Sniffle Solutions

It’s highly unlikely you’d re-infect your daughter, because people usually don’t catch the same cold twice. Once you have a particular virus, your body builds up specific antibodies to fight it off. That means the next time you encounter that same cold-causing strain, your immune system is prepared to attack and destroy those germs immediately.

Still, you don’t know for certain that you have the same cold as your daughter. There are hundreds of different viruses that can make you sick, and you may have contracted a different one. To play it safe, make sure to wash your hands often with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer throughout the day. And since germs can live outside of the body for up to two days, disinfect common surfaces in your home, like light switches, doorknobs and remote controls.

When someone in your home is sick, do you clean more often? If so, what’s your routine? Join the conversation.

Check out my Expert Blog next week for tips on how to tell if your child is really sick -- or just pretending.