What are the causes of a cold in a child?

Although there are probably more than a hundred different varieties of these types of viruses, a particular type of virus usually causes a person to be sick just once, after which he or she becomes somewhat immune to that virus naturally. Still, because there are so many kinds of viruses causing the common cold, people usually end up catching the virus many times each year. Children that are cared for and looked after at home are less prone to catching these viruses as compared to those children who are looked after in daycare facilities. Some of the main causes of the common cold are discussed below: • Seasonal patterns — The common cold can occur at any time of year, even though the highest number of colds usually occurs in the winter and fall months, regardless of the geographic location. Exposure to cold air, or cold climates however, is not the cause of colds. • Transmission — Colds are usually transmitted form on person to another and this can either be through means of direct contact or by contact with the virus that is in the environment. Colds are usually most contagious in the initial few days of catching the virus, perhaps the first two or four days. When a person who is sick sneezes, talks or coughs, they may directly spread the virus to your baby. • Direct contact — The most typical way to transmit and carry the common cold virus is on people’s hands. Here, the virus is capable of infecting another individual for nearly two hours. When a child who has a cold comes in contact with another person or child, and they then go ahead and touch their eyes mouth or nose, the virus is able to successfully infect that person in no time. It can also work the other way around, where if an infected person touches his or her face, nose, mouth etc. and then touches a baby or a child, causing it to subsequently become infected. • Infection from contaminated surfaces — your baby may be prone to catching a virus by simply touching a surface that is contaminated with cold virus particles, such as a normal toy, door handle, countertops etc. Some viruses can linger on surfaces for 2 hours or more.