March 10, 2014

How long does the common cold last?

A common question that has much controversy in the community. I have heard so many different answers, even from my colleagues.

In a literature review published in the British Medical Journal last year, Dr. Thomson discussed the natural course of upper respiratory infections in children. They identified the mean number of days when symptoms had resolved in 50% of children and at the 90% threshold on no anti viral medicine. 

To my surprise, it took 25 days for >90% of the children to be symptom free from acute cough. The CDC has this statistic at 10-14 days. Sore throat resolved in 2-7 days while the CDC has this at 7-14 days. Congestion resolved in 15 days. Bronchiolitis, wheezing and viral lung inflammation, resolved in 21 days. 

In present day pediatric medicine, we are aggressively trying to limit antibiotic use. This study may help parents feel comfortable with watchful waiting as their child works through the average upper respiratory illness. 

As a pediatric group, we generally recommend parents bring their children in for an evaluation when the following events occur at any time:

1) High and unremitting fever. Generally, greater than 102 degrees F and for more than 3 to 4 days.

2) Excessive fatigue or listless appearance.

3) 10 - 14 days of cough and congestion associated with a lack of appetite, recurrent headaches, sinus pressure, fever > 100.5 F or fatigue.

4) A rapid respiratory rate that does not fall when the fever abates. This is a cardinal sign of pneumonia.

5) Exposure to a child with known infection from pertussis, flu or any severe communicable disease.

As always, call your local provider if your child's symptoms concern you in any way.

Dr. M

Alarms were set off in early February when Vani Hari, founder of www.FoodBabe.com, launched a petition for the removal of a dangerous plastic chemical called azodicarbonbamide (the same chemical in yoga mats and shoe rubber) from Subway's sandwich bread.  To date, her petition has received over 78,000 signatures and has successfully urged Subway to remove the chemical from its sandwich bread.  

"It's unacceptable that major food companies are using an unnecessary and potentially harmful chemical in their products, when it's clear they can make food without it," said Hari. "These questionable additives are not supposed to be food or even eaten for that matter, but they do end up in the U.S. food supply and are consumed by millions of people, including children, every day."

Currently, Azodicarbonamide (or ADA) is not approved for use as a food additive in either the European Union or Australia.  However, in the United States, the FDA allows ADA in U.S. food in concentrations up to 45 parts per million.  

The World Health Organization has linked ADA to increased risk of respiratory problems and skin irritation in workers handling large volumes of the chemical. The additive has not undergone extensive testing to determine its health effects on humans.  According to Environmental Working Group's senior scientist, David Andrews, Ph.D., "ADA is just one example of an American food supply awash in chemical additives that can be mixed into foods with little oversight or safety review," He further states that "Americans have regularly eaten this chemical along with hundreds of other questionable food additives for years. That is why we are putting together an online database that will enable consumers to make more informed decisions about the foods they eat and feed to their family."  To read more about this topic and EWG's progress, go to EWG.org. 

After educating myself on this topic, I started doing a little local research myself.  I suspected that ADA was more common than people realized.  Unfortunately, my hunch was correct.  I found ADA in bread products from vendors all around town such as McDonalds, Jason's Deli, Mama's Pizza, and even in Harris Teeter's sub rolls from their fresh sub sandwich department.  EWG performed there own analysis of ADA and found it in nearly 500 items and more than 130 brands of bread and snacks.  Click here to see a full list of foods that contain ADA.

Although I am thrilled with the awareness this has brought to the dangers of food additives in our food supply, I hope consumers recognize that ADA is just one of many industrial ingredients that are used daily by food manufacturers.  My take home point: Know what's in your food - start cooking - read labels - ask questions - AND ask yourself,  

"Is this what Mother Nature intended?"

Nicole Magryta RD, MBA