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Busting the myths of the common cold
Some parents luck out with bionic children who simply never seem to get sick. Others might feel they are constantly battling ongoing bouts of snottiness and a permanent cough.
It's one of those things that you just can't get away from with young children. Their little bodies are still developing immune systems and some at a slower pace than others.
According to the Children's Youth and Women's Health Service, children get around 6-10 colds per year, with the highest number usually being during the first two years in child care, kindergarten or school.
They are also susceptible to stomach viruses and every other kind of virus you can think of…all the more important then to vaccinate your children against everything you possibly can at this stage. At least then you can avoid some of the more harmful diseases.
Colds, flu, chest infections and other variations are of course the main culprit of kids staying home.
It can seem like children have one cold after another and studies have shown that children in child care will most likely develop more colds than those who are at home, simply due to numbers. The more children there are with snotty noses and coughs, the more likely the virus will continue to be passed around. Not really much you can do about it. It will keep happening until they leave school!
Small children are more affected by these sorts of viruses, because they rely on breathing through their nose much more than adults. So it's no surprise each cold at its peak will be fairly miserable for all concerned.
Colds often start with a high temperature (though it shouldn't really be that high or last more than a couple of days), drowsiness, irritability and difficulty in breathing.
At this point it's definitely the best thing to keep the little one at home, because he or she would simply be miserable in child care and colds are more infectious in the first few days.
Myths about the common cold
Is green snot more infectious?
Certainly many child care centres now adopt a policy of "green snot, child stays home or is sent home" and would have you believe they are desperately infectious with this.
All snot is infectious to a certain degree. But green snot is no more infectious than any other colour of snot! According to most GPs, generally speaking, green snot for up to a week is a natural part of the common cold and does not mean your child has a bacterial infection. Green snot is of course unpleasant for the sufferer and carer to deal with, but it's no more infectious than any other part of their cold.
Should colds be treated with antibiotics?
No! Colds are viruses. There is really no cure. They sort themselves out in a week or so and can be relieved, but not cured. Dr Nick Carr's Myth Busting investigation for George Negus on the ABC revealed many parents often ask if green snot means their kids should be on antibiotics.
Dr Rick Jarman said that it's widely thought that over 90 per cent of colds are caused by viruses and therefore antibiotics aren't necessary. However, most colds only last a week or two, but a small proportion of kids may have a persistent runny nose with green snot that drags on for several weeks. This may have sinusitis associated with it or could have become a bacterial infection and antibiotics may be useful. But in general, antibiotics ARE NOT REQUIRED for colds. And once you start on the antibiotic trail, it's hard to get off!
The best relief for colds are decongestants, mild antihistamines that reduce nasal congestion, inhalers, nasal sprays and good old Paracetamol in syrup form for any headaches or temperatures. Some children who are experiencing particular trouble breathing may be prescribed liquid Ventilin which can help ease their airways, bit this is generally only in extreme cases.
Can you catch flu from a flu vaccine?
NO! Contrary to misinformed popular belief, the flu vaccine does not contain a weakened form of the flu virus. The vaccine actually includes only components of the virus, and not a complete version of it. So you won't catch the flu from a flu shot.
Will Vitamin C help stave off a cold?
There has never been any conclusive study that shows that taking Vitamin C has any effect on your cold whatsoever…aside from a possible placebo effect. Obviously the healthier your body is, the better it is at dealing with viruses, but that's about it.
Are colds more common in winter?
No, in fact they tend to lie dormant in winter. They are more active in Spring and Autumn. This also leads to the other popular belief that you get a cold virus from being cold.
Feed a cold, starve a fever?
Old wives' tale with little basis for anything! You certainly shouldn't starve your body for any reason. The better and more healthily you feed your body the more likely you are to get over any illness. Again, the healthier your body, the better it works.
Leave cold symptoms alone?
Why would you do that? Don't you want to help alleviate your child's discomfort? Many people think that letting a child's snot run all over the place is the body's way of ridding itself of the cold… It isn't! It is the virus's way of ensuring everyone else catches the cold!!! The cold virus is passed on through coughing and mucous. So treat the symptoms both to alleviate discomfort of your child and lessen the snot output, because then you're less likely to be passing it on.
More information on dealing with illness in small children and child care for our useful tips.
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