COMMON COLD

Patient Information
What is a Cold?
Colds are caused by viruses and no "shot" will cure a cold that doesn't have other
complications. You may be uncomfortable but a cold is not usually an emergency.

What are the symptoms?

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Nasal congestion with stuffiness and a runny nose.

Cough - maybe worse at night.
Fever - especially the first day or two.
Decreased appetite.
May have loose stools (runny bowel movements) or vomiting.
May be irritable.

How is it treated?
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Drink lots of fluids like water and juices.

Try to stay away from other people in order to avoid spreading the infection.
Do not wear too many clothes (overdress).
Ask smokers in the house to smoke outside.
Use a vaporizer if needed.
Salt water nose drops can be used for congestion (stuffiness).
Rest as needed.
Take Tylenol for low grade fevers.

What else do I need to know?

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Fevers should not be more than 102 degrees.

You should not have trouble breathing.
Phlegm (spit) should not be green or yellow.
Cold should improve in 14 days.
If you do have any of these problems, you need to call your doctor.

1996 - LSUMC Family Medicine Patient Education Home Page

COMMON COLD

Signs and Symptoms:

The first symptoms of a cold are often a "tickle" in the throat, a runny or stuffy nose and
sneezing. Children with colds may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, mild fever,
fatigue, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. The discharge from the runny nose changes
from watery to thick yellow or green.

Description:
The common cold is a contagious viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. It can be
caused by a number of common viruses - most typically the rhinoviruses and
coronaviruses. The common cold affects the nose, throat, sinuses, ears, eustachian tubes,
trachea, larynx, and bronchial tubes. The incidence of colds is greatest in school-age
children and declines with age.

Prevention:
No effective cold vaccine has ever been developed. Maybe someday! To prevent catching
or spreading a cold, a child should avoid contact with other people for the first two to
four days of the cold. Unfortunately, someone just coming down with a cold is contagious
even before they know they have an infection.
Children with colds should wash their hands thoroughly and frequently, especially after
blowing the nose. They should cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Some people believe that people may be more susceptible to colds if they are stressed or
tired; if they do not eat nutritious meals; and if they are exposed to cold, wet weather but there is little evidence to support many of these common beliefs.

Duration:
Children usually recover from a cold in seven to 14 days. Sometimes complications such
as sinusitis, ear infection, laryngitis or bronchitis will prolong the illness.

Contagiousness:
The contagious phase is the first two to four days after symptoms appear. The common
cold can result from breathing in virus particles spread through the air by sneezing or
coughing, or from person-to-person contact.

Home Treatment:
"Time cures all." That may not be always true, but in the case of the common cold, it's
pretty close. Medicine cannot cure the common cold but can be used to relieve some of
the symptoms such as muscle ache and headache. Or the following treatments can be
used: salt water drops in the nostrils to relieve nasal congestion; a cool-mist humidifier to
increase air moisture; and petroleum jelly on the skin under the nose to soothe rawness.
An older child can suck on hard candy or cough drops to relieve sore throat.
Although advertisements for over-the-counter decongestants/ antihistamines imply that
they are effective for colds, there is little or no evidence to support these claims. In fact,

decongestants have been reported to cause hallucination, irritability, and irregular

heartbeats in infants. During the duration of the cold, the child should avoid vigorous
activity and should get plenty of rest. Plenty of extra fluids - juice, water, carbonated
beverages - should be consumed.

Professional Treatment:
Not usually required.

When to Call Your Child's Doctor:

A child's doctor should be called if there is increased throat pain; coughing which
produces green or gray sputum or lasts more than 10 days; fever lasting several days or
over 101F; or if the child has shaking chills, chest pain or shortness of breath, difficulty
swallowing, poor intake of fluids, pain in the ear, unusual lethargy, enlarged, tender
glands in the neck, or blue lips, skin or fingernails.
Reviewed by: Steve Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: January 2001
Steven Dowshen, MD
Chief Medical Editor, KidsHealth
Nemours Center for Children's Health Media
Endocrinology/Diabetes
Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children
Wilmington, DE