and this has been a source of infection for infants, children less than 12 months old should not be fed honey. Honey is safe for persons 1 year of age and older." — Center for Disease Control and Prevention

If your child's chest sounds congested, put the shower on a very hot temperature, steam up the bathroom, and bring your child in to sit in the bathroom's steam once the shower has been turned off. This is another great opportunity for reading, or if you're still nursing that can be a terrific way to keep a squirmy little one in the bathroom long enough for them to soak up some steam while giving the extra boost of antibodies your breast milk provides.

Does your child know how to blow his nose? He's got plenty of practice time now, coupled with the motivation of wanting to breathe easier. Teach him to get a tissue, close one nostril, and then "blow out birthday candles" with his nose to clear the other side. If this fails, using a bulb syringe is an excellent way you can provide relief for your child. I recommend the one from Safety First since it's widely available at drugstores, and doesn't have a long scary tip that tends to make both adults and children anxious. Squeeze the air out, insert the syringe in one nostril, and release the bulb. The Safety First syringe also has the advantage of a clear tip which lets a toddler see all the "goop" coming out of her nose, which can be a cool thing for some kids. Don't assume these can only be used with babies. My five-year-old was so desperate for a clear nose recently that she even let me use it on her!

It's important to remember that there is no "magic bullet" for colds. They are caused by viruses, and, therefore, antibiotics are useless. Although there are many non-prescription drugs, Dr. Baumel notes that, in general, we should "limit the use of over-the-counter medications since they may cause side effects, such as lethargy and irritability, that parents may mistake for symptoms of the illness itself." He also discourages using the "cough and cold" preparations that are meant to treat several symptoms at once, since the combination of effects may not be particularly helpful, and it is difficult to control the dosage necessary to treat the specific problems that your child has. As tempting as it is to give one medicine that will make your child feel "all better," Dr. Baumel recommends that we "use medicines targeted at relieving only one symptom, which can then be evaluated as to their efficacy in bringing relief to the child."

Stop It From Coming Back

As best as you can, make sure not to reinfect yourself and your child. Wash all the pillowcases and sheets used by the sick person. If your child had an especially helpful stuffed animal, it's probably time to send it through the washing machine. Changing to a new toothbrush can also be useful in preventing recurrences. Be choosy about play dates until you're sure your child has recovered, and use Florence Nightingale's timeless tip and open a window a bit to air out the bedroom.

Lastly, remember that each cold your child gets is helping to build a strong immune system. That, and the knowledge that spring is coming closer every day, should get you through!


Does Your Child's Cold Need Professional Medical Attention?

When To Call —Things may have progressed beyond a basic cold and require medical attention if you notice:


Prolonged or severe throat pain

Ear pain, or tugging at the ears in a young child

Vomiting or diarrhea

Very congested cough

High fever (>102) that does not go down after taking fever-reducing medicine.

Extreme lethargy that goes beyond a sick child's just wanting to rest.

Difficulty breathing


Above all, remember that you know your child best and, if you feel that something is truly wrong and warrants medical attention, get it checked out.

When calling your child's health care provider, make sure you are able to explain:

A list of the symptoms and a history of them: when they started, how they started, and if they are currently getting better or worse. What you've done to relieve them. Exhaust your commonsense procedures before calling. If your child is uncomfortable from a fever, give fever-reducing medicine. Check his temperature about 45 minutes later. Still high? NOW call. Other health information your provider might need or want to know. If it's someone your child sees only once or twice a year it's not likely they'll remember all your child's specifics. Spell out your concerns: "Zack needed an inhaler last winter, and I'm wondering if he might need one again." It is especially important to inform your provider if your child was born prematurely or has had a history of asthma, says Dr. Baumel.

The ability to clearly communicate the above points by phone will enable your provider to better determine whether you can continue to treat your child's illness at home, or whether a visit to the office is required.

*Submitted by Sherry

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