Is this your symptom?
- Runny nose and sore throat caused by a virus
- You think you have a cold. Reason: other family members, friends or co-workers have same symptoms.
- Also called an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)
Symptoms of a Cold
- Runny or stuffy nose
- The nasal discharge starts clear, but changes to grey. It can also be yellow or green.
- Most people will have a fever at the start.
- A sore throat can be the first sign
- At times, you may have a cough and hoarse voice. Sometimes, watery eyes and swollen lymph nodes in the neck also occur.
Cause of Colds
- Colds are caused by many respiratory viruses. Adults may get several a year.
- The influenza virus causes a bad cold with more fever and muscle aches.
- Colds are not serious.
- Few people develop another health problem. Some people may develop an ear or sinus infection, bronchitis, tonsilitis or an infection in their lungs.
Colds: Normal Viral Symptoms
- Colds can cause a runny nose, sore throat, hoarse voice, a cough or croup. They can also cause stuffiness of the nose, sinus or ear. Red watery eyes can also occur. Colds are the most common reason for calls to the doctor. This is because of all the symptoms that occur with colds.
- Cold symptoms do not normally need to be seen by a doctor. The cold symptoms listed below are normal and are not a reason to be seen:
- Fever up to 3 days (unless it goes above 104° F or 40° C)
- Sore throat up to 5 days (with other cold symptoms)
- Runny nose or congestion up to 2 weeks
- Coughs up to 3 weeks
Colds: Symptoms of Secondary Bacterial Infections (other health problems)
Using this guide, you can decide if you have developed another health problem. This happens a low percentage of people who have a cold. Many will have an ear infection or sinus infection. Others go on to develop tonsilitis. Look for these symptoms:
- Earache or ear discharge
- Sinus pain not relieved by nasal washes
- Pus in the eyes (eyelids or eyelashes may stick together after sleep)
- Trouble breathing or rapid breathing (could have pneumonia)
- Fever lasts more than 3 days
- Fever that goes away for 24 hours and then returns
- Sore throat lasts over 5 days (may have Strep throat)
- White pus-filled spots on the tonsils
- Nasal discharge lasts over 2 weeks
- Cough lasts over 3 weeks
Trouble Breathing: How to Tell
- Struggling for each breath or shortness of breath
- Tight breathing so that you are unable to speak in full sentences.
- Breathing has become noisy (such as wheezes)
- Breathing is much faster than normal
- Long pauses between breaths (apnea attacks)
- You appear exhausted
- Lips or face turn a bluish color
- Shortness of breath that is not getting better with usual treatment or is getting worse rapidly
When to Call for Common Cold
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
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Self Care at Home
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Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Breathing is much faster than normal
- Trouble swallowing due to throat pain or swelling
- Can't open mouth all the way
- Stiff neck (can't touch chin to the chest)
- Severe headache or headache that won't go away
- High-risk patient (such as cystic fibrosis or other chronic lung disease)
- Weak immune system. Examples are: diabetes, sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, organ transplant, taking oral steroids.
- Fever higher than 104° F (40° C)
- You feel weak or very sick
- You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Earache or ear drainage
- Sinus pain (not just congestion) around cheekbones or eyes
- White spots on the back of your throat (on the tonsils)
- Fever lasts more than 3 days
- Fever returns after being gone for more than 24 hours
- You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- Sore throat lasts more than 5 days
- Sinus congestion and fullness lasts more than 10 days
- You are not getting better after 7 days
- Runny nose lasts more than 10 days
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Mild cold with no other problems
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
