Well, it's January and it's cold. That must mean that lots of kids have runny noses, coughs, and fevers. Cold and flu season can be tough on kids and parents. The truth is, there is really no way to avoid it. The average child gets 8-12 viral illnesses each year and these tend to be clustered in the winter months. Having said that, here are a few tips for making the best of it:
- Wash hands. We can't say it enough. It makes a huge difference. Frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizer will cut down on virus transmission in families and in school. Send a small bottle to school with your child and encourage him/her to use it!
- Wipe down grocery carts and other common items in stores and malls before using them. There are viruses all over them.
- Use zinc. Zinc lozenges and nasal swabs have been shown to decrease the duration and severity of the common cold in adults. Although the data is not there for children, our experience is that it does work. The downside is that they have to be used 5-6 times per day and started at the first sign of cold symptoms. Zicam and Cold-Eeze are common brand names for zinc products and are available in the cold remedy aisle.
- Avoid cough and cold medications. They don't work. They cause side effects. Enough said.
- Get enough sleep. Inadequate sleep weakens your immune system. Go to bed.
- Exercise. Exercise decreases the likelihood of getting colds.
When to call:
- Cold symptoms lasting more than 14 consecutive days.
- Fever lasting more than 5 days.
- Poor urine output.
- Fever and sore throat together. Could be strep.
