Frequently Asked Questions

Colds
Colds are a part of life for children in the Rochester area! Colds are caused by viruses and spread easily from person to person by way of respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, or contact with contaminated hands or objects.

How do I know if my child needs to be seen for a cold?
Symptoms of a cold may vary from mild to severe, and may include a sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, loss of appetite and fever. These symptoms are usually most severe at the beginning of the cold, and may last anywhere from 7 to 14 days. Most school aged children contract about one cold per month during the respiratory season. This may seem like a lot, but it is perfectly normal.

My child's runny nose is now thick and green – what does that mean? Is that a sinus infection?
Thick green or yellow nasal secretions do not always mean that a child has a sinus infection. Viruses can cause changes in the color of nasal mucous, particularly first thing in the morning and in young children who are not very good at blowing their nose. A sinus infection is suspected if the nasal congestion is getting progressively worse after 14 days and is accompanied by headache, fever, or dental pain.

What can I do for my child?
The best way to help your child with a cold is to treat the symptoms. A cool mist humidifier in the child's room will help keep secretions loose. Increase the amount of fluids your child drinks and encourage your child to get additional rest. Over the counter cold medicines may be helpful to temporarily relieve symptoms in children over 6 years of age. Call us if your child has any of the following: high fever for more than 24 hours, persistent cough, ear pain, tugging at ears, fussiness, or symptoms that are not improving after 10 – 14 days.

Please refer to our Don't Panic book for more ways to help.

Will an antibiotic help my child's cold?
No. A cold is caused by a virus. Antibiotics only help bacterial infections. Sometimes a child may get an ear infection or sinus infection that may be bacterial, and therefore, may need an antibiotic.

My child always gets an ear infection or sinus infection. Why not treat all colds with an antibiotic?
Antibiotics can have many side effects. For many years, doctors over prescribed antibiotics to treat infections that were not bacterial. This over prescribing has led to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the most common antibiotics. Antibiotics can also kill many good bacteria that live in our intestines and aid with digestion. By killing these bacteria, we can cause diarrhea.

Of course, if an ear infection were to occur during a cold, the risks of an untreated ear infection would usually outweigh the potential side-effects of the antibiotic.