• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

How to Tell If Your Kid Has Allergies

January 25, 2011 by ds_365 Leave a Comment

When a kid has symptoms such as sneezing, headache, dizziness, hoarseness or a cough, it can be difficult to know if they’re symptoms of the common cold or an allergy. The difference is that colds are the direct result of a virus, whereas allergies are a defense mechanism developed by the body to protect against allergens such as dust, dander and pollen. While diagnosis is best made by a physician, being able to tell the difference between a simple cold and a full-blown allergy can help you play a proactive role in helping to relieve your child’s symptoms.

Step 1

Check your child for a fever using a thermometer. In children, a fever is a temperature above 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit when taken orally or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit when taken rectally, according to Family Doctor.org. If your child has a fever, chances are he doesn’t have an allergy. Fevers are not associated with allergies, but they do run hand-in-hand with colds.

Step 2

Look for signs of aches and pains in your child. Aches and pains in your child’s muscles that occur with movements are never associated with allergy symptoms. However, according to the BMJ Group, such symptoms do have a close association with the common cold.

Step 3

Examine your child’s nose for discharge. While nasal discharge is a symptom of both an allergy and a cold, the nasal discharge associated with an allergy tends to remain clear for as long as the child is symptomatic. On the other hand, if you notice that the clear discharge turns to a creamy yellow or green consistency within a few days, this is indicative of a cold, according to MedlinePlus.

Step 4

Check your child for iitchy, watery eyes. Look for redness around the eyelid and unusual tear production. Children with allergies will usually rub their eyes because they itch, a symptom that is not usually associated with the common cold, according to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Step 5

Keep a log of how long your child’s symptoms last. While allergy symptoms usually only last for as long as the child is around the allergen triggering the symptoms, a cold often has a duration of one week but can last as long as two weeks in some cases, according to Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting

About ds_365

Eleanor Jewell started freelancing in 2007, writing for eHow, LIVESTRONG.COM and Trails. Lifestyle changes have led Jewell down a new path, quite different from her background as a licensed cosmetologist and certified skin-care specialist. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in education and a teacher certification from East Stroudsburg University.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

ModernMom TV

Featured

How to Save Your Kid from Drowning

The lifeguard moving quickly past Lindsey’s chair seemed to … [Read More...] about How to Save Your Kid from Drowning

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Best Way to Cook Boneless Shoulder Steak

The Best Way to Cook Boneless Shoulder Steak

abdominal pain on the left side in pregnancy

Abdominal Pain on the Left Side in Pregnancy

Remove the Lens From Plastic Frames

How to Remove the Lens From Plastic Frames

Child Too Big for a Toddler Bed

When Is a Child Too Big for a Toddler Bed?

Emotional Development of Adolescents

How Early to Take a Pregnancy Test

How Early to Take a Pregnancy Test

Post-Pregnancy Headaches

Post-Pregnancy Headaches

How to Even Out a Spray Tan That Left White Spots

How to Even Out a Spray Tan That Left White Spots

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Decoding a Man’s Hug

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.