Colds are often considered the most common ailment for adults and children alike. They afflict, on average, adults 2-3 times a year and children 6-10 depending on age. They are an infection, a viral infection, in the nose.
Antibiotics cannot treat colds, and are best avoided as a child's tolerance to antibiotics can build up if they are taken too frequently. Linked above and quoted below, is information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
| If You Have a Cold or Flu, Antibiotics Won't Work For You! |
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Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses such as:
- Colds or flu;
- Most coughs and bronchitis;
- Sore throats not caused by strep; or
- Runny noses.
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Taking antibiotics for viral infections, such as a cold, cough, the flu, or most bronchitis, will not:
- Cure the infections;
- Keep other individuals from catching the illness; or
- Help you feel better.
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