Do you agree with what an allergist told me today re: colds?

[LisaR]

Backstory: DS is almost 16. Never sick a single day in his first 13.5 years of life. Horrible allergies, but never sick. At 13, he developed a ridiculously high fever that lasted a solid month. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with him. Since then, his allergies are so much better and he rarely has hives (used to have them daily) but now he gets 8 - 10 colds a year! It is like living with a preschooler!

Took him to a new allergist today to see if this was more an allergy thing than actual colds. I made a comment on how it wasn't normal for a kid his age to get that many colds. He asked how many colds I get a year and I said one at most and many years I don't get any. He said I was wrong and I actually get 8 - 10 colds a year but I just don't realize it! He said every study done shows that most people get 8 - 10 colds a year, but not everyone shows symptoms. He claims that a person might wake up with one symptom (headache, run down, scratchy throat, itchy eyes or nose, sneezing, etc) but they feel fine by the end of the day or the next day. That was the cold! He said someone like my son who has so many allergies is just much more symptomatic than many other people. I'm not sure I believe any of this. Opinions?

 

[mombrontrent]

I am not sure if I believe all that either. I'm with you I maybe get one cold a year. Often times I will feel like a cold is "coming on" for a day or so but it never materializes and I don't get sick

 

[jdb in AZ]

DD aspirated some amniotic fluid as she was born, probably during her first breath of life, and developed pneumonia. She was very susceptible to colds and pretty much coughed her way through several winters. Pediatrician said with all the different cold viruses out there, she could get back-to-back colds and basically have a cold all winter long.

 

[LisaR]

I am not sure if I believe all that either. I'm with you I maybe get one cold a year. Often times I will feel like a cold is "coming on" for a day or so but it never materializes and I don't get sick

He would have called what you described as a cold! He claims they have swabbed people who have that "coming on" feeling and it shows that it is an actual cold.

 

[JessicaR]

I think that 8-10 statistic is for kids not adults. Like you, I don't get more than a couple per year.

Adults get an average of two to four colds per year, mostly between September and May.
Young children suffer from an average of six to eight colds per year

http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/influenza/in-depth-resources/facts-about-the-common-cold.html

Adults average about 2 to 4 colds a year, although the range varies widely. Women, especially those aged 20 to 30 years, have more colds than men, possibly because of their closer contact with children. Colds are most prevalent among children, who average 6 to 10 colds a year.

http://brown.edu/Student_Services/H...cation/common_college_health_issues/colds.php

 

[bdcp]

While you get exposed to multiple colds per year, adults just don't usually catch that many. I average about 1 cold every 3-4 years. I had one in April, fever, cough, runny nose (for 48 hours) and it's the first one I've had in at least 3 years. While you are exposed to many things, your immune system fights off the vast majority and as a result you do not have symptoms. The symptoms for a cold IS the cold. The symptoms is your body fighting off the virus. If you have no real symptoms, then you do not have the illness and a runny nose in the morning that's gone by night is not a cold.

 

[wdwpluto]

Because of my allergies, I would get numerous colds each year. This started as a late 20-something. What it boiled down to was that allergies were making my nasal passages so swollen, that nothing could drain, even when I blew my nose. So it backed up (gross!) and I would get sick and it would generally turn into sinus infections with a 100+ fever. Allergy shots were the answer for me.

 

[MM27]

This year was really bad for me. I had bronchitis, respiratory infections and colds from January until the end of April. I swear I don't think I had one week in those 4 months when I wasn't sick. My doctor told me that's what happens when you work in a petri dish of bacteria...I'm an elementary teacher

I don't know what it was about this year, but it certainly wasn't the norm. Usually I'd say I have between 2-5 colds per year.

 

[clutter]

Actually, I agree with him. I never get sick. At least sick, sick. But I do get mild symptoms for a day or two here or there. But I can't say I'm 'sick.' In fact, I feel that way today. My dd16 is the same way. She actually had the flu this year, but not too bad. Had swine flu, but was symptomatic, not sick. Last Thanksgiving she came down with something and was sick. But that was the first time in years. But she'll have a day here or there that she's off. Or gets a fever. Then gone. So I always thought we were catching stuff, just not getting hit badly. (I'm too lazy to be a germaphobe, so that's not it.)

By the way, high school is like a fresh new petri dish. She has caught more since starting high school, as have the other kids.

 

[indimom]

The number sounds a bit high to me, that's almost one a month. But, in general, I agree.

I would say that 6 times a year (mostly spring, fall, winter), I will get that "cold coming on" feeling. Twelve to 18 hours of that, and just when I start to think "oh yeah, I'm getting sick, I might have to pick up some cold medicine in the morning..." I'll wake up and feel 100% better.

I didn't imagine it. I really did have a cold, but the immune system did it's job almost before I realized it.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I wouldn't have thought to phrase it the way he did--but I would say that I, and most people I know, have several times a year when they are "fighting a cold;" basically you feel a little "off" for a day and know it MIGHT develop into a cold--you might be tired, or have a scratchy throat, or sneeze a bunch, etc.

Normally the immune system overcomes it before you can really succumb to it.

 

[NYEmomma]

It seems to ring true in my family. This year was DD's first year in preschool & I had young infants... we were sick almost the entire school year. Fall, winter AND spring. DD would bring it home, pass it to the babies, babies would pass it to me. We'd all be sick as dogs for a good week. Then 5 days later, DH would have a scratchy throat for a day. It's been like that our entire marriage. When I get sick, I get laid out for days but DH only feels 'meh' for a couple of days. Difference is that I have severe allergies and he's got none. I've been told by doctors in the past that having allergies makes your illnesses worse. Every little cold turns into a nasty sinus infection.

I'd love to start allergies shots like a PP mentioned, but I've been trying to get pregnant, pregnant or nursing for the past 5 years or so and can't start during any of that.

 

[runsandjumps]

I believe something close to it. My dd has allergies and asthma. We are all exposed to the same things- yet she gets sick the worst and for the longest. My son might have a cough for a couple of hours while hers will turn into a full blown episode with dripping nose, red watery eyes and adore throat.

Ana

 

[LisaR]

So guess what my son woke up with this morning? Yep, the start of a cold! He has the classic scratchy throat and run down feeling. His last full fledged cold was June 1st. I am so frustrated!!!!!!!