The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
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Our 9-month-old came down with a phlegmy, wet cough yesterday, approximately 3 days after visiting the home of another baby who had just recovered from being sick (and was still coughing a bit when we visited)
My conclusion: the baby picked up a bug from the other child.
My mother-in-law's conclusion: it's because my baby was not dressed properly in the mornings when I take her for a short ride in the drafty elevator in our apartment building (this trip lasts five minutes and does not require going outside -- nor is anyone else ever in the elevator).
Now what I've been taught is that colds come from germs, not from being cold. In fact, every time I look into this issue, I come up with the same thing: being cold does not cause colds, and in fact, in some cases I read that being cold makes no difference whatsoever to your defenses against a cold.
However, I know in her heart-of-hearts, mom-in-law thinks that's hooey.
Evidence #1: if being cold doesn't make you sick, why is it that we bundle up in the winter to stay warm? Why does being warm feel better than being cold? And why, in most cases, will doctors recommend to their sick patients that they should keep warm? Why do people get sick more in the winter than they do in the summer? If you sleep overnight in your bed without being properly covered, does it increase your chances of getting sick overnight?
Now faced with that sort of conventional wisdom backed by circumstancial evidence (and undertstanding that my mother in law probably didn't have an education in microbiology) how can i solve this issue and not get the "child abuser!" look from mom-in-law each time I want to take my baby for an elevator ride?
Or am I completely wrong and it's me that needs a lesson in the ways of the world?
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
As my child has been sick about 5 times since the beginning of October and has had more than her share of visits to the doctors, we are getting quite educated about viruses. It is germs from others that has caused her problems. She is always well bundled up when outside and warmly dressed while inside, so that theory has not prevented her from getting sick, and who knows maybe it prevented other illnesses or the severity of what she did get. There are countless number of viruses out there ( only her first illness was caused by bacteria) and they can be picked up either through the air, direct contact via other people, toys, or any other objects that might have been touched by an infected person. So, despite our attempts to keep her warm, away from noticeably sick people, constant washing of hands, it has not worked. In her most recent bout this week she has certainly caught it from our ayi as the same symptoms have occurred. Masks maybe another option to consider to help prevent these types of things but we have not done this as of yet...although we do have the ayi wearing one in case she has a relapse.
If your daughter is coughing, unfortunately there is not much you can do except try to keep her comfortable as crying generally will aggravate the situation and at night the cough will generally be morethan during the day. Moist air from humidifiers helps and I am guessing there might be some chinese medicine that might be used. Stay away from any cough medicines as they are not useful and can be harmful.
Good luck, hope she gets better soon.
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
expat13 wrote:As my child has been sick about 5 times since the beginning of October
wow ... Is this her first winter in Beijing?
Actually I read somewhere that the average infant gets a cold between 3 to 8 times each winter season, so 5 by Feb 1 (today) sounds about what is to be expected.
expat13 wrote:If your daughter is coughing, unfortunately there is not much you can do except try to keep her comfortable as crying generally will aggravate the situation and at night the cough will generally be morethan during the day. Moist air from humidifiers helps and I am guessing there might be some chinese medicine that might be used. Stay away from any cough medicines as they are not useful and can be harmful.
thanks for the advice
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
Its actually her second winter in Beijing but during the first winter she was probably more protected because she was breast feeding at that time. I was told by the doctor the other day that toddlers on average will get sick 11 times in a year which is kind of scary, so ours is already half way there in 3.5 months. Her main symptom has been fever with no coughing, no runny nose and if she did not have a fever you would not know she was sick because she acted as normal. This time she does have the cough so its somewhat different and its just a waiting period until she can eliminate that.
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
has anyone had any experience or luck with trying to get your infant's nose clear?
I've read in my various and sundry parenting guides that you should attempt to put some sort of saline solution into your child's nose, then use a squeeze pump to remove what's stuffing his/her nose up.
Under the "do unto others" principle I've not attempted this, as I can't imagine how irritating it would be to have salt water squirted into ones' nostrils.
My book recommends some sort of over-the-counter nasal saline spray but I have not found it anywhere.
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
United Family Hospital does have the Saline solution at their pharmacy. The drops can be used for the ears as well to eliminate wax buildup. You can always give yourself a squirt to see how it feels and then decide whether the baby can tolerate. Ours always complains initially like anything else she needs to take, but it did not seem to hurt her when we have used them.
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
Colds during winter: experts say the reason we catch more colds during winter is because we spend more time closeted indoors with other people, sucking in other people's breath and therefore their cold and flu viruses. Whether we are hot or cold whilst sucking in these germs is, of course, irrelevant.
Feeling hot as opposed to warm: as I type, I am pretty sure it's winter outside, yet I am wearing a tshirt and my feet are burning up in their socks. No where else in the world have I experienced this than in Beijing. And there is not a heater on in the house. Our entire building is so overheated during winter (our 4th winter here), it is horrifying. It is stuffy, cloying and unpleasant. Perhaps I am a lizard, but I much prefer to feel fresh and cool than hot and stuffy during ANY season. I so love to bundle up in winter with bedsocks and a throw rug on the couch - but that doesn't happen here. I suppose the statement your M-I-L made about how it feels better to be warm than cold is subjective? Or is it culturally ingrained??? (my ayi will put on a sweater if the fridge door is left open more than 30 seconds...)
Colds in infants: I have read and been told countlessly that the more colds and bugs babies are subjected to in their first 12 months gives their immune systems an enormous boost, and is a good thing for the future of their overall health.
Clearing infant nose: shut yourself in the bathroom with baby, and turn on the hot water in the shower until the room becomes cloudy with steam. You may have to do this a few times, but watch baby doesn't get overheated or uncomfortable. This should really loosen things up and hopefully it will just run down as postnasal drip. I've never had luck with saline OR nasal pumps on anyone, let alone a baby - has anyone else?
Try the steam thing.
Goodluck. Nothing worse than a blocked nose on a feeding baby.
This above all; to thine own self be true.
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
here's another one: hiccups are caused by being exposed to cold.
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Re: The age-old question: Does being cold give you a cold?
I saw them testing this one on Mad Labs I think it was the other day.
Apparently some landmark study from early last century proved that being cold did not increase ones chances of catching a cold.
What was interesting though was it seemed that no one since had tried to confirm that by a repeat experiment. And with the amount of cultures in the world convinced there is a relationship between the two, let alone the fact that many people say they personally catch a cold after being cold, it seemed a retest was in order.
The little snippet showed some university study being conducted someone in the UK I think, where a large sample group was deliberately left to get cold (temp wise), whilst another was not.
The result of this huge experiment was.....sorry, I had to go out before it finished and missed the end!
However the point is that clearly some scientists are not convinced that there is no relationship.
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