Who NOSE the nasal way to help prevent the flu?
Differences Between Cold and Flu
The flu can be much worse than a cold. Unlike the common cold, flu often causes fever, headaches, body aches,
and extreme tiredness. It can be intense and make your child sick for a week or more.
According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), the flu can cause your child to develop medical problems, including lower respiratory
illnesses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, and ear infections. Some of these problems can make your child sick
enough to need medical attention.
Also, since flu is very contagious, your child can spread it to you and other
members of your family — such as grandparents or babies — whose health may be at higher risk from the flu virus.
The table below shows some of the differences in symptoms between the common cold and the flu. This table is
for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for the advice of your healthcare provider.
Printer-Friendly Table
| Symptoms |
Flu |
Cold |
| Fever
| Usually 100°F to 102°F, but can go higher and usually lasts three to four days |
Rare |
| Headache
| Common |
Rare |
| Muscle aches
| Usual, and often severe |
Mild |
| Tiredness and weakness
| Can last two or more weeks |
Mild |
| Extreme exhaustion
| Usual, at the beginning of the illness |
Never |
| Stuffy nose
| Sometimes |
Often |
| Sneezing
| Sometimes |
Often |
| Sore throat
| Sometimes |
Often |
| Cough
| Usual, and can become severe |
Mild, hacking cough |
| Complications |
Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening |
Sinus congestion, middle ear infection, asthma flare-up |
| Prevention |
Annual vaccination; antiviral medicines — see your doctor |
Wash your hands often; avoid close contact with anyone with a cold |
Adapted from “Is It a Cold or the Flu?” by National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and National Institutes of Health; September 2005.
Next: Vaccinate Before Flu Strikes