Common Cold

From the sniffles and sneezes to a sore throat and annoying cough, the common cold usually catches up with us at one time or another. With kids getting as many as eight colds per year or more, this contagious viral infection of the upper respiratory tract is the most common infectious disease in the United States and the number-one reason children visit the doctor and stay home from school.

Causes

Most colds are caused by rhinoviruses (the name comes from "rhin," the Greek word for nose) that are in invisible droplets in the air we breathe or on things we touch. More than 100 different rhinoviruses can infiltrate the protective lining of the nose and throat, triggering an immune system reaction that can make your child's throat sore, his or her head ache, and can make it hard for your child to breathe through the nose.

Air that's dry - indoors or out - can lower your child's resistance to infection by the viruses that cause colds. And so can being a smoker or being around someone who's pneumonia.

But despite what cough, headache, mild

try to steer clear of anyone who smokes or who has a cold. Virus particles can travel up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) through the air when someone with a cold coughs or sneezes, and even secondhand smoke can make your child more likely to get sick.

However, aspirin should never be given to children younger than 12, and all children and teens under age 19 should avoid aspirin during viral illnesses. Use of aspirin by kids or teens with colds or other viral illness may increase the risk of developing

When to Call Your Child's Doctor

Your child's doctor won't be able to identify which specific virus is causing your child's cold symptoms, but can examine your child's throat and ears and take a strep throat, allergy. If your child has trouble breathing or wheezes when he or she catches a cold, your child could have Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: November 2007