Cold vs. Allergy: How Do I Know the Difference?

March 21, 2017

How Do I Know if My Child Has a Cold or Hay Fever (Allergic Rhinitis)

Colds are infections of the upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nasal passages, throat, and larynx). They are caused by several different viruses and are spread by touching a person with a cold, or touching object that someone with a cold has touched, or by breathing the virus in the air after someone with a cold has coughed or sneezed into the air.

Seasonal allergies (hay fever) are caused by the immune system reacting to pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds as if they were harmful to the body. This reaction causes symptoms that can be similar to a cold. Allergies often run in families. Seasonal allergies occur at the same time each year. If your child has allergy symptoms all year long, he or she may be allergic to thinks in the home, such as dust mites, animals, mold, and cockroaches.

The following table is a guide. See your child's healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

Symptoms	Allergy (Airborne)	Cold
Stuffy or runny nose	Often	Often
Sneezing	Often	Often
Sore scratchy throat	Often	Often
Red or itchy eyes	Often	Rarely, never
Fever	Never	Often, especially at the start of a cold
Weakness and fatigue	Sometimes	Sometimes
Headache	Sometimes	Often
Cough	Sometimes	Often
Hoarseness	Sometimes	Often
Recur at a certain time of year	Often	Rarely
Need for antibiotics	No	No
Warning time	Symptoms occur after exposure to allergen	Gets worse over several days
How long it lasts	As long as your child is exposed to the allergen	Usually three to 14 days

Updated:

March 21, 2017

Sources:

Allergic rhinitis: Clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and diagnosis, Up To Date

Reviewed By:

Blaivas, Allen, J., DO,Godsey, Cynthia, MSN, APRN, MSHE, FNP-BC