To Limit or Not to Limit Activity for Child with Cold

Take her!!! (If she wants to go and no fever) Bundle up and bring lots of tissues and maybe a thermos of hot tea.

Older kids and even preschoolers go to school all the time with colds. Teach her good hygiene in terms of hand washing with soap,coughing into elbow, and not putitng her hands on her mouth, nose eyes. Keep her home if she clearly feels bad or her runny nose is discolored or a fever.

That said, she is just in preschool, if you want to keep her home, she won't really miss anything important and you can make it a Mommy day :)

I disagree with some of the PP's. I say dress her warmly (as you normally would on a cold evening and go! If she had a fever, I'd say pass....but with a cold and she sounds like she's gotten plenty of rest this week. Have fun!

hmmm... no fever, she's feeling alright with the same energy level, but coughing with drainage...

I would take her on the sleigh ride. So long as she is great at covering her coughs, is bundled up to keep warm and toasty, and you bring hand sanitizer for her little hands, it sounds like she's okay to go.

I'd bundle her up and go if she feels good enough to go. Just make sure she doesnt cough or sneeze on anyone. Have fun!

I imagine she'll be just fine if you take her.

When my kids are sick I keep them home if they have a fever or are feeling really awful. But if it's just a cough and/or runny nose? Off they go to school with a pocketful of kleenex :)

Honestly...where do you think she got sick from in the first place???

some may call me a bad mom but I don't limit activity unless there is a fever.....this includes school and daycare (when my kids were younger). If I had kept my kids home for a cough or runny nose they NEVER would have gone to school in the winter......when my son was in daycare he was sick ALL the time, then we had his tonsils and adenoids removed and he didn't get sick for an entire year.

so in a nutshell take her and unless she has a fever send her to school, they miss too much if they stay home for every little sniffle and by the time the symptoms show they have already spread it by the sharing of suppies that goes on in a classroom (computer keyboard, gym equipment etc)

Sleep.... is the BEST remedy... for being sick.
It is restorative and actually is when the body's immune system is doing its work and healing.....

Her coughs... from what you describe.. .is due to "Post-Nasal Drip."
This causes coughing... and is dripping from the Sinuses.
A Sinus cold... is hard to get rid of... and IT can go on and on and on and on....

Since she is 5 years old... she can try a Neti Pot... nasal rinse.
You can get it from Whole Foods or any drug store.
MANY Doctors recommend it... to keep the sinuses healthy... and it also prevents... colds.
My Husband who is prone to sinus trouble, uses it... daily. And has since, gets sick less.
My daughter.... from about 4 years old... can use it with no problem, with our standing next to her. She does it when she is sick.

The cold air/weather... can also exacerbate coughs/any lung ailments. I know... I have Asthma. Cold air... makes it way worse.
But your child, does not have asthma. I am just talking about myself.

If I were you... I would really try to get her Sinus issue under wraps.
It does not cause fever... but does create post-nasal drip and ensuing coughing.

ALSO good for preventing colds.... is... to gargle with salt water... several times a day... if suspecting a cold is coming on for just for regular daily routine. I read this, in a health magazine.

You could also try "Little Noses" which is a children's nasal decongestant.

Colds.... last about 7-10 days. Standard.

all the best,
Susan

I say bundle her up and go! Make sure her head and neck are covered and she covers her mouth/nose when she coughs and sneezes. The fun will help her and if she feels good mentally that will help her psysically. Enjoy!

Look at the rules for sickness for your preschool. Our school says kids with fevers, vomiing diahrrea or excessive coughing and nasal discharge cannot attend.

I work part time so I do send my kids to school on the day they seem to be getting sick.. As I cant take a week off work for every illness.

Last year my kids had colds from October through March.. constant .. but they only missed a week in the fall for croup and a week in February for a fever illness. This school year they havent missed a single day for illness.

I do live in Michigan but I am sure there are plenty of colds and flus in all 50 states...

Send your child to school and other activities unless they are very sick.. Most young kids have runny noses most of the fall winter..

The rule for school is fever-free for 24 hours. So as long as she is feeling fine and has no fever, she should be okay to participate. I kept my 5-yo dd home from Kindergarten 2 days last week because she was so tired after having that same type of cough all night. But I sent her after those two days because she felt fine and had no fever even though her nose was runny. Take her to your event and have a blast!

Activity (technically adrenaline) shuts off the immune response. You can't do anything about it (it's also why people who are under a lot of stress catch every bug that goes around).

The more active one is while sick, the longer they will stay sick. Because every time their immune system shuts off, the bacteria or virus get to build back up in it's absence. Same token, if you're fighting something off, but haven't actually gotten sick yet... a way to guarantee you WILL get sick is to go exercise, or to have something very stressful happen.

Personally, I keep kiddo home and resting until 1-2 days past all symptoms. It's amazing how much faster HE recovers from illnesses than I or his father do. Because we HAVE to keep working & doing things, and he gets to rest and recover. It's like watching an immunology documentary every time the house gets sick. We relapse and relapse and relapse and our colds drag on for weeks... he just gets better. The few times I actually have been able to baby myself I recover even faster than kiddo. But how often do moms REALLY get to take care of themselves while sick?

I would probably not have her out for a full hour, but short periods of time should be fine. I still let my kids outside for 15 minute chunks when they just have colds. I keep them away if they sound horrible (I stayed home from church Sunday because I knew how my 2 year old would sound to other parents, even though I think he was fine). If you keep her bundled and bring a thermos of something warm and soothing for her to drink and bring her inside a few times to warm up, she'll probably be fine. Your school should also have well-child policies, so make sure you ask questions and understand them ahead of time. Generally colds without fevers, rashes, etc. are not a problem.

I'd take her ro the outside activity for sure. why not?
I'd go by the school's rules which might mean a doctor's note to say she's not contagious after a couple of days or whatever.

Hi, I see you posted your response already but I still wanted to respond. I haven't read all the other post so sorry if I repeat. I had this same question myself even though I grew up in Michigan. I didn't catch colds like my youngest one does "ALL THE TIME"...lol. But after speaking with the pediatrician, I just get some good OTC 8 hour Cold & Cough meds that work specifically on Runny Noses and Coughs or whatever symptoms and send them on him on his way. I have taught him how to cough in his elbow and I bundle him up in layers.

Like the few responses I read said you would be in the house all the time if you stayed in for every cold. Even though we don't want other kids coughing on our kids I dont think those moms would stay in for every cold either.

The fresh air and sunshine will be good for her. Bundle her up and take her outside. No worries. As for the length of time to keep her away from others...colds are a dime a dozen, if she doesn't have a fever and feels pretty good, and isn't TOO snotty, oh well. it's hard to avoid in the winter.

Hi A.---I would say she is fine to go. You know her best and if she is acting ok outside of the residual coughing, she's most likely on the mend. I would also bet that she is no longer contagious. Unfortunately, she was BEFORE she showed symptoms of the cold and then for a day or two after.

Keeping active actually helps to prevent colds so exercise is essential for MANY reasons. Enjoy the wagon ride.

I would keep dairy from her...and the whole family, actually. It is a HUGE mucous producer and a highly allergenic substance. Please visit www.pcrm.org and put dairy in the search function. It's amazing what you will learn. Also, lots of fruit and veggies to help recover AND prevent colds. Be careful with sugary foods as they make the immune system lazy. A candy bar and can of soda supresses the immune system for up to 6 hours. And, if she doesn't like veggies, I have some great strategies for getting more every day. (A bit off topic but you mentioned the frequency of colds last year.) I'm actually at a Holiday Vendor and Craft show in Bloomfield Hills today. Come do some Christmas shopping and then we call talk about health and prevention. Wing Lake school, 6490 Wing Lake Rd, NW corner of Maple and Wing Lake Rd, just west of Telegraph.

Good luck and enjoy the ride. D.