A sore throat and sniffles and sneezes (again), oh my! KidsStreet Urgent Care has all the details you need to conquer your kiddo’s cold.
Causes of Common Colds
Colds are minor viral infections of the upper respiratory system. Your upper respiratory system includes your nose, mouth, throat, and trachea (the windpipe that carries oxygen from your mouth or nose to your lungs).
Hundreds of different viruses cause colds in the United States. Rhinovirus is the most common virus responsible for causing colds. There are more than 160 different variations of the rhinovirus! Other viruses that cause common colds include:
- Adenoviruses
- Common human coronaviruses (different than COVID-19)
- Enteroviruses
- Human metapneumovirus
- Parainfluenza virus
Common cold viruses thrive in the mucous membranes in your child’s nose and throat. The viruses are transmitted from person to person through:
- Airborne Droplets—When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they launch the virus into the air in respiratory droplets, which your child can breathe in.
- Contact—If a person with a cold touches their eyes, mouth, or nose and then touches an object or surface, they contaminate that object or surface with the virus. The virus can also land on an object or surface through coughing and sneezing. When your child touches the contaminated object or surface and then touches their eyes, mouth, or nose, they are exposed to the cold virus.
Airborne droplets infected with common cold viruses can travel three to twelve feet from coughing or sneezing and may remain in the air for minutes to hours. Cold viruses can live on surfaces for one to two days.
How Common Are Common Colds?
So. Very. Common. Colds are the most widespread infectious illness in the United States. They are also the most common reason for healthcare visits, missed school days for children, and missed work for adults. Some authorities estimate Americans suffer one billion colds each year!
Does it seem like your kiddo has a cold every time you turn around? It’s not your imagination – children do have more colds per year than adults.
Most children under two have eight to ten colds a year. Once they enter school, however, they may have as many as 12 colds yearly. Teenagers and adults average two to four colds yearly, and people over 60 average less than one cold yearly.
Your kiddo is more likely to catch a cold than an adult because:
- Their immune systems are immature and have not been exposed to cold viruses before. It takes time for their immune systems to develop and learn to recognize and fight common cold viruses.
- Children often gather in groups, such as daycare and school, where they can easily transmit and catch cold viruses from their friends.
- Children are less likely to wash their hands and more likely to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth or place contaminated objects in their mouth. All of this makes it easier to transmit cold viruses.
Common Cold Symptoms
Once your kiddo is exposed to a cold virus, symptoms may develop in two to three days. As the virus multiplies, it causes inflammation as an immune response. The inflammatory response is what causes the common cold symptoms in your kiddo, including:
- A scratchy, sore throat
- Cough, usually dry
- Decreased appetite
- Headache
- Low-grade fever
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Tiredness
- Watery eyes
Cold symptoms usually last for five to ten days.
Diagnosing Common Cold
There is no specific test to diagnose a cold. Your child’s healthcare provider will diagnose a cold based on the symptoms.
Cold symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses. For example, it can be difficult to distinguish between a cold and flu in kids. If your child has cold symptoms as well as body aches, chills, and a high fever, their healthcare provider may test them for flu.
Cold symptoms may resemble common bacterial infections, such as bronchitis, ear infections, pneumonia, sinus infections, and strep throat. Your child’s healthcare provider may test for bacterial infections requiring antibiotics.
Treating Common Cold
There are no prescription medications for the common cold. Since a cold is a viral respiratory infection, antibiotics will not work on your child’s cold. A cold must run its course and usually resolves within ten days.
There are several things you can do to help comfort your child with cold symptoms:
- Encourage electrolyte solutions, juice, soup, and water to prevent dehydration.
- Keep your child home from daycare or school while they have a fever to help prevent them from spreading the cold to others.
- Let them rest as much as they can.
- Try saline nasal sprays to relieve congestion.
- Use a cool-mist humidifier at night if they are congested or coughing.
Talk to your child’s healthcare provider before giving over-the-counter cold medications to your child five and under. Research has shown little benefit to giving antihistamines and decongestants, and they can have concerning side effects in young children, such as hallucinations, irregular heartbeats, and irritability.
For fevers and headaches, children’s strength OTC acetaminophen (Tylenol ®) or ibuprofen (Advil ® or Motrin ®) can be given.
Preventing Common Cold
It’s unlikely that you can prevent your child from ever catching another cold, but there are some things you can do to reduce the risks of another round of sneezes and coughs. Our top tips for preventing common colds include teaching your child to:
- Wash their hands! Washing their hands can help prevent the transmission of most viral (and bacterial) infections. They should wash their hands before and after eating, after using the restroom, after playing with friends, and after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing. Washing with soap and water for 20 seconds is best, but alcohol-based sanitizer works in a pinch.
- Avoid touching their eyes, face, mouth, or nose.
- Avoid touching their friends’ faces.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow.
- Throw away used tissue.
Additionally, you can clean frequently touched surfaces in your home, such as countertops, doorknobs, faucet handles, and toys, to prevent the transmission of cold viruses.
You can help optimize your child’s immune system by:
- Encouraging regular physical activity.
- Keeping them updated on their vaccines.
- Making sure they get plenty of rest each night.
- Providing a nutritious, balanced diet to nourish their bodies.
When to See the Healthcare Provider
If your little one’s cold symptoms do not improve after seven to ten days, it’s time to see a healthcare provider. Other signs to see a healthcare provider include:
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing
- Ear pain
- Extremely tired or lethargic
- High fever
- Not eating
- Not drinking
- Vomiting
- Wet or productive cough
If your child has a weakened immune system or chronic medical conditions like asthma, congenital heart disease, diabetes, or Down syndrome, call your child’s doctor if their cold symptoms last more than a few days.
Turn to KidsStreet Urgent Care
Is your kiddo struggling with a cold that just won’t quit? Worried that it may be more than a common cold? KidsStreet urgent care services can help them heal and feel better FAST!
Register online to see a healthcare provider at one of our kid-friendly clinics near you. You and your little one can wait in the convenience of your home or car until we’re ready to see you. We’ll text you when it’s time to head to the clinic.
We love walk-ins! However, we do recommend registering online to reduce your in-clinic wait time. Walk-ins join the same queue as those who register online.