How to tell if your  child has a common cold or something more serious

A lot of diseases mimic  symptoms of  a common cold so sometimes it can be difficult to tell if the child has a cold or something else.

A child with a cold  may have a runny nose with mucus that starts out as clear but can turn thick and gray , yellow  or green over 7 to 10 days.  She may also have a headache,  sore throat or a cough.  The child may even have a low grade fever with the  cold. However with a cold, you will notice that  whenever the fever goes down, the child acts far less sick than  she would if  it is a serious problem. When your child has an infection such as pneumonia, meningitis , urinary tract infection, influenza or ear infection, the child will not improve much when her temperature goes down.

A cold is caused by a virus but serious infections are usually caused by a bacteria ( and some viruses ). Serious infections usually do not get better without medication ( although some do get better ).

If your child’s cold doesnt go away within 2 weeks or she develops new symptoms , it may indicate that she has a new infection . You have to get her checked by the doctor.

Allergies can also cause symptoms such as cough, clear runny nose, itchy red eye, and a scratchy throat. However they do not cause fevers. Children with allergies are prone to cold  ( usually severe colds or colds that last longer). If your child has frequent cold or cold that is slow to clear and coughs  that last  more than a month,  have your doctor check for allergies.