They can even spread for a couple of weeks after someone starts feeling sick. Colds spread through person-to-person contact or by breathing in virus particles, which can travel up to 12 feet through the air when someone with a cold coughs or sneezes.
Touching the mouth or nose after touching a contaminated surface can also spread a cold. Cold symptoms usually appear 2 or 3 days after exposure to a source of infection. Most colds clear up within 1 week, but some last a bit longer. Your doctor won't be able to find which virus caused the illness, but can check your child's throat and ears and take a throat culture to make sure the symptoms aren't from another condition that may need treatment.
If symptoms get worse instead of better after 3 days or so, the problem could be strep throat , sinusitis , pneumonia, or bronchitis, especially if your son or daughter smokes. If symptoms last for more than a week; appear at the same time every year; or happen when your child is around pollen, dust, or animals, an allergy could be to blame. Kids who have trouble breathing or wheeze when they catch a cold could have asthma.
Colds will clear up on their own without specific medical treatment. Medicine can't cure a cold, but can ease symptoms like muscle aches, headache, and fever. You can give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen based on the package directions for age or weight. Never give aspirin to children or teens, as such use has been linked to Reye syndrome , a rare but serious condition that can be fatal. Many experts now believe that there's usually no reason to give over-the-counter OTC decongestants and antihistamines to any child younger than 6.
There's little proof that these medicines work, and decongestants can cause hallucinations, irritability, and irregular heartbeats, particularly in infants. Because so many viruses cause colds, there isn't a vaccine to protect against them.
To help avoid catching one, kids should:. Experts aren't sure whether taking extra zinc or vitamin C can limit how long cold symptoms last or how severe they become, but large doses taken every day can cause negative side effects. Studies on herbal remedies, like echinacea, are either negative or aren't conclusive. Few good scientific studies of these treatments have been done in kids.
Talk to your doctor before you give your child any herbal remedy or more than the recommended daily allowance RDA of any vitamin or supplement. Tesini BL. Common Cold. Merck Manual Professional Version. Updated June Mayo Clinic. Cold and flu viruses: How long can they live outside the body? Updated June 26, American Lung Association. Facts About The Common Cold. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth.
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I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Incubation Period. Contagious Period. How It Spreads. Protecting Yourself and Others.
Prevention After Exposure. How Germs Are Transmitted. When to Call in Sick. Natural Cold and Flu Remedies. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Do you have symptoms of a cold or the flu?
How can I boost my immune system during cold and flu season? Susan S. Blum, MD. A healthy immune system is critical to fighting off unwanted viruses. Find out how to defend yoursel
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