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 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.}