How to distinguish between cold and flu in children? Check these 3 points

To distinguish whether a child has the flu or a cold, there are three main aspects to consider: the child's body temperature, the child's pain, and the third is the complications that the child exhibits. Generally speaking, if it is just a common cold, there will be no other complications.

Every parent hopes that their children can grow up healthy and happy, but on the road to growth, there will always be various viruses invading and torturing children. The most common thing is that every child will experience a cold and fever. However, colds and flu are different. So how do you distinguish between colds and flu in children?

1. Different body temperatures

When children get the flu or a cold, their body temperatures are different. Generally, most flu patients are accompanied by a high fever. The temperature may be only 38°C in the early stage, but as time goes by, the temperature may reach 40°C, and the high fever lasts for a very long time, possibly as long as three to five days. Some patients have weaker immunity, so the immune response will last longer. In addition, some patients do not have a significant temperature drop even after taking antipyretics, and even if the temperature drops, it will rebound quickly and return to a high temperature. These are not common colds. Generally, a small number of patients with common colds have a low fever, and it will only last one to two days. The temperature is very easy to control and will not rebound.

2. Pain

Flu can cause systemic symptoms, and they are more severe. For example, patients may have headaches, sore throats, muscle aches, etc., and children's mental state is very bad. The common cold is different. In general, patients have no other symptoms and reactions except a low-grade fever and a slight cough. Of course, some patients may have a runny nose, but these do not affect their daily lives at all.

3. Complications

Complications are actually an important means of determining whether it is influenza or a common cold. If the symptoms of influenza are not treated in time, the patient may develop other more serious problems. For example, some children may have meningitis or even encephalitis.