All About Common Cold Among Children

Read on to learn more about this commonest infection among kids.

Causes of Common Cold
Common cold (as it is called in a layman’s term) or acute coryza is a contagious viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. It is primarily caused by rhinovirus and coronaviruses.

Its Spread
A highly contagious air-borne infection, common cold is transmitted from person-to-person, either by direct contact or by contact with the virus in the environment. Colds are most contagious during the first two to four days.

Myths about Cold
We all grow up with a variety of beliefs about the common cold that often differ from home to home, but the fact is, most of them are wrong.

Generally, people assume we get cold because of a weak immune system, lack of vitamin C, cold climate, wet hair, or damp clothes.

None of this is true.

Prevention
You cannot stop someone from catching a cold because there is no vaccine as of now. However, few preventive measures, such as staying away from an infected person or not touching anything around him, are all that can be done to prevent it.

Treatment
The treatment of an infant or child with a cold is different from the treatment for adults.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel has recommended against the use of any antihistamines, decongestants, cough medicines, and expectorants in children younger than six years of age.

The above recommendation is accepted worldwide because these medications are not yet proven to be effective and have the potential to cause dangerous side effects.

The only exception is diphenhydramine, a mild antihistamine which provides little benefit to a child with a cold who is older than 12 months.

Apart from this, acetaminophen and Ibuprofen can be given to children greater than six months of age to treat fever.

Humidifiers can also provide some temporary relief to the symptoms of nasal congestion and runny nose.

Complications
Most children who have had cold do not develop any further complications. However, parents should be aware of the signs and symptoms of any such potential complications.

Ear Infection: Since the eustachian tube in children is much shorter and straighter, the infection tends to travel upwards towards the ear causing viral or bacterial ear infections (otitis media).

Asthma:Colds can cause wheezing in children who have not wheezed before, or worsening of asthma in children who have a history of this condition.

Sinusitis: Children who have nasal congestion that does not improve over the course of two weeks may have a bacterial sinus infection.

Pneumonia: Children who develop a fever after the first three days of cold symptoms may have pneumonia, especially if the child also has a cough and is breathing rapidly.

Although common cold is not a serious illness, it can be very annoying for the little ones; hence, it has to be looked upon in the right way. Prevention is the key to this disease.