Clinic / Is it a Cold or the Flu?

Is it a Cold or the Flu?

The cold and flu season is beginning. While good attendance is important to the learning process, illness compromises a sick child’s learning and jeopardizes other students. A child who is experiencing symptoms of illness should not be sent to school.

Symptoms	Cold	Flu
Fever	Rare	Characteristic, high (102-104°F), lasts 3-4 days
Headache	Rare	Prominent
General aches, pains	Slight	Usual, often severe
Fatigue, weakness	Quite mild	Can last up to 2-3 weeks
Extreme exhaustion	Never	Early and prominent
Stuffy nose	Common	Sometimes
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore throat	Common	Sometimes
Chest discomfort, cough	Mild to moderate; hacking cough	Common, can become severe
Complications	Sinus congestion or earache	Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening
Prevention	None	Annual vaccination, antiviral medicines. See your doctor.
Treatment	Only temporary relief of symptoms	Antiviral medicines. See your doctor.