Play in the Rain with a Cold?

[hennaLisa]

My son has a mild cold and it's been raining for the last few days. I let him go outside to play over the weekend, with a bathing suite or raincoat on. But his caretaker says she is worried that playing in the rain will make his cold worse. Isn't this just an old wives tale? I want to tell her that he should get to go outside anyway, but I wish I could give her some article or research to support my position.

Running does tend make him cough more, but that happens even when it's sunny out. I feel bad for him because sometimes a cough can last a week or two even though he feels fine otherwise. He's in group care so there are lots of little colds going around all the time.

[Latte Mama]

Wetness or cold does not cause illness or make it worse. Virus and bacteria do that. Some people with coughs prefer warmth and some prefer cool. If he's having fun and the rain doesn't bother him, go for it!

[colsxjack]

It wont make his cold worst, but could take longer for his body to fight off the cold. Virus's cause colds. But when we get a chill our body is busy shivering and using it's energy to keep us warm, so it is not using it's energy to heal.

As long as he isn't chilled I am sure he will be fine.

[Limabean1975]

If he is happy and comfortable, IMO, it's fine! He'll probably sleep better having had outdoor time, which will contribute to healing!

[hennaLisa]

Thanks!

I'll try to convince the caretaker that he's okay to go outside as long as he's dressed warmly enough for the weather.

[GoBecGo]

Originally Posted by Latte Mama

Wetness or cold does not cause illness or make it worse. Virus and bacteria do that. Some people with coughs prefer warmth and some prefer cool. If he's having fun and the rain doesn't bother him, go for it!

Every year the UK government remind people to keep the babies and elderly warm because being perpetually cold weakens the immune system. Whether you GET ill isn't down to temperature, but how ill you get really can be.

[blizzard_babe]

And... it depends on the temperature it's raining at. I mean, 80F and raining is VERY different than 35F and raining.

[Latte Mama]

I've never heard, read, or been taught anything that says being cold lowers one's immunity.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Colds-and-...gain&id=239410

Hmm, hypothermia and frostbite maybe but not lowered immunity.
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypr...ides/cold.html

Now I certainly don't think it's good for anyone to be perpetually cold but for a normal, healthy person to go out and play? Fine, IMO.
I would love to see any articles stating otherwise if anyone has them, i'm quite interested in this topic.

[GoBecGo]

Originally Posted by Latte Mama

I've never heard, read, or been taught anything that says being cold lowers one's immunity.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Colds-and-...gain&id=239410

Hmm, hypothermia and frostbite maybe but not lowered immunity.
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypr...ides/cold.html

Now I certainly don't think it's good for anyone to be perpetually cold but for a normal, healthy person to go out and play? Fine, IMO.
I would love to see any articles stating otherwise if anyone has them, i'm quite interested in this topic.

Ha, i have made an assertion and i'm struggling to back it uP!

Here's a (newspaper!) article talking about the sort of thing i mean. I have read journal studies about the incidence of pneumonia being much higher amongst the elderly during cold snaps because a minor RTI can turn into pneumonia if it's complicated by even mild hypothermia if you don't keep warm to heal and recover. Obviously that doesn't apply to a kid with a cold!

I'm still googling for studies.

ETA - i do think it's good to remember too that hypothermia isn't actually that hard to get, i've had it before from playing in the snow too long as a kid, though i recovered fine with hot chocolate and a feather duvet in front of the fire.

[LCBMAX]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

Ha, i have made an assertion and i'm struggling to back it uP!

I would have made the same one... I think my belief in the goodness of being warm is from my ill-informed ideas of eastern medicine and "energy" rather than western studies of immune function: I know ayurveda places an emphasis on keeping warm when ill. I personally also believe in the goodness of exposure to clean rain.

(Not that this has anything to do with the OP's child who sounds healthy with a slight cold, and will certainly be kept warm by childcare providers if allowed to go out at all.)