How Long Does It Take Your Preschooler to Get over Colds?

Basically takes about 7-10 days for my little guy to get over a cold completely.

My nephew was always sick when younger, what my sister thought were colds were viral infections for the most part, he just seemed more vulnerable to getting them, whereas some people are just carriers. He also has allergies and went on Zyrtec before a year old because of a constantly running (yellow and green at times) nose..

One thing his ped pointed out was that my sister was too clean. She told her to let him get dirty and not use all the antibacterial stuff so much, that she was causing him to be sick. He always took vitamins, ate well (he's a picky eater now that he's 10) got enough rest, etc., but after my sister eased off he actually got sick less.

Hope he feels better soon.

Wow - maybe I should feel lucky after reading the responses. My kids colds last a day or two and are infrequent. Make sure your kiddo is eating plenty of fruits and veggies. Also, I love the Trader Joe brand vitamins and when my kids start to show signs of a cold, I double their vitamins. Juice is ok in moderation (1 glass a day) as long as it's 100% juice. You should find a really good pediatrician. This could be allergies or something viral and you need to figure out exactly what it is before you can really treat it or prevent it. You can also partner with a nutritionist because it sounds like your son's immune system just isn't as strong as it could be. They might be able to figure out what vitamins/minerals/nutrients your son is lacking. He might be eating healthy, but it could be that he just needs more of something in particular to feel better. On a final note, try to use regular soap rather than antibacterial soap. Clean is good, but too clean doesn't allow our bodies to work the way they are supposed to by fighting off infections.

Wishing you and your son the best......

It's preK... he's going to have a runny nose the entire year ;)

Green and yellow snot, per my pediatrician, does not automatically mean something contagious. As long as there's no fever, he's okay.

I know it's miserable, but until his little body adjusts to the new germs he's being exposed to, it will pretty much be on more than off all year.

Good news, this is the perfect time to really teach about hand washing and the proper way to cough/sneeze, and next year will be SOOO much better!

Sounds like he could have a sinus infection.

For the first 1 - 1 1/2 years my daughter was in preschool it was hard to tell when one cold ended and the next began. It seems like within a week or so of getting over a cold she had another one. Each cold seemed to last for 1-2 weeks. Between the colds, ear infections, UTI's (from learning how to wipe properly by herself) and strep throat she was always sick. I literally had to be home with her about once every 2-3 weeks and I was on a first name basis with the nurses at the doctor's office - if not from being in the office, then from calling and talking to them. I did send her to preschool though as long as she wasn't running a fever. I'm a working mom and although I would love to have been able to stay home with her each time she was sick, I just wasn't able to.

My daughter had a cold for what seemed like 2 straight years and it was not allergies or anything. It stopped when I changed daycares!

My pediatrician at one point said "The average preschooler has 2 colds a month in the winter, the average cold lasts 7-10 days. Do the math."

It sucks, but it is just life.

My pediatrician's rule is a virus can last up to 10 days. Anywhere after that 10 -12 day range, it typically turns bacterial meaning they need antibiotics. My first son rarely needed meds, but my second son had sinus and ear infections all the time. We recently found out that my second son also has allergies which can contribute to the green snot and extened illnesses. Good luck!!

it takes about 7-14 days to get over a cold, an then about another 2 days to come down with another one

Yes, it is normal. Green doesn't mean infection and at our school they only have to stay home if they have a fever also. It is either this year, pre-k or kindergarten so probably better to kick his immune system into gear before he starts kindergarten!

Yeah, kids just get a sick a lot at that age. I think some are more prone then others. And some are more exposed then others (depending on where they go, how often they are around other kids, and all that).

My kids' colds also seem to linger on forever and ever. Of course it feels that way to the person who is doing all the nose-wiping. Your son's buddies are probably not "over it" as quickly as you think they are, it just looks that way from the outside.

My pediatrician has a chart in his office of how long the symptoms can last, and the runny nose is the longest one, it slowly tapers down for about two weeks. That's just the way it is. Think about it, when our grown-up noses run, we spend a day or two blowing and blowing and we are done. Those poor little guys can't blow their noses it just goes on and on.

I know how you feel. Someday he'll get through it and have a lot of immunity built up, right? (we can only hope) Sigh.