It’s that time of year again, when everyone around you seems to be coughing and sneezing. While you may not be able to avoid catching colds and the flu altogether, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk.

When it comes to colds and influenza (“the flu”), it can be difficult to sort fact from fiction. Protect yourself and your children from getting a cold or the flu – or be ready to handle these illnesses – by getting the facts.

An ounce of prevention

The best way to avoid getting the flu is to get the influenza vaccine. The vaccine is available as a shot or a nasal spray. It’s especially recommended for people who are more likely to get really sick from flu-related complications. Talk to your doctor to find out if you or your children are in one of these high risk groups. Certain people shouldn’t get the flu vaccine without talking to their doctor first. This includes people who are allergic to eggs and people who previously had a bad reaction to the flu vaccine.

I know I’m sick …

A cold often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and having a runny nose. You may have no fever, or you may run a low fever – just one or two degrees higher than usual. You may also have muscle aches, a scratchy or sore throat, watery eyes and a headache. The flu starts suddenly and hits hard. You’ll
probably feel weak and tired, and have a combination of symptoms including fever, dry cough, a runny nose, chills, muscle aches, severe headache, eye pain and a sore throat. Some people who have the flu may have an upset stomach, but this is rarely the main symptom of the flu.

What can I do to feel better?

Unfortunately there’s no cure for a cold or the flu. Both are caused by viruses, so antibiotics can’t help. The following are some ways to treat your symptoms
while your body fights off the virus:

Rest: Stay home and rest, especially while you have a fever.
Gargle: Gargle with warm salt water to relieve a sore throat. Throat sprays or lozenges may also help.
Take care of your nose: Use saline (salt water) nose drops to loosen mucus and moisten the tender skin in your nose.
Hydrate: Drink plenty of fluids to help loosen mucus and prevent dehydration.
Avoid cafffeine: Avoid coffee, tea or soft drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine can cause dehydration.
Avoid alcohol: This is especially important if you are taking medicine.
Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke: Smoking can make cold symptoms worse.
Medicate: For adults, medicine may relieve some cold or flu symptoms. Many cold and flu medicines are available without a prescription.

With your doctor’s prescription

Antiviral flu drugs are prescription medicines that can be used to help prevent and/or treat the flu. If you take one of these drugs within two
days of getting sick, it can lessen your symptoms, decrease your sick time and make you less contagious. However, most healthy people who have the flu
get better without using an antiviral flu drug. Your doctor will decide whether one of these medicines is right for you.

Treating sick children

To treat your child’s cold or the flu, make sure that he or she rests and drinks plenty of fluids. You can use a cool-mist humidifier to help moisten the air in your child’s bedroom to help with nasal congestion. Use a saline nasal spray or drops to thin nasal mucus, and a bulb syringe to suction mucus out of your baby or child’s nose.

A warning for parents

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that parents and caregivers should never use over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold products for children under two years of age. Such products can cause serious side effects in babies and toddlers. OTC cough and cold medicines and nasal decongestants may also cause side effects in children two years of age or older, and there is little evidence that they are even effective in treating children. Always talk to your doctor before giving any medicine to your child.

Health Tips for you

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. And when you’re sick, keep your distance from others.

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

Wash your hands often with soap and water to help protect you and others from germs.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs can easily spread into these areas.

did you know?

More than 100 different viruses can cause a cold, but there aren’t as many viruses that cause the flu. That’s why there’s a vaccine for the flu but not for colds.

Additional information :
National Library of Medicine: http://www.nlm.nih.gov; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov