Children’s health: What’s causing your child’s cough and sniffles?

Cough and congestion are common for many children this time of year, signaling any number of illnesses.

For parents, it’s important to identify the exact cause of your child’s discomfort, as effective treatment starts with an accurate diagnosis.

With just a bit of basic information, you can help your pediatrician begin to determine if you’re dealing with a cold, a sinus infection or environmental allergies.

Is it a cold?

The symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, or the common cold, include nasal discharge, congestion, cough and headache. Sometimes, the symptoms are accompanied by fever, as well.

The symptoms of the common cold usually last seven to 10 days, often starting with a runny nose or nasal congestion, progressing to cough. The cough is the last symptom to resolve, which can take two to three weeks after it begins.

Symptoms tend to peak within three to six days, then start to improve.

Is it a sinus infection?

Sinusitis is an infection of the sinuses that typically causes pain or tenderness in areas of the face above or below the nose and eyes in adults. A child’s nasal sinuses, however, are not typically fully developed until the age of 12, so they may not experience the same symptoms.

Make sure you visit your child’s pediatrician if your child’s cold symptoms last longer than 10 days, especially if they develop a fever after three to six days, the time the illness should take to begin to improve.

Most common cold symptoms are viral and will run their course in about a week. However, some sinus infections or ear infections are bacterial and need to be treated with antibiotics.

Is it an allergy?

If your child is having an allergic reaction to something in their environment, they may also have a runny nose, nasal congestion or cough. Though, nasal discharge caused by allergies is typically watery and clear. Sneezing, itchy nose and itchy or watery eyes also may be present.

Allergies don’t cause a fever and children’s allergies will occur as long as they’re exposed to the allergen, so it’s helpful to determine what is causing the reaction and avoid those triggers. However, your child might need oral medications, nasal sprays or eye drops to help relieve the symptoms

• Children's health is a continuing series. This column was provided by Ascension Illinois.