How important is it for my kid to wear their hat and/or coat in winter? Are they going to get sick if they refuse to wear their hat when it’s cold outside?
—Alex
Let’s start with the broader question behind your specific one: does being cold contribute to getting sick?
It is not surprising that people might think that it does. Colds are more common in winter, as are many other respiratory viruses. The natural conclusion is that the cold must somehow cause illness. This is related to many common historical confusions about illness — for example, that illness is caused by bad smells.
By and large, this is wrong. Respiratory illnesses are caused by bacteria and viruses, not by being cold. If you were alone in the world, without human contact, you could be as cold as you wanted without getting sick. You could stand outside naked in 5 degrees and you’d get frostbite for sure, but not a viral illness. Viruses come from human interaction.
The primary reason people associate colds with the cold is that when it’s cold, we tend to huddle inside together. And there is nothing viruses like better than people huddling inside together. Respiratory illnesses spike in the winter mostly because of our behavior, not the cold.
Having said this: there is a kernel of truth. When we are very cold, our immune system is slightly depressed, since our body must spend more time keeping us warm. This may make us slightly more susceptible to viruses. In addition, dry air can make our nose less good at keeping germs out, which, again, can slightly increase susceptibility to viruses. Both of these are small impacts and, importantly, only matter if you’re exposed to viruses. You cannot get sick just from being cold.
Let’s return to your question! Should you force your child to wear a jacket? From an illness standpoint, I would say no. If it’s so cold they might get frostbite, perhaps it’s worth it. But also, if you do not make a big deal about it and you just bring the jacket, usually they change their mind.
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“The primary reason people associate colds with the cold is that when it’s cold, we tend to huddle inside together.”
This is what I was always taught, and I believed it for a long time, but now I live in Arizona where the winters are actually when we spend much more time outside. Summers are indoor time, winters are outdoor time. And yet, in Arizona, winter is still definitely the cold/flu season. Maybe worse than Chicago.
What explains this?
Could it be holiday travel or gatherings? People in Arizona will interact with people from other climates, so maybe they get their cold weather cooties?
Your logic could go the other way : winters in Arizona aren’t even cold (I live in Chicago) and people still get sicker than, let’s say, Chicago during spring time.
I’ll tell more: winter in Rio de Janeiro is even less cold (used to live there, think lows in the upper 50s F at the coldest) and people still get sicker. But they do tend to stay more indoors during the winter there.
People move around to lot in the US and carry a lot of diseases. Arizona may have more people out during the day in the winter than in the summer, but the winter wave is hard to suppress locally.
Maybe all that extra dry air?