Fresh air may be good for the soul, but should a toddler be going outside with a cold? What about taking a walk with a baby who’s got the sniffles? Or letting your runny-nosed, school-aged kid run around in the yard? Depending on the severity of the symptoms (and the outdoor activity), experts say going out in the cold with a cold is perfectly fine. In fact, in some cases, it’s even beneficial.
“In general, it’s OK and safe for a baby, toddler or older kid to go outside when they have a cold,” says Dr. Brandon Smith, associate medical director at the Harriet Lane Clinic at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. “Going outside won’t make the viral infection causing the cold any worse. However, it can make some symptoms worse or make the child feel more uncomfortable.”
Wondering if —and how — you should take your little one outside when they’re under the weather? Here’s what the experts have to say.
Is it OK to take baby outside with a cold?
Every year, kids get between 6-9 colds, with each lasting about a week, according to Dr. Jen Trachtenberg, a pediatrician in New York City. “That can add up to a lot of unnecessary time indoors for kids who aren’t that sick,” she says. “In general, being outdoors, getting fresh air and sunshine are good for kids’ health — and the weather or temperature won’t cause illness or impact it.”
That said, if your child is heading out into the cold weather, make sure they have on appropriate clothing, as “hypothermia or frostbite from extreme cold can absolutely happen,” according to Dr. Amna Husain, a pediatrician in Marlboro, New Jersey.
But it’s not necessarily OK to hang around other people
Even though a child’s cold isn’t going to get worse from being outside, it doesn’t mean they should be hanging out with friends or neighbors or visiting a public playground. Despite the open space, viruses are still transmissible outdoors.
“It’s fine for a child to be outside with a cold, but upper-respiratory viruses are contagious, so you still want to avoid very close contact or sharing food or utensils,” Trachtenberg explains. “If you want to get your child outside, consider going for a walk on foot or in the stroller if they’re little.”
“It’s fine for a child to be outside with a cold, but upper-respiratory viruses are contagious, so you still want to avoid very close contact or sharing food or utensils.”
—Dr. Jen Trachtenberg, pediatrician
Can a child go outside with a fever?
It isn’t uncommon for kids to have a low-grade fever with their cold. And while, again, going outside doesn’t make the actual illness worse, parents and caregivers might want to wait it out until the fever is gone. “If a child has a fever or a more severe cold with a lot of coughing, it may be best to just stay inside and wait for them to feel better,” Smith suggests.
“If a child has a fever or a more severe cold with a lot of coughing, it may be best to just stay inside and wait for them to feel better.”
—Dr. Brandon Smith, pediatrician
Can going outside with a cold worsen symptoms?
While spending time outside won’t increase the severity of a viral infection, it is possible for cold air to make children more uncomfortable by worsening the following symptoms:
- Runny nose. “Cold air stimulates a runny nose because the nose’s job is to provide warm, moist air to the lungs,” Husain explains. “If dried out from wind or cold, the nose produces mucus to protect and moisturize.”
- Cough. “When the nose makes more mucus, which happens from cold air, it can drip in the back of the throat, worsening any cough,” notes Smith.
- Watery eyes. “Cold stimulates tear production to protect the corneas from the wind, cold and dryness,” according to Husain.
Is fresh air good for a cold?
On the flip side, in some instances, being outside can help alleviate cold symptoms. “Fresh air can be good for some colds that babies and toddlers get, such as croup – a viral cold that gives kids a bark-like cough,” says Smith. “The cool air can help their breathing, especially if the air is humidified a bit.” Think: Using an open window in a bathroom with shower steam.
“Fresh air can be good for some colds that babies and toddlers get, such as croup – a viral cold that gives kids a bark-like cough.”
— Dr. Brandon Smith, pediatrician
Should a child play outside with a cold?
As every parent and caregiver knows, there’s a big difference between spending time outside and running around like a maniac — a distinction kids may not be able to make. For kids who have a hard time staying calm in the great outdoors, consider keeping them inside when their symptoms are at their worst.
“Adults should think about how they feel when they’re sick with a cold — typically, their head feels full, they’re more tired than normal, and they’re not sleeping well. All of that is true for children,” Smith says. “Give them the time to rest, hydrate and get better over time — which may mean staying home from the park for a day or two.”
Once they start feeling better, it’s OK to let them run around outside. Until then, Trachtenberg recommends opting for a “short walk” instead. “Use good judgment,” she says. “You know your child best, so when they truly feel up to playing outside again, you’ll know it.”
