when are colds / viruses contagious

[forevermore]

dd (16 months)is at a childminders in the week. last winter she had a cold / virus every other week and they just rolled into one, it was a nightmare. I know you cannot stop them getting these, but just wondered if there was a way of reducing the risk of catching them?

Is the contagious period at the begining of a cold / first signs of a cold, before first signs, after first signs, or right the way through??? I guess it may vary between bugs, but just wondered if anyone had an idea of the general pattern?

Most contagious period is just before you know you've got it and you start sneezing all over the place. And surprisingly the next easiest way to catch a cold is rubbing your eyes without washing your hands first. If you've touched a hard surface like a doorhandle that has been contaminated by someone with a cold then if you rub your eyes the cold virus can travel down your tear ducts.