7 Kids Health Myths Every Mom Should Ignore

by Wade Meredith on December 11th, 2006

Myths

CNN is running this story right now, and some of the common-knowledge wisdom they’re shooting down is surprising. Here are my favorites:

Feed a cold, starve a fever
The truth: This centuries-old saying, popularized by Mark Twain, simply isn’t so. All sick kids (and adults) — whether they’ve got a cold, fever, or both — need nutrients and liquids to get better, says Leigh Ann Greavu, a dietitian in St. Paul, Minnesota. If your child doesn’t feel like eating solids, then chicken noodle soup, juice, and even ice cream are good alternatives.

Colds and flu are most contagious before symptoms appear
The truth: They spread most easily when symptoms are at their worst. That’s because these infections are commonly passed through coughed-up or sneezed-out droplets containing the virus, or via hand-to-hand contact. While the likelihood of catching (or passing) something peaks when kids are most miserable, the risk persists as long as the drip does. So even if your kid’s almost over it, give the other moms in your playgroup a heads up; they may decide to take a rain check.

Yikes! Both of those things are yarns I have been told various people since childhood. Click through for the full story

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