Winter is the season to come down with colds. Awful, sniffling, sneezing, muscle-achy colds.
But is the cold weather actually responsible for causing colds?
An interesting Article from CNN affirms many other research-based articles about just this topic.
_____________
"We spoke with two experts -- Dr. Sorana Segal-Maurer, chief of the Dr. James J. Rahal Jr. Division of Infectious Disease at New York Hospital Queens, and Dr. Brian P. Currie, vice president and senior medical director of the Montefiore Medical Center in New York -- to find out the truth once and for all.
The rumor: Cold weather causes colds
Why is winter the common-cold season? It's a common perception that when the weather gets colder, we tend to get sick more. This is why we bundle up in warm clothes before facing the elements: We want to protect ourselves against frigid weather because we don't want to catch colds.
The verdict: Cold weather does not cause colds
According to Segal-Maurer, it isn't actually the cold weather that causes the common cold, it's what we do when it gets cold out.
"When the weather turns cold," she says, "we all run indoors, where air is recycled and we're often in close quarters with other people and viruses. We all sneeze on top of each other."
"Dry and cold conditions are probably more high-risk situations for viruses because of dry mucosa," adds Segal-Maurer. The mucosa, she says, is what lines your trachea, the back of your throat and your sinuses. Viruses invade the mucosa and start growing, causing your cold.
And that's viruses -- as in, plural. The common cold isn't just one type of virus: When you say "I've got a cold," that could mean you have one of many bugs."
Source: Does Cold Weather Cause Colds?
https://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/07/health/upwave-colds/index.html
______________
At KRCC we believe in outdoor play options in all weather.
We will still be offering indoor and outdoor play throughout the entire winter months. Please ensure your child has a bountiful supply of warm clothing including jackets, beanies and gumboots for jumping in muddy puddles.
We also avoid overheating the rooms during winter to minimise the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor spaces as this is critical for supporting children with Asthma to stay healthy.
Please ensure you pack lots of spare warm clothes for your child to support all weather outdoor play.
If you feel your child is not well enough to play outside on any given day, please reconsider sending them to KRCC. On these days, rest at home may be the best option.
Comments