Achoo! All About Colds

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Colds are very common, which means they happen a lot! In fact, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), there are millions of cases of the cold each year! Wow!

• So what is a cold exactly?

A cold is an illness or sickness. You will know you have a cold because you develop something called symptoms. Symptoms are like hints or clues that tell us something isn't quite right with our bodies.

Some symptoms of the common cold are:

• sneezing
• coughing
• a runny nose
• a sore throat

Why do these symptoms happen?

Colds and the flu are caused by viruses. Viruses are extremely tiny—so small that they can’t be seen without special tools. Even though they are tiny, they can still make a big impact on your body.

These viruses enter your body through your nose, mouth, or eyes. Once inside, they begin making copies of themselves very quickly. That’s when your body steps in to fight back.

Your body has several ways to defend itself.

• Mucus (the sticky stuff in your nose) traps germs and helps remove them from your body.
• Sneezing pushes germs out of your nose and mouth.
• A sore throat can happen when mucus drains down your throat.
• A fever raises your body temperature, making it harder for viruses to survive.

Even though these symptoms can feel uncomfortable, they are actually signs that your body is working hard to protect you.

To help your body recover, it’s important to:

• get plenty of rest
• drink fluids like water or soup
• take care of yourself while your body fights the virus

You can also help prevent getting sick by:

• washing your hands often with soap and water
• avoiding touching your face
• covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow

Colds are caused by viruses. Viruses are very small particles that invade the body and attack healthy cells.

A helpful way to think about a virus is to compare it to a computer virus. A computer virus sneaks into a computer and keeps making copies of itself, causing problems. A virus in your body does something similar—it spreads and makes it harder for your body to work properly.

When a virus enters your body:

• it attaches to your cells
• it releases its genetic material inside
• your cells are tricked into making more viruses
• the new viruses spread to other cells

This is how you start to feel sick.

Luckily, your immune system is ready to fight back. The immune system is like a tiny army inside your body.

It uses white blood cells to:

• recognize harmful invaders
• send out antibodies to destroy them
• protect your body from getting too sick

Sometimes your body raises its temperature (fever) to help kill the virus. Other times, it creates antibodies that remember the virus so your body can fight it faster in the future.

Fortunately, the immune system is very effective. Most colds last about 7 to 10 days before your body clears the virus.

You might be wondering what you can do to avoid getting or spreading a cold.

One of the best ways is to practice good hygiene:

• wash your hands often
• use hand sanitizer when needed
• cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing

Small habits like these make a big difference in keeping you—and others—healthy.

Nice work in the Get It! section. Now, move on to the Got It? section to see what you learned.