THE COMMON

COLD
LESSON 4 – HEALTH
•The common cold is a
viral infection of your
nose and throat (upper
respiratory tract).
•It's usually harmless,
although it might not feel
that way. Many types of
viruses can cause a
common cold.
Symptoms
• Symptoms of a common cold usually appear
one to three days after exposure to a cold-
causing virus.
• Signs and symptoms, which can vary from
person to person, might include:
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Congestion
• Slight body aches or a mild headache
• Sneezing
• Low-grade fever
• Generally feeling unwell
CAUSES
• Although many types of viruses can cause a
common cold, rhinoviruses are the most
common cause.
• A cold virus enters your body through your
mouth, eyes or nose. The virus can spread
through droplets in the air when someone
who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks.
• It also spreads by hand-to-hand contact with
someone who has a cold or by sharing
contaminated objects, such as eating
utensils, towels, toys or telephones. If you
touch your eyes, nose or mouth after such
contact, you're likely to catch a cold.
RISK FACTORS
These factors can increase
your chances of getting a
cold:
•Exposure. If you're
around crowds, such as at
school or on an airplane,
you're likely to be
exposed to viruses that
cause colds.
• Age. Infants and
young children are
at greatest risk of
colds, especially if
they spend time in
child care settings.
• Weakened immune
system. Having a
chronic illness or
otherwise weakened
immune system
increases your risk.
Smoking.
 You're more likely to catch a cold and to have more-severe
colds if you smoke or are around secondhand smoke.
Time of year. Both children and adults are more likely to get colds in fall
and winter, but you can get a cold anytime.
•Drink plenty of fluids. Water, juice, clear broth or
warm lemon water are good choices. Avoid caffeine
and alcohol, which can dehydrate you.
•Sip warm liquids. Chicken soup and other warm
fluids, such as tea or warm apple juice, can be
soothing and can loosen congestion. Honey may
help coughs in adults and children who are older
than age 1. Try it in hot tea.
•Rest. If possible, stay home from work or school if
you have a fever or a bad cough or are drowsy after
taking medications. This will give you a chance to
rest and heal, as well as reduce the chances that
you'll spread your cold to others.
•Adjust your room's temperature and
humidity. Keep your room warm, but not
overheated. If the air is dry, a cool-mist humidifier or
vaporizer can moisten the air and help ease
congestion and coughing. Clean your humidifier
according to the manufacturer's directions to
prevent the growth of bacteria and molds.
• Soothe a sore throat. A saltwater gargle of
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (1250-2500 milligrams) of
table salt in 4 to 8 ounces (120 to 240
milliliters) of warm water can help soothe a
sore throat. Gargle the solution and then spit
it out. Children younger than 6 years are
unlikely to be able to gargle properly.
• Try saline nasal drops or sprays. Saline
nasal drops or sprays can keep nasal
passages moist and loosen mucus. You can
buy these products over-the-counter, and they
can help relieve symptoms, even in children.
• In infants and younger children, apply saline
nasal drops, wait for a short period and then
use a suction bulb to draw mucus out of each
nostril. Insert the bulb syringe about 1/4 to 1/2
inch (6 to 12 millimeters). For older children,
use a saline nasal spray or saline nasal
irrigation.
PREVENTION
• There's no vaccine for the common cold, but you can take commonsense precautions to slow the spread of cold
viruses:
• Wash your hands. Wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap
and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Teach your
children the importance of hand-washing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Disinfect your stuff. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, electronics, and
kitchen and bathroom countertops daily. This is especially important when someone in your family has a cold.
Wash children's toys periodically.
• Cover your cough. Sneeze and cough into tissues. Throw away used tissues right away, then wash your hands
thoroughly. If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into the bend of your elbow and then wash your hands.
• Don't share. Don't share drinking glasses or eating utensils with other family members. Use your own glass or
disposable cups when you or someone else is sick. Label the cup or glass with the name of the person using it.
• Stay away from people with colds. Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold. Stay out of crowds, when
possible. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Review your child care center's policies. Look for a child care setting with good hygiene practices and clear
policies about keeping sick children at home.
• Take care of yourself. Eating well and getting exercise and enough sleep is good for your overall health.
SELF DIRECTED ACTIVITY
Watch the video about Common Colds
After watching the video, answer the questions in
your MAPEH Notebook
 What have you notice to the video?
 Are they well or not?
 Have you ever had those common colds?
 How will you prevent the common colds?