Mothers, have you ever asked yourselves if children can get colds during the summer? You’re probably thinking, “The reason they’re called colds is because you get them only when it’s cold, right? I mean, you shouldn’t be susceptible to such a disease when the weather’s warm and humid!
But alas, science has proven that you, in fact, can get colds during the hottest season of the year. So stock up on medicine for cough and cold, mommies. Today, we’ll find out how it’s possible you can get a cold during the summer.
But first, what is a cold?
Before we dig in, let’s define what this medical condition is. The common cold – also known as acute viral rhinopharyngitis – is an inflammation of the mucous glands in the body. When certain chemicals are triggered, the blood vessels leak and cause the mucous membranes to produce more phlegm. This surplus of mucous affects the nose and throat. Sometimes, a cold can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection caught in the air.
Symptoms
Signs of a cold are a runny/puffy nose, sore throat, a hoarse voice, headache, and watery eyes. The sore throat, in particular, are caused by all the fluids that have rushed up to your nose.
Prevention
One of the easiest ways of protecting yourself against the common cold is to avoid those who have it. The cold virus can remain airborne after sneezing while its germs can latch on to surfaces like doorknobs, tables, and many more. Yikes!
If you’re sneezing, don’t cover your nose only with your hands. Make sure you have tissue paper at the ready. Discard when done and wash hands with soap and water.
Treatment
One of the easiest ways of treating a cold is to drink plenty of fluids. Being properly hydrated improves your overall health, so make it a point to set aside carbonated drinks to make room for your 8 glasses of water. And speaking of the number 8, getting at least that much hours of sleep every night will also aid in recovering from a cold.
Getting a cold during summertime
Now that we’ve dissected what a cold is, its symptoms, and how to deal with it, let’s see how it is possible to get a cold during summertime.
There are two different viruses that cause winter colds and summer colds. Rhinoviruses cause winter colds and best thrive in colder weather. Summer colds, on the other hand, are caused by enteroviruses, which have a preference for warmer weather.
Another unique feature about enteroviruses is that they cause more complications than winter colds, some of which include fever, sore throat, hacking cough, nausea, diarrhea, and skin rash.
How do you get a summer cold?
Just like regular colds, summer colds can be caught by coughing, sneezing, and contact with surfaces. Another weird way you can contract this disease is through unclean hands, or touching items soiled with fecal waste, also known as the fecal-oral route.
Yes, you can get a summer cold, but the information listed above, when considered and acted upon, should be enough to make sure that you have a disease-free summer.