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Common colds (also known as "head colds") are, as the name implies, very common. On average adults can expect to catch two to three colds a year, but this number climbs to up to eight to 10 when you look at children and infants. Babies are particularly prone to viral infections like this because their immune systems aren't fully formed and their activities (especially touching things, sucking on fingers, and putting things in their mouth) can put them in harm's way. Catching common colds is a normal aspect of development, and a vast majority of cases aren't dangerous or fatal. It's important for parents to realize that some symptoms that arise can be signs of more dangerous conditions, such as influenza (flu), pertussis (whooping cough), and pneumonia, among others. While there's no outright cure or vaccine for the common cold, home-management and prevention strategies can help. This article covers the basics of the common cold in infants

By Jerome Christenson For the Winona Daily News Is anybody out there not sick of COVID? Is anyone out there not tired of trying to identify folks from the eyes up? Anyone not tired of struggling to decipher mask-muffled voices? Anybody not ready for an end to the daily infection reports? Hospital stats? Body counts? Is anybody out there not sick of COVID? Yeah, didn't think so. It's been two years since we started hearing about this weird bat flu from China. To start with, it didn't sound like much — nothing like ebola or the Black Death. Certainly not something that was of much concern to us over here. For certain nothing the Mayo Clinic couldn't handle. Turns out we were wrong about that. That scared the bejeezus out of us — at first. We locked down, masked up, stayed home and stayed apart. Still the hospital rooms filled up, gravediggers started putting in overtime and across the country people worried about running out of toilet paper.

Joanna Lewis, PharmD, MBA: Hello, and welcome to this episode of Pharmacy Times '® On the Shelf . In this series we are exploring information about a variety of over-the-counter products that both affect consumers and provide opportunities for pharmacists to share their insights. Products featured in this series come from the Pharmacy Times ® OTC Guide ®. Now in its 25th year, the guide features pharmacists' top recommended products and brands, covering more than 800 specific products from 148 categories based on a national survey. Pharmacy Times ® also partners with U.S. News & World Report , an authority in rankings and consumer advice, to bring these pharmacist recommendations to consumers nationwide. With that said, let's see what's on the shelf. Today, let's talk about cough, cold, and flu products. The common cold leads to more health care provider visits and absences from school and work than any other illness each year. More than 200 viruses contrib

Cold, cough, allergies and flu are the most common winter ailments. The treatment usually involves over-the-counter medicines such as antihistamines, or certain home remedies such as a saltwater gargle, herbal tea, hot soup, and steam baths. A huge reason soup is considered good for colds is that most are rich in vitamins, nutrient-rich veggies, and make for a light meal. "A bowl of hot soup is the best thing to soothe your soul and make you feel better instantly. It also helps to ease your symptoms faster. Our appetite might be lacking when we're suffering from a sore throat, but it's important to stay nourished. Soup is often the go-to food because it can be nourishing, restorative, easy to digest, and interestingly 'light' in both consistency and colour so as not to tax the system excessively," said Anam Golandaz, Clinical Dietician, Masina Hospital, Mumbai. This winter, stay warm with a hot bowl of soup. (Photo: Pexels) Another item which helps fi

Experts weigh-in on the new Omicron variant, how pandemics conclude, and challenges ahead for clinical laboratories Could studying how the 1918 influenza pandemic ended teach pathologists and clinical laboratory professionals how and when the current COVID-19 pandemic may end as well? And does the new Omicron variant indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has mutated into an endemic form of the disease? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 1918 influenza (aka, the Spanish Flu) pandemic took place worldwide between 1918 and 1919. It was caused by the H1N1 virus (A/H1N1), a subtype of the Influenza A virus, and infected approximately 500 million people worldwide (a third of the human population at the time). Fifty million people died. Many were children or otherwise healthy individuals, but people from all age groups perished. The CDC calls the Spanish Flu the "deadliest pandemic of the 20th century." Past pandemics ha

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a serious but often preventable risk patients face when going under the knife. But despite the implementation of measures and surveillance programs to reduce their occurrence, they remain among the main sources of health care-related infections and a major reason for unplanned post-surgery hospital readmissions. Now, researchers find, variation in the administration of antibiotics during surgery may be a factor in stagnant SSI rates. A collaborative study between Yale School of Medicine and the University of Michigan Medical School found that practices in over a third of surgical procedures in the United States weren't consistent with the Infectious Diseases Society of America's recommendations. The researchers published their findings December 14 in JAMA Network Open . "This is the first time we've been able to see in a large, nationally-representative sample what really happens in antibiotic administration around the time of surge

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NyQuil is an over-the-counter cold and flu medicine. There are several different NyQuil products on the market, many of which contain alcohol. Although there are alcohol-free Nyquil products, people should not consume alcohol while taking NyQuil, even if they are using alcohol-free versions. This is because other active ingredients can cause drowsiness and impairment, which alcohol may worsen. NyQuil is an over-the-counter (OTC) flu and cold medication that contains several different ingredients. Many NyQuil products contain alcohol, although not all of them. They also include some ingredients that may cause adverse effects that alcohol can worsen. This article will take a detailed look at the ingredients of NyQuil products, explaining how they work. It will also look at the alcohol content in many of them, discuss the health risks of drinking alcohol while taking NyQuil, and list some alcohol-free NyQuil medications. The company Vicks produces NyQuil products as OTC medications, which

Focusing on what you can do to keep kids healthier during cold and flu season is paramount as it can be frustrating for children and working parents when a child is unable to attend childcare or school because of an illness. Source: Getty Images. If you have younger children, you may feel like the kids are constantly trading one illness for another this time of year. Now that fall is winding down, we've begun to usher in "respiratory season," with many viruses peaking in activity from December through May. "We're definitely beginning to see more illnesses," says Dr. Chelsea Weiland, a family physician at UCHealth Family Medicine – Greeley. "It can be frustrating and even exhausting for working parents when one or more child is sick at home, unable to attend childcare or school." Focusing on what you can do to keep kids healthier during cold and flu season is paramount. The best illness, after all, is the one no one gets. That old adage about

New Yorkers can officially proudly say we are home to the most award-winning food in the nation. The team at Shane Co. reached out to Hudson Valley Post to share some mouth-watering news. Shane Co. mapped out cities across the nation with the most award-worthy food. These award-winning restaurants make meals that satisfy even the most sophisticated of palettes as well as their hungry friends, Shane Co. tells Hudson Valley Post. The company analyzed over 800 James Beard Foundation award-winners over the past 20 years from across the country and categorized these award-winning restaurants by location to determine where to find the most award-winning food. "They've uncovered great news for your taste buds! New York City is the recipient of 238 awards, topping the list as the city with the most award-worthy food," a spokesperson told Hudson Valley Post in an email. In fact, New York State is home to 253 James Beard Foundation award-winners. That's by far the most out of a

Omicron Variant Sore Throat? Runny Nose? The Common Omicron Symptoms to Know About Published December 29, 2021 • Updated on December 29, 2021 at 1:18 pm NBCUniversal Media, LLC Breakthrough infections of the coronavirus are increasing in Chicago and Illinois, but health experts say it's likely that the symptoms you experience will depend on the vaccine. Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, the city's top doctor, said the omicron variant isn't necessarily bringing with it a new set of symptoms, but with vaccines now widely available, many are experiencing milder cases, depending on their vaccination status. Download