Deb,
I am Barb Allen, RN, BSN and recently retired school nurse in Johnston.
Zicam and other products advertised as cold remedies cannot actually cure the common cold since it is caused by a virus. Those products have been proven in some studies to relieve the symptoms and possibly shorten the live of the virus. I would always caution the administration of any over the counter products to children without checking with your health care provider first. I personally believe that a healthy diet, getting plenty of rest, hand washing and using mild symptom relieving products is the best way to prevent and/or shorten the life of a cold.
Since the last flu pandemic scare, schools in Polk County with the help of their school nurses have employed and encouraged preventative practices in the classrooms and other common areas. These include opportunities for hand washing or use of hand sanitizers; cleaning desks and other surfaces with antiseptic solutions and monitoring illnesses in students through the school health office so ill students are not in the classroom exposing others. If your school is not using these simple preventative measures, I would encourage you to inquire.
I hope I have answered your question.
Barb

Jody,
Karrie Vander Sluis, DC here...I am the owner and chiropractor at Vander Sluis Chiropractic in Urbandale.
Yes, it is often difficult to tell the difference between a cold and allergies, even for a licensed medical professional. The biggest difference in symptoms is that colds don't last for more than 2 weeks. If you or your child are experiencing "cold-like" symptoms for longer than that, it is important to see your family physician (maybe there is an allergy present that you are aware of).

Other differences between the two: Colds can cause achiness in the body, whereas allergies do not. Rarely, but sometimes, a fever can be present with a cold...but a fever will never be present with allergies. Watering eyes that also ITCH are normally a sign of allergies, not a cold. Finally, while both can result in a mucous producing cough, the mucous usually looks different in the two: Yellow=cold and Clear=allergies.
I hope this answered your question. Again, if you are unsure, or have a "cold" that lasts for more than 14 days, visit your primary care provider.

The two can cause a lot of similar symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough, fatigue). One of the easy differences is itching, caused by the chemical histamine. Usually this results in itchy eyes (often red or watery), itchy nose (with sneezing), scratchy throat, cough that feels like a tickle. Sometimes people report itchy ears or itchy roof of the mouth.
There are a couple of differences that your medical provider can detect when he/she examines your mouth, nose, and ears as well. And like Karrie said, colds dont' typically last over 10-14 days. If you're unsure, see your doctor.

In adults it can be very difficult to tell the difference between the two, since the symptoms tend to be milder in adults. In kids, it starts off with typical cold symptoms (cough, runny nose, red eyes), then progresses into harsh coughing fits. Young children will get the characteristic "whoop" after a coughing fit, as they try to suck in air. Older kids and adults typically don't whoop.
I wrote a great blog about whooping cough earlier this year, with more in depth info:
http://waukee.patch.com/blog_posts/whooping-cough-are-your-kids-at-risk

Our senior at the University of Iowa developed whooping cough and thought it was a cold until she developed a persistent cough that kept her awake at night. She went in for night-time cold medicine so she could sleep. Her doctor tested her and found she had whooping cough. Public health took over and advised her and all of us who'd been exposed to get a booster pertussis shot and she took an antibiotic.

B.A.,You can go on the CDC website ( www.cdc.gov/pertussis) to hear what a whooping cough sounds like. It is very distinct and recognizable. Children are not the only ones who can contract Pertussis. It is very prevalent among middle school age kids.
I recommend all adolescents and adults receive a booster as a preventative measure.

The school policy has always been to consider remaining at home if a fever is 100 degrees or above. You are correct, however that all illnesses do not present with fevers. A good rule to follow is, first and foremost, how do you feel? or is your child acting as though he/she does not feel well? Any illness that produces coughing, unexplained skin rash, nausea and/or vomiting or pain that is not relieved with a simple analgesic (tylenol, ibuprofen) should be indicators that staying away from others and focusing on taking care of yourself is the best decision.

In medicine, we technically define a fever as 100.4 or higher. You should stay home from work/school until you are 24hrs fever-free WITHOUT the use of tylenol or ibuprofen. Certain illnesses or rashes would require you to be out longer. If you have a bacterial infection, typically you can return to work a full 24hrs after the first dose of antibiotics (again depending on the type of infection).
Most people feel bad about calling in to work, because their co-workers get stuck with extra work. But i bet they'd rather have more work than the cold that you have!! Just stay home until you're on the mend.

It's really an old wive's tale about "feed a fever, starve the flu." And if you think about it, the influenza causes a fever! Basically, you go with your gut (no pun intended). If you don;t feel hungry, don't force it. If you feel like eating, but just in smaller portions, that's fine too. If you are having a illness with vomiting or diarrhea, then usually you don't feel like eating anyway. The most important thing is to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, or replacement fluids like pedialyte or gatorade. Your appetite will return when the illness starts resolving.

This article takes the study way out of context. To look at the effect of muscle function in mice, they actually injected the triclosan directly into the mouse's abdomen, at very high doses. This is in no way the same as the very small concentrations that are found in antibacterial hand gel, that are only used on the skin. If you injected detergents from regular soap directly into your body, you'd probably notice some problems too!
The best defense against illness is handwashing. Whether that;s old-fashioned soap and water, or the more convenient hand sanitizers, just make sure your hands are clean, especially before and after eating, sneezing/coughing, etc.