Common Cold Common cold Colds are very common.
Most children have several a year.
Sometimes, a child with a cold appears very sick, with a high fever, lack of energy, and loss of appetite. Most often a cold results in less severe symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose. Occasionally, a cold can lead to complications, such as ear infections and pneumonia. Colds are caused by viruses and so cannot be treated with antibiotics. Another child may then catch the cold by touching the object, because cold germs can live on objects for hours.