Tips for Easing the Pain of Your Child's Cold Sores
(NewsUSA) - Many parents can think back to their childhood
and remember with a wince how painful and embarrassing an outbreak of cold sores could be. Nothing
ruins a child's show-and-tell presentation like an unsightly red blister on his lip or
gum.
Cold sores, the common name for lesions caused by a type of herpes virus, are
increasingly prevalent among children and adolescents. In fact, according to recent statistics from
Oregon State University's health services, more than 85 percent of children have been infected with
the virus at one time or another. About half of those infected will experience persistent
outbreaks, as many as one or two per year.
Andrew Weiss, chief executive officer of Aeura
Inc., knows firsthand the importance of getting help. His company made the first sublingual
over-the-counter treatment for cold sores.
"As a parent, I understand the helpless feeling
of listening to a 5-year-old cry herself to sleep from the pain of a cold sore. With The Cold Sore
Formula, we at Aeura like to think we may be able to relieve some of the stress from the lives of
parents as well as the children," said Weiss.
Outbreaks typically last seven to 10 days, at
which point the sores shrink and then disappear. While there is no cure for the virus that causes
cold sores, there are various treatments that parents can use to help ease the pain of their
child's outbreak and possibly speed up recovery. Here are some tips:
* Keep your child's
immune system strong. Cold sores are triggered by stress, fatigue and other compromises to the
immune system. Aeura's cold sore formula treats the cause of cold sores by boosting and
strengthening the immune system. This natural product can be taken daily, at the first signs of an
outbreak, or anytime throughout. It is available at CVS, Meijer, Brooks/Eckerd, Pharmaca and other
pharmacies nationwide.
* Press a moist tea bag against the sores. Tea contains tannic acid,
an organic substance that's used in many types of medicine. Researchers believe that tannic acid
may have antiviral properties.
* Apply ice to the affected area when the outbreak first
begins. Ice or ice packs will help reduce the metabolic rate of the skin tissue where the virus is
starting to cause sores. Although this method may not prevent the outbreak itself, it should help
slow down the sores' initial formation.
* Provide the child with plenty of fluids. Cold,
nonacidic fluids such as apple or apricot juice are good choices.
* Encourage the child not
to touch the sores. Spreading the disease is always a concern, but even bacterial infection can
occur if the sores are put into contact with the everyday germs typically found on
hands.
For more information about cold sores, visit
href="http://about.newsusa.com/redirect/?memberID=11990&ArticleID=4636&CategoryId=&redirect=http://www.aeura.com">www.aeura.com.
