A child who develops a fever, cough, and rapid breathing after the first three days of cold symptoms may have bacterial pneumonia. This is also why it is really important that your child is up-to-date with his vaccinations. Certain immunizations can protect him from complications that come with the cold, such as invasive pneumococcal disease. What parents should not be too concerned about is the color of the cold mucus. People have this belief that if the mucus is clear, then it’s a mild kind of cold, but once it turns green, then it’s a bacterial infection and we should start giving antibiotics already. The fact is, the change in color is caused by the increase in the number of white blood cells in the nose, which are fighting the infection. Preventive Tips The best way to protect your child from the virus is to teach him to frequently and properly wash his hands. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also helpful. Teach your child to avoid touching his eyes, nose, and
To avoid catching a cold or the flu, just staying away from those who are infected may not be adequate protection. Even though it’s easy to confuse a cold with the flu, the two viruses have nothing in common –except their ability to inflict misery, say scientists. Colds come wrapped in sneezes, coughs, occasional fever, congestion and a general listlessness. When cold sufferers wheeze, sneeze or cough, they spray fine droplets of virus-bearing mucus and saliva into the environment. Until those tiny droplets dry, which can take several hours or even days, they are capable of infecting others with the cold virus. According to some experts, “It’s usually the people who are considerate enough to cough or sneeze into a tissue or handkerchief who spread the infection>” the mucus, say the experts, leaks through the paper onto their hands, taking the virus along with it. As a result, you can catch a cold virus from a telephone receiver, computer keyboard, coffee utensils or by shak