Cold weather illness made itself known when we were kids. It seems to make itself even more known as we are parents.
Did your mother always tell you to wear a coat or you will catch a cold? Do you tell your own children the same thing? Is it really true that being in cold weather can cause you to get sick?
While cold weather can cause certain illnesses like frostbite, it is not the true cause of most illnesses that occur in the winter months. In addition, while it doesn’t get extremely cold in North Texas very often, we still experience all of the “winter” viruses that are common during this time of year.
Cold viruses, influenza and bronchiolitis are prominent illnesses that generally occur during the winter months and affect children and adults alike. However, as we saw during the COVID -19 pandemic lock down and in the following two years, we know that these viruses can infect humans at any time of the year.
For example, this summer and last, we experienced a large outbreak of RSV in our community and across the United States. RSV is commonly the cause of illness in kids during the winter months.
Understanding what causes seasonality in these viruses is a complex subject. Let’s take a look at some of the most common illnesses that threaten to ruin our winter holiday plans every year and what they have to do with cold weather.
Head cold: Symptoms, causes, and treatment
The common cold is well, common, as its name implies. Young children have about 10-12 viral illnesses in any given year and often several of them occur during the winter months. Depending on our own immune systems, they commonly pass them on to us adults as well.
Often congestion and a cough are the first two signs of a head cold. Sometimes sore throat and fever can accompany these initial symptoms. In young children, it is common for a head cold to lead to an ear infection.
Generally, treatment for a cold is supportive for both children and adults. Clearing your nose frequently by blowing it (or suctioning the nose of a young child), warm liquids, steam from a shower or cool mist from a humidifier and pain relieving medications will go a long way to helping you feel better while you are sick. We don’t recommend cold medicine for children under 6 years old. A spoonful of plain old honey is also a great (evidence based) way to treat coughs in kids and adults over age 1 year old.
Rhinoviruses and the common cold
Colds are caused by many different viruses, but Rhinovirus is one of the more common causes of a viral upper respiratory infection. Nearly 50% of colds are caused by this pesky germ. This virus is spread through coughs and sneezes, close personal contact with a sick person or by touching contaminated objects and then rubbing your eyes or nose.
There are many different serotypes of the Rhinovirus. Therefore, it is possible to get sick with this virus many times in your lifetime. Rhinovirus thrives in the colder temperatures of the winter months. It is easily spread from person to person as they spend more time indoors during the cold winter months.
Influenza virus and winter illness
Lower outdoor temperatures can increase the spread of viruses such as influenza. The flu virus thrives in dry air and cold temperatures. It also loves to cause outbreaks in indoor places such as classrooms and office buildings during the winter months.
There are three different strains or types of influenza virus. The best way to protect yourself from getting the flu is to receive a dose of the annual flu vaccine.
Generally, the flu is a nuisance for most people. Susceptible people can experience 5-7 days of misery with cough, congestion, fever and body aches before fully recovering. Young children and adults with certain medical problems can experience greater risk of complications such as pneumonia and even death.
You can read more about influenza here.
Respiratory syncytial virus and young children
In the winter months, pediatric wards and ICU beds are filled with children who have RSV. This is a very common respiratory virus that is spread easily during these cold months. While most kids with RSV don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, some kids and especially babies are more prone to severe illness with this virus.
Unfortunately, there is not a vaccine against RSV. Babies who are born prematurely may qualify for Synagis which is a monoclonal antibody. This medication is an injection that is given once a month during RSV season and helps prevent severe illness from RSV in these high risk babies. All other babies are susceptible to this virus and the younger they are, the greater their risk of severe illness.
RSV usually causes cold symptoms in older babies, kids and adults. In younger babies, it can infect the tiny air passages in the lungs and cause them to have trouble breathing, wheezing and difficulty eating. Many babies get this infection every winter.
You can read more about RSV here.
Effect of cold weather on viruses
Lastly, the actual outdoor air temperature does not directly cause you to get sick with a viral illness during the winter months. Being cold can increase the stress on your body and increase your risks for illness. Additionally, certain viruses thrive in the lower humidity and decreased temperatures of the colder winter months. A final reason why there is a seasonality in illness is that people spend more time indoors when it is cold outside. Increased human contact in smaller, less ventilated spaces gives viruses a better chance to get into your body and cause infection.
About Cold Weather Related Illness
Illnesses that are truly caused by low temperatures are hypothermia and frost bite. While these problems are generally rare in Texas, we know from the terrible winter storm that we experienced in February 2021, that they are not impossible.
Hypothermia is caused by cold temperatures and leads to too little heat in the body. As our bodies experience cold, we begin to shiver in order to raise our body temperature. If this continues over time, eventually our systems are overcome by the cold and our bodies can’t keep up. Our body systems begin to slowly shut down.
Frostbite occurs when our tissues actually freeze and die. The most common victims of frostbite are our fingers and toes. They receive less circulation than other areas of our body and therefore are more susceptible to extreme cold.
Effect of cold weather on the immune system
Our immune systems do not function as well when our bodies are stressed for any reason. Prolonged cold exposure can be one of these stressors. So while the cold temperatures themselves don’t directly cause illness, they can contribute to our susceptibility to viral infections during the winter months. So maybe your mom is right, you should wear a coat to stay warm.
Preparing for cold season
While you can’t completely prevent all winter illnesses, there are some things that you can do to help prevent a lot of them.
- Get enough rest.
- Drink plenty of water (up to half your body weight in ounces)
- Eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.
- Wash your hands often
- Stay away from sick people.
- Consider wearing a mask in large group settings (especially important if you are immune compromised)
- Do not share food, drinks, dishes with other people (or your kids!)
- Get your flu shot and stay up to date on your COVID vaccines
Summary
Viruses cause colds and flu, not cold weather. However, there are many reasons why the cold weather can leave you and your children susceptible to illness.
If you are tired of waiting rooms, especially during the cold and busy winter months, give us a call. We will gladly tell you how having a house call pediatrician on speed dial can change your life for the better.
© 127 Pediatrics; October 2022
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice.
Dr. Andrea Wadley is the owner, pediatrician, and breastfeeding medicine specialist for 127 Pediatrics. She has an established house-calls-only concierge pediatric practice in Colleyville, TX. She is also the owner and operator of the 127 Pediatrics Online Breastfeeding Medicine and Education Center.
