Debunking 8 Myths about Winter Illnesses
Outdated beliefs die hard when it comes to winter illness. With cold and flu season now upon us, read on to make sure you have the latest information for treating your little one
Originally published November, 2009
myth
Green or yellow mucus indicates an infection that requires an antibiotic.
Fact
That lovely stuff that your little one shares so freely during a bad cold or flu is most commonly clear, but it can also take on other colours of the rainbow. “Nobody likes having a kid with green gunk coming out of his nose, but a cold is a viral illness, and an antibiotic is not going to fix it,” advises Dr. Malcolm, who notes that such viruses can take up to 14 days to run their course. But if the green mucus persists for more than 10 days, and is accompanied by other symptoms such as cough, sinus headache, fever (common in infants and young kids with infections), persistent fatigue, foul-smelling breath and puffiness beneath the eyelids, you may be looking at a sinus infection.
Contributing editor Tim Johnson now plans to spend a lot of time outdoors with wet hair in cold weather and will be drinking copious amounts of milk while congested.
By Tim Johnson
