COVID, Cold or Flu… What Do I Do?

Your child comes home with a cough, fever, and sore throat. You look at them with a puzzled look on your face as you silently try to figure out what sickness they are battling. The cold or flu seems to be the least of your worries while COVID tops the list of “oh no!” moments. Hoping for the best, you go to the internet to find out whether you are dealing with a cold, flu, or COVID-19. Which one is it?

Each one of these sicknesses are generated by viruses invading the respiratory tract. Each are contagious and easily spread between people. Similar to other illnesses, they are challenging to tell apart and even harder, in part, to treat if you don’t know what you are dealing with.

You also hope that they will get over it soon, and that if there is a fever that it won’t skyrocket. Emergency rooms in Winnipeg are packed with an eight to ten hour wait as professionals do their best to treat patients. Pediatricians are difficult to get into, and medical clinics can be backed up with wait times. What to do…

Here are several things a concerned parent or caregiver can look for if their child becomes sick:

THE COMMON COLD 

Cold symptoms are usually mild in nature and contain runny/stuffy nose, tickly throat, and sneezing. If a fever exists, it tends to be low-grade. Children with colds generally feel well, have normal energy, and have a decent appetite. 

THINGS TO DO

While there is no test, and no treatment, the best thing to do is allow it to run its course and keep your child comfortable. You can give them cold medicine according to their age, however, often treating this infection suppresses them and can let the cold linger. Generally, it is best to allow the child to get rid of the mucous as this is the best way for it to get out of the body. 

THE FLU

The flu may be mild and children tend to feel worse with it when compared to colds. Fever may suddenly appear along with headache, chills, and body soreness. The child may have a runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Most feel tired and miserable with a decreased appetite. Some children may experience nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, or vomiting.

Doctors can test for the flu by conducting a test looking for the flu. 

THINGS TO DO

Most children will improve at home with rest, plenty of liquids, Pedialyte if they are dehydrated, and comfort. Doctors may prescribe antiviral medicines to shorten the sickness or ease anything symptomatic. However, some children may become extremely sick and require hospital treatment. This tends to be in cases where there is a high fever and/or dehydration. 

COVID-19 

Children affected by the coronavirus may not have noticeable signs of illness. Characteristics can range from mild like having a cold, while others may experience severe illness. Generally, coronavirus disease may appear to be either the flu or cold. However, they may also appear to be very different. An example may be rashes or a loss in smell/taste.

Children can exhibit traits weeks after being infected as part of multi-system imflammatory in children (MIS-C). Rarely, children may exhibit characteristics of the virus for the long-term called COVID 19 infection. 

To see if your child is infected with the disease, doctors are able to perform a test examining for the virus located in the respiratory tract. They may look for past infections by conducting blood work searching for antibodies. 

THINGS TO DO

Most children with a mild form don’t require specific treatments. They will improve with rest, liquids, and medicine to reduce fever. The few children that are higher risk for severe COVID 19 illness can obtain medicines like monoclonal antibodies or antiviral drugs to prevent them from getting sick and needing hospitalization. 

Teens that are higher risk that were in close contact with someone who was infected or are likely exposed to infectious individuals can also obtain this medicine to prevent infection. 

There are those who become very sick and require hospital care. Doctors will monitor them closely, provide IV or oxygen, and treat issues as they arise. Rarely do they provide monoclonal antibodies, antiviral drugs, or steroids. If breathing is impaired, they will be connected to a ventilator.

COVID 19 vaccination can be given for children six months and older plus adults. Kids aged five and older plus adults are recommended to keep up to date with booster shots and all eligible people should receive all their shots as quickly as possible.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

If you have any concerns, or your child has worrisome signs, call either your doctor, paediatrician, or HealthLinks. What may seem like your child battling a cold may be the flu or COVID. Sicknesses like pneumonia or strep throat can show similar characteristics, but require different treatments. It can be difficult to ascertain what your child is dealing with, and doctors may need to run additional testing.

Get immediate medical care if your child:

• is getting worse
• has difficulty breathing
• experiences high fever
• suffers from a bad headache
• experiences a sore throat
• appears confused
• complains of severe stomach pain
• experiences pain/pressure in the chest
• has difficulty staying awake
• appears bluish in the lips/face

Call your doctor immediately if your kid suffers from asthma or other sicknesses and begins to experience flu or COVID symptoms. They may want to begin doing tests to start certain flu medications.

What Can Parents Do?

Steps to prevent germs spreading work against the flu, cold, and COVID. During this season, it is best to:

• Frequently wash hand often and well. Wash them for 20 seconds using soap and water or hand sanitizer containing a minimum of 60% alcohol.
• Avoid individuals who look sick.
• Clean surfaces that are frequently touched (like counters, doorknobs, phones, etc.).