Does my kid have a cold or an allergy?
These are signs that your child may have an allergy:
- Irritated, red, itchy eyes;
- Repeated sneezing: Children also sneeze when they have colds, but is more commonly associated with allergies;
- A runny nose, with clear, watery discharge, not thick, yellow and green;
- So-called allergic shiners, or dark rings under the eyes;
- So-called clucking - kids with allergies often click on the roofs of their mouths with their tongues;
- The so-called allergic salute: Kids with allergies develop a habit of frequent, upward rubs with their mouths. This causes the development of an allergic crease, or a line across the bridge of the nose.
In summary, the differences are:
A cold:
- Usually begins with or is accompanied by a sore throat;
- Generally doesn’t last more than ten days;
- Usually occurs during winter months;
- The child usually complains about the symptoms;
- Can include a fever;
- Family members may also be ill;
A seasonal allergy:
- The symptoms disappear when the child moves from one environment to another, signaling that they’ve moved away from the allergy trigger;
- The symptoms can be ongoing;
- Is more serious during spring and summer;
- There is usually no fever;
- The child might not complain abut feeling unwell, even though the symptoms are present;
- Symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, ticklish throat and sneezing are present.
