Common Cold
Alternate Names : Cold, Upper Respiratory Infection - Viral
Definition
The common cold generally involves a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms. Over 200 different types of viruses can cause a cold.
Pictures & Images
 See all Pictures & Images
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
We call it the common cold for good reason. There are over one billion colds in the United States each year. You and your children will probably have more colds than any other type of illness. Children average 3 to 8 colds per year. They continue getting them throughout childhood (and their parents get them " usually from the kids). It's the most common reason that children miss school and that parents miss work.
Children usually get colds from other children. When a new strain is introduced into a school or day care, it quickly travels through the class.
Colds can occur year-round, but they occur mostly in the winter (even in areas with mild winters). In areas where there is no winter, colds are most common during the rainy season.
When someone has a cold, their runny nose is teeming with cold viruses. Sneezing, nose-blowing, and nose-wiping spread the virus. You can catch a cold by inhaling the virus if you are sitting close to someone who sneezes, or by touching your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus.
People are most contagious for the first 2 to 3 days of a cold, and usually not contagious at all by day 7 to 10.
|
