Beware of illnesses that thrive in winter, chilly weather
Winter is here, bringing colder temperatures and a greater likelihood of children and adults coming down with a variety of illnesses that are often part of the season every year.
Many of these illnesses can be prevented with vaccinations or treated with medications. You don’t have to tough it out. Check with your primary care physician if you start feeling sick.
COMMON COLD
Colds are most common in the winter and spring, but you can catch a cold, caused by a virus, any time of the year. Cold symptoms usually include:
♦ Sore throat
♦ Runny nose
♦ Coughing
♦ Sneezing
♦ Headaches
Most people recover within about 7-10 days. However, common colds are the main reason that children miss school and adults miss work. Each year in the United States, there are millions of cases of the common cold. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more.
What you can do to prevent it:
♦ Wash your hands with soap and teach any children living with you to do the same. You can also use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
♦ Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
♦ Keep your distance from sick people.
RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS (RSV)
RSV is a common cause of illnesses among children and is seen throughout the U.S. It often includes symptoms that resemble a cold, but it can be much more serious. It can also lead to pneumonia and bronchitis, which often require hospitalization.
According to the CDC, children with any of the following underlying conditions are considered at elevated risk:
♦ Premature infants
♦ Very young infants, especially those 6 months and younger
♦ Children younger than 2 years old with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease
♦ Children with suppressed immune systems
♦ Children who have neuromuscular disorders, including those who have difficulty swallowing or clearing mucus secretions
Initial symptoms of RSV in infants and young children are often a runny nose and lack of appetite. More serious symptoms often follow including a cough, fever and wheezing. Children may also become irritable and have problems sleeping. Most healthy infants and children do not require hospitalization. Your pediatrician may recommend acetaminophen to reduce fever.
FLU
While you can get the flu any time, it is most common from November through February. There are effective flu vaccines you can get from your primary care physician. The earlier in the season better, but it is not too late for this year’s flu vaccines to be effective.
Flu can often mimic the common cold, but its symptoms are generally more severe and can include fever, body aches, headaches, runny nose, congestion and cough. Normally, people who have a cold have less severe symptoms like a runny or stuffy nose. There are also antiviral medications for adults and children that can be effective in easing symptoms of the flu. Talk to your physician or pediatrician.
COVID-19
COVID unfortunately is still with us. Symptoms can sometimes resemble a flu or the cold, but it is still a very contagious and potentially life-threatening virus. The good news is you can still get vaccinated, and if caught early enough, there are anti-viral medications that can prove beneficial. Please contact your primary care physician to learn more or to schedule a vaccination.
PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 1 out of 20 people who get the bacterial disease die each year. The lung infection is often accompanied by:
♦ Fever and chills
♦ Cough
♦ Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
♦ Chest pain
♦ Confusion, especially among older adults
If serious and left untreated, pneumococcal pneumonia can lead to pericarditis, marked by inflammation of the tissue that surround your heart and severe lung infections.
The good news is that there are several ways to defend yourself against the disease, including getting vaccinated. Call your caregiver to learn more. Other prevention tips are similar to ways we already guard against colds and flu:
♦ Wash your hands often.
♦ Make sure that surfaces you touch frequently are disinfected regularly.
♦ Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow.
♦ If you have diabetes, asthma or heart disease, manage them aggressively.
ASTHMA
While asthma is a condition, not an infection, it can be worsened by a cold. Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness and coughing. If someone in your family has it, you are more likely to have asthma. Cold weather can trigger an asthma attack.
Asthma can be difficult to diagnose. Your doctor may ask you to take a lung function test using a spirometer, which can measure how effectively your lungs are working.
If you suspect someone in your home might have asthma, do not smoke around them. Secondhand smoke can trigger asthma, especially among young children. Dust and animal hair are also other common triggers. You should also avoid down-filled pillows and quilts. Mold is also another common asthma trigger.