If you are having colds nd flu!

• Avoid close contact during the contagious period.
• Wash your hands frequently
• Dispose of all tissue used to blow your nose immediately after use
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue or handkerchief when coughing or sneezing Treating cold symptoms won't cure your cold, but it will make you feel better until your body fights off the virus. General measures include:
• Rest. Refusing to rest can result in worse symptoms, delayed recovery, and even relapses.
• Fluids. Drink at least two quarts of clear liquids per day, but avoid mild, salty foods, and broths. This will promote drainage.

  SYMPTOMS	COLDS	FLU
  Fever	Common in children, Usual in adults and adults	Common in children
  Muscle Aches	Mild, infrequent	Very common, often severe
  Fatigue	Mild, brief	Can be severe and lasting several weeks
  Nausea, Vomiting, and Diarrhea	Uncommon	Common, especially in children
  Congestion, runny nose, sore throat	Common especially early stages of illness	Common, but late in course of illness

• Humidify dry air. Moist air decreases swelling of the respiratory tract and helps to clear our mucus.
• Avoid tobacco smoke. Smokers catch more colds which last longer than in non-smokers. Children whose partners smoke also have more colds and ear infections.
• Special instructions for infants: Inf ants and very young children are best treated without cold medicines, since they may not work and have unpredictable side effects in the very young. In addition to the measures above, stuffy noses can be treated with saline nose drops (1/4 tsp. salt in 4 oz. water). 2-3 drops in each nostril for up to 150-30 seconds., followed by suctioning with a bulb syringe. This allows infants to sleep more comfortably since they can't breathe well through their mouths.