Imagine that your child has come home from a school trip or a few days at a relative's house with a bad cough. Since your child has a low-grade fever, you probably think it's just a common cold. So you do everything you can to try to make your child feel better. After a few days, the fever goes down and your child starts playing again. But... that cough still hasn't gone away. It's been going on for weeks.
So why has this cold lasted so long? Or is this not really a cold? Is it something else, like an allergy? Maybe it's asthma? These questions have probably crossed your mind.
Your doctor can figure this out for you. But before you go to see the doctor, if you keep a few things in mind, it will help the doctor understand exactly what's going on.
First thing: Does the child have a fever?
When you have an allergy, you may experience symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, itchy eyes, nose, and upper eyelids, and sometimes a sore throat.
But, no matter how much we say "Hay Fever," "allergies don't cause fever."
Usually, when you get a cold, it gets worse gradually. You may have a runny nose, itchy eyes, and a slight fever of 101 Fahrenheit (101°F).
So if your child has a fever, it's most likely a cold caused by a virus .
Let's easily identify the difference between a cold and an allergy
The table below will help you clearly understand the difference between the two.
| Characteristic | Common Cold | Allergy |
|---|---|---|
| How to get started | Symptoms appear gradually over several days. | Symptoms appear suddenly upon exposure to the allergen. |
| Lasting time | It usually heals in 7 to 14 days. | It lasts as long as exposure to the allergen (weeks or months). |
| Fever and body aches | There is often a slight fever and body aches. | There is no fever or body aches at all. |
| Itching (eyes, nose, throat) | Itching is rarely seen. | There is often an itchy eye, nose, and throat. |
| The nature of the liquid | Although initially clear like water, it later thickens, turning yellow or green. | It is a clear, non-thick liquid, often like water. |
| Contagious nature | Because it is caused by a virus, it is transmitted from one person to another. | It is not contagious from one person to another. |
A few more things to think about...
How are the child's friends doing?
You can get a big clue by looking at your child's friends. Have any of them had a cold lately? Illnesses like colds spread very quickly among young children.
"Many parents know who their children are in contact with. So we are aware of the diseases that are spreading in the community," say pediatricians . If other children around the child are not sick, we have to think about another cause for these symptoms.
How long have the symptoms been present?
A cold usually goes away in two weeks or less. But allergies last much longer. They don't go away in three or four days. Some people have allergies for most of the year, especially during the peak pollen season.
You can also get allergies from things inside your home. For example, things like dust mites, pet dander, indoor mold, or cockroaches can cause allergies all year round.
Do symptoms change at different times of the day?
Imagine your child waking up in the morning with a stuffy nose and a runny nose. It could be a reaction to dust mites in the room they sleep in, or to the dog or cat dander in the house. If they don't want to eat for a few hours after waking up in the morning, it could be because the nasal secretions from allergies are going up into their throat and causing them to have trouble eating.
How old is the child?
Most people develop asthma by the age of 6. After that, asthma is rare. But allergies can develop at any age. However, allergies to things outside (like pollen) usually start between the ages of 4 and 6. Allergies to things inside can start as young as 3.
If you have a pet at home, and your child's symptoms worsen when they're home, it's time to consider an allergy test. Also, does your child have a skin condition like eczema ? Eczema and allergies often go hand in hand. If your child has both eczema and allergies, and is under the age of 6, they're more likely to develop asthma in the future.
What color is the mucus coming from the nose?
This is also a good sign. If the discharge from your nose is clear, like water , it's more likely to be an allergy. But if the discharge is green or yellow and thick , it could be due to an infection or virus.
Could this be asthma?
This is the most important question for people with allergies, because untreated asthma can be dangerous, even life-threatening.
If your child has any of the following symptoms along with them, it could be asthma:
- A wheezing sound comes from the chest when breathing.
- Coughing occurs at night, when exercising, or when laughing .
- My chest feels tight.
- There is shortness of breath.
- When I catch a cold, it always goes down to my chest.
- I get tired quickly even when doing normal work.
If you think your child may have asthma, talk to your doctor right away. Together with your doctor, you can provide your child with quick relief. Remember, a cold, allergies, and asthma can all be present in the same child at the same time. Therefore, it is essential to seek medical advice for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Take-Home Message
- If your child has a fever, it's most likely a cold caused by a viral infection. Allergies don't cause fever.
- If the symptoms do not subside in a few days, but persist for weeks, it is more likely to be an allergy.
- If the nasal discharge is clear like water, it could be an allergy, while if it is thick and green/yellow, it could be an infection.
- If someone in the family (parents) has allergies or asthma, the child is at greater risk of developing those conditions as well.
- If you experience symptoms such as nighttime coughing, difficulty breathing, or wheezing, these could be signs of asthma. In such a case, see your doctor immediately.
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