Nursery World - A-tishoo!

Just a sniffle or cause for serious concern? Dr Chris Russell offers a quick check-up Sneezing, coughing and a blocked or runny nose are all symptoms of the most common disease in humans. We all suffer from colds from time to time, but on average children get twice as many colds each year as adults, accounting for 22 million lost school days in the US and most GP visits during certain months in the UK.

Sneezing, coughing and a blocked or runny nose are all symptoms of the most common disease in humans. We all suffer from colds from time to time, but on average children get twice as many colds each year as adults, accounting for 22 million lost school days in the US and most GP visits during certain months in the UK.

What causes the common cold?

The common cold, also known as coryza, is the result of an infection by one of many types of virus, most commonly rhinovirus, coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus. Over 100 different members of a virus family can cause a cold, with new variants appearing regularly. This makes it almost impossible to create a vaccine.

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