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Original poster

How do I stop catching dd's colds?

20 replies

Zerub · 26/01/2004 10:57

Was going to put a message in the "Babies and colds" threads but thought I better not hijack the thread!

DD (20 mo) seems to get a new cold every few weeks at the moment - and ok, if they get 8 colds a year, mostly in the winter, then thats nothing unusual. But 2 days after she starts a cold, I get it. Surely my immune system is supposed to be better than hers? Aren't I supposed to have had most of these colds when I was a baby? Snuffle, sneeze, whinge

So what can I do to stop getting them - I mean, is there anything that actually works? I'm quite willing to obsessively wash my hands all day in antibacterial soap, or take 3 million Vit C tablets, if the collective Mumsnet wisdom thinks it would work! Any suggestions?

OP posts:
MancMum · 26/01/2004 11:12

I used to get a load of colds - so far this year - not had one... (yet - don't want to tempt fate)

This year- I have done the handwashing thing -and in a recent article comparing various ways to avoid a cold this came out top - I have not gotten obsessed but just ensure that I wash them ever hour or so - also Vit C and Zinc lozenges/tablets - I realy think Zinc is key - also lots of hot baths and at the first sign of a cold take a hot water/whiskey/lemon/sugar before diving into bed. this really does work and makes you feel pleasantly giddy before sleeping!!

doormat · 26/01/2004 11:18

Use lemon or lemongrass oil in a burner.
It disinfects the air in your home.

FairyMum · 26/01/2004 11:25

I believe in garlic, cod liver oil and lots and lots and lots of fruit and vegetables! Also, male sure to get 8 hours sleep at night (not always easy for us mums.....)

aloha · 26/01/2004 12:23

Wash your hands a lot, and don't, whatever you do, wipe your a snotty little nose with your finger in the absence of a bit of tissue. I mean, who would do anything as stupid and revolting as that, eh? Oh, yes, that was me.

aloha · 26/01/2004 12:36

Your CHILD"s snotty nose, that is. I don't wipe my own nose with my fingers, just ds's (is that better? I'm not sure)

katierocket · 26/01/2004 12:38

Aloha - i do that all the time with ds. good to know I am not alone in my revoltingness.

Kittypickle · 26/01/2004 12:40

Echinacea drops - I swear by them, gave them to my friend who'd just started teaching last year and was catching everything going. She's a convert. As we agreed, might not make the slightest bit of difference but you feel much better taking them!

Janstar · 26/01/2004 12:53

I rarely catch colds. If another member of the family has any kind of virus, I may get a bit sniffly for a day or two, then I fight it off.

Every morning I take a multivitamin and mineral tablet and 3 VMM tablets. This is a herbal supplement designed to boost the immune system and is available from Revital on 0800 252875.

I also use plenty of fresh fruit and veg and fresh garlic.

Finally, I take a probiotic tablet once a week or so (Acidofilus, available from health food shops).

Janstar · 26/01/2004 12:54

Oh, I forgot to say, I sleep with the window slightly open, rain or shine. Breathing in your own exaled air, as well as your dh's all night prevents your body from detoxing well.

gingernut · 26/01/2004 13:33

Zerub, IME some people are to be more susceptible to catching colds than others are. My dh manages to avoid most of them. I know he didn't have them as a child either because he has attendance certificates from school showing he never had a day off during his time at junior school! OTOH, I catch nearly every cold going.

There are around 350 different strains of the common cold out there so that's a lot of colds! If you haven't had a particular strain before then you are very likely to catch it. The only way to reduce your chances have been mentioned, such as washing hands scrupulously. A good diet and extra vitamin C and zinc supplements may help too.

suedonim · 26/01/2004 13:51

Zerub, I used to catch absolutely everything that my children had, including the tummy bugs. But as time went on, I had fewer and fewer and now rarely ever get anything. Everyone apart from me had colds over Xmas - even dh who is bomb-proof when it comes to germs! I was very pleased with myself and consider it some consolation for getting older.

Original poster
Zerub · 26/01/2004 17:23

OK, I will stock up on supplements and antibacterial soap then! Thanks

OP posts:
spacemonkey · 26/01/2004 17:40

agree with kittypickle about echinacea drops (have never tried the tablets) - at first sign of cold i take 3 drops in a bit of water every couple of hours - i'm sure it helps!

nutcracker · 26/01/2004 17:42

Can kids have the echinacia drops ??????????

spacemonkey · 26/01/2004 18:05

you can get echinacea drops for kids from health food shops, can't remember the make tho

Original poster
Zerub · 26/01/2004 21:31

I've been having a bit of a rummage on the web about echinacea; they've done research on adults that seems to show it is effective but the research done on kids didn't show any difference between the echinacea and the placebo. They think it might be because you need to take it at the first sign on a cold, and parents are slower to spot it in a child than in themselves.

OP posts:
easy · 27/01/2004 13:43

Zerub,

I would swear by taking zinc supplements. We first heard about this 5 years ago, as was travelling round the country visiting lots of companies, always picking up a different cold bug, and bringing it home to dh. I really worked for us then, and I take it every winter now, and have only had about 3 colds in the last 4 years.

2 warnings tho'. I've heard that zinc can improve your fertility, and I got preg after a year of trying, that first winter of taking zinc, so unless you're ttc, take care. Also my dh has recently heard that you (as in women) shouldn't take more than 50mg a day, cos it can reduce bone density in very large doses (i've just had to change my supply, I was taking 100mg)

hope this helps

p.s. I thought that echinacea should only be taken for 3 weeks at a time, cos you become immune to it's effects.

easy · 27/01/2004 13:43

Zerub,

I would swear by taking zinc supplements. We first heard about this 5 years ago, as was travelling round the country visiting lots of companies, always picking up a different cold bug, and bringing it home to dh. I really worked for us then, and I take it every winter now, and have only had about 3 colds in the last 4 years.

2 warnings tho'. I've heard that zinc can improve your fertility, and I got preg after a year of trying, that first winter of taking zinc, so unless you're ttc, take care. Also my dh has recently heard that you (as in women) shouldn't take more than 50mg a day, cos it can reduce bone density in very large doses (i've just had to change my supply, I was taking 100mg)

hope this helps

p.s. I thought that echinacea should only be taken for 3 weeks at a time, cos you become immune to it's effects.

Tinker · 27/01/2004 14:31

Agree, agree ,agree with the zinc. Have started taking it this winter and ,so far, have not had any colds despite boyfriend and daughter having had 2 bad ones each. I also think, might be imagining it, that it's improved my dust allergy symptoms, don't seem so blocked up.

Original poster
Zerub · 27/01/2004 18:20

Easy,

My Echinacea tablets say not to take them for more than 2 weeks without a break. And my zinc & calcium tablets are 100mg of each so maybe I'll get lower dose ones next time.

As for the fertility thing - well we're not actively ttc, but we're not 'not trying' either . We'll see!

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