Colds and the Flu in Children
When your child gets sick, often you can’t ease their discomfort until you know what you are facing. During the colder months of the year, your child can come down with any number of bugs and viruses, but the worst bug of all is the flu. Unfortunately, even cold symptoms in children can be pronounced, so it can be challenging to determine if your child is suffering from a common cold or if she does in fact have the flu.
Cold Symptoms
In children the most common symptoms of a cold are a runny nose, cough, and irritability. Of course, these can also be signs of teething, so the best way to check for a cold is to determine the color of the nasal discharge. Green or yellow mucus is indicative of a cold, but clear discharge is likely allergies or teething related. Other cold symptoms include:
- Green or yellow nasal discharge
- Sore throat
- Dry and hacking cough
- Sneezing
- Very slight aches and pains
- Irritability
There is no cure for colds, and young children should not be given any cold medicines as they have been shown to be dangerous. Instead treat the symptoms as best you can with a little extra love and attention. Push fluids and food, and elevate the crib mattress and encourage older children to sleep with their head on the pillow to help drain fluids away from the nose and ears.
Flu Symptoms
The flu is a much more intense disease that might be prevented by getting a flu vaccine each year. Children six months and up are encouraged to get a flu vaccine annually. If your child has the flu, the first symptoms might appear similar to a cold, but symptoms will quickly become more severe. Symptoms of the flu include:
- High fever lasting 3-4 days
- Severe headache
- Severe body aches and pains
- Lingering fatigue and weakness
- Extreme exhaustion
- Chest discomfort and cough
- Occasional stuffy nose, sore throat and sneezing
The flu can be shortened considerably by administering antiviral drugs within twenty-four to forty-eight hours of the start of the disease, but you’ll need to discuss this with your pediatrician. The flu must be monitored carefully as it can develop into other more serious conditions such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
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