Symptoms of the common cold are a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. Your child may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms. Many different germs, called viruses, cause colds.
The flu is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the influenza virus.
Below are some questions you may want to ask your child’s doctor or nurse to help you take care of your child’s cold or flu.
What are the symptoms of a cold? What are the symptoms of the flu? How can I tell them apart?
Can other people become sick from being around my child? How can I prevent that? What should I do if I have other young children at home? How about somebody who is elderly?
When will my child start to feel better? When should I worry that their symptoms have not gone away?
What should my child eat or drink? How much? How will I know if my child is not drinking enough?
What medicines can I buy at the store to help with my child's symptoms?
Will antibiotics make my child's symptoms go away faster? Are there medicines that can make the flu go away faster?
How can I keep a child from getting a cold or the flu?
What to ask your doctor about colds and the flu - child; Influenza - what to ask your doctor - child; Upper respiratory infection - what to ask your doctor - child; URI - what to ask your doctor - child; Swine flu (H1N1) - what to ask your doctor - child
Turner RB. The common cold. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 369.
Hayden FG. Influenza. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 372.
Key facts about seasonal flu vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm. Accessed January 10, 2014.
The flu: what to do if you get sick. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm. Accessed January 10, 2014.
Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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