How Long Is a Cold Contagious?

Hello there! I know how frustrating it can be to have little ones at home with a cold. Normally, the virus is contagious for about five days, which is when they normally begin with symptoms. What makes it diffucult with kids is that they are not aware of it, and touch and put things in their mouths. It will get worse once they start school. There is really no way around it. The only place where you can do something about it at home. Washing hands and toys frequently. Good luck!

Ms. A., I don't know how old you are, but I am 40 with 3 kids, ages 12, 8 and 2.. and I can tell you this.. the more you disinfect your child and your house, i.e. hand disinfectants such as purell, bleach lysol etc.. the more prone your children will be to colds, ear infections etc. Reason being that they "are" of the ages of still putting things in their mouths. The more you take away the bad "germs" you are also taking away the "good germs" which are meant to fight infections that kids get. People mistakenly think that the "cleaner" you and your house are the less your kids will get sick..
I do not use bleach in my home except for the laundry, my kids do not use hand sanitizer etc. and my kids are "maybe" sick and have to stay home from school 2 times a yr... while my sister disinfects her house 2x a week and her kids are all kind of "sanitized" and she is taking them to the doctor at least once every 2 weeks with coughing, ear infections, sore throats etc.. Just enjoy your babies and don't be so paranoid..

I use to run a playgroup so I researched this alot in order to make an effective "sick policy" for our playgroup. Here are the guidelines that I posted.

Kids get colds, it's a fact of life. Runny noses happen and young children are prone to put things in their mouths. Its impossible to keep all illness away but but in order to try to keep our play group as healthy as possible we ask that you please do not attend an event is your child has any of the following symptoms of illness:

•Cold symptoms starting within the last 48 hours - A cold is contagious within the first 2 days of symptoms.

•diarrhea within the last 48 hours

•vomiting within the last 48 hours

•a fever within the last 48 hours

•eye drainage, blood shot eyes, yellow or green nasal secretions.

•sore throat

•cough and fever within the last 48 hours

•spot-like rash following low-grade fever and tiredness (might be chicken pox)

•been on antibiotics for less than 48 hours

For all other illnesses that are contagious for an extended period of time or illnesses that put young children or pregnant women at risk of hospitalization or cause other detrimental consequences, please ask your family doctor when it is safe for you to return to play dates. In some cases a Doctor's note may be requested before you attend play dates again.

Hi A. - When the child's mucus/snot is green the infection is brewing and can be spread. Clear means on the road to good health. The rule in school is that the child needs to be free of fever for at least 24 hours. What can go really far in creating a strong and healthy immune system and preventing your children from getting sick (or certainly reducing the duration) getting their bodies nutritionally fortified. It's the best way to fight off all kinds of illnesses. Since they're so little it's impossible to get them to eat enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc... Check out Juice Plus chewables for them which are the next best thing to eating the whole foods. It's concentrated fruits and vegetables with the natural combination of God-given nutrients. My three boys and I have been taking Juice Plus for years hardly ever get sick and it gives me lots of piece of mind that they are getting the nutrition they need to keep them healthy as they're growing. I'm so passionnate about it's ability to improve health (and the need of virtually everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables) that I became a health representative for the company: WeThriveonJuicePlus.com. You can get Juice Plus free for them too. Just email me if you want more info. Hope they feel better soon!

Hello, When my kids were young and I was doing licensed daycare my rule was if they are running a fever, please don't bring them. The schools have rule that they shouldn't return until the fever has been gone (or vomitting) for 24 hours. I hope that helps.
Good luck with your precious family.
K. K.

I was told the first 3 days are the most contagious, but they are still contagious up to 10 days.........but here is the deal. You want to be considerate of others but you have to be realistic too. Don't take them around someone elderly or a baby, but after those first three days consider letting them out. No one stays home from work for a cold beyond the first day or two.....so you don't want to train them to be overly concerned either. It is a tightrope walk.

I am a mother of 2 - a 3 1/2 yr old and a 2 yr old and I can tell you this, I do not quarantine my children for a cold. If the secretion is clear and not green/yellow, and they feel fine, we continue doing as we always do. I also know that colds are viruses and you can only catch each virus once so each cold is a different virus and they are not passing the same cold back and forth. They may just have allergy/sinus issues. Both of my boys do and a lot of what I think is a cold is just sinus related crud. They continue to play as if they have nothing at all and that is my sign that they are well enough to do things. I use to be a total freak when it came to other people bringing their kids out with snotty noses, but now I'm not that way. I would rather them catch a cold from our friends, then someplace I don't know. I will also say that I am a clean freak (using hand sanitizer, washing constantly, bleach, lysol too) so if that is what keeps you happy, go for it, my boys haven't been sick but a handful of times and they are also in Mother's Day Out. Hope that helps and good luck. Don't lock yourself in the house for 2 weeks at a time (I would go INSANE) :)

Well, it matters which illness you have.

H1N1 is contagious for 2 weeks before symptoms and up to 4 weeks after you have had it and no longer show signs of having it.

The flu variation for the year of 2008 was contagious for 3 days at the beginning before showing symptoms but was not very contagious after (12 hours... I think?)

Every different strain has it's own rate so I personally just do my best to keep my kids in a calm home environment while they are sick and once they are well just let them play with other kids because you can't know unless you spend the 100 dollars to get the strain your child has tested to find out.

hi A., I was told by a pediatrician that has long as there is secretion from the mouth or and nose during an illness they are contagious, that's probably why your 2 keep passing it back and fourth. It's important to teach them good personal habits while they have colds, specially if they share the same toys. Also for you keep the toys clean, my dishwasher has a sterilizing setting and when ever my daycare kids put toys in their mouth I pop the toys in the dishwasher. J.