• Colds and the Flu - Risk Factors
• Highlights
• Introduction
• Diagnosis
• Complications
• Prevention
• Treatment

Risk Factors

Age

The very young and the very old are at higher risk for upper respiratory tract infections and their associated complications.

Children. Young children are prone to colds and may have as many as 12 colds every year. Millions of cases of influenza develop in American children and adolescents each year.

Before the immune system matures, all infants are susceptible to upper respiratory infections, with a possible frequency of one cold every 1 - 2 months. Smaller nasal and sinus...