Family Health

Colds, Covid and Flu—Oh My!

NOWADAYS THE FAINTEST SNIFFLE, never mind a full-blown sneeze, can send even the most unflappable of parents diving for their phones to consult Dr. Google. Here’s a rundown of some common respiratory bugs your kids may encounter during the school year and beyond.

The common cold

COLDS HAVE BEEN WITH US for time immemorial, and while annoying, they are generally pretty benign. They are most often caused by rhinoviruses, and despite the many feats of modern medicine, there is still no cure for the common cold.

Colds usually last seven to 10 days with symptoms that include a stuffy and/or runny nose, scratchy and/or sore throat, congestion, sneezing, coughing and fatigue. According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, because cold symptoms can mirror those caused by other respiratory illnesses such as the flu, your child should be examined by their healthcare provider to rule out a more serious illness.

Colds usually resolve on their own, though in some cases, secondary infections such as ear infections, sinus infections or bronchitis may develop, all of which mean another trip to the doctor’s office.

Covid-19

THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS, Covid-19, has been circulating in the U.S. for nearly three years now, and many of us have already had it—some more than once. Symptoms can be non-existent, mild, or in some people, quite severe.

According to the CDC, symptoms in children can vary widely. Some may present with only respiratory symptoms, while others may only experience gastrointestinal symptoms. The most common symptoms in kids, according to the CDC, are a cough, or a fever, or both. Additional symptoms may include headache, body aches, congestion, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, difficulty breathing, gastrointestinal upset, and poor appetite.

Testing for Covid-19 can be done at home with an at-home test, available through most pharmacies and various retailers. At-home tests are ‘rapid-antigen’ tests, which can provide results in about 15 minutes. A ‘PCR’ test is generally done at a clinic and can take a few days to get results.

For a list of testing locations in Larimer County, go to https://bit. ly/3eA9gLJ. For a list of testing locations in Weld County, go to https://bit. ly/3ENxrkl.

The CDC recommends vaccination against Covid-19 for children as young as 6 months through age 17. Vaccinations are given in a series and vary by age and also by which vaccine (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTtech, etc.) the child receives.

Influenza

THE FLU HAS ALSO BEEN AROUND as long as anyone can remember, and unfortunately, is something we have to deal with on an annual basis. The flu is also a virus, which usually shows up as either type A or B. Both strains can cause symptoms including headache, sore throat, hacking cough, significant fatigue, a runny and/or stuffy nose, body aches, fever and chills.

According to the Mayo Clinic, your child’s healthcare provider will evaluate your child and make a diagnosis of flu based on the exam alone, or may screen specifically for influenza through various tests.

Perhaps the only positive about the flu is that unlike colds, there are antiviral medications that can reduce flu symptoms and shorten their duration. An annual flu vaccination can also help protect against the flu. The CDC recommends that everyone aged 6 months and above be vaccinated against the flu, annually.