Sneezes, Sniffles, Achoos...Oh My!

As as mom, one of the seasons I dread most is cold season.  Somehow Harlan always manages to get the cold that is passed around play group once or twice.  I must admit, I'm not quite as prepared as I should be when it comes to cold prevention, but now with these tips from Dr. Tanya Altmann I will be.


Dr. Tanya Remer Altmann, a UCLA-trained pediatrician and mom, teamed up with Puffs and recently held an event at Apple Seeds with some useful information on how to prevent the dreadful cold and flu.

The Cold Facts:

• The common cold is the most frequent cause of school and work absenteeism.
• On average, adults will get two-five colds per year while kids will get six-nine; parents are prone to catching them from their kids.
• About one billion people will have a cold at any time during the year, but colds are most prevalent between August and April .
• Sneezing is the most efficient method of spreading the common cold {the average sneeze travels up to 100 MPH!}
• You use more than three times as many tissues {an average of 24 a day} while sick.

Dr. Tanya  with Stan the Puffs "sneeze machine" doll testing out the strength of Puff's tissues along with a little guest at Apple Seeds

Tips on preventing and managing colds:

• Practice Healthy Habits {get plenty of sleep, exercise and eat your veggies!}
• Wash hands early and often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds {I like to sing a song to Harlan when we are washing her hands to entertain her while doing it}
• Soothe cold symptoms by drinking fluids and running vaporizers/humidifiers at night.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and put your used tissue in the trash. {My favorite tissue is the Puff Plus with the Scent of Vicks.  A must when you have a cold.}

Dr. Tanya showing a little one how to properly wash her hands.

With these tips, I hope to prevent many colds for my family.  I think I lucked out though, because even when Harlan is sick, she is still a very happy toddler.


{Disclaimer: A Mommy in the City was not compensated for this post.  I did receive samples of Puffs. I was unable to attend this event, I just thought this information was too good to pass up.  All opinions expressed are my own.}