How to Prevent Children from Coming Down with the Cold in the Summer?

Pediatric Healthcare of Northwest Houston sees and treats several cases of cold in the summers. Parents bring their coughing, sneezing, and sick children to our clinic, and although we treat them and prescribe them with medicine, we do not let them leave without giving them valuable advice on the preventative health care measures they can take to prevent their children from coming down with the cold.

Learn about the Symptoms of Colds

Did you know there are over 200 viruses that can cause a cold? However, studies have shown that the enterovirus infection is the main cause of the cold. The virus affects the tissues of your nose, throat, eyes, and digestive system. During the summers, the virus lets loose, infecting child after child. Hence, it is up to you to recognize the following symptoms of colds:

•  Mild to high fever

•  Joint or muscle pain

•  Vomiting and nausea

•  Symptoms similar to the flu

•  Headache

•  Sore throat

•  Skin rash or pink eye (rare symptom)

Protect Your Children from the Cold

Once you gotten all the symptoms of the cold down, you need to learn how you can prevent your child from getting a cold in the summer. You have to teach them to do the following things:

1. Washing Hands Often

Tell your child to wash their hands as soon as they come from outside. If they do not, the whole house might fall ill with the cold, as the cold spreads through touch. You can also provide them with a hand sanitizer to carry with them at all times. In the event they need to eat and no washroom is in sight, they can use the hand sanitizer to kill some of the germs.

2. Do Not Sit in a Cold Room

Sitting in a cold room for prolong periods of time benefits the virus, enabling it reproduce fast.

3. Clean all the Objects and Surfaces

Cold is contagious, and if your child has a cold, you need to make sure all the objects and surfaces your child comes into contact with are thoroughly cleaned. For instance, phones, doorknobs, and windowsills are just some of the things you need to clean regularly.

4. Tell Your Child Not to Stress

Convey to your child about not taking a lot of unnecessary stress, as stress weakens the immune system, making it more vulnerable to the cold virus.

5. Be Alert in Crowded Spaces

There is a higher probability your child or you will catch a cold in a crowded area such as a waiting room. You need to take additional care of your child if you find yourself in a room with several people.

If your child comes down with a cold, even after you have taken all the precautions to prevent it, you can visit Pediatric Healthcare of Northwest Houston. We promise to offer you with the best quality medical care in all of Houston.