Treating Kids with a Cold or Flu

Children seem to come down with a cold or the flu when the weather changes. Even though colds and the flu share some of the same symptoms, the viruses that cause them are different. Generally a child with the flu will appear to be much sicker than a child with a cold.

A cold is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract (includes the nose, sinuses, and throat). The cold can be caused by many respiratory viruses.

The flu is an infection caused by influenza virus that affect the respiratory tract.

Symptoms

Cold

• Mild fever
• Mild cough
• Runny or Stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Sneezing

Flu

• Fever/ Chills
• Cough
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Body aches and pains
• Headaches
• Fatique (tiredness)
• Vomiting and Diarrhea

(more common in children than adult)

How to prevent children from catching one?
Evidence shows that breastfed babies have considerable protection from such illnesses and a flu vaccine is the best way to protect kids from the flu and problems that come along with it. More over, to keep your little one from getting sick, it’s best to follow this commonsense advice: practice good hand washing, get exercise, eat healthy and get enough sleep.